Annie Bot: A Provocative Science Fiction Novel about a Female Android and her Human Owner

I'd classify this story as feminist literature and wonder how it came across to male readers. While this novel is only a little over 200 pages, there is so much packed into it as we discover, along with Annie herself, what is means to be human and how to survive as a female in it.

Not my favorite. It made me uncomfy the whole way through, but the end is kind of sweet.

“‘Do you ever wish you could be a human?” Annie asks.
“Hell no.”
Annie laughs. “But you’d have a body. You could do whatever you wanted.”
“I have a body,” Christy scoffs. “It happens to be in my mind, but guess what? So is yours.’”

Great read. Perfect balance of light and dark scenes and tones. About 70% through I realized that there was more to the Great Gatsby references than just the blinking lights across the lake and the lamp in the window of the adjacent apartment building- Annie and Gatsby have extremely similar but opposite journeys. Gatsby, born a poor man who recieved little attention, constructs a life of riches and extravagance, earning so much attention and praise but never from the source he most wants it from- Daisy- and, most importantly, he’s living a life that isn’t authentic to himself. Annie, born a robot programmed to learn to emulate a human, starts her story not even knowing how to be true to herself, existing only to please Doug. As the story progresses her need for independence and individuality grows as she learns to recognize her own wants and needs (and the ways in which Doug keeps her from them), and by the end she chooses to live in a way that’s true to herself despite how difficult it still feels to make those changes due to her lingering & inate connection to Doug’s emotions. I’m sure there are more parallels that I missed, and I liked the references to other pieces of literature through Annie’s reading.

This portrayal of domestic and sexual abuse completely hits the mark to me. Doug is realistically pathetic; he acts exactly like the kind of man many women unfortunately have to suffer relationships with in real life. I never stopped rooting for Annie, and the happy ending for her was really nice to read. Monica was well-written for a therapist- something that bothers me often in books/movies/TV is when a therapist character is very emotionally charged and gives direct advice because it’s not how actual therapists are trained to behave. Totally breaks my immersion. Monica had that perfect mix of clinical and personable attitude that made me believe in her.

I like the length of this book. It feels just long enough, and I never found myself thinking any scenes felt unnecessary.

I give this 4 stars instead of 5 only because it just doesn’t feel like a 5 star book to me. I can’t exactly explain why, but it just didn’t make that cut. This is still a great read and the commentary on domestic abuse, while a bit surface-level, is valuable nonetheless.

Compulsively, furiously readable, this book left me pacing in unpleasant (but not unwelcome) self reflection. As AI partners become an increasingly real topic of conversation at the same time that many men appear more openly interested in subservient women, this book will feel all too real for many, and make other stories that have skimmed the surface of these concepts, like "Companion" and "West World" (both of which I enjoyed) feel emotionally simplistic by comparison.

But what I loved and loathed most about it was how much I saw of myself as a human woman in Annie the bot. She didn't need to be a robot or a real girl for me to recognize that constant fear of displeasing her partner, of putting his needs above her own over and over again until she's convinced that her happiness is only possible through his. If you've ever been in an abusive relationship, especially a long one, you know how this feels all too well. As I read this book, I felt nauseated for my younger self, who dyed her hair and restricted her eating and held back her jokes and her wit and her needs for years because she was afraid of her partner and also thought she loved him and that her selflessness in all choices and making him happy was a good enough life. Like Doug in this book, all of it never was, as it still felt fake to him.

Sometimes, I am still that girl, because hey, reprogramming is really hard, but I have grown a lot since then. If you have ever felt like me, or you know a woman who might be headed down a similar path, you should read this book. And rage, talk about it, and remember that you are your own. Always.

Did not like this book. It deals with abuse. The android robot is a sex toy for an abusive male human being. He substitutes the robot for his desires rather than developing female companionship with a human being. I felt it was very creepy and disturbing. I dont recommend it. This is not a funny book.