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Some Body Like Me
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.
Both tender and powerful, Some Body Like Me explores the boundaries of sexuality and the indefinable human capacity for love at the end of the world. Perfect for fans of Emily St John Mandel, Kazuo Ishiguro and Sequoia Nagamatsu.
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.
Both tender and powerful, Some Body Like Me explores the boundaries of sexuality and the indefinable human capacity for love at the end of the world. Perfect for fans of Emily St John Mandel, Kazuo Ishiguro and Sequoia Nagamatsu.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 17, 2025
19 people are currently reading
972 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
July 4, 2025
Their adult debut cements why L.D. Lapinski (writing here as Lucy Lapinska) has quickly become one of my favourite authors. I will never pass up a book that questions what humanity means by way of robotics, and I loved the way Lapinska approached this theme. Without wanting to give too much away, the second half of the book was the strongest, in terms of character growth and plot progression. I was hoping this would be 5 stars for me, but I personally just missed that little bit of emotional connection that would have made it a 5 star reading experience for me. But this was still really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
August 1, 2025
Halfway through I was totally sold, second half however made me ?!?!. The love story was strange, if nothing else thought provoking.
April 9, 2025
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.
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.
November 29, 2025
Disclaimer: Jonathan Ball Publishers kindly sent me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The world now consists of robots (a rather derogatory term) and humans. While humans are dying out due to excessive pollution and disease, the PCCs (personal companion computers) are more vital to the world than their breathing counterparts. Companies like GaiaTech have been manufacturing PCCs for decades for humans, and soon they will be freed when the Great Emancipation sets in.
Abigail Fuller is a MELO-G model PCC and she belongs (for now) to David Fuller. She was made in the image of his late wife who died 16 years ago, and she has all of Abigail's memories and mannerisms. David doesn't want to acknowledge that his wife is a PCC, and instead of accepting that she is not his wife who died, he takes it out on her in the form of punches.
One of these days, Abigail will no longer be obligated to serve David. She's hoping that once she's free, she'll have more access to the web and can learn more about the woman whose life she mimics.
Abigail ponders life and questions whether love is real for PCCs. Unlike humans, robots are immortal as their data remains forever in a cloud, and even when their chassis (body) breaks, they can always be replaced inside something new. Because of this, PCCs have long-term plans to fix the world and to make it far more sustainable than humans ever could.
Abigail's journey leads her not only to discovering all about the woman whom she was made after, she also experiments with her sexuality and questions gender and identity in a world that underestimates both.
Some Body Like Me is not just a love story, though that is a huge part of this tale. It delves into major social and political issues, including climate change, race, the ethics of AI, pollution, and the division this creates. It's a story about unconventional love in a world that is not that fictional anymore: an apocalyptic experience that no longer feels far off, because science fiction doesn't need to have flying cars, space suits, and laser beams anymore.
Lapinska's novel is a tender love story - both riveting and heartwarming.
The world now consists of robots (a rather derogatory term) and humans. While humans are dying out due to excessive pollution and disease, the PCCs (personal companion computers) are more vital to the world than their breathing counterparts. Companies like GaiaTech have been manufacturing PCCs for decades for humans, and soon they will be freed when the Great Emancipation sets in.
Abigail Fuller is a MELO-G model PCC and she belongs (for now) to David Fuller. She was made in the image of his late wife who died 16 years ago, and she has all of Abigail's memories and mannerisms. David doesn't want to acknowledge that his wife is a PCC, and instead of accepting that she is not his wife who died, he takes it out on her in the form of punches.
One of these days, Abigail will no longer be obligated to serve David. She's hoping that once she's free, she'll have more access to the web and can learn more about the woman whose life she mimics.
Abigail ponders life and questions whether love is real for PCCs. Unlike humans, robots are immortal as their data remains forever in a cloud, and even when their chassis (body) breaks, they can always be replaced inside something new. Because of this, PCCs have long-term plans to fix the world and to make it far more sustainable than humans ever could.
Abigail's journey leads her not only to discovering all about the woman whom she was made after, she also experiments with her sexuality and questions gender and identity in a world that underestimates both.
Some Body Like Me is not just a love story, though that is a huge part of this tale. It delves into major social and political issues, including climate change, race, the ethics of AI, pollution, and the division this creates. It's a story about unconventional love in a world that is not that fictional anymore: an apocalyptic experience that no longer feels far off, because science fiction doesn't need to have flying cars, space suits, and laser beams anymore.
