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Zero
Smith Babbitt is in the prime of his he’s only 25 years into his 89-year lifespan.
He knows this because of Timmy, the mysterious app that can tell you with infallible accuracy how old you will be when you die. Smith still has 64 years to go. But lately he’s been in a rut, and his long lifespan is starting to feel like a sentence.
Possible salvation arrives in the form of Mavis Pead, a co-worker at Smith's demoralizing job. Smith is infatuated, despite the age Mavis has just entered the last of her 43 years. She’s a “zero”–the most shunned demographic in society. When a careless act leads to their boss’s apparent death before his time, Smith and Mavis are thrown together in an intrigue that could call Timmy’s infallibility into question. Mavis might not be so old after all–nor Smith so young.
A laugh-out-loud sendup of a technologically dependent culture, Zero is also a tender love story and a big-hearted reflection on the true meaning of age. A story that asks the question, What do we do with the time we’re given, whether we know how long we have...or we don’t?
He knows this because of Timmy, the mysterious app that can tell you with infallible accuracy how old you will be when you die. Smith still has 64 years to go. But lately he’s been in a rut, and his long lifespan is starting to feel like a sentence.
Possible salvation arrives in the form of Mavis Pead, a co-worker at Smith's demoralizing job. Smith is infatuated, despite the age Mavis has just entered the last of her 43 years. She’s a “zero”–the most shunned demographic in society. When a careless act leads to their boss’s apparent death before his time, Smith and Mavis are thrown together in an intrigue that could call Timmy’s infallibility into question. Mavis might not be so old after all–nor Smith so young.
A laugh-out-loud sendup of a technologically dependent culture, Zero is also a tender love story and a big-hearted reflection on the true meaning of age. A story that asks the question, What do we do with the time we’re given, whether we know how long we have...or we don’t?
309 pages, Paperback
Published June 19, 2025
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11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 5, 2026
This was a really interesting read! The premise stood out to me because the idea of knowing when your life would end and timed life spans is not a plot line I encounter often (the last time was in a movie called Timer that I wasn’t a fan of tbh) but I’m glad I chose to read this book! Smith is 25 like me and it was fascinating to see him wrestling with age, life, love, etc. These are all things that I think everyone wrestles with in some way but I found myself putting myself in his shoes as the book went on, thinking about what I would do if I knew how long I’d live based on an apple lol. Mavis was also an interesting character because 43 is relatively young as well but knowingly living your last year as a “Zero” would be something wild to experience.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 2, 2025
What I love about reading satire is that it validates my sense of loneliness in this disconnected society of ours. This book accomplished that with its clever wit but also managed to make me feel touched and hopeful with its sweet and sad little love story. What an unexpected and welcome treat! It did take me a minute to get oriented to the way of calculating age in this world, but once I figured that out, I was intrigued by the concept. A thoughtful and enjoyable read!
August 20, 2025
Couldn't put it down the characters are so interesting and the writing flows perfectly. The irony of what really happens in the world was authentic. Will definitely be listening to the audiobook as a chaser.
August 13, 2025
I was looking for a book that would make me laugh, with perhaps some satire about our current culture. This was a perfect choice.
First, it captured the soul-crushing nature of office life with characters and dialogue that had me laughing out loud (starting with their names!) But even better, it had a broader premise for our tech-driven world: A universal app that tells everyone how many years they have left to live. Imagine knowing that about yourself, and everyone else!
And imagine falling in love with a "Zero," the derogatory term for someone now living in their final year. That's what happens to Smith Babbitt, who tells us his story in first-person narration. Which is the key to this book's humor and its tender heart. He's a self-deprecating person who made me laugh even while I thought about the question that his situation brings up: What does our life mean, whether we know how long it will be -- or we don't?
Yet it was never heavy-handed, because of Smith's voice, with characters who are lovable despite their flaws. Pure enjoyment from start to finish. I was sorry to see it end. I'll surely read it again, but until then, I'm marking the parts to go back to when I need to laugh out loud, or be moved, or both at the same time.
First, it captured the soul-crushing nature of office life with characters and dialogue that had me laughing out loud (starting with their names!) But even better, it had a broader premise for our tech-driven world: A universal app that tells everyone how many years they have left to live. Imagine knowing that about yourself, and everyone else!
And imagine falling in love with a "Zero," the derogatory term for someone now living in their final year. That's what happens to Smith Babbitt, who tells us his story in first-person narration. Which is the key to this book's humor and its tender heart. He's a self-deprecating person who made me laugh even while I thought about the question that his situation brings up: What does our life mean, whether we know how long it will be -- or we don't?
Yet it was never heavy-handed, because of Smith's voice, with characters who are lovable despite their flaws. Pure enjoyment from start to finish. I was sorry to see it end. I'll surely read it again, but until then, I'm marking the parts to go back to when I need to laugh out loud, or be moved, or both at the same time.
January 16, 2026
I was a little worried that a book that seemed to have death at the forefront wouldn't work for me right now, but the humor outweighed the seriousness and I am happy that I gave it a chance. I feel like O'leary wrote a book that on the surface was a bit over the top but as AI and the state of politics in the US take us into an unknown future, perhaps his vision is not too off the mark. Hopefully this gets on the radar of more people as it seems something that would work for people who enjoyed Several People Are Typing or Margo's Got Money Troubles.
August 29, 2025
This book is funny because it's true. (It's also funny because the author is obviously super funny too.)
This book is also sad because it's true. Sigh.
It has notes of parody of us silly modern folk and our silly overuse of devices and advertising and marketing and that's really sad.
But it's also so happy! And makes you feel all the feels.
It's all the things! You should read it!
PS there are so many funny aspects to this book that I hope you discover on your own but my absolute favorite was all the silly names a few favorites being Clandestiny, Bronwyn Bromell-White Alvarez-Black's daughter, and Yolo.
This book is also sad because it's true. Sigh.
It has notes of parody of us silly modern folk and our silly overuse of devices and advertising and marketing and that's really sad.
But it's also so happy! And makes you feel all the feels.
It's all the things! You should read it!
PS there are so many funny aspects to this book that I hope you discover on your own but my absolute favorite was all the silly names a few favorites being Clandestiny, Bronwyn Bromell-White Alvarez-Black's daughter, and Yolo.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews