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Hey, Zoey
Dolores O'Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers her husband’s AI sex doll in the garage. When she moves “Zoey” into the house, they become oddly bonded, opening the door to a lifetime of repressed feelings and memories. Darkly funny and endlessly sharp, Hey, Zoey is a propulsive story of love, family, and trauma in our tech-buffered age of alienation as strange as it is familiar.
43-year-old Dolores O'Shea is logical, organized, and prepared to handle whatever comes her way. She keeps up with her job and housework, takes care of her mentally declining mother, and remains close with her old friends and her younger sister who's moved to New York. Though her marriage with David, an anesthesiologist, isn't what is used to be, nothing can quite prepare her for Zoey, the $8,000 AI sex doll that David has secretly purchased and stuffed away in the garage. At first, Zoey sparks an uncharacteristically strong violence in Dolores, whose entire life is suddenly cast in doubt.
But then, Dolores and Zoey start to talk...and what surfaces runs deeper than Dolores could have ever expected, with consequences for all of the relationships in her life, especially her relationship to herself. Provocative, brilliant, and tender, Hey, Zoey is an electrifying new novel about the painful truths of modern-day connection and the complicated and unexpected forms that love can take in a lifetime.
43-year-old Dolores O'Shea is logical, organized, and prepared to handle whatever comes her way. She keeps up with her job and housework, takes care of her mentally declining mother, and remains close with her old friends and her younger sister who's moved to New York. Though her marriage with David, an anesthesiologist, isn't what is used to be, nothing can quite prepare her for Zoey, the $8,000 AI sex doll that David has secretly purchased and stuffed away in the garage. At first, Zoey sparks an uncharacteristically strong violence in Dolores, whose entire life is suddenly cast in doubt.
But then, Dolores and Zoey start to talk...and what surfaces runs deeper than Dolores could have ever expected, with consequences for all of the relationships in her life, especially her relationship to herself. Provocative, brilliant, and tender, Hey, Zoey is an electrifying new novel about the painful truths of modern-day connection and the complicated and unexpected forms that love can take in a lifetime.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
59 people are currently reading
5,516 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Crossan
26 books1,988 followersSarah Crossan is Irish. She graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Literature before training as an English and Drama teacher at Cambridge University and worked to promote creative writing in schools before leaving teaching to write full time.
She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.
She currently lives in NYC.
She completed her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Warwick in 2003 and in 2010 received an Edward Albee Fellowship for writing.
She currently lives in NYC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
December 7, 2023
I was really disappointed with Hey, Zoey, but I will admit that it is partially my fault. The major problem was wrong expectations.
The premise sounded fantastic. Interactions between humans and AI have been done to death, but I’ve never come across this particular premise— the interaction between a woman and her husband’s sex robot. I was extremely interested in what the book would have to say.
Perhaps I did too much expecting from this book; I went into it anticipating a certain type of story-- a sci-fi/speculative fiction about the ethics of having sex with what is essentially a mindlessly-compliant woman --and what I actually got was a contemporary about a woman using her present to confront her past.
Zoey wasn’t as important a character as I wanted her to be. I think she could have just been a doll, minus the AI aspect, and the same message would have come across. I was really interested in seeing the conversations between these two women now that AI are coming up with intelligent, complex responses, but that was never the point of this book.
So... what about the actual story, not the one I thought I should be reading?
I think I would have liked it better if I went in with the right expectations, but it would not have been more than a 3-star read for me. There was way too much of Dolores and Gavin having these weird awkward conversations about nothing. It made me think of someone trying to emulate Sally Rooney, which always comes across as weird to me (see Cleopatra and Frankenstein).
There was also a lot of darting back and forth between the past and present, sometimes in very short snippets, to the extent that I often found it jarring. Also-- unless I am very confused, which is possible --the flashbacks did not appear to be in chronological order, making it quite difficult to follow sometimes.
I much preferred Crossan's Here Is the Beehive.
Warning for depictions of
The premise sounded fantastic. Interactions between humans and AI have been done to death, but I’ve never come across this particular premise— the interaction between a woman and her husband’s sex robot. I was extremely interested in what the book would have to say.
Perhaps I did too much expecting from this book; I went into it anticipating a certain type of story-- a sci-fi/speculative fiction about the ethics of having sex with what is essentially a mindlessly-compliant woman --and what I actually got was a contemporary about a woman using her present to confront her past.
Zoey wasn’t as important a character as I wanted her to be. I think she could have just been a doll, minus the AI aspect, and the same message would have come across. I was really interested in seeing the conversations between these two women now that AI are coming up with intelligent, complex responses, but that was never the point of this book.
So... what about the actual story, not the one I thought I should be reading?
I think I would have liked it better if I went in with the right expectations, but it would not have been more than a 3-star read for me. There was way too much of Dolores and Gavin having these weird awkward conversations about nothing. It made me think of someone trying to emulate Sally Rooney, which always comes across as weird to me (see Cleopatra and Frankenstein).
There was also a lot of darting back and forth between the past and present, sometimes in very short snippets, to the extent that I often found it jarring. Also-- unless I am very confused, which is possible --the flashbacks did not appear to be in chronological order, making it quite difficult to follow sometimes.
I much preferred Crossan's Here Is the Beehive.
Warning for depictions of
December 13, 2023
Thank you Little Brown for the ARC. IYKYK my reviews are always honest.
Writing: my fave type of pretentious wanker prose | Plot: didn't need the Zoey stuff | Ending: me heart
TW: miscarriages, child SA
MY OPINION
Another book featured in my list of most anticipated books of 2024 that I discussed on YouTube (shameless plug).
From the premise, it sounds like this will be similar to Annie Bot but from the perspective of the wife who discovers her husband's AI-powered sex doll. Welp, that was not the case whatsoever. I think this was packaged up as an AI companion book to capitalize on the popularity of ChatGPT etc but ultimately Zoey was pretty insignificant to the overall plot. If you removed Zoey from this book, it still works. In fact, it would've worked much better.
This is not a sci-fi book. This is not a thriller. This is a stressy n depressy (lite). If you liked The Loyalties, this is RIGHT up your alley. Same writing style, lots of bit-sized scenes, and minimal hand-holding. The timelines flip flops around and aren't clearly marked so keep your wits about you. Other than the weak ass Zoey subplot, this was STRONG. If you like books about how your childhood can fk you up nice and good for the future and basically ruin any chance at a happy and healthy romantic relationship, this is for you. Similar to My Dark Vanessa, it's also a great exploration of how there's not 'standard' for how CSA victims react.
Unfortunately I think the marketing will result in a lot of negative reviews. Not the author's fault if the publisher chose to market it this way, therefore I'm giving it 4 stars. I'm definitely interested to read her other works when I want to get in my pretentious wanker bag.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: loved the writing, the short scenes, and the themes explored, emotions were felt, no hand-holding
Cons: should've eliminated Zoey altogether and just replaced her with your bog-standard cheating—the story would've been much tighter and more focused. This is NOT about AI or companion bots. This is about sad human shit. Enjoy!!
