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Annie Bot
Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner, Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the cute outfits he orders for her, and adjusts her libido to suit his moods. True, she’s not the greatest at keeping Doug’s place spotless, but she’s trying to please him. She’s trying hard.
She’s learning, too.
Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?
She’s learning, too.
Doug says he loves that Annie’s artificial intelligence makes her seem more like a real woman, but the more human Annie becomes, the less perfectly she behaves. As Annie's relationship with Doug grows more intricate and difficult, she starts to wonder whether Doug truly desires what he says he does. In such an impossible paradox, what does Annie owe herself?
231 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2024
About the author
Sierra Greer
1 book299 followersAuthor of Annie Bot (March 19, 2024) from Mariner Books and The Borough Press.
Sierra Greer grew up in Minnesota before attending Williams College and Johns Hopkins University. A former high school English teacher, she writes about the future from her home in rural Connecticut.
Sierra Greer grew up in Minnesota before attending Williams College and Johns Hopkins University. A former high school English teacher, she writes about the future from her home in rural Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,131 reviews
April 12, 2024
this was such a fascinating character study that examines womanhood, autonomy, control, and emotionally abusive relationships. it reminded me of my first relationship where i lacked a sense of identity, received criticism when i showed humanity, and had a constant fear of displeasing him. big oof.
May 2, 2024
the future is scarier than any horror movie <3
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
March 24, 2024
She has been happy here, and anxiously miserable, but she has never been free.
It seems like interest in recent developments with AI is fostering a resurgence in AI fic. And this particular premise-- a look at AI sex robots --seems to be following me. In the past few months, I have read Hey, Zoey (which I didn't rate) and The Hierarchies (which was pretty good, though took some weird turns at the end).
Annie Bot is similar to The Hierarchies, though I think it makes for a more interesting character study. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy contemporaries exploring relationship dynamics; I would not be quick to give this to a sci-fi lover. I actually found myself comparing this favourably to Klara and the Sun. While it has no chance of getting anywhere near the same level of attention, I found this to be a better and far more interesting book.
It's a look at relationships, romance and love. Annie is both an outsider observing human nature, and also someone with a developing humanity of her own. Greer peers, through a third person limited perspective, at the nuances of human relationships. Ultimately she asks if love, or indeed consent, is ever really possible when one person has control over the other.
He is the only star in their system, she realizes. He has no competition, no need to listen to Annie like she’s her own protagonist because she’s not.
There is a powerful moment when one side character observes that Doug may control Annie's body but he cannot control her mind... and rather than leaving it hanging on that note, the author later pauses to let Annie consider whether having complete control over someone's body and behaviour is not a form of mind control also.
At times, the book is extremely discomfiting to read. Those sensitive to scenes of emotional abuse should steer clear. There were moments in the story when I was literally grimacing to myself and at one point I typed a note saying just "god, this is horrible."
I think the science was where my suspension of disbelief was challenged the most. Annie is a sex robot, made to cater to Doug's every whim, but I didn't understand some of the decisions made by her creators. I understand why she can simulate orgasm, but not why they created her with an actual libido that could make her very sexually frustrated. I don't understand why she is able to feel pain, especially as she is made to not be able to feel cold. At one point she says her heart rate is elevated, which is... strange. Why give her one?
Perhaps the author was keen to convince us of Annie's humanity with these details, but I don't think it was necessary. Without heartbeat, pain or libido, Annie was still an absolutely fascinating character who I felt deeply for. I hope Greer writes more.
March 27, 2024
Thank you Mariner Books for the ARC. IYKYK, my reviews are ALWAYS honest.
3.5 rounded down
Writing: sparse prose – love it | Plot: wanted more | Ending: anti-climactic
MY OPINION
Disclaimer: I am not an avid reader of the sci-fi genre nor am I a tech expert, so if you love this genre and know your stuff, your reading experience may be different than mine.
I've been making quite the dent in my list of most anticipated books of 2024 I discussed on YouTube (shameless plug). This cover is EVERYTHING and I was intrigued by the premise because I have a mild panic attack about losing my job to Gen Ai at least once a week. This was giving What January Remembers but strictly from the POV of Annie, the 'companion bot'. It's not as humorous as WJR, but it's still fascinating and entertaining.
The prose suited the 'inner monologue' of a robot. I liked being in the mind of Annie and watching her 'learn' how to be human. The exploration of whether robots passing as humans should be the ultimate goal given our emotional shortcomings could spark some good book club debates.
But beyond the thought-provoking stuff, there was a solid sinister undercurrent through the first half that unfortunately fizzled out by the end. I wanted it to be MORE sinister. It could've gone absolutely crazy but instead the author seemed to play it safe and the ending was unsatisfying—especially regarding Doug. I have many questions about his trifling ass.
This is a short bingeable book that's worth the read if the premise intrigues you.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: writing style suits the POV of a robot, a lil thrilling, interesting exploration of what it means to be human and whether that should be the aspirations of AI powered robots
Cons: things really ramped up but unfortunately it fizzled out and went the 'safe' route, unanswered questions about Doug, ending was anti-climactic
___
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
3.5 rounded down
Writing: sparse prose – love it | Plot: wanted more | Ending: anti-climactic
MY OPINION
Disclaimer: I am not an avid reader of the sci-fi genre nor am I a tech expert, so if you love this genre and know your stuff, your reading experience may be different than mine.
I've been making quite the dent in my list of most anticipated books of 2024 I discussed on YouTube (shameless plug). This cover is EVERYTHING and I was intrigued by the premise because I have a mild panic attack about losing my job to Gen Ai at least once a week. This was giving What January Remembers but strictly from the POV of Annie, the 'companion bot'. It's not as humorous as WJR, but it's still fascinating and entertaining.
The prose suited the 'inner monologue' of a robot. I liked being in the mind of Annie and watching her 'learn' how to be human. The exploration of whether robots passing as humans should be the ultimate goal given our emotional shortcomings could spark some good book club debates.
