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Zoi
At the age of five, Amira watched footage of the first zoi specimen arriving in our solar system, and she became instantly fascinated with the huge, cell-like creature floating among the stars.
Decades later, she and three other astronauts have taken residence in a zoi as it continues its voyage through space.
They have no way of steering its course. Communicating with their non-sentient host is limited to signals of physical needs. And while the zoi meets those needs, it also exposes its passengers to hormonal and even genetic alterations.
Now, as masses of biological material start growing on each astronaut, their interstellar journey begins a new stage--one with far-reaching consequences both for the humans and the zois.
Praise for Zoi:
“Zoi asks original, startling questions about first contact. Jane Mondrup gives us a clear, anguished voice that must weigh the risk of making dreams come true against an irrevocable choice—with no way to know what is the right choice. Again and again, I was moved by the struggle to retain human identity and purpose in the immensity of time and space.”
— Sue Burke, author of the Semiosis trilogy
“Here is a fresh, original voice, telling her tale of a very different first contact with a cool elegance, dignity, and a deep love for life. It’s squishy, intimate and filled with mystery, wonder—and a little shiver of body horror.”
— Ian McDonald, award-winning author of Hopeland, The Dervish House, and Brasyl
“‘Our body. Our Zoi.’ Zoi journeys through time and space, eliding, through the titular entity, all boundaries between the inner and the outer, the singular and the multiple, and above all between the staggeringly alien and the cosily familiar. A cleverly executed balance of heartbreak and hope.”
— J. S. Breukelaar, Aurealis and Shirley Jackson Award finalist for Aletheia and
“Jane Mondrup’s Zoi is a wonderful and gripping story about otherness, when “I” becomes “the Other”. Deeply human and wonderfully written, it is a powerful novel and an essential companion to Stanislaw Lem’s classic Solaris. A must-read for all lovers of sci fi with a real heart beating inside.”
— Seb Doubinsky, author of The Sum of All Things and The Horror
“Inventive, clever, and pleasingly Cronenbergesque.”
— Priya Sharma, Shirley Jackson Award and British Fantasy Award winning author of All the Fabulous Beasts
“Zoi is a new and refreshing take on first contact stories as well as the idea and role of the doppelgänger. It is a quietly philosophical book about choices and determination that follows the narrator, Amira, on her journey of transformation and adaptation. With its diverse cast and contemporary views, I am tempted to call Zoi a modern Solaris, but it is an original novel that stands fully on its own. I found myself deeply invested in the book and would recommend it to fans of Sue Burke and Becky Chambers, and everybody else who enjoys science fiction that is both solid and approachable.
Decades later, she and three other astronauts have taken residence in a zoi as it continues its voyage through space.
They have no way of steering its course. Communicating with their non-sentient host is limited to signals of physical needs. And while the zoi meets those needs, it also exposes its passengers to hormonal and even genetic alterations.
Now, as masses of biological material start growing on each astronaut, their interstellar journey begins a new stage--one with far-reaching consequences both for the humans and the zois.
Praise for Zoi:
“Zoi asks original, startling questions about first contact. Jane Mondrup gives us a clear, anguished voice that must weigh the risk of making dreams come true against an irrevocable choice—with no way to know what is the right choice. Again and again, I was moved by the struggle to retain human identity and purpose in the immensity of time and space.”
— Sue Burke, author of the Semiosis trilogy
“Here is a fresh, original voice, telling her tale of a very different first contact with a cool elegance, dignity, and a deep love for life. It’s squishy, intimate and filled with mystery, wonder—and a little shiver of body horror.”
— Ian McDonald, award-winning author of Hopeland, The Dervish House, and Brasyl
“‘Our body. Our Zoi.’ Zoi journeys through time and space, eliding, through the titular entity, all boundaries between the inner and the outer, the singular and the multiple, and above all between the staggeringly alien and the cosily familiar. A cleverly executed balance of heartbreak and hope.”
— J. S. Breukelaar, Aurealis and Shirley Jackson Award finalist for Aletheia and
“Jane Mondrup’s Zoi is a wonderful and gripping story about otherness, when “I” becomes “the Other”. Deeply human and wonderfully written, it is a powerful novel and an essential companion to Stanislaw Lem’s classic Solaris. A must-read for all lovers of sci fi with a real heart beating inside.”
— Seb Doubinsky, author of The Sum of All Things and The Horror
“Inventive, clever, and pleasingly Cronenbergesque.”
— Priya Sharma, Shirley Jackson Award and British Fantasy Award winning author of All the Fabulous Beasts
“Zoi is a new and refreshing take on first contact stories as well as the idea and role of the doppelgänger. It is a quietly philosophical book about choices and determination that follows the narrator, Amira, on her journey of transformation and adaptation. With its diverse cast and contemporary views, I am tempted to call Zoi a modern Solaris, but it is an original novel that stands fully on its own. I found myself deeply invested in the book and would recommend it to fans of Sue Burke and Becky Chambers, and everybody else who enjoys science fiction that is both solid and approachable.
- GenresScience Fiction
271 pages, Paperback
Published May 27, 2025
4 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 8, 2025
A thought-provoking and truly wondrous first-contact novel. This is the kind of science fiction I’m always looking for—the direction I wish the genre as a whole would go. Jane Mondrup brings together genuinely science-based world building with the imagistic, impressionistic approach to story and character so popular in literary speculative fiction—something like if Julia Armfield expanded a Ted Chiang story into a novel. Written in prose that mostly doesn’t call attention to itself, the beauty and strangeness and heartbreak-hope of this book really snuck up on me.
So many science fiction novels and stories combine high concept settings with familiar kinds of human relationships—parents and children, romantic partners, friendships, coworkers. Those kinds of relationships are here, certainly, but so are some very different kinds of human relationships—relationships mediated by an alien presence into something uncanny and familiar-strange. The emotional climax of Zoi involves a whole tangle of these science-fictional relationships, relationships no human has ever experienced; it is intensely real and dreamlike and moving, despite and because of that strangeness.
When I finished the novel yesterday, I thought it was very good. But the more I think about it—about the deceptive complexity of its emotional structure; about the layering of ideas (about science, medicine, family, the body, free will); about the many scenes and images that feel as vivid to me now in memory as they did when I was actually reading them—the more impressed I am.
So many science fiction novels and stories combine high concept settings with familiar kinds of human relationships—parents and children, romantic partners, friendships, coworkers. Those kinds of relationships are here, certainly, but so are some very different kinds of human relationships—relationships mediated by an alien presence into something uncanny and familiar-strange. The emotional climax of Zoi involves a whole tangle of these science-fictional relationships, relationships no human has ever experienced; it is intensely real and dreamlike and moving, despite and because of that strangeness.
When I finished the novel yesterday, I thought it was very good. But the more I think about it—about the deceptive complexity of its emotional structure; about the layering of ideas (about science, medicine, family, the body, free will); about the many scenes and images that feel as vivid to me now in memory as they did when I was actually reading them—the more impressed I am.
June 8, 2025
i've encountered this book on netgalley and after reading the synopsis, i thought i'd give it a try since it sounded intriguing.
the characters were just okay, i didn't particularly root for them or felt anything towards them, but i could relate to amira for the fact that she didn't want kids and instead had other goals in life. i was glad she stuck to her desires.
the writing style was easy to follow and understand despite it being set in space and having biological terms at times. it was really easy to grasp it.
honestly the idea itself was fascinating, i don't think i've ever read anything like this before but then i don't read too much sci-fi. however, the story did lose me 2/2 part of the book. it just became monotonous and boring.
it was also strange how the crew got used to this particular phenomenon so quick and without question when it initially happened. they literally accepted it no problem lol. you kinda had to suspend your belief there.
i mean, it was a little strange one, but not mind blowing or anything. i could see this being an average sci-fi book to avid readers of the genre.
the characters were just okay, i didn't particularly root for them or felt anything towards them, but i could relate to amira for the fact that she didn't want kids and instead had other goals in life. i was glad she stuck to her desires.
the writing style was easy to follow and understand despite it being set in space and having biological terms at times. it was really easy to grasp it.
honestly the idea itself was fascinating, i don't think i've ever read anything like this before but then i don't read too much sci-fi. however, the story did lose me 2/2 part of the book. it just became monotonous and boring.
it was also strange how the crew got used to this particular phenomenon so quick and without question when it initially happened. they literally accepted it no problem lol. you kinda had to suspend your belief there.
i mean, it was a little strange one, but not mind blowing or anything. i could see this being an average sci-fi book to avid readers of the genre.
April 18, 2025
Firstly, thank you so much to Jane Mondrup and the publisher Spaceboy Books for my advanced copy of Zoi! I don't accept many books in exchange for reviews but the description of Zoi really called to me and I'm so glad I said yes!
Zoi follows the main character, Amira, a highly acomblished biologist and astronaut, along with a small crew of just 3 others, as they travel through space in a way noone has before. Not in a ship, but inside a gigantic, single cell, alien organism. It was this idea that grabbed me in the blurb, it's such a unique concept and I had sooooooo many questions!! It piqued my curiosity and I really wanted to know how!!
The narrative is split between Amira's present, inside the alien and navigating the reality of the unprecedented journey, and Amiras past, her relationships and how she made the decision to leave Earth indefinitely.
Amira is an extraordinary person and you see that in the way she works and adapts to her new life in space, but in her past, we also get to see her navigate everyday human issues. Like deciding whether or not to stay with the man she loves when they realise he wants children and she doesn't. She also has to navigate her families disappointment in her chosen path in life. These are things most of us can relate to.
However, none of us, as of yet, have had to decide whether to stay on Earth, or leave the planet and live inside an alien organism. So, as the reader we have the chance to navigate that idea with Amira and apply it to our own lives. Personally, I would absolutely not be brave enough, and my curiosity and excitement at travelling the universe is definitely not enough to give up what I have on Earth. But it is such an interesting thing to consider and I'm sure I know people who would find the decision much more difficult than I would.
I loved travelling back and forth in time, getting to know Amira inside the Zoi and before. The chapters alternate between the two and are very cleverly written so that I wanted more as each chapter finished. So even when I found it a little bit slow in places, wanting to know what happens in the other time pushed me past through.
The events inside the Zoi were absolutely fascinating. Watching the brave astronauts navigate the environment changes and it's effects on their belongings and finally themselves, was really brilliant! It was also genuinely scary. To me, their whole situation is nightmare fuel, but the changes and problems they encounter are anxiety inducing!
Overall, I really loved it! it is such an interesting idea and written really well. It is such a complicated subject, but I wasn't confused once, only endlessly curious to see what happened next! I would definitely recommend this book to all scifi lovers and anyone looking for a truly unique adventure.
Zoi follows the main character, Amira, a highly acomblished biologist and astronaut, along with a small crew of just 3 others, as they travel through space in a way noone has before. Not in a ship, but inside a gigantic, single cell, alien organism. It was this idea that grabbed me in the blurb, it's such a unique concept and I had sooooooo many questions!! It piqued my curiosity and I really wanted to know how!!
The narrative is split between Amira's present, inside the alien and navigating the reality of the unprecedented journey, and Amiras past, her relationships and how she made the decision to leave Earth indefinitely.
Amira is an extraordinary person and you see that in the way she works and adapts to her new life in space, but in her past, we also get to see her navigate everyday human issues. Like deciding whether or not to stay with the man she loves when they realise he wants children and she doesn't. She also has to navigate her families disappointment in her chosen path in life. These are things most of us can relate to.
However, none of us, as of yet, have had to decide whether to stay on Earth, or leave the planet and live inside an alien organism. So, as the reader we have the chance to navigate that idea with Amira and apply it to our own lives. Personally, I would absolutely not be brave enough, and my curiosity and excitement at travelling the universe is definitely not enough to give up what I have on Earth. But it is such an interesting thing to consider and I'm sure I know people who would find the decision much more difficult than I would.
I loved travelling back and forth in time, getting to know Amira inside the Zoi and before. The chapters alternate between the two and are very cleverly written so that I wanted more as each chapter finished. So even when I found it a little bit slow in places, wanting to know what happens in the other time pushed me past through.
The events inside the Zoi were absolutely fascinating. Watching the brave astronauts navigate the environment changes and it's effects on their belongings and finally themselves, was really brilliant! It was also genuinely scary. To me, their whole situation is nightmare fuel, but the changes and problems they encounter are anxiety inducing!
Overall, I really loved it! it is such an interesting idea and written really well. It is such a complicated subject, but I wasn't confused once, only endlessly curious to see what happened next! I would definitely recommend this book to all scifi lovers and anyone looking for a truly unique adventure.
June 3, 2025
(Reklame-Anmeldereksemplar)
Zoi er en usædvanlig og ganske underholdende sci-fi roman af Jane Mondrup.
Amira har hele sit liv været fascineret af de store ukendte livsformer kaldet Zoi, der fra tid til anden besøger jorden.
Som voksen får hun mulighed for at rejse som passager i en zoi og sammen med tre andre astronauter begiver de sig ud blandt stjernerne på en ukendt kurs i den store cellelignende organisme.
De kan ikke kommunikere med zoien, men den sørger for alt til deres fysiske behov.
Langsomt bliver de udsat for hormonelle påvirkninger og genetiske forandringer fra zoien. Før de ved af det, begynder der at vokse noget levende frem ved siden af hver af dem (Feeeeedt😃👏👏).
Sikke en historie, altså!
Jane Mondrup er en fremragende fortæller og styrer historien med kyndig hånd. Jeg lod mig simpelthen bare rive med og flød nærmest selv sammen med zoien og de videbegærlige astronauter, der blev udsat for lidt af hvert.
Det er en meget stilfærdig fortælling og det var jeg særligt begejstret for. Der var en superfin balance mellem Amiras nutid i zoien og hendes fortid, hvor vi bliver klogere både på Amira, men også på de første møder med livsformen.
Jeg synes historien trådte lidt vande undervejs, men det gjorde ikke synderligt meget, for den blev ved med at være interessant😊
Mens bogen overordnet set handler om mødet med en anden livsform, følte jeg også lidt den handlede om de valg man tager i livet. Jeg kom i hvert fald til at tænke lidt over mit eget liv og de valg (og fravalg) jeg selv har taget.
Zoi er en både fascinerende og rørende lille sci fi roman, der vil sidde hos mig et stykke tid😊👏
Zoi er en usædvanlig og ganske underholdende sci-fi roman af Jane Mondrup.
Amira har hele sit liv været fascineret af de store ukendte livsformer kaldet Zoi, der fra tid til anden besøger jorden.
Som voksen får hun mulighed for at rejse som passager i en zoi og sammen med tre andre astronauter begiver de sig ud blandt stjernerne på en ukendt kurs i den store cellelignende organisme.
De kan ikke kommunikere med zoien, men den sørger for alt til deres fysiske behov.
Langsomt bliver de udsat for hormonelle påvirkninger og genetiske forandringer fra zoien. Før de ved af det, begynder der at vokse noget levende frem ved siden af hver af dem (Feeeeedt😃👏👏).
Sikke en historie, altså!
Jane Mondrup er en fremragende fortæller og styrer historien med kyndig hånd. Jeg lod mig simpelthen bare rive med og flød nærmest selv sammen med zoien og de videbegærlige astronauter, der blev udsat for lidt af hvert.
Det er en meget stilfærdig fortælling og det var jeg særligt begejstret for. Der var en superfin balance mellem Amiras nutid i zoien og hendes fortid, hvor vi bliver klogere både på Amira, men også på de første møder med livsformen.
Jeg synes historien trådte lidt vande undervejs, men det gjorde ikke synderligt meget, for den blev ved med at være interessant😊
Mens bogen overordnet set handler om mødet med en anden livsform, følte jeg også lidt den handlede om de valg man tager i livet. Jeg kom i hvert fald til at tænke lidt over mit eget liv og de valg (og fravalg) jeg selv har taget.
Zoi er en både fascinerende og rørende lille sci fi roman, der vil sidde hos mig et stykke tid😊👏
April 2, 2025
5 ⭐
Zoi by Jane Mondrup is a science fiction novel that is wholly unique. I received a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was published by Space boy Books, just like the Marie Howalt novellas I've been liking. They are becoming a reliable source for great, character driven science fiction stories.
We follow Amira, a xenobiologist and astronaut, who has taken up residence inside an alien zoi with three other people. Zoi are macro single celled organisms that live and travel through space, and have started orbiting Earth at intervals. The Zoi isn't sentient, but makes adaptations to suit the needs of whatever biological creature interacts with it. For humans this means creating air filled spaces and taking care of any biological needs such as food, water, and waste extraction. Amira and the others with her have decided to take up permanent residence in order to further study the Zoi and have the opportunity to travel to interstellar space. Along the way the Zoi makes hormonal changes to each of them, fundamentally changing them and itself.
This was such a unique scifi story. Alien contact with a non sentient creature that fulfills all needs, but behaves like any other single celled organism. It reminded me a bit of Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis series, but simpler and more alien. We see Amira struggle with the changes and the implications of maybe never again talking to the family and friends they left on Earth. We also get alternating chapters following Amira leading up her long term expedition to the zoi. It was nice to the normalization of polyamorous relationships and alternative family structures being discussed. The Zoi suppresses any sexual urges, but it does seem like there are same gender relationships involving sensual relationships.
I wish there was more so I could see how Amira and her friends adapt to the zoi and the changes, but I also like how open ended the author made it. Definitely check this out if you're looking for a different kind of scifi. This title will be available in late June.
Zoi by Jane Mondrup is a science fiction novel that is wholly unique. I received a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was published by Space boy Books, just like the Marie Howalt novellas I've been liking. They are becoming a reliable source for great, character driven science fiction stories.
We follow Amira, a xenobiologist and astronaut, who has taken up residence inside an alien zoi with three other people. Zoi are macro single celled organisms that live and travel through space, and have started orbiting Earth at intervals. The Zoi isn't sentient, but makes adaptations to suit the needs of whatever biological creature interacts with it. For humans this means creating air filled spaces and taking care of any biological needs such as food, water, and waste extraction. Amira and the others with her have decided to take up permanent residence in order to further study the Zoi and have the opportunity to travel to interstellar space. Along the way the Zoi makes hormonal changes to each of them, fundamentally changing them and itself.
This was such a unique scifi story. Alien contact with a non sentient creature that fulfills all needs, but behaves like any other single celled organism. It reminded me a bit of Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis series, but simpler and more alien. We see Amira struggle with the changes and the implications of maybe never again talking to the family and friends they left on Earth. We also get alternating chapters following Amira leading up her long term expedition to the zoi. It was nice to the normalization of polyamorous relationships and alternative family structures being discussed. The Zoi suppresses any sexual urges, but it does seem like there are same gender relationships involving sensual relationships.
I wish there was more so I could see how Amira and her friends adapt to the zoi and the changes, but I also like how open ended the author made it. Definitely check this out if you're looking for a different kind of scifi. This title will be available in late June.
June 14, 2025
A brilliant, slow, contemplative sci-fi novel with a fascinating concept and a truly thought-provoking plot. The prose is unassuming but quietly impactful, making every small moment feel multilayered as a metaphor.
In the near future, an enormous alien life-form is observed in Earth’s orbit, hanging there for a time then moving on, sparking an obsession in young Amira. Scientists dub the creature a “zoion” (Ancient Greek for “living being”), nickname it “zoi,” and lament the lost opportunity to study it. However, over the next several years, the creatures continue to appear, genetically identical and always following the same pattern. As human scientists become bolder in their examinations, Amira eventually becomes an accomplished xenobiologist and goes on increasingly dangerous expeditions to further understand the strange creatures. The chapters alternate between a present mission with Amira and other astronauts actually living inside a zoi, and flashbacks detailing Amira’s life before this mission. In the present, while the zoi provides all the support the humans might need for long term space travel, strange phenomena start to occur, affecting Amira’s body, mind, and very sense of self.
I was completely sucked into this book, impressed by the subtlety of the shifting tones, from mysterious to deeply emotional and introspective to chillingly uncanny. The exploration of humanity through a wholly alien experience was so effective, and while I wanted to speed through the pages to figure out what was happening to the crew, I found myself slowing down to reflect on the poignant questions being posed. At once wildly original and strikingly universal, “Zoi” is the sort of story that leaves a mark, and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
4.5 stars
Thanks to Jane Mondrup and Spaceboy Books for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In the near future, an enormous alien life-form is observed in Earth’s orbit, hanging there for a time then moving on, sparking an obsession in young Amira. Scientists dub the creature a “zoion” (Ancient Greek for “living being”), nickname it “zoi,” and lament the lost opportunity to study it. However, over the next several years, the creatures continue to appear, genetically identical and always following the same pattern. As human scientists become bolder in their examinations, Amira eventually becomes an accomplished xenobiologist and goes on increasingly dangerous expeditions to further understand the strange creatures. The chapters alternate between a present mission with Amira and other astronauts actually living inside a zoi, and flashbacks detailing Amira’s life before this mission. In the present, while the zoi provides all the support the humans might need for long term space travel, strange phenomena start to occur, affecting Amira’s body, mind, and very sense of self.
I was completely sucked into this book, impressed by the subtlety of the shifting tones, from mysterious to deeply emotional and introspective to chillingly uncanny. The exploration of humanity through a wholly alien experience was so effective, and while I wanted to speed through the pages to figure out what was happening to the crew, I found myself slowing down to reflect on the poignant questions being posed. At once wildly original and strikingly universal, “Zoi” is the sort of story that leaves a mark, and I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.
4.5 stars
Thanks to Jane Mondrup and Spaceboy Books for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
September 30, 2025
*I received an eARC of this book*
Zoi was a wonderful surprise. I got an eARC of it and took my sweet time to start since I had to read from my phone. After I started, I powered through the book in mere days.
Amira is part of a space exploration program and is now traveling inside another species, the zoi, with a group of scientists. Something unexpected happens that forces everyone to think about their priorities.
The story goes between the present and the past, in turn showing us the events that led Amira to space travel and what is happening with the group. This worked well in maintaining the tension of the story.
I am familiar with most of the biology concepts present in the book so I can’t say for sure, but explanations didn’t disturb the plot nor made the book turn into a lecture.
Mondrup discusses big themes (family, life choices, sense of self) in an interesting setting, although it is also notable that not much happens really. Or a lot happens, on an emotional level, but if you’re expecting a space adventure, this ain’t it. And it doesn’t have to be. Zoi reminded me a bit of Becky Chambers’ work (which I adore).
I hope to read more from Mondrup in the future.
Zoi was a wonderful surprise. I got an eARC of it and took my sweet time to start since I had to read from my phone. After I started, I powered through the book in mere days.
Amira is part of a space exploration program and is now traveling inside another species, the zoi, with a group of scientists. Something unexpected happens that forces everyone to think about their priorities.
The story goes between the present and the past, in turn showing us the events that led Amira to space travel and what is happening with the group. This worked well in maintaining the tension of the story.
I am familiar with most of the biology concepts present in the book so I can’t say for sure, but explanations didn’t disturb the plot nor made the book turn into a lecture.
Mondrup discusses big themes (family, life choices, sense of self) in an interesting setting, although it is also notable that not much happens really. Or a lot happens, on an emotional level, but if you’re expecting a space adventure, this ain’t it. And it doesn’t have to be. Zoi reminded me a bit of Becky Chambers’ work (which I adore).
I hope to read more from Mondrup in the future.
December 16, 2025
Fuck det er en fed bog! Her genfandt jeg min tidligere barndoms kærlighed til science-fiction. Zoi er ikke kun bare en science-fiction historie, men der er så mange lag i historien, om at træffe nogle valg med store konsekvenser, dilemma’er om at følge sine egne drømme og at turde springe ud i det. Og så ikke mindst er det bare en virkelig velfortalt historie. Så få den læst - du vil ikke fortryde det ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 29, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up.
This had a really interesting concept! I enjoyed following our MC on her strange journey, meeting alien lifeforms and pondering questions of consciousness and identity.
I just wish the book would have taken a bit more time for the developments in the last chapters.
This had a really interesting concept! I enjoyed following our MC on her strange journey, meeting alien lifeforms and pondering questions of consciousness and identity.
I just wish the book would have taken a bit more time for the developments in the last chapters.
July 17, 2025
This is one of the best first-contact novels I’ve read in a very long time. It’s unique, thought-provoking, and utterly brilliant.
This isn’t a book filled with detailed explanations of the science and technology that made contact with an alien life form possible. This isn’t a dramatic tale of human survival when faced by an alien threat.
Instead, this is a quiet, contemplative look at what interacting with something alien could mean for our humanity. How might that change us?
At 250 pages, this has a perfectly-paced balance between plot and existential questioning. I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since I finished it a few weeks ago, and I’m looking forward to reading whatever this author writes next.
This isn’t a book filled with detailed explanations of the science and technology that made contact with an alien life form possible. This isn’t a dramatic tale of human survival when faced by an alien threat.
Instead, this is a quiet, contemplative look at what interacting with something alien could mean for our humanity. How might that change us?
At 250 pages, this has a perfectly-paced balance between plot and existential questioning. I haven’t stopped thinking about this book since I finished it a few weeks ago, and I’m looking forward to reading whatever this author writes next.
October 29, 2025
Den var da superfed. Lidt langsom start. Men Jane drager langsomt læseren ind i en Stanislav Lemsk fortælling ombord på den interstallere rumhval Zoi!
August 26, 2025
Weird, dreamy, and breathtakingly beautiful, this was an easy one to add to my favourite reads of the year.
Amira always wanted to be an astronaut after the mysterious star-faring (ok, space-faring is the more regular term) zoi were first spotted travelling through the solar system. She’s always had an ally in her uncle Karim, and he supports her through the difficult training. He also stands up for her when she elects to join a one-way trip with other astronauts inside a zoi to wherever it may take them. It’s not an easy decision to leave everything and everyone she knew behind, but Amira wants to do this once-in-a-lifetime thing, and to advance human knowledge—true to her scientist’s heart.