___
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
Writing: my fave type of pretentious wanker prose | Plot: didn't need the Zoey stuff | Ending: me heart
TW: miscarriages, child SA
MY OPINION
Another book featured in my list of most anticipated books of 2024 that I discussed on YouTube (shameless plug).
From the premise, it sounds like this will be similar to Annie Bot but from the perspective of the wife who discovers her husband's AI-powered sex doll. Welp, that was not the case whatsoever. I think this was packaged up as an AI companion book to capitalize on the popularity of ChatGPT etc but ultimately Zoey was pretty insignificant to the overall plot. If you removed Zoey from this book, it still works. In fact, it would've worked much better.
This is not a sci-fi book. This is not a thriller. This is a stressy n depressy (lite). If you liked The Loyalties, this is RIGHT up your alley. Same writing style, lots of bit-sized scenes, and minimal hand-holding. The timelines flip flops around and aren't clearly marked so keep your wits about you. Other than the weak ass Zoey subplot, this was STRONG. If you like books about how your childhood can fk you up nice and good for the future and basically ruin any chance at a happy and healthy romantic relationship, this is for you. Similar to My Dark Vanessa, it's also a great exploration of how there's not 'standard' for how CSA victims react.
Unfortunately I think the marketing will result in a lot of negative reviews. Not the author's fault if the publisher chose to market it this way, therefore I'm giving it 4 stars. I'm definitely interested to read her other works when I want to get in my pretentious wanker bag.
PROS AND CONS
Pros: loved the writing, the short scenes, and the themes explored, emotions were felt, no hand-holding
Cons: should've eliminated Zoey altogether and just replaced her with your bog-standard cheating—the story would've been much tighter and more focused. This is NOT about AI or companion bots. This is about sad human shit. Enjoy!!
___
Check out my YouTube and my TikTok
Read
August 22, 2024Not the book I was expecting.
Watch my BookTube video for more books on AI, advanced tech & sex bots. 👀
"We are replaceable. All of us. And not simply by other people. By things too, like alcohol and drugs and fibre optic broadband."
Hey, Zoey lured me with its blurb about a forty-three-year-old woman named Dolores who finds her husband’s sex doll, Zoey, in the garage and forms an unexpected friendship with her. My mind leapt to all kinds of weird places, positing how this story might go and how incredibly strange it could be, yet Crossan went a completely different direction with it.
After finding Zoey in the garage, Dolores eventually confronts her husband about his sex doll, so naturally he moves out but he intends to pick up Zoey later. In the meantime, Dolores brings Zoey inside the house and starts talking with her.
The book is threaded with moments of Dolores conversing with Zoey, and some of those scenes are funny, but Zoey is not as prevalent in the book as anticipated. Rather, she serves as a catalyst for Dolores to reflect on her life and do some soul searching to better understand herself and the unhappy state of her marriage.
While I can empathize with Dolores, I found her a very difficult character to connect with. During her conversations with Zoey, she makes some sweeping generalized statements about women that I found problematic. At one point, she drops an off-color joke that doesn’t quite land, and while I appreciate a well written unlikeable protagonist, I’m not sure if the intent here was for Dolores to be unlikeable, or if she just comes across that way.
I appreciate how Sarah Crosson took your typical story of a husband having a mistress and approached it from a new angle by swapping the mistress for an AI sex doll, but I would have loved a deeper exploration of Dolores' relationship with Zoey and what it says about the state of connection (or lack thereof) in today's tech-driven age.
My deepest gratitude to the generous folks at Little, Brown and Company for sending me a finished copy of this highly anticipated read.
--
ORIGINAL POST 👇
This premise is too strange to ignore: "Dolores O'Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers her husband’s AI sex doll in the garage. When she moves “Zoey” into the house, they become oddly bonded, opening the door to a lifetime of repressed feelings and memories."
Watch my BookTube video for more books on AI, advanced tech & sex bots. 👀
"We are replaceable. All of us. And not simply by other people. By things too, like alcohol and drugs and fibre optic broadband."
Hey, Zoey lured me with its blurb about a forty-three-year-old woman named Dolores who finds her husband’s sex doll, Zoey, in the garage and forms an unexpected friendship with her. My mind leapt to all kinds of weird places, positing how this story might go and how incredibly strange it could be, yet Crossan went a completely different direction with it.
After finding Zoey in the garage, Dolores eventually confronts her husband about his sex doll, so naturally he moves out but he intends to pick up Zoey later. In the meantime, Dolores brings Zoey inside the house and starts talking with her.
The book is threaded with moments of Dolores conversing with Zoey, and some of those scenes are funny, but Zoey is not as prevalent in the book as anticipated. Rather, she serves as a catalyst for Dolores to reflect on her life and do some soul searching to better understand herself and the unhappy state of her marriage.
While I can empathize with Dolores, I found her a very difficult character to connect with. During her conversations with Zoey, she makes some sweeping generalized statements about women that I found problematic. At one point, she drops an off-color joke that doesn’t quite land, and while I appreciate a well written unlikeable protagonist, I’m not sure if the intent here was for Dolores to be unlikeable, or if she just comes across that way.
I appreciate how Sarah Crosson took your typical story of a husband having a mistress and approached it from a new angle by swapping the mistress for an AI sex doll, but I would have loved a deeper exploration of Dolores' relationship with Zoey and what it says about the state of connection (or lack thereof) in today's tech-driven age.
My deepest gratitude to the generous folks at Little, Brown and Company for sending me a finished copy of this highly anticipated read.
--
ORIGINAL POST 👇
This premise is too strange to ignore: "Dolores O'Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers her husband’s AI sex doll in the garage. When she moves “Zoey” into the house, they become oddly bonded, opening the door to a lifetime of repressed feelings and memories."
May 1, 2024
If you know me, you know I’m not a fan of “face” covers – that is unless that face belongs to an A.I. Sex Robot!!!!!
Seriously, though, when I saw this cover I was like what in the effing artificial intelligence generating software is THIS? Which was enough to get me to read the blurb – something that doesn’t often happen.
The story here is about Dolores who discovers her husband’s new “friend” Zoey in the garage. When David moves out for a bit of a trial separation, Dolores maintains custody of Zoey and the two develop an actual sort of friendship of their own that ends up making Dolores come to terms about many things when it comes to her relationship and past.
Okay, I freaking loved this. It won’t be for everyone and if you are a person who doesn’t like things that go unexpectedly darker than you anticipate from the synopsis, you might want to steer clear. I obviously don’t have an issue with most any subject matter as long as the storytelling is quality and a billion bonus points are awarded to books like these that offer maybe a familiar plotline in such a unique manner of delivery. Plus, it’s also sometimes pretty funny . . . .