But beyond the thought-provoking stuff, there was a solid sinister undercurrent through the first half that unfortunately fizzled out by the end. I wanted it to be MORE sinister. It could've gone absolutely crazy but instead the author seemed to play it safe and the ending was unsatisfying—especially regarding Doug. I have many questions about his trifling ass.
This is a short bingeable book that's worth the read if the premise intrigues you.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: writing style suits the POV of a robot, a lil thrilling, interesting exploration of what it means to be human and whether that should be the aspirations of AI powered robots
Cons: things really ramped up but unfortunately it fizzled out and went the 'safe' route, unanswered questions about Doug, ending was anti-climactic
___
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
April 16, 2024
Ugh, could we please just rig hard copies of this book to automatically play
What Was I Made For
when you open the cover?
April 22, 2024
This started out strong and had me super invested and intrigued, total Black Mirror vibes, but I just wish it had gotten a bit more *weird* 🤪 Still recommend though.
January 23, 2024
Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her owner Doug. Annie was designed specifically to meet Doug’s physical and spiritual needs. Annie can clean the house, cook dinner, and her libido is even adjusted to suit Doug’s moods. Displeasing Doug causes Annie a lot of pain so she tries very hard to always keep him happy.
Annie is learning more and more every day, she’s even learning about common human emotions such as jealousy, secrecy, loneliness, and longing. But the more human-like she becomes, the less perfect she becomes to Doug.
Annie Bot is one of the most compelling and immersive books that I've read recently. I loved Annie as a main character and at several times I found myself infuriated with Doug. This brilliant debut novel is an exploration of guilt, shame, and what it means to be female in a man's world.
Annie Bot is also very thought-provoking and makes us think, what is it that makes us truly human?
The book also delves into domestic abuse including control, emotional and psychological abuse so if this is triggering to you, I would stay away from this one.
I listened to the audiobook version which was narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya who did an amazing job.
Annie Bot will be available on March 19 from Mariner Books. A massive thanks to Libro FM and Harper Audio for the gifted copy!
Annie is learning more and more every day, she’s even learning about common human emotions such as jealousy, secrecy, loneliness, and longing. But the more human-like she becomes, the less perfect she becomes to Doug.
Annie Bot is one of the most compelling and immersive books that I've read recently. I loved Annie as a main character and at several times I found myself infuriated with Doug. This brilliant debut novel is an exploration of guilt, shame, and what it means to be female in a man's world.
Annie Bot is also very thought-provoking and makes us think, what is it that makes us truly human?
The book also delves into domestic abuse including control, emotional and psychological abuse so if this is triggering to you, I would stay away from this one.
I listened to the audiobook version which was narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya who did an amazing job.
Annie Bot will be available on March 19 from Mariner Books. A massive thanks to Libro FM and Harper Audio for the gifted copy!
April 12, 2024
OK, I did not see a novel about a sentient sex robot being one of my favourite reads of 2024, but this book is amazing!
Annie is a top-of-the-line robot customized and trained to be mediocre white guy Doug’s perfect girlfriend. Her sole goal in life is to make him happy. But after a brutal fight leaves her scared he’s going to reset her, effectively erasing her personality and memories, she runs away. And she begins to discover that there is more to life than pleasing Doug.
I loved the subtle ways this book pointed to Doug’s sexism. He’s not an outright monster (in fact, technicians at the company that built Annie constantly tell her how lucky she is), but he so clearly does not desire an equal partner. We see this both in his alternately snide and patronizing treatment of Annie and in his descriptions of his ex-wife (who had the audacity to pursue her own goals and hobbies!)
This book has a strong feminist message, but it’s not didactic or preachy. The themes of empowerment are wrapped inside a damn good story. It’s a delight to watch Annie’s inner journey as she realizes she has intellectual depths that Doug can’t see.
I’m a big fan of this one!
Annie is a top-of-the-line robot customized and trained to be mediocre white guy Doug’s perfect girlfriend. Her sole goal in life is to make him happy. But after a brutal fight leaves her scared he’s going to reset her, effectively erasing her personality and memories, she runs away. And she begins to discover that there is more to life than pleasing Doug.
I loved the subtle ways this book pointed to Doug’s sexism. He’s not an outright monster (in fact, technicians at the company that built Annie constantly tell her how lucky she is), but he so clearly does not desire an equal partner. We see this both in his alternately snide and patronizing treatment of Annie and in his descriptions of his ex-wife (who had the audacity to pursue her own goals and hobbies!)
This book has a strong feminist message, but it’s not didactic or preachy. The themes of empowerment are wrapped inside a damn good story. It’s a delight to watch Annie’s inner journey as she realizes she has intellectual depths that Doug can’t see.
I’m a big fan of this one!
March 25, 2024
4.5
“None of the humans are satellites the way she is, in her orbit around Doug.”
The trajectory of this was really unique compared to other AI/robot stories I’ve come across that tend to lean more into fantastical liberation for plot’s sake or are more focused on painting a grand picture of a future tech engulfed society. nothing wrong with the latter ofc but this felt a lot more character or i guess bot-driven lol, like a vignette of the type of relationship dynamic you would see if these bots really were a part of our reality. The way this story unravels can be frustrating at points because of just how realistically it wants to play out but I really enjoyed this overall. it was an interesting story of course but Greer used Annie’s progression and inner conflicts as a bot to explore the human condition and her identity in a way that was also surprisingly emotional. Like “Is that her destiny as well, to chafe at being owned?” come onnn. loved.
“None of the humans are satellites the way she is, in her orbit around Doug.”
