The Felicity Complex

by August Clarke

Annie Bot meets Fallout in this dystopian satire: six women created in a lab, designed to serve the billionaires of the future in a luxury fallout shelter, rebel against their programming after the end times arrive.

Welcome to the Felicity Complex! Constructed during the height of the Cold War, our unique hotel is prepared to protect you, the billionaire class, from nuclear annihilation! Shielded from radiation and supplemented with closed air systems and hydroponic gardens, this resort bunker offers a prime existence full gymnasium and spa, gourmet meals, top-tier medical care, and the best in entertainment.

Meet Hallelujah! Grown in a lab and educated in the ways of concierge hospitality, she believes in her duty to comfort the Lord-anointed refugees of the apocalypse. (Even if her lover Anastasia disagrees. Even if her creator Dr. Younghusband is disappointed in her.) Don’t worry—everyone is safe from communists in the Felicity Complex!

Look, Hallelujah, guests have finally arrived! Hallelujah and her sister specimens have waited ages for you. Never mind the secrets other rich survivalists may be hiding. Just make sure they don’t notice the violent intentions behind our staff’s wide, wide smiles…

A sendup of traditional womanhood and lampooning the paranoias of the elite, The Felicity Complex questions the ambitions behind the entitled few who plan for the end times—and who truly survives them.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, LGBT, Audiobook, Horror, Fantasy

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 28, 2026

About the author

also writes as H.A. Clarke

Reviews

[C.L. Clark]

Sharing more than a little thematic DNA with Metal from Heaven, this is a beautiful grotesquerie, and that makes it all the more real.

edit: and we have a cover!

[Jenny Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird, funny and bizarre

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your favorite parts of the locked tomb series were the lyctor flashbacks you will adore The Felicity Complex!

This book is hilarious and campy and absurd and yet somehow entirely poignant and relevant to the current political climate. A brilliant satire! A triumph of character voice! I flew through The Felicity Complex in a couple of days.

I have always been a huge fan of August Clarke's writing style and with this new novel he has sharpened it to perfection. Luscious, disgusting descriptions effortlessly give way to satirical quips. This book is for everyone who enjoyed Metal from Heaven and probably even for people who thought Metal from Heaven was too stylized.

This book is also for people who like unusual lesbian relationships and weird-behavior-that's-more-gay-sex-than-gay-sex.

[Rebecca Roanhorse]

Ex Machina meet Fallout in this stylishly unsettling scouring of sexism and one girl’s quest for meaning where the humans are grotesque and the monsters are touchingly human.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fucking weird book (complimentary).

If you enjoyed The Starving Saints, I think you'll like this one. Despite the setting, they are very similar in a lot of ways.

I received an ARC from the publisher

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this story is great and should have offered a compelling story on female rage and misogyny. We got that in a very surface level way, but not much beyond that.

There were some very deep topics that were brushed over or just lightly touched on in this, and delving deeper would have made this a great read. This had a lot of potential to be a great story on feminine rage, and while it will still fall into that category, there was a missed opportunity for more here.

Overall, this was okay.

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

A somewhat confused 3.4 stars rounded down. If you're looking for the absurdist, horrifyingly cheery, vintage vibes of Fallout, I feel this definitely fits the criteria. The main character Hallelujah is almost like if you cranked up the optimism and altruistic desire of the Fallout show's protagonist up to 11, and the narrator did a fantastic job conveying that attitude, to the point where I thought her voice for Hallelujah resembled that of modern-day Barbie at times, which is fitting, honestly.

I will say I feel like the synopsis doesn't give you a very good idea of what actually happens in the book, more just the overall initial concept. The first half of the book is largely dedicated to the creation and development of Hallelujah and her brethren before the bombs fell, as they navigate their personhood and 1950/60s ideals of womanhood. The part pointed out in the synopsis, where guests have finally arrived at the Felicity Complex, feels like a very small portion of the book, and also a bit rushed, in my opinion? So much of the information about the new state of the world is given to the reader (and the girls) in very long, ranty monologues from half-insane characters, and like, in a satirical book like this, I don't necessarily need things to feel *natural*, but I wish we'd spent more time on the "after" chapters. Re:the synopsis, it also makes a point to highlight the girls' "violent intentions behind wide, wide smiles" but they're actually not very murderous or violent for the majority of the book until the climax. And speaking of the climax...I'm a little confused about how we jumped into it so quickly, like I felt there could've been a little more time spent on getting from point A to B. Also, another thing the synopsis doesn't give you an idea of: the flesh horror. There's a Lot of flesh horror, and later cannibalism(?). Also also, please take note that there is both implied and explicit sexual assault.

Overall, I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second, and the satirical tone hit the mark of being both funny and horrifying. I just got a little confused towards the end.

[Venneh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combine the satire of cold war era culture a la Fallout with a gendered as hell look into what the rich weirdos of the world want with their post apocalyptic bunker fantasies, throw in the fucking gore and weird flavor of chemical and radiation adjacent body horror, and you have a glowing cocktail of a novel. I was already interested to see what Clarke's follow up after Metal from Heaven would be, and my god is this a swing out of the ballpark. Preorder this now, and wait for a possible nuclear hellscape in a good way!

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got an arc through Libro.FM

This is a book that at first feels like heavy satire, one of those things like Repo! Or The Running Man that was supposed to be an exaggeration but we’re a few years from Mr. Beast trying it for real.

And then when I was in dc this week I saw a flyer about how much taxpayer money was going towards babysitting the reflecting pool vandalized with “WE DON’T WANT YOUR COMMIE PROPAGANDA” and I realize nope, we’re already there. Book isn’t even out yet and we’ve speedrun Red Scare Electric Boogaloo.

This is a weird ass book but I had a lot of fun with it. So Fallout coded there was a whole character I could only picture as Walton Goggins, but it’s more like if Lucy MacLane was simultaneously a hopeless lesbian and also a horrific flesh monster in her spare time, and if that doesn’t entice you then this ain’t a book for you.

[Maja · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

throughly grotesque and horrific evangelical doomsday cult’s Frankenstein monster(s) in the backrooms

Absolutely adored this book. August Clarke’s mind is where I want to live

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0/5

[tillie hellman · Rating 4 out of 5]

insane, weird, and gross! i enjoyed it but oh my god i had to stop my imagination from imagining sometimes. the mc was veryyyy nona coded tho which was quite joyful. i liked metal from heaven better but this was still very august clarke’s unique and fun voice

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like August Clarke a lot--Metal from Heaven is one of my favorite books and I recommend it all the time--but this book doesn't do enough of any one thing. It's gross but not viscerally disgusting, it's sexy but not TOO sexy, it's weird but not that weird. I wish it had committed to its promise a little more.

[Shannon Miz · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5*

This was so bizarre, and I quite enjoyed it! The main premise is this: crappy rich person makes girls in vats to sell to equally crappy rich person so he can employ them in his end-of-the-world bunker. Now, I was initially very confused about when this was happening. You likely will be too. Most will be revealed, it’s fine. The main character is Hallelujah, one of the aforementioned vat people. And if you’d been created in a vat, you might have some… oddities too, right? Right. And it’s clear you’re going to be rooting for the Lab Ladies because, well, everyone else is completely awful. (And therein lies a ton of great commentary, of course.)

But look. They aren’t…. right, okay? They are made of god knows what, god knows how, and these are the only ones that made it out of the lab looking/acting/being even remotely human, so. Things are bonkers. And sometimes they maybe got a little too weird for me to keep up with? The end really mystified me if I am being honest- I thought I missed a bunch of pages, but nope. So that was kind of a bummer. But for the most part, it was bizarre in a good way, so I’ll take it.

[Arbil Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will read anything August Clarke writes forever and ever amen

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of the year, so far. I hope someone gives a copy to a film maker

[Saffie Kaplan · Rating 5 out of 5]

August Clarke is so fucking cool

[Jae Alistar · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books that ask what it means to be human, and then there are books that ask who gets to decide. The Felicity Complex is firmly the latter, blending grotesque science fiction, bioengineered horror, and cutting satire into something that is equal parts humorous, twisted, and monstrous.

Hallelujah is one of six laboratory-created women designed to fulfill the whims of the wealthy and powerful at the ends of the world, and her voice is an absolute delight to follow. Her optimism, sincerity, and curiosity about the world make even the novel's darkest moments unexpectedly funny. Watching someone who was engineered with a single purpose slowly piece together what it means to simply be is both surreal and heartbreaking, especially when her genuine compassion and capacity for love are consistently eclipsed by the “people” who created her and those she was created for.