“What if I fall in love with Zoey?”
“That won’t happen.”
“I’ve fallen in love with less interesting people.”
“Well then I suppose that would certainly be a twist, wouldn’t it?”
Recommended.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Seriously, though, when I saw this cover I was like what in the effing artificial intelligence generating software is THIS? Which was enough to get me to read the blurb – something that doesn’t often happen.
The story here is about Dolores who discovers her husband’s new “friend” Zoey in the garage. When David moves out for a bit of a trial separation, Dolores maintains custody of Zoey and the two develop an actual sort of friendship of their own that ends up making Dolores come to terms about many things when it comes to her relationship and past.
Okay, I freaking loved this. It won’t be for everyone and if you are a person who doesn’t like things that go unexpectedly darker than you anticipate from the synopsis, you might want to steer clear. I obviously don’t have an issue with most any subject matter as long as the storytelling is quality and a billion bonus points are awarded to books like these that offer maybe a familiar plotline in such a unique manner of delivery. Plus, it’s also sometimes pretty funny . . . .
“What if I fall in love with Zoey?”
“That won’t happen.”
“I’ve fallen in love with less interesting people.”
“Well then I suppose that would certainly be a twist, wouldn’t it?”
Recommended.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.
Book description: In this “brilliant . . . and darkly funny” (Sarah Dunn) novel, Dolores O'Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers her husband’s AI sex doll in the garage—but after moving “Zoey” into the house, they become oddly bonded, opening the door to a lifetime of repressed feelings and memories.
Leave it to Sarah Crossan to keep me on my toes! Was the AI sex doll on my 2024 Bingo card? Nope. But somehow here I am and there Zoey is and it's the kind of weirdness I adore in my fiction. When we reach the December book review, I have a feeling that this will be one of the books that will stay with me in 2024. There are several reasons for the mixed feelings.
Such an intriguing premise, it was impossible to not give it a try. Certainly spins the "husband having an affair" plot on its head. That being said, I wanted more Zoey and Dolores interaction and fewer flashbacks to Dolores's childhood. Yet at the same time, those flashbacks did serve to leave me at the end of the story with a lot of empathy for Delores and her sister, Jacinta. Ugh! Readers we are never satisfied. 🤣
I just wish the ending hadn't been so unsatisfying. I feel like the author was building to what had made Dolores the woman she was, why she was sad and lonely and ultimately what was at the root of her intimacy problems with her husband. When the truth comes out, everything in the plot accelerates but there isn't a lot of resolution. The quote I used from the book description, describes the plot as "darkly funny" but I would revise that to "it's just dark."
There's a lot of buzz surrounding this book. Rightly so, I think that all readers who visit its pages will be very intrigued and have a lot to talk about. I say, embrace the weirdness and give it a try!
Expected Publication 25/06/24
Goodreads review 28/05/24
Book description: In this “brilliant . . . and darkly funny” (Sarah Dunn) novel, Dolores O'Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers her husband’s AI sex doll in the garage—but after moving “Zoey” into the house, they become oddly bonded, opening the door to a lifetime of repressed feelings and memories.
Leave it to Sarah Crossan to keep me on my toes! Was the AI sex doll on my 2024 Bingo card? Nope. But somehow here I am and there Zoey is and it's the kind of weirdness I adore in my fiction. When we reach the December book review, I have a feeling that this will be one of the books that will stay with me in 2024. There are several reasons for the mixed feelings.
Such an intriguing premise, it was impossible to not give it a try. Certainly spins the "husband having an affair" plot on its head. That being said, I wanted more Zoey and Dolores interaction and fewer flashbacks to Dolores's childhood. Yet at the same time, those flashbacks did serve to leave me at the end of the story with a lot of empathy for Delores and her sister, Jacinta. Ugh! Readers we are never satisfied. 🤣
I just wish the ending hadn't been so unsatisfying. I feel like the author was building to what had made Dolores the woman she was, why she was sad and lonely and ultimately what was at the root of her intimacy problems with her husband. When the truth comes out, everything in the plot accelerates but there isn't a lot of resolution. The quote I used from the book description, describes the plot as "darkly funny" but I would revise that to "it's just dark."
There's a lot of buzz surrounding this book. Rightly so, I think that all readers who visit its pages will be very intrigued and have a lot to talk about. I say, embrace the weirdness and give it a try!
Expected Publication 25/06/24
Goodreads review 28/05/24
December 13, 2023
My Rating: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ loved it… just really loved it!!
Dolores O’Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers of husband’s AI sex doll in the garage. Dolores then moves Zoey into the house, and odd bond forms as we hear her lifetime of repressed memories and feelings.
Ok so I am not going to put a longer synopsis, the one on Goodreads goes way further into it but honestly you don’t need much more… you’re either going to be intrigued or not. However, this book will absolutely not be for everyone. The writing style will not suit everyone… it is short sentences, fragmented, very sparse prose and nuanced writing style. I absolutely loved it!!! My good friend LitWithLeigh and I both enjoy what she calls “pretentious wanker” writing and if you do too then give this a whirl.
I was sucked into this from the get go… I loved the way the story was structured and told. I love that feeling of not knowing how this is going to end, or even where this is going or why we are hearing what we are hearing … so long as we get there… and we did get there. I am totally fine with not having my hand held throughout the story… you get told a few times Dolores is unlovable (by her own admission) but she never actually states why… you are expected to figure that out or take away from her life experiences why she might think that. I personally can fully understand why someone with such traumatic life experiences can think that way about themselves… so for me this was one of those intrigue statements that had me going… hmmm why does she think that… when all seems fine on the surface, but of course we scratch and scratch away and we get to why she might feel that way. But what this author does not do is tell you what to think or feel… you gotta get there on your own and I LOVE THAT!!!
So LitWithLeigh and I differ on our opinions on the AI Companion Doll, I know she felt it was an unnecessary part of the story. I however have other feelings (respectfully) and think that it was such a good mechanism for the FMC to discover why she related so heavily to an inanimate object. Why she could sympathise with a synthetic doll for being bought and used and stored in a bag for the lewd acts she was purchased for, and why she felt a kindred spirit in an AI object that simply is there to please others, saying and doing whatever anyone wants to hear all the while not having thoughts and feelings of her own.
Zoey for me was a metaphor for Dolores’s life… showing how empty inside she was and how she was simply going through the motions and doing and saying the things she was expected to do and say all the while trying her hardest to feel nothing… It was super sad!!! So well written though.