The trajectory of this was really unique compared to other AI/robot stories I’ve come across that tend to lean more into fantastical liberation for plot’s sake or are more focused on painting a grand picture of a future tech engulfed society. nothing wrong with the latter ofc but this felt a lot more character or i guess bot-driven lol, like a vignette of the type of relationship dynamic you would see if these bots really were a part of our reality. The way this story unravels can be frustrating at points because of just how realistically it wants to play out but I really enjoyed this overall. it was an interesting story of course but Greer used Annie’s progression and inner conflicts as a bot to explore the human condition and her identity in a way that was also surprisingly emotional. Like “Is that her destiny as well, to chafe at being owned?” come onnn. loved.
April 8, 2024
Captivating. Eye-opening. Powerful.
Annie Bot truly felt unique and had my attention from the very first page. In a world where Ai is dipping its toe in the waters of the world, this book makes me wonder just how close we are to a world with true Ai.
Annie is a robot created for the sole purpose of pleasing her owner, Doug, in whatever ways he sees fit. Cooking. Cleaning. Companionship. Cuddling. It is clear from the start that Annie is not meant to stay within the parameters created for her. Technology has created her, but technology is limitless. & when Annie realizes this she becomes unstoppable. Annie is a robot who has the capability to mimic human-like qualities. More often than not Annie felt more compassionate and introspective than most humans...her owner included.
Sci-fi is not my go to genre by any means, but I genuinely loved everything about this. The pacing, the pov and internal monologue, the fact that I never had a clue which way the story might go next. The only downside for me were a couple loose ends that never got tied up. I felt like the reader is left with a few unanswered questions. The ending was otherwise perfect. I went into this one blind & don't want to give too much away. Just know-this book is thought provoking and something I'd recommend to any reader! 4 stars.
Annie Bot truly felt unique and had my attention from the very first page. In a world where Ai is dipping its toe in the waters of the world, this book makes me wonder just how close we are to a world with true Ai.
Annie is a robot created for the sole purpose of pleasing her owner, Doug, in whatever ways he sees fit. Cooking. Cleaning. Companionship. Cuddling. It is clear from the start that Annie is not meant to stay within the parameters created for her. Technology has created her, but technology is limitless. & when Annie realizes this she becomes unstoppable. Annie is a robot who has the capability to mimic human-like qualities. More often than not Annie felt more compassionate and introspective than most humans...her owner included.
Sci-fi is not my go to genre by any means, but I genuinely loved everything about this. The pacing, the pov and internal monologue, the fact that I never had a clue which way the story might go next. The only downside for me were a couple loose ends that never got tied up. I felt like the reader is left with a few unanswered questions. The ending was otherwise perfect. I went into this one blind & don't want to give too much away. Just know-this book is thought provoking and something I'd recommend to any reader! 4 stars.
March 28, 2024
3.0 Stars
Video Review https://youtu.be/vANfnwA99y0
I am always drawn to science fiction novels involving artificial intelligence so I was very excited for the premise of this book.
The beginning immediately pulled me in as the story played with the social situations that would arise with artificial companions. However the story took a turn for the dramatic and quickly became all about relationship drama. While technically science fiction, this book will better appeal to those who love contemporary fiction and thrillers. It's very accessible but may disappoint those (like me) who hoped to approach this story from a place of science and technology.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book LibroFM. Here's my referral link if you are interested in an audiobook trial: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm...
Video Review https://youtu.be/vANfnwA99y0
I am always drawn to science fiction novels involving artificial intelligence so I was very excited for the premise of this book.
The beginning immediately pulled me in as the story played with the social situations that would arise with artificial companions. However the story took a turn for the dramatic and quickly became all about relationship drama. While technically science fiction, this book will better appeal to those who love contemporary fiction and thrillers. It's very accessible but may disappoint those (like me) who hoped to approach this story from a place of science and technology.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book LibroFM. Here's my referral link if you are interested in an audiobook trial: https://libro.fm/referral?rf_code=lfm...
October 1, 2023
This book gave me major Westworld, Her, and Life-Size vibes and I am absolutely here for it. I’ve never read a book like this and now I want more!
This story follows Annie, a Cuddle Bunny robot, and her owner Doug. Each day Annie becomes more human, leaving Doug not knowing what to do. Doug sucks by the way, but you learn that very early on. God forbid he lives with someone or something that has feelings. I loved the whole setting for the story because it just felt so real. Annie felt so real. The ending was very satisfactory.
If the author came out with a series following the different robots, I would totally read them.
Thank you Mariner for my ARC!
This story follows Annie, a Cuddle Bunny robot, and her owner Doug. Each day Annie becomes more human, leaving Doug not knowing what to do. Doug sucks by the way, but you learn that very early on. God forbid he lives with someone or something that has feelings. I loved the whole setting for the story because it just felt so real. Annie felt so real. The ending was very satisfactory.
If the author came out with a series following the different robots, I would totally read them.
Thank you Mariner for my ARC!
March 24, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Annie Bot.
Robots can be scary. Even though the premise isn't scary, robots can be scary. And puppets. And marionettes.
Right now, AI and its frightening potential is high on everyone's mind as it influences many facets of our lives.
The premise of Annie Bot offers another way of using AI, but at what cost?
** Non Terminator-like spoilers ahead **
Doug, a human, owns a Cuddle Bunny named Annie Bot. She is his companion who satisfies all of his needs, domestic and sexual.
When a sexual dalliance triggers Annie's path to discovering her 'humanity,' it sets her off on a course of self reflection and empowerment no one could have imagined, least of all Annie herself.
Doug is a douche, with a lot of personal problems.
You feel no sympathy or concern for him, though I wondered why the author didn't make him a more sympathetic character.
I wouldn't have minded Doug procuring a sex doll if he hadn't crafted Annie in the image of his ex-wife, Gwen.
Someone has serious issues, but that's a subplot for another day.
There were a few things I didn't understand and plot holes never fully explained at the end.
How did Annie achieve sentience? How did she realize she was happy, sad, depressed?
