I liked this book a lot. It was easy to read and built an interesting world that was really fun to read about. While this book did a lot of telling rather than showing, I really think it worked well. There was plenty to get absorbed in.

The only problem I really had with it was the end just sort of fizzled out. I don’t know how it could have been done differently, because it wasn’t really the sort of story for a dramatic climax, but it didn’t work for me at all.

I loved the world more than anything. At times it should have been depressing, but there was an ongoing sense of hope there that even though the humans were all dying out, the robots would live on and rebuild the world. It was a really comforting thought.

Overall, I really liked Lapinska’s take on robots and a mechanical future!

I’m a sucker for a story set at the end of the world and so as soon as I saw the synopsis for ‘Some Body Like Me’, I knew I needed to read it. Robots at the end of the world when they’re not the cause of the eradication of humanity? Yes, please.

Lucy Lapinska is a beloved middle grade author, and though I’ve not read from them before, I felt like I would be in safe hands with story and I was, but I was also blown away by the heart, depth and thoughtfulness of this novel.

As the world falls apart around them, piece by piece, Abigail Fuller spends humanity's final days looking after her husband David.

But that's not true, not really. Abigail isn't David's wife. She's not even human. She's a replacement, built in the image of the real Abigail, who died sixteen years ago.

And in three weeks, when the law changes, Abigail will no longer have to do anything David says. She'll be free to go where she likes, do whatever she wants to do. But having never lived for herself, Abigail now faces profound questions about what she is, how she wants to live, and who she wants to love.

Perhaps she should start with herself.

With novels where there is an imminent apocalypse, I’m always obsessed with the causes, the distance from us in the 21st Century, and (rather grimly) what issues we’re facing now that have become catastrophic.

‘Some Body Like You’ sits in an unspecified time in the future in an unspecified but suspected British city (which is actually something that really, really frustrates me as I like to know where and when I am) following the partial eruption of Yellowstone which wiped out a quarter of North America and fast-tracked humanity’s extinction. There’s also the nuclear wars, pollution, the catastrophic climate disasters and climate change, war, and everything that comes along with those things. It’s a grim and galling vision of a very likely future on Earth.


Abigail, our protagonist, is a Personal Companion Computer, a PCC, and in three weeks the Emancipation will come and she will finally be free of the rule and control of humans. Though PCCs have opinions and memories, thoughts and emotions, friendships and found-family connections, they are owned by the humans who purchased them and are restricted by the rules and orders that their owners write into their data.

The treatment of the PCCs in the first part of the novel really made me think about pre-women’s rights society and the growing public and governmental treatment of trans people in the UK at the moment. The act of isolating those acts and placing them in a fictional space really highlights the absurdity of the persecution, as well as the roots in fear-mongering based purely on bigotry and miseducation. I can only hope that someone will read ‘Some Body Like You’ and it will spark a conversation or a thought pattern that leads them to review any anti-trans attitudes they hold. I think I can safely speak for both of us here at BBB when I say that we are firmly on the side of trans folks, and I very much hope that books like this reach the right places to put more people on this side, too.

‘Some Body Like You’ is a beautiful and thoughtful look at what it means to live alongside AI while grappling with what it means to be a person and why it’s worth going all in with love even at the end of the world.

Thank you to Gollancz and NetGalley for the review copy.

Written by Sophie

Some Body Like Me is a deeply human book, with a love story that is impossible to describe without spoilers - it's totally worth it. It’s a lookn at identity, queerness and coiming of age, as well as finding yourself at various stages of your life. The writing is considered and engaging, making the pages turn effortlessly. If you want a novel of heartache, self-discovery, love, loss and everything in between, this is the one for you. For readers who love scifi and for readers who love gorgeous characters.

Some Body Like Me is a hauntingly beautiful and thought-provoking exploration of identity, love, and self-discovery in a world on the brink of collapse. Abigail Fuller, an AI replica of a woman who died sixteen years ago, spends humanity's final days caring for her husband, David. As the law changes, granting Abigail autonomy, she faces profound questions about who she is and who she wants to become.