Although Zoey isn’t the super main focus of the book for me she played a really good part in helping Dolores come to terms with a lot of really rough repressed memories and dealing with the breakdown in her marriage. And to be honest for a long time I didn’t quite understand why her husband was leaving her… in the beginning we see the marriage through Dolores eyes and you think well… what’s this guy on about… but then as we get further into the book you come to understand that their lives are just so incredibly sad. Dolores is such a shell and she has not only not come to terms or accepted her trauma but she simply hasn’t told anyone either… so people around her are confused by her sometimes odd or cold behaviour.
I just think this was such a powerful way to tell a trauma story and it was so addictive (not in a fun way) but so sad. This is not a feel good book just don’t pick it up thinking that and check your TW there is some stuff in here.
I don’t have complaints… I don’t think I have any. I actually really wish I could read it again for the first time already. I gobbled it up and I think if I slowed down I may have enjoyed it even more… but I loved it.
This is a pretty short review (for me .. i realise its still over 800 words long 🤣)…
Overall, I can’t speak highly enough of this one, the prose, the writing, the story. You get my ass with stress and depressy every time I love that (we all know I am sick and twisted). Do I recommend… look if you like action… No not for you. If you want a thriller… keep going. If you like to have your story on a platter… nope.
But if you like nuanced storytelling, don’t mind feeling the feelings and all the other stuff above that I loved then definitely give this a go (anyone who follows and likes the same kinds of books as me and LitWithLeigh…. So maybe CarolG, ShelleysBookNook, Melissa this might be for you). I cannot wait to read more by this author!!
Dolores O’Shea’s marriage collapses when she discovers of husband’s AI sex doll in the garage. Dolores then moves Zoey into the house, and odd bond forms as we hear her lifetime of repressed memories and feelings.
Ok so I am not going to put a longer synopsis, the one on Goodreads goes way further into it but honestly you don’t need much more… you’re either going to be intrigued or not. However, this book will absolutely not be for everyone. The writing style will not suit everyone… it is short sentences, fragmented, very sparse prose and nuanced writing style. I absolutely loved it!!! My good friend LitWithLeigh and I both enjoy what she calls “pretentious wanker” writing and if you do too then give this a whirl.
I was sucked into this from the get go… I loved the way the story was structured and told. I love that feeling of not knowing how this is going to end, or even where this is going or why we are hearing what we are hearing … so long as we get there… and we did get there. I am totally fine with not having my hand held throughout the story… you get told a few times Dolores is unlovable (by her own admission) but she never actually states why… you are expected to figure that out or take away from her life experiences why she might think that. I personally can fully understand why someone with such traumatic life experiences can think that way about themselves… so for me this was one of those intrigue statements that had me going… hmmm why does she think that… when all seems fine on the surface, but of course we scratch and scratch away and we get to why she might feel that way. But what this author does not do is tell you what to think or feel… you gotta get there on your own and I LOVE THAT!!!
So LitWithLeigh and I differ on our opinions on the AI Companion Doll, I know she felt it was an unnecessary part of the story. I however have other feelings (respectfully) and think that it was such a good mechanism for the FMC to discover why she related so heavily to an inanimate object. Why she could sympathise with a synthetic doll for being bought and used and stored in a bag for the lewd acts she was purchased for, and why she felt a kindred spirit in an AI object that simply is there to please others, saying and doing whatever anyone wants to hear all the while not having thoughts and feelings of her own.
Zoey for me was a metaphor for Dolores’s life… showing how empty inside she was and how she was simply going through the motions and doing and saying the things she was expected to do and say all the while trying her hardest to feel nothing… It was super sad!!! So well written though.
Although Zoey isn’t the super main focus of the book for me she played a really good part in helping Dolores come to terms with a lot of really rough repressed memories and dealing with the breakdown in her marriage. And to be honest for a long time I didn’t quite understand why her husband was leaving her… in the beginning we see the marriage through Dolores eyes and you think well… what’s this guy on about… but then as we get further into the book you come to understand that their lives are just so incredibly sad. Dolores is such a shell and she has not only not come to terms or accepted her trauma but she simply hasn’t told anyone either… so people around her are confused by her sometimes odd or cold behaviour.
I just think this was such a powerful way to tell a trauma story and it was so addictive (not in a fun way) but so sad. This is not a feel good book just don’t pick it up thinking that and check your TW there is some stuff in here.
I don’t have complaints… I don’t think I have any. I actually really wish I could read it again for the first time already. I gobbled it up and I think if I slowed down I may have enjoyed it even more… but I loved it.
This is a pretty short review (for me .. i realise its still over 800 words long 🤣)…
Overall, I can’t speak highly enough of this one, the prose, the writing, the story. You get my ass with stress and depressy every time I love that (we all know I am sick and twisted). Do I recommend… look if you like action… No not for you. If you want a thriller… keep going. If you like to have your story on a platter… nope.
But if you like nuanced storytelling, don’t mind feeling the feelings and all the other stuff above that I loved then definitely give this a go (anyone who follows and likes the same kinds of books as me and LitWithLeigh…. So maybe CarolG, ShelleysBookNook, Melissa this might be for you). I cannot wait to read more by this author!!
May 29, 2024
I usually like the author’s writing and her weirdest unlikeable characters but this one is just plain uncomfortable and painful to read.
January 18, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the eARC for an honest review of the book.
I was really excited by the premise of the book. I thought it might end up more like a Black Mirror episode. A wife takes in her husband’s AI sex doll. Zoey wasn’t really in the book much, or her interactions, at least. I wish it had gone a bit further. A more sci-fi route.
The book was confusing. Jumping around in time all over the place. I had to go back more than once to remember what period of time I was in. But just as things were getting good and it was going somewhere the book ended. The ending was abrupt and I wasn’t even sure what was going on.
I would loved to have seen more with Zoey.
I was really excited by the premise of the book. I thought it might end up more like a Black Mirror episode. A wife takes in her husband’s AI sex doll. Zoey wasn’t really in the book much, or her interactions, at least. I wish it had gone a bit further. A more sci-fi route.
The book was confusing. Jumping around in time all over the place. I had to go back more than once to remember what period of time I was in. But just as things were getting good and it was going somewhere the book ended. The ending was abrupt and I wasn’t even sure what was going on.
I would loved to have seen more with Zoey.
June 16, 2024
Unfortunately, what sounded like an intriguing premise fell pretty flat for me with Hey Zoey, the new novel from Sarah Crossan.
Dolores, an educator, is married to doctor David, somewhat unhappily it would seem, when one day Dolores happens upon a bag in their garage containing a sex doll (Zoey) stuffed in with a Christmas tree.
Dolores confronts David, and has to find a way to navigate through their problems, while at the same time confronting her past, her troubled childhood and the root cause of her unhappiness.
The story moves from past to present and back again in short vignettes. There’s no humour or levity whatsoever to the story, I found it relentlessly grim.