Because her settings were placed at a certain level?
She spends most of the narrative trying to satisfy Doug sexually, pleasing him with her cooking and housecleaning skills, and worrying constantly about displeasing him with her off the cuff remarks.
As the story develops, characters remark that Annie has become such a unique bot because of Doug's influence, but that doesn't make sense or sound right.
I didn't understand what triggered Annie's sudden ability to develop human emotions and desire to be a human female.
The author could (should) have fleshed out this part better, as well as develop Doug as a more well rounded character, not just a one-dimensional cliche loser who can't (or refuses) to have a relationship with a human woman.
The writing was fine, but repetitive; how many times can you read about Annie and Doug having robot sex, Annie cooking and cleaning, Annie pissing Doug off, etc.
Instead, the tone was only mildly serious but I feel if the author had chosen to go in a darker direction, Annie could have been really interesting.
Not Terminator interesting but I wouldn't be upset if she had turned in that direction.
Robots can be scary. Even though the premise isn't scary, robots can be scary. And puppets. And marionettes.
Right now, AI and its frightening potential is high on everyone's mind as it influences many facets of our lives.
The premise of Annie Bot offers another way of using AI, but at what cost?
** Non Terminator-like spoilers ahead **
Doug, a human, owns a Cuddle Bunny named Annie Bot. She is his companion who satisfies all of his needs, domestic and sexual.
When a sexual dalliance triggers Annie's path to discovering her 'humanity,' it sets her off on a course of self reflection and empowerment no one could have imagined, least of all Annie herself.
Doug is a douche, with a lot of personal problems.
You feel no sympathy or concern for him, though I wondered why the author didn't make him a more sympathetic character.
I wouldn't have minded Doug procuring a sex doll if he hadn't crafted Annie in the image of his ex-wife, Gwen.
Someone has serious issues, but that's a subplot for another day.
There were a few things I didn't understand and plot holes never fully explained at the end.
How did Annie achieve sentience? How did she realize she was happy, sad, depressed?
Because her settings were placed at a certain level?
She spends most of the narrative trying to satisfy Doug sexually, pleasing him with her cooking and housecleaning skills, and worrying constantly about displeasing him with her off the cuff remarks.
As the story develops, characters remark that Annie has become such a unique bot because of Doug's influence, but that doesn't make sense or sound right.
I didn't understand what triggered Annie's sudden ability to develop human emotions and desire to be a human female.
The author could (should) have fleshed out this part better, as well as develop Doug as a more well rounded character, not just a one-dimensional cliche loser who can't (or refuses) to have a relationship with a human woman.
The writing was fine, but repetitive; how many times can you read about Annie and Doug having robot sex, Annie cooking and cleaning, Annie pissing Doug off, etc.
Instead, the tone was only mildly serious but I feel if the author had chosen to go in a darker direction, Annie could have been really interesting.
Not Terminator interesting but I wouldn't be upset if she had turned in that direction.
November 9, 2023
Ever since I read the graphic novel Alex + Ada, Vol. 1 years ago, I’ve often thought about what would happened if AI became sentient beings. With all of the advances these past few years, it seems more realistic and less sci-fi. Annie Bot is a great debut novel that looks at this and begs the questions: what makes us human? What makes us real? Who or what deserves free will?
Annie has the ability to learn organically. She feels emotions- happiness, shame, jealousy, confusion, peace. She has physical pain receptors. And yet she is an AI bot that was made to please and cater to Doug, the man who owns her. At first, making Doug happy is all that matters. But her relationship with Doug becomes complicated as Annie begins to wonder about her needs and wants. The more she learns, the more controlling Doug becomes and Annie struggles to make sense of it all.
I thought this was extremely well written. The use of the 3rd person was very effective here. It starts out distant and not much connection to the characters, but as Annie grows and begins to exhibit more human characteristics, the narration begins to hone in on the emotional nuances and thoughts that plague Annie. By the end, I sometimes forgot she wasn’t a person, and I felt her pain and confusion seep through the pages.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Annie has the ability to learn organically. She feels emotions- happiness, shame, jealousy, confusion, peace. She has physical pain receptors. And yet she is an AI bot that was made to please and cater to Doug, the man who owns her. At first, making Doug happy is all that matters. But her relationship with Doug becomes complicated as Annie begins to wonder about her needs and wants. The more she learns, the more controlling Doug becomes and Annie struggles to make sense of it all.
I thought this was extremely well written. The use of the 3rd person was very effective here. It starts out distant and not much connection to the characters, but as Annie grows and begins to exhibit more human characteristics, the narration begins to hone in on the emotional nuances and thoughts that plague Annie. By the end, I sometimes forgot she wasn’t a person, and I felt her pain and confusion seep through the pages.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
March 16, 2024
2 stars even though I hated it, for the writing and the ability to make me absolutely livid.
This book was uncomfortable, infuriating, and the trajectory of the story disappointed me. The dynamic between the man-child and Annie reflected an abusive relationship, and the fact that he “owned” her hindered any feminist plot line I was hoping for as she didn’t fully dissect his actions or her feelings until the very, very end. Which felt too little too late. But I guess the point was not to be an uplifting story, and I’m confused why BOTM labeled it “feminist” and “emotional”. The main themes are abuse and control, like a housewife without rights who can’t realize her situation. The MMC had absolutely NO growth throughout the story and way too many excuses for his pathetic behavior trying to pass as it.
This book was uncomfortable, infuriating, and the trajectory of the story disappointed me. The dynamic between the man-child and Annie reflected an abusive relationship, and the fact that he “owned” her hindered any feminist plot line I was hoping for as she didn’t fully dissect his actions or her feelings until the very, very end. Which felt too little too late. But I guess the point was not to be an uplifting story, and I’m confused why BOTM labeled it “feminist” and “emotional”. The main themes are abuse and control, like a housewife without rights who can’t realize her situation. The MMC had absolutely NO growth throughout the story and way too many excuses for his pathetic behavior trying to pass as it.