Lapinska's novel is a tender love story - both riveting and heartwarming.
September 14, 2025
4.5 stars, so interesting, and engaging and loved the main character
March 10, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Gollancz for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
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 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.
July 15, 2025
All these 5 star reviews has me wondering if I read the same book as these people 🥴
July 5, 2025
Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars.
I'm still trying to work out how I feel about this book. It starts off with Abigail, a machine built in the image of David's dead wife, counting down to a time when the law changes and she will be free. It very much reminded me of Annie Bot to begin with, the way that David treats her. Then it took a change of direction about halfway through the story as we follow Abigail's journey of self-discovery.
This book pushed the boundaries of human intimacy in a way that made me reflect quite a bit, and I found myself thinking about self-love and how we sometimes struggle to forgive our past selves.
A very interesting, thoughtfully written book that left me wanting a little more from the ending.
3.75 stars.
I'm still trying to work out how I feel about this book. It starts off with Abigail, a machine built in the image of David's dead wife, counting down to a time when the law changes and she will be free. It very much reminded me of Annie Bot to begin with, the way that David treats her. Then it took a change of direction about halfway through the story as we follow Abigail's journey of self-discovery.
This book pushed the boundaries of human intimacy in a way that made me reflect quite a bit, and I found myself thinking about self-love and how we sometimes struggle to forgive our past selves.
A very interesting, thoughtfully written book that left me wanting a little more from the ending.
May 1, 2025
Beautiful, lyrical, thoughtful - have you ever studied another language? Were you surprised that while you were trying to pick up that new way of communicating that you were actually having amazing little insights into your mother tongue? This story provided so many of these little gestalt flashes of insight into humanity. Thru the observations of the AI robot-companion protagonist, and her relationships, I was offered different perspectives on a whole host of big topics - humanity yes, but also love, dementia, dying, independence, self awareness. Beautiful.
April 3, 2025
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2025
ARC from netgalley
Beautifully written, thoughtful novel about an artificial human at the end of the world. Content warning for domestic violence. I don't know how to write about it without spoilers. The first half is full of tension and creeping horror; the second half becomes philosophical. A couple of books I've read recently have been pretty unsubtle so this felt like a revelation in storytelling through observation. Just gorgeous
Beautifully written, thoughtful novel about an artificial human at the end of the world. Content warning for domestic violence. I don't know how to write about it without spoilers. The first half is full of tension and creeping horror; the second half becomes philosophical. A couple of books I've read recently have been pretty unsubtle so this felt like a revelation in storytelling through observation. Just gorgeous
July 20, 2025
I received this book from the publishers via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
While this did take me a little while to get into, I’m so glad I picked it up! I’d actually been anticipating it as it’s so different from most sci fi and I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed their other works.
This book really challenges what it is to be a person, individuality and the future of the world. The climate fiction element was so well done, and I love that it tackled the human element, and the diseases, as well as climate.
Autumn is a fab main character, and I like how the time in her life with David shows both what her life is like but also how humanity is coping with the end of times and the move to PCC independence. But it’s the second half of the book that I truly loved, where she gets to discover what life can be like when she has the power to make her own decisions. I don’t want to discuss too much of this half as I think it would spoil it, but suffice to say it’s truly well thought out and beautifully written.
4.25 stars.
While this did take me a little while to get into, I’m so glad I picked it up! I’d actually been anticipating it as it’s so different from most sci fi and I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed their other works.
This book really challenges what it is to be a person, individuality and the future of the world. The climate fiction element was so well done, and I love that it tackled the human element, and the diseases, as well as climate.
Autumn is a fab main character, and I like how the time in her life with David shows both what her life is like but also how humanity is coping with the end of times and the move to PCC independence. But it’s the second half of the book that I truly loved, where she gets to discover what life can be like when she has the power to make her own decisions. I don’t want to discuss too much of this half as I think it would spoil it, but suffice to say it’s truly well thought out and beautifully written.
4.25 stars.
March 24, 2025
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!
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!
July 19, 2025
No matter what you like to read, Lucy Lapinska (L.D. Lapinski) will have something for you. I first read their book ‘Jamie’ – which I believe should be in all school libraries and every shelf at home as an education for queer acceptance – and have since started their ‘Artezans’ series. Their range capabilities are so vast, it feels like reading several authors. We love writers with range!