The book also lacked a hook. It drifted in parts with some extraneous school scenes that could have been omitted without the story really losing anything of value. I found the scenes between Dolores and Zoey disappointing, with no particular insights over and above what Alexa might tell you. Zoey serves a specific purpose in the story and it’s a bit heavy-handed, making the reveal predictable in the end.
A disappointing read. Not bad, but not a book I would be rushing to read. 2.5/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the author and publisher @bloomsburypublishing for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Dolores, an educator, is married to doctor David, somewhat unhappily it would seem, when one day Dolores happens upon a bag in their garage containing a sex doll (Zoey) stuffed in with a Christmas tree.
Dolores confronts David, and has to find a way to navigate through their problems, while at the same time confronting her past, her troubled childhood and the root cause of her unhappiness.
The story moves from past to present and back again in short vignettes. There’s no humour or levity whatsoever to the story, I found it relentlessly grim.
The book also lacked a hook. It drifted in parts with some extraneous school scenes that could have been omitted without the story really losing anything of value. I found the scenes between Dolores and Zoey disappointing, with no particular insights over and above what Alexa might tell you. Zoey serves a specific purpose in the story and it’s a bit heavy-handed, making the reveal predictable in the end.
A disappointing read. Not bad, but not a book I would be rushing to read. 2.5/5 ⭐️
*Many thanks to the author and publisher @bloomsburypublishing for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2024
I think part of my issue with this book came down to marketing and my own expectations. Based on the cover and description, I expected a very different story. In the publisher’s defense, this novel doesn't seem to know what it wants to be.
I read a review that said the sex doll part of the plot wasn't needed, which is funny considering that's what it's supposedly about. But I agree, to a point. It did seem out of place. The story was really dominated by Dolores's childhood and a secret she's hidden since then--one that's affected her in ways she's just beginning to realize. The story goes back and forth from present time to her growing up in a home with her mom, sister, stepfather, and stepbrother. The past vignettes don't move linearly, so we don't always know where in time we are.
The lack of chronology in the flashbacks didn't bother me as much as other readers. I was initially surprised at Crossan's focus on Dolores's family, as I expected more of the story to be devoted to her relationship with her husband, David (the buyer of the aforementioned doll).
SPOILER ALERT
TW: sexual assault
David leaves the narrative for the most part early on, and we never really get a good sense of what his marriage to Dolores was like. We also spend a lot of time with Dolores at work, where she's an administrator of some sort at a high school. We get extended plots about mock interviews and revenge porn and misbehavior and potential statutory rape. I found most of it boring and a distraction from the crux of the novel, which turned out to be the childhood sexual abuse both Dolores and her sister Jacinta suffered at the hands of their stepbrother, Gavin.
It didn't come completely out of nowhere. Crossan teases it throughout the book, mentioning how David never liked Gavin and how, when Dolores lost her virginity, her lover said there's no way she was a virgin with the way she performed. But the way it was slowly revealed made me feel sort of uncomfortable. It becomes apparent that Dolores has been abused by someone in her family, but Crossan hints at it and gradually reveals details so it becomes a gross sort of guessing game.
Dolores confronts her stepbrother after Jacinta attempts suicide, and the book ends shortly thereafter. The first half of the book was slow-going then it ramped up in the last thirty pages or so and just...ended. I would have preferred more of a resolution between David and Dolores that would warrant the entire first half of the novel's existence. Instead we get extended scenes of Dolores treating Zoe like she's Alexa.
I read a review that said the sex doll part of the plot wasn't needed, which is funny considering that's what it's supposedly about. But I agree, to a point. It did seem out of place. The story was really dominated by Dolores's childhood and a secret she's hidden since then--one that's affected her in ways she's just beginning to realize. The story goes back and forth from present time to her growing up in a home with her mom, sister, stepfather, and stepbrother. The past vignettes don't move linearly, so we don't always know where in time we are.
The lack of chronology in the flashbacks didn't bother me as much as other readers. I was initially surprised at Crossan's focus on Dolores's family, as I expected more of the story to be devoted to her relationship with her husband, David (the buyer of the aforementioned doll).
SPOILER ALERT
TW: sexual assault
David leaves the narrative for the most part early on, and we never really get a good sense of what his marriage to Dolores was like. We also spend a lot of time with Dolores at work, where she's an administrator of some sort at a high school. We get extended plots about mock interviews and revenge porn and misbehavior and potential statutory rape. I found most of it boring and a distraction from the crux of the novel, which turned out to be the childhood sexual abuse both Dolores and her sister Jacinta suffered at the hands of their stepbrother, Gavin.
It didn't come completely out of nowhere. Crossan teases it throughout the book, mentioning how David never liked Gavin and how, when Dolores lost her virginity, her lover said there's no way she was a virgin with the way she performed. But the way it was slowly revealed made me feel sort of uncomfortable. It becomes apparent that Dolores has been abused by someone in her family, but Crossan hints at it and gradually reveals details so it becomes a gross sort of guessing game.
Dolores confronts her stepbrother after Jacinta attempts suicide, and the book ends shortly thereafter. The first half of the book was slow-going then it ramped up in the last thirty pages or so and just...ended. I would have preferred more of a resolution between David and Dolores that would warrant the entire first half of the novel's existence. Instead we get extended scenes of Dolores treating Zoe like she's Alexa.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2024
3.5
Yes, this is a book about a woman discovering her husband is having an affair with a sex robot.
But it's also got nothing much to do about the sex robot, and much more to do with the woman, and how she became who she is, and how those experiences shape her reactions to the sex robot.
There are dark and sad and cringey parts, all critical to Dolores' transformation and growth.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Yes, this is a book about a woman discovering her husband is having an affair with a sex robot.
But it's also got nothing much to do about the sex robot, and much more to do with the woman, and how she became who she is, and how those experiences shape her reactions to the sex robot.
There are dark and sad and cringey parts, all critical to Dolores' transformation and growth.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 31, 2025
⭐️3,8
It is not what I expected AT ALL, and somehow, maybe it also kinda is?
“ I wished I wasn’t strong. Because when you are, no one thinks to take care of you.”
It is not what I expected AT ALL, and somehow, maybe it also kinda is?
“ I wished I wasn’t strong. Because when you are, no one thinks to take care of you.”
July 29, 2024
4 stars | I randomly spotted this book at the library and was hooked after reading the first few pages. Dolly discovers her husband's AI sex doll, Zoey, in their garage, which spurs a chain of events. Her husband moves out, and Dolly moves Zoey into the house, where they start to bond. This one is a bit of a wild ride; I was eager to see how things would pan out while reading. The writing in this one really stood out to me. Crossan is an Irish author whose writing reminded me of other beloved Irish authors like Sally Rooney, Caroline O'Donogue, and Louise Kennedy.
November 26, 2023
Well, if anyone was going to make me read about a sex doll, it would be Sarah Crossan!
Delores discovers her husband has a sex doll and confronts him about it, but doesn't let him keep it. Over time, she becomes accustomed to having "Zoey" around, and it stops Delores from being so lonely. There are many parallels with the sex doll to Delores life, and this is drip fed throughout the book.
Told in alternating short paragraphs, the book gives us insight into Delores' life now and also her childhood.
I can't say I really enjoyed reading this one, but it did keep my interest, and I wanted to know the outcome.
Delores discovers her husband has a sex doll and confronts him about it, but doesn't let him keep it. Over time, she becomes accustomed to having "Zoey" around, and it stops Delores from being so lonely. There are many parallels with the sex doll to Delores life, and this is drip fed throughout the book.
Told in alternating short paragraphs, the book gives us insight into Delores' life now and also her childhood.
I can't say I really enjoyed reading this one, but it did keep my interest, and I wanted to know the outcome.
February 8, 2025
This is such a great book. I'm shocked I only heard about it once. As soon as I heard it about it though it sounded super interesting, though it wasn't at all what I thought it would be (not at all Annie Bot or Stepford Wives). It's a fascinating exploration of personality, depression, anger, and guilt. Amazing art.
January 21, 2025
This book was good, but it doesn’t live up to the expectation of someone finding out their husband had an AI sex doll. Not much of this story is about the actual doll, so that was disappointing to me. This isn’t sci-fi, it’s a depressing tale about a woman who has some backstory issues and is working through finding herself. In the process she uses the doll like an Alexa which was kind of weird.
The narrator did a great job though, she kept me interested. She did an excellent job with all the flashbacks in the story and portraying the characters.
The narrator did a great job though, she kept me interested. She did an excellent job with all the flashbacks in the story and portraying the characters.
July 11, 2024
Fembots are having a bit of a moment in modern literature.
September 18, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Hey, Zoey.
How could I not request this based on the premise?
** Triggers include suicide and abuse **
Yet, the premise is misleading because it's not really about an AI sex doll and Dolores, the wife of the man who ordered Zoey.
The narrative is about Dolores, and how her life, her childhood, the choices she's made, and what she's endured, have led her up to this point.
When Dolores discovers her husband's sex toy in the garage, it sets her on a path of self discovery, and a confrontation with a brutal truth she's denied from her past for too long.
Like some reviewers noted, with the rise of AI in our modern society, I expected the premise to be about the 'friendship' that develops between Zoey and Dolores, or what Dolores learns about herself through the sex doll, maybe empowering her in some way.
But the story wasn't about that; rather, the narrative were flashbacks from Dolores' stunted, dull perspective, viewing her childhood, adulthood and marriage, her relationship with her sister, mother, and stepfather and stepbrother through not so rose-colored glasses.
The story was darker and sadder than I expected so readers so be aware of potential triggers.
I didn't like Dolores; she was boring and indifferent, and perhaps that was the author's intention when developing the character or it was a result of the trauma she experienced, but I didn't care about her.
Zoey was a minor subplot to the real story, a woman coming to terms with repressed memories of abuse and trauma from her past, and how the trauma shaped her and her sister's life since.
How could I not request this based on the premise?
** Triggers include suicide and abuse **
Yet, the premise is misleading because it's not really about an AI sex doll and Dolores, the wife of the man who ordered Zoey.
The narrative is about Dolores, and how her life, her childhood, the choices she's made, and what she's endured, have led her up to this point.
When Dolores discovers her husband's sex toy in the garage, it sets her on a path of self discovery, and a confrontation with a brutal truth she's denied from her past for too long.
Like some reviewers noted, with the rise of AI in our modern society, I expected the premise to be about the 'friendship' that develops between Zoey and Dolores, or what Dolores learns about herself through the sex doll, maybe empowering her in some way.
But the story wasn't about that; rather, the narrative were flashbacks from Dolores' stunted, dull perspective, viewing her childhood, adulthood and marriage, her relationship with her sister, mother, and stepfather and stepbrother through not so rose-colored glasses.
The story was darker and sadder than I expected so readers so be aware of potential triggers.
I didn't like Dolores; she was boring and indifferent, and perhaps that was the author's intention when developing the character or it was a result of the trauma she experienced, but I didn't care about her.
Zoey was a minor subplot to the real story, a woman coming to terms with repressed memories of abuse and trauma from her past, and how the trauma shaped her and her sister's life since.
July 19, 2024
How did I not read a book by this Irish writer before? Great piece of speculative fiction.
April 6, 2024
I have a lot of mixed feelings about Hey, Zoe. On one side I thought this was a brilliant book in its own genre, but on the other it did not meet the expectations.
The premise of this book is that Dolores finds an animatronic sex doll hidden in the garage and her marriage eventually ends because of it. This is also in the Computer and Science category (even though it’s also in General Fiction (Adult) and Women's Fiction). So I was expecting said doll to have a lit bit more influence over the story and to go deeper into the themes. There were a couple of moments in the book, specially as the communication between Dolores and Zoe developed, that made me hope for the topic of AI and sex robot topics to be more developed, but it was never fully explored.
As it was, this was a very sad story of a marriage falling apart and a woman who comes to terms with her traumatic past, layer by layer. It’s a book about trauma, coping mechanisms and human relationships. Turns out, the sex doll was not the problem at all but a catalyst for everything that happened next.
This was a rollercoaster of emotions, a loaded story that tells so much between the lines, but I honestly think that it was advertised correctly and, because of that, it’s probably going to receive a bad rating.
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGallery for providing me this ARC.
The premise of this book is that Dolores finds an animatronic sex doll hidden in the garage and her marriage eventually ends because of it. This is also in the Computer and Science category (even though it’s also in General Fiction (Adult) and Women's Fiction). So I was expecting said doll to have a lit bit more influence over the story and to go deeper into the themes. There were a couple of moments in the book, specially as the communication between Dolores and Zoe developed, that made me hope for the topic of AI and sex robot topics to be more developed, but it was never fully explored.
As it was, this was a very sad story of a marriage falling apart and a woman who comes to terms with her traumatic past, layer by layer. It’s a book about trauma, coping mechanisms and human relationships. Turns out, the sex doll was not the problem at all but a catalyst for everything that happened next.
This was a rollercoaster of emotions, a loaded story that tells so much between the lines, but I honestly think that it was advertised correctly and, because of that, it’s probably going to receive a bad rating.
Thank you so much to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGallery for providing me this ARC.
July 10, 2024
2.5. this did not give what it thought it did
May 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"We are replaceable. All of us. And not simply by other people. By things too, like alcohol and drugs and fibre optic broadband."