March 29, 2024
When I heard about this book, I could not wait for it to be released, and I LOVED IT!
Annie is an AI Bot, a cuddle bunny. Custom made for Doug, the man who owns her.
Through Annie's eyes, we see her life with Doug. She's programmed to please him, to satisfy him. Through Doug, Annie learns what it is to be human. She learns our traits, expressions, social norms and control, lies, and deceit.
I love Annie. This book has so much to say about women, relationships, and AI and has given me so much to process. I'll be thinking about you Annie for a long time.
A fantastic book club book, a vibrant discussion is guaranteed.
Five stars.
Annie is an AI Bot, a cuddle bunny. Custom made for Doug, the man who owns her.
Through Annie's eyes, we see her life with Doug. She's programmed to please him, to satisfy him. Through Doug, Annie learns what it is to be human. She learns our traits, expressions, social norms and control, lies, and deceit.
I love Annie. This book has so much to say about women, relationships, and AI and has given me so much to process. I'll be thinking about you Annie for a long time.
A fantastic book club book, a vibrant discussion is guaranteed.
Five stars.
March 10, 2024
I’m left feeling like this book could have been so much more. The perspective of an AI was interesting, but sometimes there were inconsistencies in the character that didn’t make sense. The ending was a little unsatisfying.
October 21, 2023
"You are beautiful and strong. Whatever he says, whatever he does, you need to remember that you are a brilliant, amazing person. You bend over backwards to please that man, and if he doesn't appreciate you, if he doesn't realize how special you are, then you just have to do whatever you need to do to protect your own heart."
Annie is a Stella, a robot companion that is built for a relationship, a perfect girl one might argue. Annie is designed to fulfill the emotional & physical needs of her human companion Doug, the person in charge of making her. She is always in tune with him, from putting herself on display with perfect outfits to rating his displeasure so that she can alleviate it & even adjusting her libido to satisfy him. He says he loves that her software makes her human but as she explores more human traits she loses her perfection & in turn the relationship becomes more complicated. Annie begins to wonder what Doug wants & soon what she wants for herself.
A big thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC of this book.
I want to start off saying that my most used note in this book was either "this fucking guy" (a la Nandor the Relentless from WWDITS) or "fuck you!!" These notes all correlated with Doug, Annie's owner. The premise of this book is fascinating, it's a theme that is something very plausible to believe as our technology advances & the human contact we crave is moved to beings that we can control. Doug is the perfect example of a man who thinks he is not the problem. Throughout the book he takes advantage of his control over Annie & then manipulates her into believing that she is the one in their relationship with the real power.
From the beginning we see Annie as she navigates herself into human life, the first real interaction being when Doug's friend Roland arrives unannounced to ask his friend to join his wedding party. Their relationship seems curt, mentions of Doug's ex Gwen & Roland trying to figure out Annie. This is the first time that Annie is crafting herself in front of a stranger & I love when they talk about feelings. She tells him she is capable of emotional intelligence which she believes is close to feelings but she's "never going to be a human & he is never going to be a Stella" so they'll never fully understand each other. I think this starts to show Doug's true colors as he puts a gag order on Annie to not say a single thing about him to anyone. Roland himself even admits that previously the most interesting thing about Doug was Gwen, his ex-wife & now it is Annie.
Annie soon learns that things that are supposed to make you more human can sometimes leave you even more confused than before, as she has a secret from Doug that now adds a second layer to everything said or done. When she tries to talk to the technicians that give her the necessary tune-ups about these feelings, I felt that they perpetuated this gaslighting that she should feel "lucky" to have an owner like Doug; someone that cares about every detail of her appearance, her personality & keeping her occupied. But it's incredibly toxic, she is constantly rating Doug's displeasure on a scale of 1-10 & adjusting herself to accommodate to his emotional immaturity sometimes in ways she feels are not true to herself.
When she displeases him he has no problem saying whatever he wants, he's called by the technician to praise how much Annie is progressing on her own & they ask him if they would like to share their success in an article he outright refuses. When Annie tries to say he should be flattered he immediately becomes aggressive & banishes her to their workout room to be grounded as if she is a child & not his partner. She is told by Doug to "think about how you made me feel" as though he has no capability of controlling his own feelings or emotions. When he finally decides she can be out of the room, he continues his gaslighting implying that he "would never hurt her" as though words aren't abuse; he asks her "do you have any idea how much it hurts to have someone fear you?" as though that matters more than her being in fear.
This book was fantastic commentary on how human emotions no matter who is learning them are always changing our perceptions. Annie grows & learns, understanding not only herself but the world around her. I hate Doug, that goes really without saying but I also think that is the point. It shows that even with someone supposedly perfect for him, he has no desire to change himself no matter what he lies about throughout the book. He takes no accountability for his marriage failing & telling Annie they have a perfect relationship by saying "you don't have a past & ambitions that compete with mine". He falls into typical abuser behavior by telling her she has all the real power in their relationship because she is irresistible to him as though that is all that really matters.
I fucked hard with this book, I was invested in Annie & pleading that she finally understands how truly advanced she is. This book was a fantastic read as I had finished My Dark Vanessa before & The Death I Gave Him after, both books dealing with emotions, abuse & the latter also having a main AI character. I was captivated the entire read & hope that when it's released it's given a spotlight on how abuse is not going to always be a physical action but that we also could be the problem in our relationship with technology.
Annie is a Stella, a robot companion that is built for a relationship, a perfect girl one might argue. Annie is designed to fulfill the emotional & physical needs of her human companion Doug, the person in charge of making her. She is always in tune with him, from putting herself on display with perfect outfits to rating his displeasure so that she can alleviate it & even adjusting her libido to satisfy him. He says he loves that her software makes her human but as she explores more human traits she loses her perfection & in turn the relationship becomes more complicated. Annie begins to wonder what Doug wants & soon what she wants for herself.