The dual timeline gradually reveals what Hallelujah and her sisters endured, with every gruesome revelation adding another layer to the novel's examination of identity, womanhood, autonomy, and purpose. The timing of those reveals is masterfully paced, allowing the satire to sharpen alongside the horror until the full picture comes into focus.

Clarke has created a world where monsters are capable of more empathy than humans. By using campy body horror and biting humor to examine power, sexism, and wealth, we’re confronted with the way people are reduced to whatever purpose society decides they should serve. Every strange, over-the-top moment reinforces the same unsettling question: if humanity can be manufactured, exploited, or withheld, what actually makes someone human in the first place?

The Felicity Complex is a wonderfully bizarre fusion of humor, horror, and humanity. Beneath its satirical intentions and campy absurdity lies a sharp examination of power, purpose, and personhood, using the strange and the outrageous to ask what truly makes someone human. It’s a story about creation, autonomy, and identity that proves humanity isn’t something that can be manufactured. It’s something far more Complex.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the chance to read this ARC!

Favorite Quotes:
“You're adorable. I don't think that excludes you from the moral physics of the world.”

“Nothing compares. It's so good to be here with her. Paradise forever with her would be so sweet.”

“Oh to be a silly, pretty girl...”

“Sometimes it feels as though [they] were designed for each other. It's so easy to love her.”

“Love is impossible. Boredom crawls in through the ears and the nose and gnaws all the cords in the brain. Happiness is stagnant. But work? There’s always work to be done. After such a long winter, spring has finally come.”

“Can you be happy in a place you can’t leave? If you can’t leave, you can’t heal. Healing needs change.”

“What if they were each other’s one true love, made in a laboratory for each other, bound to succeed so long as they never kept a single secret from each other?”

“[I]t’s the world itself that was meant to love me. The love I’ve had is home right here. I will share my love with everyone.”

[Earl · Rating 2 out of 5]

WT-Actual—F did I just read? This book is described as AnnieBot meets Fallout, but I see very little resemblance to AnnieBot aside from them being created. AnnieBot touches upon what it means to be human/alive and what it means to be female in a patriarchal world. Hallelujah and the others are not technically robots/cyborgs as much as they are some type of synthesized organisms designed to mimic humans.

They are technically not even “female” as they were told multiple times that they were supposed to be “boys”. Even the creator, Dr. Younghusband laments that “physically” they are neither as their bodies create numerous organs, including gonads. They are merely “sexually dimorphic” and that “does not a woman make”.

There is also a mild sapphic theme between Hallelujah and Anastasia (although can you call it sapphic when they are both/neither male nor female). But this love story is tame and rather dull as for almost the entire book Anastasia rebukes and demeans Hallelujah. It doesn’t even feel like an”love-hate” relationship as there’s almost no “love” from Anastasia.

The Felicity Complex is designed as a nuclear fall out shelter, but Mr. Pink intentionally locks them inside as if they are prisoners. And when finally they have their guests, shortly after they arrive they try to kill them? Are they trying to eat them? Do they need to continue to feed the thing that Dr. Younghusband turned into to keep it producing it’s…milk?

This book hints at several different (nuclear fall out, Communist-capitalist strife, feminist critiques, sapphic romance) but ultimately fails to produce anything worthwhile for any of those. It was mildly entertaining but really failed to have much of a point in the end.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not for everyone, but there’s a lot to like here for the right person—and I am absolutely that right person. I really enjoyed Hallelujah’s characterization, especially in the back half when the darker aspects of her personality became more apparent, and the “Cold War fembots” premise was very well-executed (this is a concept-forward book, so don’t pick it up if that doesn’t intrigue you). I also found it to be, in many ways, a technical improvement on Metal From Heaven (August Clarke’s previous novel, which I also liked but did think had some issues); they’ve gotten much better at trimming the fat.

That being said, there were a couple things keeping this from being a full five stars for me. Firstly, some of the more significant plot events are not given the breathing room and emphasis they need, leaving the narrative occasionally feeling confused and underwhelming (Metal From Heaven had the same problem, and while it is less prevalent here, it is still not solved entirely). This is not a long book; there was plenty of room for more build-up. Secondly, and perhaps more pertinent for anyone reading this review, it was somewhat falsely advertised (not the fault of the author, I know, but it still affected my reading experience). There is far less time spent with the complex’s guests than the blurb would suggest, and far more body horror—a welcome surprise for me (lover of horror of all stripes), but perhaps a bit shocking for those expecting a more straightforward sci-fi novel, and definitely something that should have been on the tin.