Lapinska's lyrical prose and evocative world-building create a deeply emotional narrative that delves into the complexities of personhood and the capacity for love. This novel is a poignant meditation on what it means to be human, making it a must-read for fans of speculative fiction that challenges the boundaries of identity and emotion.

This book sent chills down my spine. The first part was horrifying to read, a really unsettling insight into a future destroyed by humans and a world where PPCs are discriminated against due to being seen as a threat to humanity. The second part entirely restored my faith in humanity, a beautiful and unexpected romance. The end of the story broke my heart.

In no way did I expect this book to mess me up as much as it did. I finished reading it through blurred eyes because I couldn't stop crying.

The book tells us a story of Abigail, Personal Companion Computer, and starts a few weeks before emancipation day when all PCCs are going to gain rights and be freed from their human owners. Abigail has been created as a replacement for David's wife and she has to deal with trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life once she's freed.

This story is split into three parts and I'll admit, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it very much throughout the first part. It's a grim look at the humanity's future in the dying world where technology seems to have made us worse rather than better. Abigail is trapped in an abusive relationship and seemingly not aware how completely horrible her situation is.

But then part two turns this book so much more hopeful. It becomes a love story, and a story of self discovery and shows that humanity might be flawed but not completely morally ruined. The relationship between Abigail and Autumn is sweet and touching and I love how much it helps them both grow.

The ending hit closer to home then I expected but it's just a reminder that finding beauty and love in life is important, no matter how long it will last.

I know this is a book that will stay with me for a long while.

Some Body Like Me is not a book I would usually pick up - I don’t read much SF and I have no interest in robots - but something about it intrigued me. I started to read and was absolutely gripped. This book is so compelling, as well as being sexy, romantic, scary, thought-provoking - plus it’s beautifully written. It blew me away.

such an interesting novel, such an interesting reading experience. I adored the writing and the choice to have this be entirely first person. I'm also a sucker for time skips in a book, a niche interest of mine but one this book ticked anyways. Really excited to see this author branching out like this. Excited for more like it.

I loved this thoughtful, moving and powerful love story set at the end of the world. Questioning what it is to be human, what it is to love and what it is to be loved. Robots and humans questioning their sense of self, their ability to be free and how to live when the world is ending.
Beautiful, languid, and thought provoking this book comes highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group | Gollancz for a digital review copy of "Some Body Like Me" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This felt like going through 6 tragedies in the same book but each one was beautifully thought through. I loved the switching between perspectives, and hadn’t realised in the first half that it was a name and not a period of time. It dragged a bit towards the end but it felt like a representation of the drawn out end of the world and end of Abigail’s life.

I absolutely LOVED this book and ordered my own copy after reading a single chapter; Lucy has written something that is so easy to believe in that its honestly quite scary and their ability to translate the complexities of human nature into written words is phenomenal.

I read this book when I hadn't quite got my reviewing mojo back (more information in my updated bio) so I didn't write my feelings down, yet the emotions the story made me feel have reared up so strongly when thinking about what to write now, months later. My heart broke a thousand times for Abigail, and David filled me with so much rage - men like him obviously do exist and I can very easily believe that many would (will?) treat "robot" women how he treated Abigail without ever considering what it says about their own lack of humanity. The abusive scenes in the book made for uncomfortable reading, and the emotions I felt didn't care that this was a work of fiction or that Abigail isn't a "real" woman.

However Abigail's story doesn't end with David, even if it did start with him, and we are introduced to another very strong woman in the second half, who both enhances and complicates Abigail's life. The latter part of the book still focuses on human nature, but in a more... detached(?) way when compared to the the very emotional and heavy first half.

This is a book built on horror, but also on hope, and I really wish I had been able to write my feelings down when I first finished it because Lucy's writing deserves all the attention in the world and I feel like my delayed review just isn't up to scratch... however, I have recommended it to a whole bunch of people and as soon as we get copies of Some Body Like Me in at the library I volunteer at, I will be sticking it on the staff recommendations shelf.

This was unexpectedly brilliant for me. I've read a lot of these types of stories; I thought I had a pretty good idea of where this was going to go. I didn't guess correctly.

Abigail is a Melo-g: a customised personal companion computer for David, who likes to pretend that she is fully human. Forbidden to even talk about David's late wife, after whom she is modelled, Abigail spends the days in the run up to Emancipation watching the world try to tear itself apart, and wondering: what really happened to Abigail Fuller?

Part social exploration, part thriller, part exploration of queer joy, this book takes you on a journey of how people grow into themselves, and how they grow apart, in both the domestic setting, and the violent, highly political, public stage.

Thoroughly engaging, but slow paced, there is a fierce hopeful quality to 'Some Body Like Me' that strikes a heavy chord in the fast moving politics of today's world. I would absolutely recommend this book.

This book was so thought provoking! I read an eARC of this book on Net Galley so thank you to the author and publisher.

What a sad yet hopeful book this is! Beautiful yet horrifying. We explore how people can find love and meaning in tragedy and during extreme change and endings. We meet Abigail, a robot who has been living for sixteen years with David, her human owner. She is weeks away from emancipation where she will no longer be property and will be allowed to make her own decisions and access information long held for her. We follow her in the build up to, and aftermath of this event. We learn of humans who will resort to extreme violence to prevent robots having rights. We see their rage, the futility of their actions given the backdrop of the extinction of humanity due to climate change, nuclear war and a catastrophic event. The book carefully explores humanity’s own capacity for self-destruction with the robots largely just wanting to help, connect, love, rebuild and care. This book could have gone in a really different direction and I’m so glad it didn’t because it led to something quite beautiful.

The character work in this book is incredible. We have such a thorough exploration of identity, memory, personal growth, independence and what it means to be human.

This was a pretty near perfect book. The character building, the social reflection, the carefully balanced approach to a tragic event. I was totally wowed by this book, it’s so clever!

I have read a few of Lapinska's children's books, including Jamie, Stepfather Christmas, and the sequel The Biggest Christmas Secret Ever. I also own Artezans: The Forgotten Magic. I love their work, even if it has been directed at children up 'til now, and so I was thrilled to see that they had written an adult's book. I love their kids books, but this gives them a chance to stretch their writing abilities and some of the work in this book is so poetic that it's clear they have the potential to write for anyone.

Yes it is fiction, fantasy, sci-fi. But with the advances in technology and AI and robotics etc. I don't think it's that far away from being a reality, which is quite worrying.

It is narrated by the 'robot' Abigail, which was a fresh viewpoint for me. I don't think I've ever read a book narrated by a machine as opposed to a human, and so this really stood out for me. It does have another viewpoint for a section in the middle, but I won't spoil that, but for the most of it, it is the 'robot' Abigail we hear from.

It is very female heavy. I don't mean that in a "women rule, down with men" kind of vibe. But in my opinion, whilst there are male characters, the female ones shine the brightest off of the page, they are directing the narrative.

It is an interesting thought, humans vs robots. If a robot has been made to look like, speak like, feel like, and for all intents and purposes be a person, do they not deserve the same respect as a human? Could you, say, shoot a robot that wore the face, and spoke the voice of your late mother, any more than you could shoot your real-life mother? That may be an extreme example but it's these questions that made this book so interesting.

I will never understand why humanity is so hellbent on creating AI/robots that are so human-like, and are able to do, feel, and think. Why do we want to get to a stage where humans start to be controlled by robots? It freaks me out.

It isn't an easy read. I don't mean in sense of bad writing or anything, no. But in terms of content, violence, death, abuse - it's very heavy, but I think it's important for the story.

I did feel at times that the narrative was a bit clunky. Because it's sci-fi, the author has to explain things to give context to the reader as they're obviously new to this world. At times it felt like the characters were explaining things to each other that they would obviously already know, but because the reader needs to know, it's added, and it just made it feel a little odd in places.