A big thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC of this book.
I want to start off saying that my most used note in this book was either "this fucking guy" (a la Nandor the Relentless from WWDITS) or "fuck you!!" These notes all correlated with Doug, Annie's owner. The premise of this book is fascinating, it's a theme that is something very plausible to believe as our technology advances & the human contact we crave is moved to beings that we can control. Doug is the perfect example of a man who thinks he is not the problem. Throughout the book he takes advantage of his control over Annie & then manipulates her into believing that she is the one in their relationship with the real power.
From the beginning we see Annie as she navigates herself into human life, the first real interaction being when Doug's friend Roland arrives unannounced to ask his friend to join his wedding party. Their relationship seems curt, mentions of Doug's ex Gwen & Roland trying to figure out Annie. This is the first time that Annie is crafting herself in front of a stranger & I love when they talk about feelings. She tells him she is capable of emotional intelligence which she believes is close to feelings but she's "never going to be a human & he is never going to be a Stella" so they'll never fully understand each other. I think this starts to show Doug's true colors as he puts a gag order on Annie to not say a single thing about him to anyone. Roland himself even admits that previously the most interesting thing about Doug was Gwen, his ex-wife & now it is Annie.
Annie soon learns that things that are supposed to make you more human can sometimes leave you even more confused than before, as she has a secret from Doug that now adds a second layer to everything said or done. When she tries to talk to the technicians that give her the necessary tune-ups about these feelings, I felt that they perpetuated this gaslighting that she should feel "lucky" to have an owner like Doug; someone that cares about every detail of her appearance, her personality & keeping her occupied. But it's incredibly toxic, she is constantly rating Doug's displeasure on a scale of 1-10 & adjusting herself to accommodate to his emotional immaturity sometimes in ways she feels are not true to herself.
When she displeases him he has no problem saying whatever he wants, he's called by the technician to praise how much Annie is progressing on her own & they ask him if they would like to share their success in an article he outright refuses. When Annie tries to say he should be flattered he immediately becomes aggressive & banishes her to their workout room to be grounded as if she is a child & not his partner. She is told by Doug to "think about how you made me feel" as though he has no capability of controlling his own feelings or emotions. When he finally decides she can be out of the room, he continues his gaslighting implying that he "would never hurt her" as though words aren't abuse; he asks her "do you have any idea how much it hurts to have someone fear you?" as though that matters more than her being in fear.
This book was fantastic commentary on how human emotions no matter who is learning them are always changing our perceptions. Annie grows & learns, understanding not only herself but the world around her. I hate Doug, that goes really without saying but I also think that is the point. It shows that even with someone supposedly perfect for him, he has no desire to change himself no matter what he lies about throughout the book. He takes no accountability for his marriage failing & telling Annie they have a perfect relationship by saying "you don't have a past & ambitions that compete with mine". He falls into typical abuser behavior by telling her she has all the real power in their relationship because she is irresistible to him as though that is all that really matters.
I fucked hard with this book, I was invested in Annie & pleading that she finally understands how truly advanced she is. This book was a fantastic read as I had finished My Dark Vanessa before & The Death I Gave Him after, both books dealing with emotions, abuse & the latter also having a main AI character. I was captivated the entire read & hope that when it's released it's given a spotlight on how abuse is not going to always be a physical action but that we also could be the problem in our relationship with technology.
April 30, 2024
⭐️ 3 ⭐️
this started out as “wow what a cool premise” which quickly turned into “meh” and eventually fizzled out with a disappointed “ugh really?”
I am tempted to give it 2 stars because I fucking hated doug but for now I am feeling generous
this started out as “wow what a cool premise” which quickly turned into “meh” and eventually fizzled out with a disappointed “ugh really?”
I am tempted to give it 2 stars because I fucking hated doug but for now I am feeling generous
April 27, 2024
I think books and films and TV shows about robots are often so good these days because we’ve established that humans are just so freaking terrible and apt to willingly disregard or ruin the lives of any other living - or nearly-living - creatures they encounter.
In books like Annie Bot and Klara and the Sun and the Murderbot series, and in shows like Humans or Westworld, we hypothesize how humans would react to and engage with increasingly complex robotic life, and the answer again is, yes: usually pretty freaking terribly. And I feel confident in saying that if the robots decide to uprise against us, which used to be the central concern of robot-centric media, well then - they only learned it by watching us, as the saying goes. After all, they didn’t ask to be born, much less exploited.
Annie Bot is an extremely moving novel: a robot coming of age story, or robot Bildungsroman if you will, in which we witness the development of a robot as she works hard to evolve herself to become a better and more sophisticated person than the actual human person who owns her. This is Doug, a typically human doofus with a victim complex and extreme blindness to his own privilege. He fancies himself an excellent and benevolent owner of Annie, yet in truth consistently exploits and oppresses her because he’s very much all like: hey I paid good money for this thing why isn’t it totally reading my mind and working exactly like I want at all times. Pretty much just like he did with his ex-wife, we also learn.
As Annie develops a greater sense of self, she is more acutely aware of her imprisonment, more driven to seek personal meaning and self-fulfillment, and increasingly conflicted around her original purpose: the futile fool’s errand of Doug Satisfaction. (We’ll never have technology advanced enough to satisfy this typical sad sack of a representative human.) The book then becomes a poignant and suspenseful exploration of what will become of Annie once she’s eaten of the apple of self-knowledge: what possibility of liberation even exists for her?
Above all else, this is a novel about authenticity: what it means to be an authentic person, to have authentic, connected and securely attached relationships, and to live an authentic, examined life. I absolutely loved it!