I know I loved this book because biology’s been my favourite thing since high school (apart from all of the other things I call favourite). And that’s what I nerded out on in this fantastically imaginative novel: It’s all about cells! Their physiology, replication/reproduction, organelles, all of that. It’s central to the conceit and plot of *Zoi*. It’s also great how Mondrup imagines the zoi: They’re seemingly not sentient, but continuously respond to their human cargo by making sure the astronauts have everything they need to survive. In turn and not unexpectedly, the zoi exert an influence—chemical, fittingly—on the humans, altering them at first in very subtle and confusing ways… and then, as time goes on, more extensively.
So this is a first contact novel, but also a thought experiment: What if the aliens we met were *not* laser-shooting lizards or hard-to-see fifth-dimensional superintelligent beings, but giant and fairly basic cells floating through space? What would interaction between us and them look and feel like? If we had to be altered to be able to interact with them, would that change who we are? Are these astronauts even still human by the time they‘ve achieved a kind of immortality?
*Zoi* is an interesting and refreshing exploration, too, of non-mechanical ways of adapting humans to space—countering most SF tropes which employ transhumanistic methods or involve incorporating cyborg elements. In this novel, the mechanism employed is external, through the influence of the zoi on human bodies; but it’s a fascinating idea: What if future science found biological means to achieve this?
I don’t think only biology nerds will enjoy *Zoi*; it’s a thoughtful read for the reasons above. Many of its concepts will be things I know I’ll come back to.
Thanks to Spaceboy Books and NetGalley for early DRC access.
Amira always wanted to be an astronaut after the mysterious star-faring (ok, space-faring is the more regular term) zoi were first spotted travelling through the solar system. She’s always had an ally in her uncle Karim, and he supports her through the difficult training. He also stands up for her when she elects to join a one-way trip with other astronauts inside a zoi to wherever it may take them. It’s not an easy decision to leave everything and everyone she knew behind, but Amira wants to do this once-in-a-lifetime thing, and to advance human knowledge—true to her scientist’s heart.
I know I loved this book because biology’s been my favourite thing since high school (apart from all of the other things I call favourite). And that’s what I nerded out on in this fantastically imaginative novel: It’s all about cells! Their physiology, replication/reproduction, organelles, all of that. It’s central to the conceit and plot of *Zoi*. It’s also great how Mondrup imagines the zoi: They’re seemingly not sentient, but continuously respond to their human cargo by making sure the astronauts have everything they need to survive. In turn and not unexpectedly, the zoi exert an influence—chemical, fittingly—on the humans, altering them at first in very subtle and confusing ways… and then, as time goes on, more extensively.
So this is a first contact novel, but also a thought experiment: What if the aliens we met were *not* laser-shooting lizards or hard-to-see fifth-dimensional superintelligent beings, but giant and fairly basic cells floating through space? What would interaction between us and them look and feel like? If we had to be altered to be able to interact with them, would that change who we are? Are these astronauts even still human by the time they‘ve achieved a kind of immortality?
*Zoi* is an interesting and refreshing exploration, too, of non-mechanical ways of adapting humans to space—countering most SF tropes which employ transhumanistic methods or involve incorporating cyborg elements. In this novel, the mechanism employed is external, through the influence of the zoi on human bodies; but it’s a fascinating idea: What if future science found biological means to achieve this?
I don’t think only biology nerds will enjoy *Zoi*; it’s a thoughtful read for the reasons above. Many of its concepts will be things I know I’ll come back to.
Thanks to Spaceboy Books and NetGalley for early DRC access.
March 2, 2025
I am grateful to Spaceboy Books for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
“Amira and three other astronauts have taken residence in a Zoi, a huge, cell- like creature that has arrived in orbit around the Earth. Previous visits allowed astronauts to travel to and engage with the Zoi as it orbited the Earth, before it departed again on its voyage in space.
The astronauts are now passengers. Communication with their non-sentient host is limited to signals of physical needs. The Zoi meets those needs and also exposes its passengers to hormonal and even genetic alterations.” Publishers note, slightly paraphrased.
This is a new book from a Danish author; her first in English. In a heartfelt dedication she describes it as “…a book about strangeness, connection and love.” An excellent description ! A book I thoroughly enjoyed reading and one that will remain in my memory for a long time.
It is a wonderful story of a “First Encounter” with an alien being, set some time in the late 21st Century. It is one of those books I read slowly towards the end, not wanting it to finish, extending my pleasure for as long as possible.
There are four main characters in this book, the astronauts onboard the Zoi; their host, habitat and spacecraft. Although they have some human technology available, there is a realisation that they will probably not return to Earth. Any insights or knowledge they gain from their travels and engagement with the Zoi are periodically transmitted back to Earth. At least this is the case some two years into the voyage.
The characters are a diverse group of distinct personalities. All scientists of one kind or another, with different ambitions, backgrounds and worldviews. Amira is the narrator of the book so we experience the voyage and events mostly through her eyes. They do not communicate directly with the Zoi and although it appears to be a living, powerful and complex being, they are uncertain if it is sentient or if it is merely reflexive, reacting to whatever it encounters.
In alternating chapters, taking place on the Zoi and on Earth in the past, we learn about the history of previous Zoi visits to Earth as well as Amira’s family, friends and upbringing. Before the Zoi appeared, Amira explains:
“If humanity’s dream of populating space wasn’t exactly dead, it at least lay dormant. Only a few romantic still believed it would happen”
This book is a fascinating take on an Alien encounter, with much of the human population uninterested or ambivalent about the visitor once they realise no danger is imminent. However for Scientists, this is an unparalleled opportunity of enlightenment, education and discovery. So much so that the four astronauts have chosen to voyage with the Zoi, perhaps never to return, maintaining only periodic and tentative communications with Earth.
The Chapters about people and events in the past provides a context to the voyage and especially to Amira personality. Earth is not a dystopia. The future Earth is largely intact, societies are complex but seemingly thriving. Over-population is not a concern and the excitement of a Mars or any other colonisation is no longer of great interest to mankind. While these chapters are important, I enjoyed them less than the chapters set on the Zoi. The Earth characters are necessary, but developed less than the more important characters on the Zoi. After each Earth-based chapter, I looked forward with great interest to what was happening on the Zoi where the author was building an ominous tension as life for the astronauts slowly changed.
On the Zoi, the characters evolve in different ways, some positive, some negative, all with an uncertainty about what was happening to them and how the Zoi is perhaps influencing their mental and physical health. The astronaut characters are realistic and relatable. They are portrayed as modern people, thoughtful and caring, with strengths and flaws, emotions good and bad; and moods. Relationships evolve, some becoming closer others less so. Besides the excitement of space-travel and the wonder of potential discovery there is a growing sense of, if not horror, then uncertainty or a slight dread as to what was happening to them as individuals, changing and reacting in different ways to their environment. One completely controlled by the Zoi, a being largely unknown or understood. There is a sense that the Zoi, once benign and nurturing is changing. Issues of trust and goodwill are becoming more unsure as the four travellers wonder about their host, its benevolence and sentience. They also worry deeply about each other.
With time, the astronauts begin to avoid each other, are more isolated and strangely uncomfortable with the proximity of their colleagues. Then things get really interesting…
I loved how this story unfolds. The character development, what they think, feel, do and react. With each other, with the Zoi, with their changing predicament, lack of control and uncertainty.
Human issues come to the forefront. Friendship, love, concern, happiness, illness, death. A wonderful story of human emotions in an alien environment, in turns frightening and life-affirming. The conclusion is apt. Sobering and thoughtful. Satisfying. Leaving the reader with thoughts of what might happen next.
The science involved is nicely presented. The elements of physics, biology, evolution and astronomy are not overly complex but have a ring-of-truth. The Science ’feels’ right. I understand that translation is not just a skill but almost an art and certainly not a mechanical process. Although this is the authors first book in English, I think the language is particularly well done. Or perhaps inconspicuous is a better description. Noting seems clumsy or awkward in the text, the science, feelings, emotions, thoughts and voices. The characters are authentic. You can imagine they exist. Or will exist one day.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Science Fiction, particularly those books with authentic, human and sometimes no-so-human characters with whom we can identify and engage with from well written and intelligent prose, This is one of those books. I wish the author and publisher every success with Zoi. They deserve it.
“Amira and three other astronauts have taken residence in a Zoi, a huge, cell- like creature that has arrived in orbit around the Earth. Previous visits allowed astronauts to travel to and engage with the Zoi as it orbited the Earth, before it departed again on its voyage in space.
The astronauts are now passengers. Communication with their non-sentient host is limited to signals of physical needs. The Zoi meets those needs and also exposes its passengers to hormonal and even genetic alterations.” Publishers note, slightly paraphrased.
This is a new book from a Danish author; her first in English. In a heartfelt dedication she describes it as “…a book about strangeness, connection and love.” An excellent description ! A book I thoroughly enjoyed reading and one that will remain in my memory for a long time.
It is a wonderful story of a “First Encounter” with an alien being, set some time in the late 21st Century. It is one of those books I read slowly towards the end, not wanting it to finish, extending my pleasure for as long as possible.