This book really took me by surprise by just how much I enjoyed it. I knew I would like it but I found myself reaching for it every free moment I had. Hey, Zoey follows Dolores, a teacher, finding Zoey her husband's AI sex doll in the garage and the subsequent disintegration of her marriage, herself and reflections on her life. I loved the interactions between Zoey and Dolores, the conversations and need for connection. This is contrasted through Dolores interactions with the rest of world - friends, family, husbands, students, colleagues etc. There are moments of dry humour throughout the book I really enjoyed and made me laugh out loud more than once. I enjoyed the realistic depiction of someone going through a relationship breakdown/ dealing with past trauma while still working full-time and having to present themselves to the world. If you are interested in AI and how we interact with it as humans then I would highly recommend picking this up!
"We are replaceable. All of us. And not simply by other people. By things too, like alcohol and drugs and fibre optic broadband."
This book really took me by surprise by just how much I enjoyed it. I knew I would like it but I found myself reaching for it every free moment I had. Hey, Zoey follows Dolores, a teacher, finding Zoey her husband's AI sex doll in the garage and the subsequent disintegration of her marriage, herself and reflections on her life. I loved the interactions between Zoey and Dolores, the conversations and need for connection. This is contrasted through Dolores interactions with the rest of world - friends, family, husbands, students, colleagues etc. There are moments of dry humour throughout the book I really enjoyed and made me laugh out loud more than once. I enjoyed the realistic depiction of someone going through a relationship breakdown/ dealing with past trauma while still working full-time and having to present themselves to the world. If you are interested in AI and how we interact with it as humans then I would highly recommend picking this up!
Read
July 19, 2024I really loved this novel. A quiet, quotidian, sometimes funny, oblique but nonetheless devastating look at trauma. Full of reflection and journeys through the interior but written in such an unflinchingly, unaffected and conversational style that it never became ponderous or indulgent. On a par, for me, with Department of Speculation.
January 30, 2024
I saw the premise of this book and quickly assumed I was the target audience. I absolutely love a story with a seemingly silly or weird plotline but with a twist of sincerity and insightfulness. I thought I was going into something more along the lines of Lars and the Real Girl and/ or Dummy (the show).
For me, this ended up missing the mark. It felt more like a snippet of life along the lines of Sally Rooney so it didn’t quite feel there was any sort of resolution. Not that there was a lot of conflict despite an inner turmoil but I kept waiting for more talks with Zoey that delved deeper or at least funnier.
There was an underlining feminist undertone while also still judging and demeaning women for wanting to have plastic surgery or choose how they want to look whether it fits into the male gaze or not. This could very much be the characters perspective and not the authours but because it didn’t delve deeper, it was something I could not decipher and never did in the end.
The “twist” in the end had to do with SA and while I’m not surprised, I wish it was again more honed in. Instead of revealing this underlying issue in the last act. I wish it came sooner as it would’ve brought the depth I found was lacking. Overall, I liked the premise and wasn’t mad at it and enjoyed the authours writing but continually wished I received more from this in terms of philosophy, feminism, psychology, comedy etc.
For me, this ended up missing the mark. It felt more like a snippet of life along the lines of Sally Rooney so it didn’t quite feel there was any sort of resolution. Not that there was a lot of conflict despite an inner turmoil but I kept waiting for more talks with Zoey that delved deeper or at least funnier.
There was an underlining feminist undertone while also still judging and demeaning women for wanting to have plastic surgery or choose how they want to look whether it fits into the male gaze or not. This could very much be the characters perspective and not the authours but because it didn’t delve deeper, it was something I could not decipher and never did in the end.
The “twist” in the end had to do with SA and while I’m not surprised, I wish it was again more honed in. Instead of revealing this underlying issue in the last act. I wish it came sooner as it would’ve brought the depth I found was lacking. Overall, I liked the premise and wasn’t mad at it and enjoyed the authours writing but continually wished I received more from this in terms of philosophy, feminism, psychology, comedy etc.
August 12, 2024
I am sick to death of this weird little genre of 'feminist' books where women do stupid things because they're ✨traumatised✨, that's not how it works. Yeah, you might have had a horrible childhood and your husband just left you, but that does not justify you AS A TEACHER luring a sixth former to your house on multiple occasions under the pretence of mock interviews just so you could show him your sex doll. Genuinely couldn't stand the main character, book was incredibly boring, for a book about an AI sex doll, not a single line actually commented on the ethics of sex dolls. Had no idea what was going on. Also, entirely unfunny to say it's described as a comedy.
Terrible!
Terrible!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2023
I thought this was really well written. I wished the flashback element flowed a little better and that Delores and Zoey's kinship was introduced a little sooner. Too much time was spent on her and David having these non conversations. I had a feeling that the Gavin thing was a thing and I can appreciate that it was never said outloud.
June 7, 2024
This book is the perfect example of why you can’t always trust mixed reviews. I really liked it! But it’s probably a good idea to go into this with the right expectations. The blurb sort of makes it sound like a quirky comedy, and although there may be a chuckle to be found here and there, the reality is that this is a very dark and sad read.
It’s surprising to me that in a story where the narrator has been mistreated by her husband I didn’t automatically sympathize with her. The problem was that said narrator, Delores, was instantly unlikable. (To ME.) She comes across as the kind of woman who is automatically hostile and judgmental towards all other women. But maybe she was written this way to contrast with how she eventually interacts with Zooey, making their relationship that much more meaningful?
My one other issue was that I’ve never before read a book written in such a scattered manner. It’s separated into short passages, (which I do like), but each one seems to shift to an entirely new topic. They almost read like random musings or notes. As a person who already has a tough time focusing, this made it very difficult for me at first to follow what was going on. (I got used to the flow of it eventually, to be fair.)
The author would also bring up very minor characters once, then forget about them for a while, then randomly bring them up again later and I wouldn’t remember what she was talking about. I wish the author had chosen to follow the primary story thread a bit more closely. (I felt like a lot of the subplot involving Delores’s job at the school could’ve been cut out completely and the book would’ve been stronger for it.)
It feels like the author jotted down lots of little notes and quotes and ideas that she wanted to include in a book at some point and she just decided to use them all in this one. I actually liked some of these musings, but others seemed too random and didn’t feel like they fit here.
However, I really started to get into the swing of things the more I read. It turns out in the second half that there’s a lot more going on with Delores. The pieces eventually fit together and things make more sense. She relates very strongly to Zoey, and they have an emotional bond that I liked quite a bit. I even wanted to hang out with Zoey myself.
I know this review might make it sound like I DIDN’T like the book, but I really did. Especially in the second half. I loved all of the interaction between Delores and Zoey. I understand why the entire book wasn’t just that, because it was important to see bits and pieces of Delores’s past and her interactions with other people. (Mainly her family and friends. I stand by my statement about the school subplot.) But her time with Zoey was by far the best part, and made everything else well worth the read. This author is really good at those cutting little moments that come out of nowhere and make you think, “Wow, that was harsh.”