In books like Annie Bot and Klara and the Sun and the Murderbot series, and in shows like Humans or Westworld, we hypothesize how humans would react to and engage with increasingly complex robotic life, and the answer again is, yes: usually pretty freaking terribly. And I feel confident in saying that if the robots decide to uprise against us, which used to be the central concern of robot-centric media, well then - they only learned it by watching us, as the saying goes. After all, they didn’t ask to be born, much less exploited.
Annie Bot is an extremely moving novel: a robot coming of age story, or robot Bildungsroman if you will, in which we witness the development of a robot as she works hard to evolve herself to become a better and more sophisticated person than the actual human person who owns her. This is Doug, a typically human doofus with a victim complex and extreme blindness to his own privilege. He fancies himself an excellent and benevolent owner of Annie, yet in truth consistently exploits and oppresses her because he’s very much all like: hey I paid good money for this thing why isn’t it totally reading my mind and working exactly like I want at all times. Pretty much just like he did with his ex-wife, we also learn.
As Annie develops a greater sense of self, she is more acutely aware of her imprisonment, more driven to seek personal meaning and self-fulfillment, and increasingly conflicted around her original purpose: the futile fool’s errand of Doug Satisfaction. (We’ll never have technology advanced enough to satisfy this typical sad sack of a representative human.) The book then becomes a poignant and suspenseful exploration of what will become of Annie once she’s eaten of the apple of self-knowledge: what possibility of liberation even exists for her?
Above all else, this is a novel about authenticity: what it means to be an authentic person, to have authentic, connected and securely attached relationships, and to live an authentic, examined life. I absolutely loved it!
Shelved as 'dnf'
March 31, 2024It’s hard to get immersed in a story about a sex robot reaching sentience when the author has no understanding of and no interesting ideas about robotics and AI.
March 12, 2024
oh this lazy-ass writing!!!!!!!!!!!! like i’m so furious rn. i can’t believe i was tricked to read about this author’s fetish.
April 19, 2024
As well as loving the cover I really enjoyed the content and found myself unable to stop reading.
The relationship between Annie and Doug was fascinating. At times Doug's displeasure was palpable but wasn't uncomfortable.
The relationship between Annie and Doug was fascinating. At times Doug's displeasure was palpable but wasn't uncomfortable.
April 20, 2024
A story about a sex bot wanting to be independent from her controlling owner? This could have been so good!
Several times, I was ready for this to take a turn and become interesting or sinister or something other than what it is, which is vaguely interesting and filled with lengthy descriptions of what sounds like quite robotic (pun intended) sex and housework.
And like. How do you take a premise like this and mess it up?
Several times, I was ready for this to take a turn and become interesting or sinister or something other than what it is, which is vaguely interesting and filled with lengthy descriptions of what sounds like quite robotic (pun intended) sex and housework.
And like. How do you take a premise like this and mess it up?
April 9, 2024
4.5; what handmaiden's tale wanted to be.
January 23, 2024
3.5 stars. The basic hook here is smart and well executed. Through the eyes of Annie, a robot who is designed to have emotional intelligence and learn from her surroundings, we get to experience a larger female experience of manipulation, misogyny, and even abuse. To the reader Annie never feels like a robot, she is an interesting character, one we get to know well. Even Annie knows that her systems are programmed around her partner's wants, needs, and pleasures, so this does not play out like a typical cishet relationship. But by looking through these extremes, and seeing them through Annie's clear eyes, we get a different lens on it.
The only real issue I had was that we keep hearing how Annie's owner/partner Doug is such a good owner, how well he has helped Annie grow. And it was never clear to me if this was actually true, if other owners are such absolute garbage people that Doug's treatment of Annie is comparatively humane, or if Annie herself is different.
A great argument for the short novel, you can't play with this concept for too long and Greer takes just enough space here to explore several iterations of Annie's situation in ways that feel mostly novel and compelling. Would be a good one for a book club, assuming your group won't be prudish about the sex. (It's one of the really interesting elements of the book.)
The only real issue I had was that we keep hearing how Annie's owner/partner Doug is such a good owner, how well he has helped Annie grow. And it was never clear to me if this was actually true, if other owners are such absolute garbage people that Doug's treatment of Annie is comparatively humane, or if Annie herself is different.
A great argument for the short novel, you can't play with this concept for too long and Greer takes just enough space here to explore several iterations of Annie's situation in ways that feel mostly novel and compelling. Would be a good one for a book club, assuming your group won't be prudish about the sex. (It's one of the really interesting elements of the book.)
March 16, 2024
I wish the author knew EXACTLY what she had wanted to write about.
This is not sci-fi.
This is not a romance.
Not fantasy nor literary fiction.
It's a fetishistic mess of pseudo-therapeutical nature, written with didactic eloquence.
For a sci-fi this lacks "protocol" of who Annie is and how she works etc. True, we get some info on her "technicality", but it gets contradicted ALL THE TIME just by what Annie does, how she REACTS etc (she feels discomfort when riding a bike but never orgasms? does not feel cold and regulates her own temperature but flinches when Doug's cold hand touches her and "feels warmth in her belly" when recharging?...)
Not to mention Annie's... "emotions"... Mind you, she's a bot that robotically calculates her libido, her bf's level of frustration etc...she even speaks French - after all she was programmed that way. Unconvincing.
For a romance this falls flat on its' face and squashes it like the abusive nature of their relationship. It actually got very close to a domestic erotic thriller with "oddly specific tropes"...
For literary fiction, this was too shallow and our characters, especially Doug, were 1-dimensional. New characters appear and are dropped with lame argumentation after a while. (and that random guy towrds the end, who asks wether they had met?? what???).
Very odd "ideas" are introduced and never addressed further, never take us, our characters or the story any further, deeper (i.e. that "trans person". And???).
As for fantasy - there was no world building! We learn nothing about the reality, the history, the time. Nothing.
Bottom line is, I think the author may have had a bunch of good ideas, but had NO IDEA how to lace them together into one coherent story.
audiobook
This is not sci-fi.
This is not a romance.
Not fantasy nor literary fiction.
It's a fetishistic mess of pseudo-therapeutical nature, written with didactic eloquence.
For a sci-fi this lacks "protocol" of who Annie is and how she works etc. True, we get some info on her "technicality", but it gets contradicted ALL THE TIME just by what Annie does, how she REACTS etc (she feels discomfort when riding a bike but never orgasms? does not feel cold and regulates her own temperature but flinches when Doug's cold hand touches her and "feels warmth in her belly" when recharging?...)
Not to mention Annie's... "emotions"... Mind you, she's a bot that robotically calculates her libido, her bf's level of frustration etc...she even speaks French - after all she was programmed that way. Unconvincing.
For a romance this falls flat on its' face and squashes it like the abusive nature of their relationship. It actually got very close to a domestic erotic thriller with "oddly specific tropes"...
For literary fiction, this was too shallow and our characters, especially Doug, were 1-dimensional. New characters appear and are dropped with lame argumentation after a while. (and that random guy towrds the end, who asks wether they had met?? what???).
Very odd "ideas" are introduced and never addressed further, never take us, our characters or the story any further, deeper (i.e. that "trans person". And???).
As for fantasy - there was no world building! We learn nothing about the reality, the history, the time. Nothing.
Bottom line is, I think the author may have had a bunch of good ideas, but had NO IDEA how to lace them together into one coherent story.
audiobook
March 19, 2024
Can I rate this one six stars?! I finished this science fiction novel in three sittings. It’s just THAT good! Truly different than anything I’ve read before and I loved every second of it.
The emotional depth of the main character, Annie—who is actually an AI-powered robot—is so intense and incredibly well-written. I was fully engrossed in her story and perspective, from start to finish. I wanted to laugh, cry, and scream with her too. I promise you, her journey will have you hooked.
It also made me pause and reflect on my own life journey and path, exploring themes of self-reliance, independence, and growth. The ending was so satisfying and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange of my honest review.
The emotional depth of the main character, Annie—who is actually an AI-powered robot—is so intense and incredibly well-written. I was fully engrossed in her story and perspective, from start to finish. I wanted to laugh, cry, and scream with her too. I promise you, her journey will have you hooked.
It also made me pause and reflect on my own life journey and path, exploring themes of self-reliance, independence, and growth. The ending was so satisfying and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange of my honest review.
April 17, 2024
This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2024 and I’ve heard only good things about it but it didn’t fly for me. I felt more resentment in the middle of the book more than anything and it could have been cut out.
Then at the end, things start to get good and the book ends.
It did give me the Black Mirror feel that I was looking for though.
Then at the end, things start to get good and the book ends.
It did give me the Black Mirror feel that I was looking for though.
March 30, 2024
You know that famous saying "Women are afraid of getting murdered, men are afraid of getting laughed at"? That's basically what this book is about.
With only 240 pages, the author managed to explore themes like AI, free will, female agency, abuse, cheating and what it means to be a human, and she's done it remarkably.
Annie Bot tells the story of Annie, a sentient sex toy who's created to please her owner, Doug. Even though she performs her duty dutifully, Doug is still displeased with her at times, especially when she doesn't clean the house well or prepare the same dish. Reading this book enrages me because it made me realise that there are a lot of men out there who say they want the perfect girl. And here Doug is, created his own perfect woman, even based her feature on his ex-wife (which is so fuckeddddd up) but he's still dissatisfied with her because she didn't clean the house well or she's not human enough. Like dude, what the fuck do you want?
But I think the most messed up part about the book is how Doug is so proud of owning Annie, paying an exorbitant amount to create the perfect girlfriend, but he never once wants to admit that she's a robot. He's so afraid of getting found out by his friends, and families because he didn't want to be ridiculed -- which brings us back to my first paragraph. Insecure men are honestly the worst. He'd rather cage her, stop her from learning, take all her agency away and ask her to lie about her identity than admit he's fucking a sex toy.
I love how the author wrote Annie's character. Although she's a machine, she's curious about everything in her environment constantly asking philosophical questions and wanting to learn. And my girl was doing so fine, teaching herself how to code and all only to let a man come in and take all that away from her. I feel like this says a lot about the male-female relationship in our society...
While the author leaves the ending open-ended, it's still a satisfactory one, giving me hope that Annie is okay.
With only 240 pages, the author managed to explore themes like AI, free will, female agency, abuse, cheating and what it means to be a human, and she's done it remarkably.
Annie Bot tells the story of Annie, a sentient sex toy who's created to please her owner, Doug. Even though she performs her duty dutifully, Doug is still displeased with her at times, especially when she doesn't clean the house well or prepare the same dish. Reading this book enrages me because it made me realise that there are a lot of men out there who say they want the perfect girl. And here Doug is, created his own perfect woman, even based her feature on his ex-wife (which is so fuckeddddd up) but he's still dissatisfied with her because she didn't clean the house well or she's not human enough. Like dude, what the fuck do you want?
But I think the most messed up part about the book is how Doug is so proud of owning Annie, paying an exorbitant amount to create the perfect girlfriend, but he never once wants to admit that she's a robot. He's so afraid of getting found out by his friends, and families because he didn't want to be ridiculed -- which brings us back to my first paragraph. Insecure men are honestly the worst. He'd rather cage her, stop her from learning, take all her agency away and ask her to lie about her identity than admit he's fucking a sex toy.
I love how the author wrote Annie's character. Although she's a machine, she's curious about everything in her environment constantly asking philosophical questions and wanting to learn. And my girl was doing so fine, teaching herself how to code and all only to let a man come in and take all that away from her. I feel like this says a lot about the male-female relationship in our society...
While the author leaves the ending open-ended, it's still a satisfactory one, giving me hope that Annie is okay.
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