There are four main characters in this book, the astronauts onboard the Zoi; their host, habitat and spacecraft. Although they have some human technology available, there is a realisation that they will probably not return to Earth. Any insights or knowledge they gain from their travels and engagement with the Zoi are periodically transmitted back to Earth. At least this is the case some two years into the voyage.
The characters are a diverse group of distinct personalities. All scientists of one kind or another, with different ambitions, backgrounds and worldviews. Amira is the narrator of the book so we experience the voyage and events mostly through her eyes. They do not communicate directly with the Zoi and although it appears to be a living, powerful and complex being, they are uncertain if it is sentient or if it is merely reflexive, reacting to whatever it encounters.
In alternating chapters, taking place on the Zoi and on Earth in the past, we learn about the history of previous Zoi visits to Earth as well as Amira’s family, friends and upbringing. Before the Zoi appeared, Amira explains:
“If humanity’s dream of populating space wasn’t exactly dead, it at least lay dormant. Only a few romantic still believed it would happen”
This book is a fascinating take on an Alien encounter, with much of the human population uninterested or ambivalent about the visitor once they realise no danger is imminent. However for Scientists, this is an unparalleled opportunity of enlightenment, education and discovery. So much so that the four astronauts have chosen to voyage with the Zoi, perhaps never to return, maintaining only periodic and tentative communications with Earth.
The Chapters about people and events in the past provides a context to the voyage and especially to Amira personality. Earth is not a dystopia. The future Earth is largely intact, societies are complex but seemingly thriving. Over-population is not a concern and the excitement of a Mars or any other colonisation is no longer of great interest to mankind. While these chapters are important, I enjoyed them less than the chapters set on the Zoi. The Earth characters are necessary, but developed less than the more important characters on the Zoi. After each Earth-based chapter, I looked forward with great interest to what was happening on the Zoi where the author was building an ominous tension as life for the astronauts slowly changed.
On the Zoi, the characters evolve in different ways, some positive, some negative, all with an uncertainty about what was happening to them and how the Zoi is perhaps influencing their mental and physical health. The astronaut characters are realistic and relatable. They are portrayed as modern people, thoughtful and caring, with strengths and flaws, emotions good and bad; and moods. Relationships evolve, some becoming closer others less so. Besides the excitement of space-travel and the wonder of potential discovery there is a growing sense of, if not horror, then uncertainty or a slight dread as to what was happening to them as individuals, changing and reacting in different ways to their environment. One completely controlled by the Zoi, a being largely unknown or understood. There is a sense that the Zoi, once benign and nurturing is changing. Issues of trust and goodwill are becoming more unsure as the four travellers wonder about their host, its benevolence and sentience. They also worry deeply about each other.
With time, the astronauts begin to avoid each other, are more isolated and strangely uncomfortable with the proximity of their colleagues. Then things get really interesting…
I loved how this story unfolds. The character development, what they think, feel, do and react. With each other, with the Zoi, with their changing predicament, lack of control and uncertainty.
Human issues come to the forefront. Friendship, love, concern, happiness, illness, death. A wonderful story of human emotions in an alien environment, in turns frightening and life-affirming. The conclusion is apt. Sobering and thoughtful. Satisfying. Leaving the reader with thoughts of what might happen next.
The science involved is nicely presented. The elements of physics, biology, evolution and astronomy are not overly complex but have a ring-of-truth. The Science ’feels’ right. I understand that translation is not just a skill but almost an art and certainly not a mechanical process. Although this is the authors first book in English, I think the language is particularly well done. Or perhaps inconspicuous is a better description. Noting seems clumsy or awkward in the text, the science, feelings, emotions, thoughts and voices. The characters are authentic. You can imagine they exist. Or will exist one day.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Science Fiction, particularly those books with authentic, human and sometimes no-so-human characters with whom we can identify and engage with from well written and intelligent prose, This is one of those books. I wish the author and publisher every success with Zoi. They deserve it.
June 14, 2025
In Zoi, an extraterrestrial lifeform has arrived on Earth.
A Zoi is not necessarily intelligent life, as we tend to define intelligence, but rather a form of adaptive existence. A curious, cell-like organism capable of interstellar travel, and one which humans can inhabit.
We follow the narrator, Amira, and her three fellow travelers—Kiah, Evardo, and Linn—as they reside within a Zoi, journeying through space, likely never to return.
The story unfolds in a gently progressive narrative, punctuated by flashbacks to Amira’s childhood, when the first Zois arrived on Earth, as well as to her youth and her time with her partner, Natan, who remains behind on Earth.
As their voyage continues, strange phenomena begin to occur. The Zoi produces, among other things, an “aquarium” containing a liquid the humans can breathe. The four astronauts also begin to cast shadows—appendages of a sort, clinging to them. When these shadows evolve into clones and the Zoi begins to divide, the travelers are forced to confront a series of profound and existential dilemmas.
The Zoi, and Amira’s experience within this spacefaring organism, invites dual readings: it reflects “the family,” but also, more broadly, “the social.” The novel quietly probes human themes like courage, love, attachment, identity, ambition, community, and choice. On one level, it illuminates the repercussions of uncompromising decisions: how our choices and priorities fossilize within us—as sorrow, as doubt, as yearning for what might have been. Yet the novel also contains norm-critical undercurrents expressed with quiet optimism. It’s hard not to be moved by Amira’s decision to live without children, marriage, or the nuclear family, especially we witness the intimacy and warmth of the community that forms within the Zoi as it drifts ever further from Earth, into the unknown.
Zoi is not an easily deciphered novel. It operates on multiple thematic levels and, with understated elegance, gently unsettles the reader’s sense of normality—suggesting that other ways of living are not only possible but perhaps even preferable.
To describe Zoi merely as a first-contact science fiction story would be to diminish it. The book possesses an eerie strangeness and a philosophical depth that firmly establish it within the sci-fi genre. Indeed, it exemplifies science fiction’s highest aim: to astonish, to unsettle, and to stir wonder.
A luminous reading experience—one that lingers long after the final page is turned.
A Zoi is not necessarily intelligent life, as we tend to define intelligence, but rather a form of adaptive existence. A curious, cell-like organism capable of interstellar travel, and one which humans can inhabit.
We follow the narrator, Amira, and her three fellow travelers—Kiah, Evardo, and Linn—as they reside within a Zoi, journeying through space, likely never to return.
The story unfolds in a gently progressive narrative, punctuated by flashbacks to Amira’s childhood, when the first Zois arrived on Earth, as well as to her youth and her time with her partner, Natan, who remains behind on Earth.
As their voyage continues, strange phenomena begin to occur. The Zoi produces, among other things, an “aquarium” containing a liquid the humans can breathe. The four astronauts also begin to cast shadows—appendages of a sort, clinging to them. When these shadows evolve into clones and the Zoi begins to divide, the travelers are forced to confront a series of profound and existential dilemmas.
The Zoi, and Amira’s experience within this spacefaring organism, invites dual readings: it reflects “the family,” but also, more broadly, “the social.” The novel quietly probes human themes like courage, love, attachment, identity, ambition, community, and choice. On one level, it illuminates the repercussions of uncompromising decisions: how our choices and priorities fossilize within us—as sorrow, as doubt, as yearning for what might have been. Yet the novel also contains norm-critical undercurrents expressed with quiet optimism. It’s hard not to be moved by Amira’s decision to live without children, marriage, or the nuclear family, especially we witness the intimacy and warmth of the community that forms within the Zoi as it drifts ever further from Earth, into the unknown.
Zoi is not an easily deciphered novel. It operates on multiple thematic levels and, with understated elegance, gently unsettles the reader’s sense of normality—suggesting that other ways of living are not only possible but perhaps even preferable.
To describe Zoi merely as a first-contact science fiction story would be to diminish it. The book possesses an eerie strangeness and a philosophical depth that firmly establish it within the sci-fi genre. Indeed, it exemplifies science fiction’s highest aim: to astonish, to unsettle, and to stir wonder.
A luminous reading experience—one that lingers long after the final page is turned.
June 20, 2025
What an original take on a first contact story! This simple book had me hooked for its plot line and interesting characters. It is a pleasure to stumble across a story that brings a fresh and interesting idea to the page. Jane Mondrup’s novel Zoi entertained and intrigued with an original take on the familiar theme of first contact with an alien entity.
Amira grew up watching the zoi entities visiting our solar system from the age of five: they’d arrive every few years and hover in place, absorbing the sun’s rays for a couple of years, then leave the system. Astronauts slowly gathered more information on the zois, while Amira trained to be an astronaut. Finally she gets her chance to live inside a zoi as it embarks for deep space.
Zoi is a simple, short book you can read in a day or two. The story takes place in a dual timeline, following Amira’s life and training as we learn more about the zoi, and the second detailing the present-time journey. One of the features I liked was the visceral nature of the prose, and the process of how the zoi influences and changes the humans within it. There is a sensuality to some of the description that makes the whole story seem fleshy and organic.
What happens to the four astronauts as they travel within the zoi for parts unknown is fascinating, and maybe I’m a bit obtuse but I didn’t catch on to what was going on until late in the story. However, that made it all the more fun to read. I won’t say more.
The underlying theme that spoke to me was of change. In the zoi, humans change, and it’s both chosen by the humans (they knew the deal when they consented to travel in the zoi) and met with resistance and fear. This parallels the climate-changed Earth. Amira’s uncle chooses to stay on his atoll home, now living in a flotilla as the land has disappeared. Adaptation is the only way to survive.
I'd be interested in reading more from the zoi universe.
Thanks to the author for a gifted copy!
Amira grew up watching the zoi entities visiting our solar system from the age of five: they’d arrive every few years and hover in place, absorbing the sun’s rays for a couple of years, then leave the system. Astronauts slowly gathered more information on the zois, while Amira trained to be an astronaut. Finally she gets her chance to live inside a zoi as it embarks for deep space.
Zoi is a simple, short book you can read in a day or two. The story takes place in a dual timeline, following Amira’s life and training as we learn more about the zoi, and the second detailing the present-time journey. One of the features I liked was the visceral nature of the prose, and the process of how the zoi influences and changes the humans within it. There is a sensuality to some of the description that makes the whole story seem fleshy and organic.
What happens to the four astronauts as they travel within the zoi for parts unknown is fascinating, and maybe I’m a bit obtuse but I didn’t catch on to what was going on until late in the story. However, that made it all the more fun to read. I won’t say more.
The underlying theme that spoke to me was of change. In the zoi, humans change, and it’s both chosen by the humans (they knew the deal when they consented to travel in the zoi) and met with resistance and fear. This parallels the climate-changed Earth. Amira’s uncle chooses to stay on his atoll home, now living in a flotilla as the land has disappeared. Adaptation is the only way to survive.
I'd be interested in reading more from the zoi universe.
Thanks to the author for a gifted copy!
April 7, 2025
Thank you, Jane Mondrup for the e-ARC given to me in exchange for an honest review.
This is a one-of-a-kind first encounter science fiction following a crew of astronauts as they set out away from our solar system together with/inside an alien being. I loved the concept but wish more time and pages had been devoted to the unique situation and relationships portrayed in this story. What I got was good, I just want more of it. This could easily be a couple of hundred pages longer and still be a difficult-to-put-down book. I would have loved to get more discussions on ethics/humanity/identity/individuality/existence/inheritance etc…
I enjoyed learning about the backstory of our main character Amira and found her easy to relate to. Despite this, and this is only because of personal preferences, I´m utterly uninterested in discussions about having children/parenting even if it´s done in a refreshing non-normative way which made parts of the backstory a bit blah for me. Also, thinking back I can´t really see how much of a difference those aspects did to further the plot. I wish the author would have applied some of those aspects on the previously mentioned discussions on existential topics in relation to the Zoi and the other astronauts.
So, because of these small details I would rate this a 3,5 (rounded up to a 4 here). I would love to read more about the Zoi and hopefully there will be more, and I can consider this book a well written “teaser” as it does leave me wanting more.
Overall, this is a book well worth a read. I think the small disappointments I had might have been mitigated by knowing it is a lot less philosophical than I expected it to be. Where these expectations came from, I don´t know. However, I will recommend this book to anyone who enjoy fast pace, idea driven, queer normative and hopeful, science fiction.
This is a one-of-a-kind first encounter science fiction following a crew of astronauts as they set out away from our solar system together with/inside an alien being. I loved the concept but wish more time and pages had been devoted to the unique situation and relationships portrayed in this story. What I got was good, I just want more of it. This could easily be a couple of hundred pages longer and still be a difficult-to-put-down book. I would have loved to get more discussions on ethics/humanity/identity/individuality/existence/inheritance etc…
I enjoyed learning about the backstory of our main character Amira and found her easy to relate to. Despite this, and this is only because of personal preferences, I´m utterly uninterested in discussions about having children/parenting even if it´s done in a refreshing non-normative way which made parts of the backstory a bit blah for me. Also, thinking back I can´t really see how much of a difference those aspects did to further the plot. I wish the author would have applied some of those aspects on the previously mentioned discussions on existential topics in relation to the Zoi and the other astronauts.
So, because of these small details I would rate this a 3,5 (rounded up to a 4 here). I would love to read more about the Zoi and hopefully there will be more, and I can consider this book a well written “teaser” as it does leave me wanting more.
Overall, this is a book well worth a read. I think the small disappointments I had might have been mitigated by knowing it is a lot less philosophical than I expected it to be. Where these expectations came from, I don´t know. However, I will recommend this book to anyone who enjoy fast pace, idea driven, queer normative and hopeful, science fiction.
June 19, 2025
I recommend this book. Lets start with that because this is a smart, unique and compelling science fiction story that demands your attention.
Zoi brings together all the elements of why I like science fiction. Speculation about the future with interesting technology (future biology and space exploration), other beings (the giant celled Zoi), dilemmas and choices that humans have to make (volunteer for an endless voyage or remain on Earth), and other worlds (we're out in space! Inside a Zoi!)
With themes about identity, transformation, biology and exploration this book captures the current zeitgeist while having that classic sci-fi feel of a sense of wonder, realising that we have so much more to discover.
Our main character, Amira, has dreamt about going to space and about the Zoi since the first one travelled through our solar system when she was a child.
Are these giant celled creatures sentient? Will they interact with humanity or are they completely indifferent?
Amira has never wanted family. Her whole life has been about working hard to get on the space programmes and study the Zoi ever since the first contact mission showed it was possible to go inside one.
Amira and her fellow scientific astronauts are about to sign up for a life-changing experience. What can they learn from the Zoi? What will it learn from them? And is there a new future for humanity that until now we've never imagined?
A great concept with interesting characters and the writing style is easy to follow even with the scientific stuff (amazing as the author has previously written in her native Danish.)
Come on a trip with the Zoi and contemplate the endless infinite
✨✨✨✨✨5 stars
Thank you very much to @jane.mondrup for the eARC
Zoi brings together all the elements of why I like science fiction. Speculation about the future with interesting technology (future biology and space exploration), other beings (the giant celled Zoi), dilemmas and choices that humans have to make (volunteer for an endless voyage or remain on Earth), and other worlds (we're out in space! Inside a Zoi!)
With themes about identity, transformation, biology and exploration this book captures the current zeitgeist while having that classic sci-fi feel of a sense of wonder, realising that we have so much more to discover.
Our main character, Amira, has dreamt about going to space and about the Zoi since the first one travelled through our solar system when she was a child.
Are these giant celled creatures sentient? Will they interact with humanity or are they completely indifferent?
Amira has never wanted family. Her whole life has been about working hard to get on the space programmes and study the Zoi ever since the first contact mission showed it was possible to go inside one.
Amira and her fellow scientific astronauts are about to sign up for a life-changing experience. What can they learn from the Zoi? What will it learn from them? And is there a new future for humanity that until now we've never imagined?
A great concept with interesting characters and the writing style is easy to follow even with the scientific stuff (amazing as the author has previously written in her native Danish.)
Come on a trip with the Zoi and contemplate the endless infinite
✨✨✨✨✨5 stars
Thank you very much to @jane.mondrup for the eARC
June 20, 2025
A bold and beautifully unnerving take on first contact. Jane Mondrup's Zoi is strikingly original, haunting without ever losing it's sense of wonder. Where most hard scifi leans on engineering or physics, Mondrup carves her path through biology and it’s utterly compelling. The science is detailed yet accessible, delivered with a clarity that never overwhelms just pulls you deeper into the strange, daunting world she's built.
But Zoi goes far beyond the science. Mondrup uses the alien encounter not just to imagine the other, but to interrogate the self and what it means to be human, to change, to lose control. This is a novel about the price of reaching beyond ourselves, of chasing stars without asking what we might become. It’s about transformation, autonomy, and the quiet horror of becoming something else. Something other.
Woven through it all is a slow, smouldering mystery and a sense of dread that builds like pressure in the lungs. The horror is subtle, body horror, existential horror, the horror of choices made and autonomy lost. I only wish it had been turned up a notch: bigger, bolder, more brutal.
There is a sense of emotional distance that left me a few steps removed from full immersion and the supporting cast felt thin. We only get Amira's backstory and I would have loved to engage more with the rest of the crew's motivations and varied experiences. But these are familiar trade offs in concept driven scifi and don’t dull the story’s edge.
Zoi is a cerebral, eerie and deeply thought provoking novel in the spirit of some of the great scifi classics. It invites you to stare into the void not with fear but with the hard, quiet question: Is this worth it?
My thanks to the author for the ARC.