A satisfied 4 stars. Fingers crossed that Clarke’s next book will be a 5, as I feel sure they have it in them🤞

[Sam · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for the ARC!

The vibes in this book were so good. I requested it because I really enjoyed Metal from Heaven, especially as a book that was weird and different and unique, and I think those who enjoyed it would have a pretty good time with The Felicity Complex too. For me, it felt similar to Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir and Bunny/We Love you, Bunny by Mona Awad. I definitely see the dystopian sci fi elements, but this felt more like a horror story to me, and falls into the niche of weird girl horror. As it does I think lean pretty strongly to the horror side, maybe be mindful of the trigger warnings.

The story is told from one character’s perspective so that the reader’s understanding of the world is limited. Hallelujah starts very naive, and her access to the world expands over the course of the book, and at the same time her perspective gives a really interesting lens to the story. As it progresses, there’s really a sort of growing sense of dread about what exactly is going on which I thought worked really well.

The main issue I had with the book was that it didn’t feel like it had much of a plot. The tone and the atmosphere felt very well developed, but it didn’t feel like there was enough of a story to support the still pretty short length of the book.

Overall I had a good time, would recommend for anyone wanting a weird, dark, atmospheric sci fi horror story, especially if you don’t mind body horror.

[Sara Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Felicity Complex was such an interesting and unsettling read. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and the way they created this strange, disturbing world while exploring themes of sexism, misogyny, female rage, and what it means to be human.

One of the things I found most compelling was getting to know the girls and seeing the process of "growing" them. There was something fascinating about spending so much time with them and watching their development, especially as the story begins to blur the lines between what is human and what we consider monstrous.

I do think some of the deeper themes could have been explored more. The premise had so much potential to dig further into ideas of female rage and misogyny, and there were moments where I found myself wishing the story would slow down and really sit with some of those ideas rather than only touching on them.

My biggest issue was the climax. We spend so much of the first half getting to know the girls and understanding the process behind them, and then once we actually reach the complex, everything felt much more rushed than I expected. I wanted more time there... more exploration, more development, and honestly, just more. It felt like the story had built up to something that deserved a little more room to unfold.

Even with that, this was an absolutely entertaining and thought-provoking read. I was invested in the story, really enjoyed the writing & the vintage/Fallout vibes, and appreciated how many uncomfortable ideas it was willing to explore. I just wish some of those ideas had been pushed further and that the final portion had been given the same attention and space as the setup.

A huge thank you to Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the gifted eARC and the opportunity to read this one early! As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

[angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was the first book I read from August Clarke and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the writing style and the premise of this book was so well done. I’m very conflicted on a rating because it wasn’t a book I absolutely loved but I have not stopped thinking about it. it was weird, it was strange, and it packed a punch with gruesome gory scenes.

you follow a group of lab grown women and their creator(s). the first page had me instantly hooked. I was confused, I didn’t fully understand what was happening and to be honest by the end I still was confused and still trying to wrap my head around this story. I think this is one that needs to be read a second time to really understand and take in this book. it follows a before and after timeline that kept me wanting to read and find out what was happening in both “timelines”. I found the pacing weird/off at certain points which is why when I would stop reading I didn’t have the urge to pick it back up but then again the last 100 pages I couldn’t put down.

this is a satire turned horrifying story. the lab grown women are made to play the role of a “traditional woman”/how these men wanted them to act (housewife vibes) but then as the story goes on we see this switch in gender roles and these lab grown women “take over” for lack of a better word. the ending had my jaw on the floor. it was actually insane and I loved it. it made me uncomfortable, it was gross, it was weird, and it ate (and they did as well😋) it felt very much substance movie coded and I was here for that!!!

I did really enjoy this book I’m just so conflicted on a rating because I did have some issues with the pacing

[Jip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sci-fi thriller, with a hint of horror. The blurb says Annie Bot meets Fallout, but I haven't watched Fallout. I'd say there is a shade of Annie Bot mixed with Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom.