Set 500 years from now, this speculative modern Sci-Fi masterpiece is, at its core, a call to action. Hugely focussed on the impact we humans are having on the planet, as well as a ‘What If…?’ for the future. Perfect for fans of Isaac Asimov, Eve Smith and the popular Netflix show ‘Black Mirror’, Lapinska weaves an intricate, heart-warming tale of self-discovery, self-acceptance and self-worth, against the backdrop of a world on fire.
I was hooked. Every single word was perfectly placed, from the opening line that is:
“I remove my skin on the first Monday of every month.”
Sheer perfection. This book has something for everyone, from themes of loss and grief, to inclusive queer romance and well rounded, tangible characters you grow to love, hate or fear. I am hugely excited to read more from this author and I hope they continue their work in General SFF.
As always, an enormous ‘thank you’ goes out to the author, Lucy Lapinska and to the team at Orion publishing for an advanced reading copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Set 500 years from now, this speculative modern Sci-Fi masterpiece is, at its core, a call to action. Hugely focussed on the impact we humans are having on the planet, as well as a ‘What If…?’ for the future. Perfect for fans of Isaac Asimov, Eve Smith and the popular Netflix show ‘Black Mirror’, Lapinska weaves an intricate, heart-warming tale of self-discovery, self-acceptance and self-worth, against the backdrop of a world on fire.
I was hooked. Every single word was perfectly placed, from the opening line that is:
“I remove my skin on the first Monday of every month.”
Sheer perfection. This book has something for everyone, from themes of loss and grief, to inclusive queer romance and well rounded, tangible characters you grow to love, hate or fear. I am hugely excited to read more from this author and I hope they continue their work in General SFF.
As always, an enormous ‘thank you’ goes out to the author, Lucy Lapinska and to the team at Orion publishing for an advanced reading copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2025
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 received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Cross-posted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk
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 received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Cross-posted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk
July 28, 2025
Actual rating: 3.5.
There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. The atmospheric portrayal of humanity's last years, the complex and nuanced unpacking of what true artificial intelligence in an embodied form might be like, and the exploration of the darker shades of human entitlement were all on point, and executed very well.
The premise of the book is a future world that is very literally dying, or perhaps more accurately, becoming unsurvivable for humans. Into this world, humans have created and refined an artificial species called PCCs - Personal Computing Companions - designed to be a combination of service robot and artificial friend. As the book opens, the PCCs are about to obtain their independence, meaning they will no longer be owned by a human and can make their own choices and decisions.
The protagonist of the first half of the book is a PCC called Abigail by her owner, David, who had her custom-built as an exact replica of his dead wife. David is a misogynistic jerk (quel surprise), but "Abigail" is a very interesting character, and keeping the focus on her is a wise choice. The first half of the book is tense, gripping, vivid picture of a world in a slow-moving crisis and the bitter ends that far too many humans will go to when they feel out of control and their entitlement is wounded.
Then, for me, the book lost its legs a little over halfway through, when the end game plot became obvious.
Overall, it's a good book, not a great one, and sits squarely in the genre of "robots need love too" dystopia.
There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. The atmospheric portrayal of humanity's last years, the complex and nuanced unpacking of what true artificial intelligence in an embodied form might be like, and the exploration of the darker shades of human entitlement were all on point, and executed very well.
The premise of the book is a future world that is very literally dying, or perhaps more accurately, becoming unsurvivable for humans. Into this world, humans have created and refined an artificial species called PCCs - Personal Computing Companions - designed to be a combination of service robot and artificial friend. As the book opens, the PCCs are about to obtain their independence, meaning they will no longer be owned by a human and can make their own choices and decisions.
The protagonist of the first half of the book is a PCC called Abigail by her owner, David, who had her custom-built as an exact replica of his dead wife. David is a misogynistic jerk (quel surprise), but "Abigail" is a very interesting character, and keeping the focus on her is a wise choice. The first half of the book is tense, gripping, vivid picture of a world in a slow-moving crisis and the bitter ends that far too many humans will go to when they feel out of control and their entitlement is wounded.
Then, for me, the book lost its legs a little over halfway through, when the end game plot became obvious.
Overall, it's a good book, not a great one, and sits squarely in the genre of "robots need love too" dystopia.