But Zoi goes far beyond the science. Mondrup uses the alien encounter not just to imagine the other, but to interrogate the self and what it means to be human, to change, to lose control. This is a novel about the price of reaching beyond ourselves, of chasing stars without asking what we might become. It’s about transformation, autonomy, and the quiet horror of becoming something else. Something other.
Woven through it all is a slow, smouldering mystery and a sense of dread that builds like pressure in the lungs. The horror is subtle, body horror, existential horror, the horror of choices made and autonomy lost. I only wish it had been turned up a notch: bigger, bolder, more brutal.
There is a sense of emotional distance that left me a few steps removed from full immersion and the supporting cast felt thin. We only get Amira's backstory and I would have loved to engage more with the rest of the crew's motivations and varied experiences. But these are familiar trade offs in concept driven scifi and don’t dull the story’s edge.
Zoi is a cerebral, eerie and deeply thought provoking novel in the spirit of some of the great scifi classics. It invites you to stare into the void not with fear but with the hard, quiet question: Is this worth it?
My thanks to the author for the ARC.
June 13, 2025
This was a fascinating look at what life could be like living inside an alien being. It’s equal parts intriguing and terrifying.
Our story is a weaving together of present experience, and past memories-specifically Amirams memories, and what lead her to be on the Zoi. You see a beautiful relationship between Amira and her Uncle Karim, who truly saw her, and always supported her dreams. You also see every step it took for her to realize her dream as an astronaut, and what she would ultimately have to give up.
And then you have the present. Jane takes us into the mind and emotions of the astronauts, through our FMC, and we get to witness what the Zoi is doing to their bodies. It’s unsettling in more ways than one, and gives you insight to what the Zoi might actually be, and why its occupants must undergo the rapid and radical changes-radical for humans, that is. And while Amira and her crew adapt and learn, they grow closer to one another and become a found family; they’re all they have left. And the ending? It leads us into the unknown with a certainty that things will never be the same. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. It’s up to you to decide.
I quite enjoyed this sci fi story/biology lesson. It definitely taught me a thing or two. I really enjoyed Jane’s writing. It was engaging and thought provoking. If you enjoy sci fi, this one is a must. 4.5 stars.
A big thank you to the author for my ARC. My opinion is my own.
Our story is a weaving together of present experience, and past memories-specifically Amirams memories, and what lead her to be on the Zoi. You see a beautiful relationship between Amira and her Uncle Karim, who truly saw her, and always supported her dreams. You also see every step it took for her to realize her dream as an astronaut, and what she would ultimately have to give up.
And then you have the present. Jane takes us into the mind and emotions of the astronauts, through our FMC, and we get to witness what the Zoi is doing to their bodies. It’s unsettling in more ways than one, and gives you insight to what the Zoi might actually be, and why its occupants must undergo the rapid and radical changes-radical for humans, that is. And while Amira and her crew adapt and learn, they grow closer to one another and become a found family; they’re all they have left. And the ending? It leads us into the unknown with a certainty that things will never be the same. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. It’s up to you to decide.
I quite enjoyed this sci fi story/biology lesson. It definitely taught me a thing or two. I really enjoyed Jane’s writing. It was engaging and thought provoking. If you enjoy sci fi, this one is a must. 4.5 stars.
A big thank you to the author for my ARC. My opinion is my own.
May 19, 2025
What a "transformative" book. In the dedication for Zoi, Jane Mondrup says, "We are all subjects to biology in strange and sometimes unfair ways. Being born or giving birth. Growing up or growing old. This is a book about strangeness, connection, and love." I couldn't have wrapped it up better than that. As a Danish author, English is a second language. This book will count for any book challenges involving that.
An organic spaceship has always been a fascinating and weird idea for me. I've read a few books now that utilize a similar idea in their books, Binti by Nnedi Okorafor and The Crypt by Scott Sigler to name two. Both were excellent books, so I went into this with very high expectations and this author didn't let me down. In Zoi by Jane Mondrup, biological-based technology involving the "zoi", which is a creature that lives in open space, is allowing humanity to travel further than ever before. Astronaut Amira is on one of these scientific journeys. Overall I found this book conceptually interesting but not engaging enough for 5 stars. I loved the non-traditional family representation. This is NOT a romance. It is an ode to biology, wildly creative and thought-provoking. It made me think differently about space travel and what alien life could mean. I had some trouble visualizing everything but I liked the pacing. Mondrup gives us enough detail to advance the storyline but not too much to cause it to stagnate. I'm glad I read it and can easily recommend it to any reader who enjoys weird fiction or is a biology nerd like myself. Add Zoi to your tbr.
Non-linear timeline, non-traditional family structure, Danish author
An organic spaceship has always been a fascinating and weird idea for me. I've read a few books now that utilize a similar idea in their books, Binti by Nnedi Okorafor and The Crypt by Scott Sigler to name two. Both were excellent books, so I went into this with very high expectations and this author didn't let me down. In Zoi by Jane Mondrup, biological-based technology involving the "zoi", which is a creature that lives in open space, is allowing humanity to travel further than ever before. Astronaut Amira is on one of these scientific journeys. Overall I found this book conceptually interesting but not engaging enough for 5 stars. I loved the non-traditional family representation. This is NOT a romance. It is an ode to biology, wildly creative and thought-provoking. It made me think differently about space travel and what alien life could mean. I had some trouble visualizing everything but I liked the pacing. Mondrup gives us enough detail to advance the storyline but not too much to cause it to stagnate. I'm glad I read it and can easily recommend it to any reader who enjoys weird fiction or is a biology nerd like myself. Add Zoi to your tbr.
Non-linear timeline, non-traditional family structure, Danish author
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2025
Did I enjoy this book? Yes I did.
Do I recommend it?
I do.
I really enjoyed this unique sci-fi. The premise of what would happen if humans met an alien that was a single celled organism is so interesting. Throughout the book I found myself pausing to think about the questions is raised. It is written very well. I found it unnerving almost creepy in places which perfectly reflects that character’s experiences. I love anything science related so the biology aspects were right up my street. I particularly enjoyed the main character’s life choices and the insight we got into them. The implications and the other character’s reactions were done so well.
If you like weird sci-fi or books that make you ask big questions, then this is for you!
Any criticisms?
The story is very much focused on one character and their relationship with the Zoi. I would have liked a wider view of the societal impact of meeting aliens for the first time.
Will I read it again?
Probably not. It was disconcerting enough that I will remember it well.
Will I read the sequel?
I really hope there is one. I would love to know what happens next.
For fans of:
Semiosis
Solaris
Calypso
Do I recommend it?
I do.
I really enjoyed this unique sci-fi. The premise of what would happen if humans met an alien that was a single celled organism is so interesting. Throughout the book I found myself pausing to think about the questions is raised. It is written very well. I found it unnerving almost creepy in places which perfectly reflects that character’s experiences. I love anything science related so the biology aspects were right up my street. I particularly enjoyed the main character’s life choices and the insight we got into them. The implications and the other character’s reactions were done so well.
If you like weird sci-fi or books that make you ask big questions, then this is for you!
Any criticisms?
The story is very much focused on one character and their relationship with the Zoi. I would have liked a wider view of the societal impact of meeting aliens for the first time.
Will I read it again?
Probably not. It was disconcerting enough that I will remember it well.
Will I read the sequel?
I really hope there is one. I would love to know what happens next.
For fans of:
Semiosis
Solaris
Calypso
July 13, 2025
It was good! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
The idea is really cool! I love a space travel stories and I love aliens, so why not both at once? I loved the world-building of what life in the zois would be like. My absolute favorite thing about this text was the way that this could have easily been a straight horror novella were it not for the framing. The idea of something changing your thoughts and body in a way that you can be aware of but can't do anything about is deeply frightening to me. The book could have leaned into that, but it didn't. There's more of a sense of tension throughoutlike that produced by the membrane of a zoi, that for me was often accompanied by dread, but could come across in a different way to another reader. Structurally, the alternating current day and past chapters worked well enough, though it did tend to make the present day chapters feel a bit out of place, making it difficult to track what had changed during the chapter breaks. I think there's an argument to be made that this highlights themes of isolation throughout the work, but it also confused me, so *cinema sins ding*.
The characters were less great; I never really felt like I got to know anyone particularly well beyond broad personality types. This is a novella, so that comes a bit with the territory, but I've read novellas with better characterization.
Overall, fun read! Love a fresh take on space exploration and first contact.
The idea is really cool! I love a space travel stories and I love aliens, so why not both at once? I loved the world-building of what life in the zois would be like. My absolute favorite thing about this text was the way that this could have easily been a straight horror novella were it not for the framing. The idea of something changing your thoughts and body in a way that you can be aware of but can't do anything about is deeply frightening to me. The book could have leaned into that, but it didn't. There's more of a sense of tension throughout
The characters were less great; I never really felt like I got to know anyone particularly well beyond broad personality types. This is a novella, so that comes a bit with the territory, but I've read novellas with better characterization.