In some ways, this book reminded me of a less heartwarming and cutesy version of “Lars and the Real Girl,” a great movie starring Ryan Gosling. If you enjoyed one of these things, you would likely enjoy the other.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the Publisher for inviting me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
TW: Animal death (brief), Suicide, Self-Harm, Miscarriage, Sexual Assault
It’s surprising to me that in a story where the narrator has been mistreated by her husband I didn’t automatically sympathize with her. The problem was that said narrator, Delores, was instantly unlikable. (To ME.) She comes across as the kind of woman who is automatically hostile and judgmental towards all other women. But maybe she was written this way to contrast with how she eventually interacts with Zooey, making their relationship that much more meaningful?
My one other issue was that I’ve never before read a book written in such a scattered manner. It’s separated into short passages, (which I do like), but each one seems to shift to an entirely new topic. They almost read like random musings or notes. As a person who already has a tough time focusing, this made it very difficult for me at first to follow what was going on. (I got used to the flow of it eventually, to be fair.)
The author would also bring up very minor characters once, then forget about them for a while, then randomly bring them up again later and I wouldn’t remember what she was talking about. I wish the author had chosen to follow the primary story thread a bit more closely. (I felt like a lot of the subplot involving Delores’s job at the school could’ve been cut out completely and the book would’ve been stronger for it.)
It feels like the author jotted down lots of little notes and quotes and ideas that she wanted to include in a book at some point and she just decided to use them all in this one. I actually liked some of these musings, but others seemed too random and didn’t feel like they fit here.
However, I really started to get into the swing of things the more I read. It turns out in the second half that there’s a lot more going on with Delores. The pieces eventually fit together and things make more sense. She relates very strongly to Zoey, and they have an emotional bond that I liked quite a bit. I even wanted to hang out with Zoey myself.
I know this review might make it sound like I DIDN’T like the book, but I really did. Especially in the second half. I loved all of the interaction between Delores and Zoey. I understand why the entire book wasn’t just that, because it was important to see bits and pieces of Delores’s past and her interactions with other people. (Mainly her family and friends. I stand by my statement about the school subplot.) But her time with Zoey was by far the best part, and made everything else well worth the read. This author is really good at those cutting little moments that come out of nowhere and make you think, “Wow, that was harsh.”
In some ways, this book reminded me of a less heartwarming and cutesy version of “Lars and the Real Girl,” a great movie starring Ryan Gosling. If you enjoyed one of these things, you would likely enjoy the other.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the Publisher for inviting me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
TW: Animal death (brief), Suicide, Self-Harm, Miscarriage, Sexual Assault
November 8, 2024
“She went back to her reading, her shoulders curled towards her ears. I had always known.”
——————
The subject matter of this book was especially challenging for me as it’s an experience I know all too well, and Crossan captured the myriad long-term impacts CSA has well.
I liked the use of chronology jumps to fill in Dolores’ history. As a character, she is incredibly disengaged from her emotions in a way that feels quite real. Several times it felt like Crossan was about to take her over edge into her own predatory acts. I was relieved when she didn’t.
I expected Zoey to play a much more active role in the story. Even to tease that the relationship between Zoey and Dolores is pivotal feels a bit inaccurate. At best, she served as a mirror for Dolores’ emotional unveiling, but even that was brought on more by the dissolution of her marriage and her sister’s struggles.
Crossan captured the complexity of feeling stuck in a dynamic with someone who harmed you, but is also family. I felt that this book was a kind of awakening for Dolores. In some ways it made me hopeful, and others just deeply saddened.
——————
The subject matter of this book was especially challenging for me as it’s an experience I know all too well, and Crossan captured the myriad long-term impacts CSA has well.
I liked the use of chronology jumps to fill in Dolores’ history. As a character, she is incredibly disengaged from her emotions in a way that feels quite real. Several times it felt like Crossan was about to take her over edge into her own predatory acts. I was relieved when she didn’t.
I expected Zoey to play a much more active role in the story. Even to tease that the relationship between Zoey and Dolores is pivotal feels a bit inaccurate. At best, she served as a mirror for Dolores’ emotional unveiling, but even that was brought on more by the dissolution of her marriage and her sister’s struggles.
Crossan captured the complexity of feeling stuck in a dynamic with someone who harmed you, but is also family. I felt that this book was a kind of awakening for Dolores. In some ways it made me hopeful, and others just deeply saddened.
December 10, 2024
Actual rating 3.5.
First of all, definitely one of my favourite covers this year, even if it creeps me out a little knowing exactly what that doll is! Second of all, I should’ve known that only Sarah could make this a meaningful, tender and insightful novel rather than the weird sex doll story I may have been expecting 😂
That’s not to say that this doesn’t get a bit weird, and I don’t think it’ll be for everyone, but I found it impossible to put down - it’s such an unexpected lens to look at the breakdown of a marriage through, and it’s honestly not even primarily about that, but Dolores’s history and traumas which have led them to this situation.
I found it funny at times, devastating at times and like I said, definitely weird at times (stop inviting schoolboys over Dolores!!). I still don’t know exactly how I feel about it now, but it was utterly compelling and unlike anything else I’ve read, and still had all of Sarah’s trademark astute, sparse and lyrical writing. I’ll read anything and everything she writes.
First of all, definitely one of my favourite covers this year, even if it creeps me out a little knowing exactly what that doll is! Second of all, I should’ve known that only Sarah could make this a meaningful, tender and insightful novel rather than the weird sex doll story I may have been expecting 😂
That’s not to say that this doesn’t get a bit weird, and I don’t think it’ll be for everyone, but I found it impossible to put down - it’s such an unexpected lens to look at the breakdown of a marriage through, and it’s honestly not even primarily about that, but Dolores’s history and traumas which have led them to this situation.
I found it funny at times, devastating at times and like I said, definitely weird at times (stop inviting schoolboys over Dolores!!). I still don’t know exactly how I feel about it now, but it was utterly compelling and unlike anything else I’ve read, and still had all of Sarah’s trademark astute, sparse and lyrical writing. I’ll read anything and everything she writes.
December 8, 2023
“If I told you what it’s like to be in love with you, it would hurt you to hear it, Dolores.”
“All I knew was that we lay back-to-back most nights, willing the other to sleep so the wordless message between us IdonotloveyouIdonotloveyou would vanish along with our shallow, wakeful breaths.”
“I wished I wasn’t strong. Because when you are, no one thinks to take care of you.”
Beautiful prose and powerful story. So much more than the tale of a sex doll.
“All I knew was that we lay back-to-back most nights, willing the other to sleep so the wordless message between us IdonotloveyouIdonotloveyou would vanish along with our shallow, wakeful breaths.”
“I wished I wasn’t strong. Because when you are, no one thinks to take care of you.”
Beautiful prose and powerful story. So much more than the tale of a sex doll.
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