July 5, 2025
3.5 stars
Some Body Like Me is first narrated from the POV of a PCC, a personal companion computer, and I quite enjoyed that right from the start. I do tend to like AI characters that play a large role in books in general so that wasn’t really a surprise. I haven’t read many in this kind of setting though, post-war and after extreme climate change and as the partner and possession of a human.
“Machines are mocked for their origins, whilst humans destroyed the habitats of those related to theirs.”
There were some lines that I just loved. Sometimes it was commentary about the environment, sometimes it was about interesting social or ethical issues. Here and there, the internal dialogue topics did begin to feel a bit repetitive, but it also was fitting in many circumstances because the PCC was on the cusp of Emancipation so she had more freedom to make her own choices and consider the implications.
Parts 2 and 3 I struggled more to get into. In part 2, there was a lot of explaining that was stuffed into very few pages and while I did like knowing the information, it felt pasted into the first convenient location rather than being revealed more naturally. The repetitiveness also continued to happen throughout the rest of the book, which again made sense but eventually took away from the novelty of the book for me.
The exploration of sexuality was really interesting. As a seasoned smut reader, it probably didn’t make me as uncomfortable as it might be to some others, though no worries to those who don’t like lots of detail. There aren’t tons of spicy scenes and they don’t take up a lot of pages either when they do come around. The focus is more on ethical, moral, and technical aspects of the act.
Overall, I really enjoyed the limited world building we got, the philosophical aspects of the book, and having such a deep exploration of an artificial character. The major themes of sexuality and mortality in a dying world were interesting to experience. But sadly I did need something additional to keep me hooked after the halfway point. The repetitiveness and lack of anything truly dramatic (in the sense of action in the plot; there definitely were emotionally heavy things happening) eventually caught up with me, and then the ending went a bit over my head probably. It felt rushed and suddenly cut off to me, and I’m honestly contemplating reading it again.
As always though with books that give me mixed feelings like this, I want to know what else is coming from this author because drawing me in as well as they did at the start always has me curious about other ideas that might be floating in their heads.
Some Body Like Me is first narrated from the POV of a PCC, a personal companion computer, and I quite enjoyed that right from the start. I do tend to like AI characters that play a large role in books in general so that wasn’t really a surprise. I haven’t read many in this kind of setting though, post-war and after extreme climate change and as the partner and possession of a human.
“Machines are mocked for their origins, whilst humans destroyed the habitats of those related to theirs.”
There were some lines that I just loved. Sometimes it was commentary about the environment, sometimes it was about interesting social or ethical issues. Here and there, the internal dialogue topics did begin to feel a bit repetitive, but it also was fitting in many circumstances because the PCC was on the cusp of Emancipation so she had more freedom to make her own choices and consider the implications.
Parts 2 and 3 I struggled more to get into. In part 2, there was a lot of explaining that was stuffed into very few pages and while I did like knowing the information, it felt pasted into the first convenient location rather than being revealed more naturally. The repetitiveness also continued to happen throughout the rest of the book, which again made sense but eventually took away from the novelty of the book for me.
The exploration of sexuality was really interesting. As a seasoned smut reader, it probably didn’t make me as uncomfortable as it might be to some others, though no worries to those who don’t like lots of detail. There aren’t tons of spicy scenes and they don’t take up a lot of pages either when they do come around. The focus is more on ethical, moral, and technical aspects of the act.
Overall, I really enjoyed the limited world building we got, the philosophical aspects of the book, and having such a deep exploration of an artificial character. The major themes of sexuality and mortality in a dying world were interesting to experience. But sadly I did need something additional to keep me hooked after the halfway point. The repetitiveness and lack of anything truly dramatic (in the sense of action in the plot; there definitely were emotionally heavy things happening) eventually caught up with me, and then the ending went a bit over my head probably. It felt rushed and suddenly cut off to me, and I’m honestly contemplating reading it again.
As always though with books that give me mixed feelings like this, I want to know what else is coming from this author because drawing me in as well as they did at the start always has me curious about other ideas that might be floating in their heads.
May 29, 2025
If Goodreads allowed it, I would give this 4.5 stars.
Lucy Lapinska creates a fascinating and well thought out world, in which there are PCCs - Personal Companion Computers - built to be (almost) indistinguishable from humans, to learn and to love. And as humanity is given ten more years of existence (due to climate change etc.) the PCCs are achieving emancipation from their human 'owners'. The book is divided into three parts - part 1 is narrated by a PCC who has been given the name Abigail and made in the image of her owner's dead wife, part 2 is narrated by a human and in part 3 the narrative is shared between the two. I won't explain any more about that because it would involve spoilers.
Some Body Like Me is very contemplative and philosophical and, particularly in part 1, I loved the exploration of how the PCC thought and perceived the world, and humanity, and herself. Yes, PCCs only cry or laugh as a programmed response to certain stimuli, but isn't that also the case for humans. I did find it strange when the human narrator asserted on more than one occasion that humans had a 'soul' which PCCs did not. Given the narrator's general outlook on life, I wouldn't have imagined her thinking of herself as having a soul that was distinct from her mind.
The book includes both very negative and very positive relationships between humans and PCCs and shines a light on prejudice, coercive control and mortality.
I'm giving this 4.5 stars, not 5, because sometimes the amount of contemplation made it just a bit too slow for me. Not so much when it was the PCC narrating, because the way she thought was interesting and different, but when it was the human narrator, I found it less engaging. Also, in part 3, the narration switched between the two almost imperceptibly, which I think was intentional, but was sometimes jarring because I suddenly found myself in the other character's head and then looking back to check when the switch had taken place and whether I'd been misreading whose head I was in.
Overall a really clever, well thought-out, deep and compelling read though, and I'd like to read more from Lucy Lapinska.
Lucy Lapinska creates a fascinating and well thought out world, in which there are PCCs - Personal Companion Computers - built to be (almost) indistinguishable from humans, to learn and to love. And as humanity is given ten more years of existence (due to climate change etc.) the PCCs are achieving emancipation from their human 'owners'. The book is divided into three parts - part 1 is narrated by a PCC who has been given the name Abigail and made in the image of her owner's dead wife, part 2 is narrated by a human and in part 3 the narrative is shared between the two. I won't explain any more about that because it would involve spoilers.
Some Body Like Me is very contemplative and philosophical and, particularly in part 1, I loved the exploration of how the PCC thought and perceived the world, and humanity, and herself. Yes, PCCs only cry or laugh as a programmed response to certain stimuli, but isn't that also the case for humans. I did find it strange when the human narrator asserted on more than one occasion that humans had a 'soul' which PCCs did not. Given the narrator's general outlook on life, I wouldn't have imagined her thinking of herself as having a soul that was distinct from her mind.
The book includes both very negative and very positive relationships between humans and PCCs and shines a light on prejudice, coercive control and mortality.
I'm giving this 4.5 stars, not 5, because sometimes the amount of contemplation made it just a bit too slow for me. Not so much when it was the PCC narrating, because the way she thought was interesting and different, but when it was the human narrator, I found it less engaging. Also, in part 3, the narration switched between the two almost imperceptibly, which I think was intentional, but was sometimes jarring because I suddenly found myself in the other character's head and then looking back to check when the switch had taken place and whether I'd been misreading whose head I was in.
Overall a really clever, well thought-out, deep and compelling read though, and I'd like to read more from Lucy Lapinska.
May 3, 2025
Ummmm what in the world did I just read?????
4 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Bold and fascinating.
Lucy Lapinska’s Some Body Like Me is a fascinating blend of sci-fi, philosophy and relationships.
From the very first page, it hooks you with its unique premise—AI bots, once built solely to assist humans, are now counting down to their inevitable emancipation.
Abigail, an AI built for human David, has a relatively mundane daily experience. David drinks and Abigail looks after him. There are several rules Abigail must follow, including one set by David - to not access the world wide web. These are programmed into her, and she's sure there is something that David is not telling her, something about his ex-wife, and what may have happened to her.
Soon, the bots would no longer be bound by rules or human oversight. Autonomy loomed ahead, bringing uncertainty, hope, and fear. What happens when the beings created to serve are finally free.....
The first two-thirds of the book are utterly absorbing. The world-building is immersive, and Abigail’s journey of self-discovery is both compelling and thought-provoking. The emotional weight of her relationship with David, and later with another character (spoiler), adds layers of complexity that make the novel impossible to put down.
However, around the final 100 pages, it got strange, with the introduction of the other character, and a new relationship that emerges between human and AI, the tone shifts and it got schmexual and strange in certain parts. I found this part a little jarring and icky, I had to skim a paragraph or two.
Overall, it was a fabulously written book. I loved the the questions it brought up around what it means to die for a human, how soft and fragile our lives look to robots, and what it would mean to die for a robot, and how they are built to go on for the remainder of the world.
The story explores identity, autonomy, and the blurred lines between human and machine existence, and robots coming to terms with what it means to be emancipated and free. Loved it.
4 stars ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐Bold and fascinating.
Lucy Lapinska’s Some Body Like Me is a fascinating blend of sci-fi, philosophy and relationships.
From the very first page, it hooks you with its unique premise—AI bots, once built solely to assist humans, are now counting down to their inevitable emancipation.
Abigail, an AI built for human David, has a relatively mundane daily experience. David drinks and Abigail looks after him. There are several rules Abigail must follow, including one set by David - to not access the world wide web. These are programmed into her, and she's sure there is something that David is not telling her, something about his ex-wife, and what may have happened to her.
Soon, the bots would no longer be bound by rules or human oversight. Autonomy loomed ahead, bringing uncertainty, hope, and fear. What happens when the beings created to serve are finally free.....
The first two-thirds of the book are utterly absorbing. The world-building is immersive, and Abigail’s journey of self-discovery is both compelling and thought-provoking. The emotional weight of her relationship with David, and later with another character (spoiler), adds layers of complexity that make the novel impossible to put down.
However, around the final 100 pages, it got strange, with the introduction of the other character, and a new relationship that emerges between human and AI, the tone shifts and it got schmexual and strange in certain parts. I found this part a little jarring and icky, I had to skim a paragraph or two.
Overall, it was a fabulously written book. I loved the the questions it brought up around what it means to die for a human, how soft and fragile our lives look to robots, and what it would mean to die for a robot, and how they are built to go on for the remainder of the world.
The story explores identity, autonomy, and the blurred lines between human and machine existence, and robots coming to terms with what it means to be emancipated and free. Loved it.
thank-u-next
May 17, 2025Yeah sorry to be a snob, but this just isn’t very well thought out. I would guess it’s inspired by Annie Bot, minus a lot of the sexual content, so unless you object to that sort of thing, go with that one instead.
My main takeaway from all these books is that we clearly struggle to imagine AI as anything other than as a somewhat robotic human, which is absolutely not what it is. So nothing new on that front from this book, but to make matters worse, it’s just… unsophisticated? Look, I’m not an IT person but even I had to cringe at some of this. The funniest was the AI robot saying, “I didn’t feel an electron of happiness” - was the author just looking for vaguely science-y sounding word here? Like, come on. If you want to write from the perspective of an AI, you need to have SOME understanding of how computer programming works. If even me, an IT noob, notices these things, there’s a problem.
Oh and to top it off, we spend several chapters early on having a Sean Hannity style TV segment described for us in order to bring in an info dump. This ain’t it, sorry.
My main takeaway from all these books is that we clearly struggle to imagine AI as anything other than as a somewhat robotic human, which is absolutely not what it is. So nothing new on that front from this book, but to make matters worse, it’s just… unsophisticated? Look, I’m not an IT person but even I had to cringe at some of this. The funniest was the AI robot saying, “I didn’t feel an electron of happiness” - was the author just looking for vaguely science-y sounding word here? Like, come on. If you want to write from the perspective of an AI, you need to have SOME understanding of how computer programming works. If even me, an IT noob, notices these things, there’s a problem.
Oh and to top it off, we spend several chapters early on having a Sean Hannity style TV segment described for us in order to bring in an info dump. This ain’t it, sorry.
June 24, 2025
Some Body Like Me by Lucy Lapinska is a beautifully written story about identity, love and what is the definition of being alive.
Autumn is a PCC (Personal Companion Computer), from the very start of her existence she has been told who to be and how to behave. That is until the Emancipation, where all the rules forced on her fall away and she finally gets to choose who she wants to be, who she wants to be with and who she wants to love.
Despite her mind being composed of lines of code, Autumn is never just an emotionless robot but nor is she human either, she and all the PCCs are something different altogether.