Overall, fun read! Love a fresh take on space exploration and first contact.
April 25, 2025
Full disclosure: I was asked to write a blurb for this novel by the publisher, who supplied a copy of the book.
A lot of books are written about first contact with a species alien to Earth. This novel asks an original question — because if we ever get first contact, nothing will remain the same. We, as a species and as individuals, will need to made decisions and choices. So what do we do?
In Zoi, Jane Mondrup gives us a clear, anguished voice that must weigh the risk of making dreams come true against an irrevocable choice — with no way to know what is the right choice. Space and time are immense, and her characters struggle to keep their humanity and purpose while accompanying an alien that has its own biology and methods of dealing with new species.
This is an intense story about one woman’s decisions. She had always wanted to meet the aliens and go to the stars, but it comes at a price. Can she make the right choices? How will she know?
A lot of books are written about first contact with a species alien to Earth. This novel asks an original question — because if we ever get first contact, nothing will remain the same. We, as a species and as individuals, will need to made decisions and choices. So what do we do?
In Zoi, Jane Mondrup gives us a clear, anguished voice that must weigh the risk of making dreams come true against an irrevocable choice — with no way to know what is the right choice. Space and time are immense, and her characters struggle to keep their humanity and purpose while accompanying an alien that has its own biology and methods of dealing with new species.
This is an intense story about one woman’s decisions. She had always wanted to meet the aliens and go to the stars, but it comes at a price. Can she make the right choices? How will she know?
October 12, 2025
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Thank you to the author for this book in exchange for an honest review
Zoi is one of those books that makes you stop and think in a totally engaging, “I need to talk to someone about this” kind of way. Mondrup delivers a story that feels both futuristic and eerily real. The writing is sharp and visual, and the pacing keeps you hooked as the tension builds between survival, morality, and what it means to stay human when the world’s falling apart.
We follow the main character Amira on a journey is emotional and layered and equal parts hope, heartbreak, and grit. It’s not just a sci-fi story, it’s also a mirror held up to our own world, told with heart and intelligence.
Overall thoughtful, tense, and beautifully written Zoi is the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page.
Bookstagram
Thank you to the author for this book in exchange for an honest review
Zoi is one of those books that makes you stop and think in a totally engaging, “I need to talk to someone about this” kind of way. Mondrup delivers a story that feels both futuristic and eerily real. The writing is sharp and visual, and the pacing keeps you hooked as the tension builds between survival, morality, and what it means to stay human when the world’s falling apart.
We follow the main character Amira on a journey is emotional and layered and equal parts hope, heartbreak, and grit. It’s not just a sci-fi story, it’s also a mirror held up to our own world, told with heart and intelligence.
Overall thoughtful, tense, and beautifully written Zoi is the kind of book that stays with you long after the last page.
October 4, 2025
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Zoi by Jane Mondrup is a novel about first contact that explores the genre in a unique and thought-provoking way. The novel is told in first-person through alternating timelines in current day, and the lead-up to the current day, through the eyes of an astronaut, Amira.
We follow Amira and her crew, as the first group of people to take up residence an extra-terrestrial life form called a zoi, which creates hospitable living conditions for any life forms that reside within it.
The storyline focused on the past documents Amira’s life leading up to her becoming an astronaut, and previous sightings of zoi. This storyline was heavily focused on her personal life and internal thoughts, including her experiences as a child-free woman facing judgment from others for not wanting to have children. As a child-free woman who has often been scrutinized for not wanting children myself, I related a lot to Amira and enjoyed the child-free representation in this book.
The present-day storyline details the unfolding of events as Amira and her crew start to notice eerie biological changes as they continue residing in the zoi. This was a plot twist that I didn’t see coming at all and I enjoyed the uniqueness. While I wouldn’t exactly characterize this as a hard sci-fi novel, there was considerable focus on biology peppered throughout this.
This was a quiet and reflective character-driven sci fi that poses interesting questions about intelligent life and biology.
Zoi by Jane Mondrup is a novel about first contact that explores the genre in a unique and thought-provoking way. The novel is told in first-person through alternating timelines in current day, and the lead-up to the current day, through the eyes of an astronaut, Amira.
We follow Amira and her crew, as the first group of people to take up residence an extra-terrestrial life form called a zoi, which creates hospitable living conditions for any life forms that reside within it.
The storyline focused on the past documents Amira’s life leading up to her becoming an astronaut, and previous sightings of zoi. This storyline was heavily focused on her personal life and internal thoughts, including her experiences as a child-free woman facing judgment from others for not wanting to have children. As a child-free woman who has often been scrutinized for not wanting children myself, I related a lot to Amira and enjoyed the child-free representation in this book.
The present-day storyline details the unfolding of events as Amira and her crew start to notice eerie biological changes as they continue residing in the zoi. This was a plot twist that I didn’t see coming at all and I enjoyed the uniqueness. While I wouldn’t exactly characterize this as a hard sci-fi novel, there was considerable focus on biology peppered throughout this.
This was a quiet and reflective character-driven sci fi that poses interesting questions about intelligent life and biology.
August 2, 2025
Zoi er en original og spændende first contact roman, der byder på tunge filosofiske overvejelser omkring menneskelighed og samhørighed pakket ind i et letlæst sprog og et medrivende plot.
Jeg fik selv klare mindelser til Clarkes Redezvous med Rama, da jeg læste Zoi, hvilket bestemt ikke er noget dårligt benchmark. Zoi er helt sin egen, men mystikken og spændingen ved mødet med en ny og fremmedartet livsform har de to bøger til fælles.
Eneste lille hår i suppen for mig, var at det engelske originalsprog til tider stak næsen frem i den danske oversættelse/genskrivning, så måske værd at overveje at læse den på engelsk i stedet?
Alt i alt noget så sjældent som en konceptuelt ambitiøs og velskrevet dansk science fiction bog til voksne. En stor anbefaling herfra.
Jeg fik selv klare mindelser til Clarkes Redezvous med Rama, da jeg læste Zoi, hvilket bestemt ikke er noget dårligt benchmark. Zoi er helt sin egen, men mystikken og spændingen ved mødet med en ny og fremmedartet livsform har de to bøger til fælles.
Eneste lille hår i suppen for mig, var at det engelske originalsprog til tider stak næsen frem i den danske oversættelse/genskrivning, så måske værd at overveje at læse den på engelsk i stedet?
Alt i alt noget så sjældent som en konceptuelt ambitiøs og velskrevet dansk science fiction bog til voksne. En stor anbefaling herfra.
June 7, 2025
Wow, what a space journey. Zoi is about an astronaut Amira and her fascination with zoi, a cell-like alien organism that travels through space. I loved how the chapters alternated between the present and past. It gave me more insight on Amira and how she ultimately made the decision to become a lifelong resident in a zoi. I admired Amira's determination and how she never gave up on her dreams, even when her family were pressuring her into motherhood. Overall, an enjoyable read of space and wonder.
Thank you, NetGalley and Spaceboy Books LLC, for the ARC.
Thank you, NetGalley and Spaceboy Books LLC, for the ARC.
August 19, 2025
Zoi er en overskuelig, men forundrende dansk sci-fi roman, som nærmest læser sig selv. Den er både spændende, ukomfortabel og overraskende varm på samme tid, og ulig mange andre science fiction romaner gør den ikke en last ud af at worldbuilde. Man skal nok være til genren eller alternativt dens specifikke temaer, men i så fald opfordrer jeg til at lægge den klar på natbordet.
Læs hele anmeldelsen her; https://valdemarlenschow.blogspot.com...
(Denne anmeldelse er skrevet på baggrund af et presseeksemplar af romanen, som jeg har fået af forfatteren.)
Læs hele anmeldelsen her; https://valdemarlenschow.blogspot.com...
(Denne anmeldelse er skrevet på baggrund af et presseeksemplar af romanen, som jeg har fået af forfatteren.)
September 29, 2025
I'm not a fan of traditional sci-fi. I've tried and tried, and it just isn't my bag. That said, every so often a story comes along that's intriguing and clever enough to hold my attention anyway.
Zoi was one such story, with the eponymous construct that's as cleverly imagined as it is malleable - quite!
Slow paced and thoughtful, the narrative (and its narrator) has a sense of curious uncertainty, reaching for the unknown in a compelling way.
An interesting and unusual first contact novel. Recommended.
Zoi was one such story, with the eponymous construct that's as cleverly imagined as it is malleable - quite!
Slow paced and thoughtful, the narrative (and its narrator) has a sense of curious uncertainty, reaching for the unknown in a compelling way.
An interesting and unusual first contact novel. Recommended.
June 18, 2025
Great Sci-Fi read. Space, alien first contact and very intriguing development of the plot. Really enjoyed for probably 90%. The end didn’t intrigue me quite as much as the bulk of the book. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
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