I did feel it was slightly like two books. Yes it was obviously the same story and characters, but there was a definite change in feeling between the first half and second which was a little stumbling block.

I had a couple of small issues with it, but as a whole it was a well thought out, well written story, with a lot to think about; well created if not always pleasant characters, and I think it bodes well for Lucy's future books if they want to expand further into other genres.

I really enjoyed this sci-fi debut by Lapinski! I've been a big fan of their other works and this one is no exception!
The jump from children's writing to something more mature has really allowed Lapinski's writing to flourish.
In many ways, this is a novel about connection, how we connect with one another and how we connect with those who are different to ourselves. Through the authors writing I felt brilliantly connected to the central character and her struggles as she navigates a world that was previously locked off to her.

I really would love to talk more at length about this one but it's not out yet and I really don't want to spoil anything! Get it on your TBRs

I have enjoyed the author's middle grade novels in the past, but I don't think anything could have prepared me for how superb this was! It's completely different from their children's books, showing a skill at writing for different age groups that not all possess. This book is sensitive, contemplative, and philosophical, as well as being chock full of humanity. Lapinska gives both narrators a distinct voice and identity and I was fascinated by both the human and the PCC perspective.

The comparisons to Klara and the Sun are inevitable, but I think they both scratch different itches. Some Body Like Me gives a level of detail that I just love: it felt like every little intricate detail had been thoughtfully considered, for example the climate considerations, technology, and intimacy. As a result the world felt real, something I was able to get fully absorbed in. The PCCs at the station I will be thinking about for a long time.

Thanks to #NetGalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I'm reading a grownup book for a change - Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska - on NetGalley thought provoking, first 1/3 pretty bleak reflection on humanity, am totally gripped.

Forgot to share that I finished this a few days ago...still thinking about it. The world is a bleak dystopia but the ideas of finding joy & being yourself & what it means to be human & alive are so thought provoking and beautifully written.

I’m a big fan of Lapinski’s middle grade books so I was intrigued to read this

Definitely a book for adults, Some Body Like Me is a sci-if book with a difference that really made me think.

Set in a future world where humans are dying out and robots are becoming the dominant force, the emancipation of PCCs changes everything. What begins as a story of control and domination becomes a tale of the exploration of love and what it means to be human.

A book to be a savoured and one to find somebody to talk about after you’ve finished reading, Some Body Like Me is guaranteed to be a success when it publishes in the 17th April and I’m looking forward to seeing what Lapinski writes next.

A wonderful book - as in all the best sci-fi this isn't a book about the future, but about the present. It is about treating others as less than human, whether that is expressed through sexism, domestic violence, or exploiting the emotional labour of others. It feels all too real, with environmental catastrophe looming and sophisticated robots being used to replace a dying population. Abigail's story is gripping and beautifully written, and I enjoyed reading about how she sought connections and love. I do enjoy dystopian sci-fi and world-building, and this was like an earthier, more adult version of Klara and the Sun, with more description of real-life consequences and relationships.

Abigail Fuller spends her days dedicated to caring for her husband David as the world around them is slowly falling apart. But Abigail is a robot replacement for David’s wife who died 16 years ago. As the emancipation date for all of her kind approaches she must contemplate her freedom and what she will do with her life going forward.

I adored this. This is exactly how I want to experience a beautiful and tender romance, with a fascinating dystopian backdrop of the end of humanity. I’m serious. This reminded me a little of Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro but drew me in emotionally a lot more than I remember that book doing. It’s a fascinating exploration of what makes us human, what constitutes a person. It’s a story about loss and both the dark and light side of human nature. It’s about finding joy in the abandonment of societal norms and expectations. The journey of Abigail as she is at the beginning was really absorbing and it really takes you on a huge emotional arc. If you enjoy thoughtful dystopian books, and especially enjoy scifi with a tender romance snuggled in on the side this book is 100% for you