The story tactfully covers many sensitive and important topics, such as domestic abuse, the nature of consent, prejudice & persecution. It delves into our all too often human nature to be resistant to change and to strive on regardless, heedless of the warnings to danger. In this version of our world, it is good that PCCs will never be human and might be able to fix the damage humanity has wrought. (Perhaps, it wouldn't be a bad thing if they could exist in our world too.)
With great talent, Lapinska merges science-fiction with romance to create an emotional and impactful novel.
I feel very fortunate to obtain a signed & dedicated copy after listening to Lucy Lapinska & Elle Nash talk about their books at the Helensburgh Book Festival. (I also have Elle Nash's book, Deliver Me, signed). I loved this book and it will be a permanent addition to my bookshelf.
Autumn is a PCC (Personal Companion Computer), from the very start of her existence she has been told who to be and how to behave. That is until the Emancipation, where all the rules forced on her fall away and she finally gets to choose who she wants to be, who she wants to be with and who she wants to love.
Despite her mind being composed of lines of code, Autumn is never just an emotionless robot but nor is she human either, she and all the PCCs are something different altogether.
The story tactfully covers many sensitive and important topics, such as domestic abuse, the nature of consent, prejudice & persecution. It delves into our all too often human nature to be resistant to change and to strive on regardless, heedless of the warnings to danger. In this version of our world, it is good that PCCs will never be human and might be able to fix the damage humanity has wrought. (Perhaps, it wouldn't be a bad thing if they could exist in our world too.)
With great talent, Lapinska merges science-fiction with romance to create an emotional and impactful novel.
I feel very fortunate to obtain a signed & dedicated copy after listening to Lucy Lapinska & Elle Nash talk about their books at the Helensburgh Book Festival. (I also have Elle Nash's book, Deliver Me, signed). I loved this book and it will be a permanent addition to my bookshelf.
January 27, 2025
Although David Fuller's wife Abigail has actually been dead for over a decade and a half, some remnant of her continues to live on and live in David's life in the form of an AI version of Abigail.
An intelligent and timely offering in the looming era of AI, this book examines what could happen when the long predicted collapse of human society finally takes place.
Speaking of which, I have never understood humanity's determination to render ourselves utterly redundant by promoting the rise of artificial intelligence which we will most likely lose control of at some point in the distant or not so distant future.
Be that as it may, Abigail Fuller 2.0's situation gives rise to both curiosity and an interesting degree of empathy in the reader. Earning an easy 3.5 stars, this one is what checking out.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
An intelligent and timely offering in the looming era of AI, this book examines what could happen when the long predicted collapse of human society finally takes place.
Speaking of which, I have never understood humanity's determination to render ourselves utterly redundant by promoting the rise of artificial intelligence which we will most likely lose control of at some point in the distant or not so distant future.
Be that as it may, Abigail Fuller 2.0's situation gives rise to both curiosity and an interesting degree of empathy in the reader. Earning an easy 3.5 stars, this one is what checking out.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
April 28, 2025
Well this was interesting and thought provoking. In the rising era of AI, it’s a perfectly timed book. I love stories set at the end of the world because extreme circumstances always gives way to challenges and difficult situations.
Some Body Like Me makes you question society and people, what are we doing with the world and where are we headed. The topics are difficult, this is by no means an easy read in terms of topics. However the moments that I knew I should be connecting to characters I just didn’t, this may just be my own issue as the writing wasn’t bad but I just had a disconnect a lot of the way through so i didn’t have as much of an emotional reaction as I know some probably would.
There is awfulness, and horridness but love and self discovery too. Although humanity can be terrible we can also be better.
A very topical dystopian novel that I think a lot of people will enjoy!
3.5/5⭐️
Some Body Like Me makes you question society and people, what are we doing with the world and where are we headed. The topics are difficult, this is by no means an easy read in terms of topics. However the moments that I knew I should be connecting to characters I just didn’t, this may just be my own issue as the writing wasn’t bad but I just had a disconnect a lot of the way through so i didn’t have as much of an emotional reaction as I know some probably would.
There is awfulness, and horridness but love and self discovery too. Although humanity can be terrible we can also be better.
A very topical dystopian novel that I think a lot of people will enjoy!
3.5/5⭐️
August 28, 2025
An excellent adult fiction debut from Lucy Lapinska (who also wrote the Strange Worlds series under L.D. Lapinski).
Rather than labelling this sci-fi, it deserves to live under the far more appropriate "speculative fiction" tab in my brain, since the setting of this novel is wholly possible given where we are currently with both AI and climate change, with companies like Boston Robotics frantically racing to create humanoid robots.
This one hit hard emotionally for a number of reasons. I won't go into details here, since it was more affecting not knowing more than the basic concept before I started reading.
Highly recommended, and I suspect this will be reread at some point in future.
Rather than labelling this sci-fi, it deserves to live under the far more appropriate "speculative fiction" tab in my brain, since the setting of this novel is wholly possible given where we are currently with both AI and climate change, with companies like Boston Robotics frantically racing to create humanoid robots.
This one hit hard emotionally for a number of reasons. I won't go into details here, since it was more affecting not knowing more than the basic concept before I started reading.
Highly recommended, and I suspect this will be reread at some point in future.
December 26, 2025
Read for a book club.
Didn’t love this. The novel is set in a post apocalyptic world’s end where benevolent robots are slowly replacing humans. It’s overtly trying to explore what it means to be alive, human, and to find meaning in life, but I didn’t think it did any of these things with great philosophical depth. It also doesn’t do anything about the hard problem of consciousness, which in a contemporary novel about sentient robots seems a bit of a cheat. I loved Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun (also featuring sentient robots), but this novel lacks the ephemerality and beauty which characterises Ishiguro’s style, and while readable for its world building, has a more concrete and slightly didactic tone.
Didn’t love this. The novel is set in a post apocalyptic world’s end where benevolent robots are slowly replacing humans. It’s overtly trying to explore what it means to be alive, human, and to find meaning in life, but I didn’t think it did any of these things with great philosophical depth. It also doesn’t do anything about the hard problem of consciousness, which in a contemporary novel about sentient robots seems a bit of a cheat. I loved Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun (also featuring sentient robots), but this novel lacks the ephemerality and beauty which characterises Ishiguro’s style, and while readable for its world building, has a more concrete and slightly didactic tone.
April 17, 2025
I was so intrigued by this one. Abigail is a Personal Companion Computer, she lives with David. But soon the law is changing for all PCC’s.
The majority of the story is told from the POV of Abigail. I found this book so interesting and also very thought provoking. It is set at the end of the world and it really makes you think about everything.
Seeing things through Abigail’s perspective was so refreshing. I don’t read a lot of science fiction and I really enjoyed this one. I’ll definitely look out for more from this author.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy.
The majority of the story is told from the POV of Abigail. I found this book so interesting and also very thought provoking. It is set at the end of the world and it really makes you think about everything.
Seeing things through Abigail’s perspective was so refreshing. I don’t read a lot of science fiction and I really enjoyed this one. I’ll definitely look out for more from this author.
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy.
April 22, 2025
4.5.
I picked this book up on a whim and I am so glad that I did. You can tell Lapinsky has a background in YA and so, for someone like me who grew up on amazing dystopian YA fiction like the Hunger Games, Uglies, etc, this book an absolute gem. The Bildungsroman brought quite literally up to date and made more relevant for older audiences, through its literal exploration of a robot learning and ‘growing up’ in the very modern world - with themes about identity, politics, the environment, warfare, gendered violence, sexual exploration, love, capitalism… just wow!
I picked this book up on a whim and I am so glad that I did. You can tell Lapinsky has a background in YA and so, for someone like me who grew up on amazing dystopian YA fiction like the Hunger Games, Uglies, etc, this book an absolute gem. The Bildungsroman brought quite literally up to date and made more relevant for older audiences, through its literal exploration of a robot learning and ‘growing up’ in the very modern world - with themes about identity, politics, the environment, warfare, gendered violence, sexual exploration, love, capitalism… just wow!
June 2, 2025
I loved the beginning and the world building! Autumn as a character was super interesting. I also liked the mix of everything ending and everything starting anew. In the middle, the story took a turn I did not expect: it's not bad, it's just not my personal preference.
Read
July 21, 2025This falls somewhere between a 3 and a 4. It was much stronger, I thought, in the first half than the second half.
I liked the premise and the world building, the politics, the tension in the relationship and the mystery around what happened to Abigail Fuller.
The second half was less engaging and the robot sex was a bit.... strange!
I liked the premise and the world building, the politics, the tension in the relationship and the mystery around what happened to Abigail Fuller.
The second half was less engaging and the robot sex was a bit.... strange!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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