The story is told in dual-timeline, before and after the bunker, from the perspective of Hallelujah, one of the "hospitality workers". This is not a paranoid prepper's doomsday bunker though, this is going to be a fancy schmancy reinforced underground hotel. I thought the choice of Hallelujah for the narrator was interesting as she felt the most naive and unhinged of the specimens.

Aside from the parody of the bunker, the book also touches on gender roles and feminism. Each of the specimens have a functional role (water treatment, maintenance, etc), while also being taught how to fit an ideal female stereotype (starlet, girl next door, etc) to cater to the guests. And as would be expected, the reality ends up being something much less ideal.

"This feels like evil Christmas. This is getting my wishes but none of the good wishes."

I have seen countless movies about the rich buying a ticket to safety when the apocalypse hits, but I didn't really believe something like that existed in real life. Apparently a bunker industry does exist and I am quite obviously not the target consumer. 😅 I loved the final line of the author acknowledgements...

"If you are somebody who is considering purchasing a bunker, stop it. We cannot survive without each other. The concrete box is a scam."

So, if you are looking for something satirical and slightly chilling, this is for you. Unfortunately, this genre isn't usually for me, but I can say that I enjoyed it more than I expected once I realized there was a horror element.

[han · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I really loved the writing of this book all the way through. It is funny, evocative, and yucky. In terms of concept, I thought it fell a bit flat by the end compared to the promise of the beginning.

One thread I really wished had been explored more was Anastasia’s “we were meant to be boys”. This really got me thinking but it kind of came to very little. I loved Hallelujah exploring her gender by being called Hal and getting a thrill from it and I wish there had been more payoff of the specimens being allowed to form their own identities. I wanted her to become a butch factory worker or something…

I guess I don’t have anything to say except I think if the author had pushed the gas 10% more we really would have gone over the cliff. There was a LOT to love and I was enjoying the book all the way through, but found myself wondering, what would Tamsyn Muir do with these characters? What would Hiron Ennes do with this setting?

I will continue to read everything August Clark puts out. Brilliant hilarious writing on a sentence level with an incredible dark sense of humor that never gets bogged down in itself.

[Kate Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felicity complex focuses on manufactured women made in vats and trained to be servants with no rights and perhaps eternal life.

The naïveté of the main character Hallelujah is strange in comparison to the other created girls.
I would understand it on its own but when the others seem to have some idea of the world it’s odd and a bit jarring especially as Hallelujah continues to not develop.
Each chapter is labeled before or after to center you at a point in time of the story. The notifiers before and after give a kind of haunting effect. In the after things seem not quite right and it drives the story forward.

In many ways the Felicity Complex feels a little like Fallout. The initial bit of the story feels like the 50s but significantly more technologically advanced. The second part is after the communists managed to hack the robot systems and were in a dystopian feeling bunker.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Jarrahlee Hurrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like a mix of Fallout and Westworld in certain aspects. A scientist creates these artificial women to run a bunker when the world starts to implode on itself. They’re trained to be medics, cooks, entertainment, and maids. They’re trained to be the perfect, polite woman no matter what’s thrown their way.

The dual timeline was a great way for the story to unfold. We get information about the creation and then years later when the women are inside their bunker. I loved all the different personalities and questions that arose for these AI. This was a really fun story, I could see it being made to a movie with how everything pans out. 👌🏼

The audio book narrated by Taylor Meskimen was so enjoyable. The way she portrayed these innocent, naive women in voice was perfection. Huge fan.

Thankyou to RB Media, NetGalley for this advanced audio copy.

[Stacia | stacialovestoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧🎧

Thank you to libro’s influencers program for the ALC!
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The Felicity Complex was intriguing from the very beginning. Told from the perspective of a science experiment, TFC is, at is core, a story about what happens if one has to live in a doomsday bunker with a sentient AI to take care of them.

Hallelujah and her sisters Anastasia, Ballerina, Thumbelina, and Oklahoma (what ridiculous names) have all been made with the express purpose to serve the few rich people who will live in the bunker once the nuclear fallout causes the end of the world. Hallelujah is happy to serve! Hallelujah loves you and she just wants you to be happy! Hallelujah has a strange glint in her eye, one that wasn’t planned or anticipated….Hallelujah may seek her own salvation…

[g · Rating 3 out of 5]

i was really into it for the first 200 pages, but the pacing took a crazy landslide hit when the survivors made it to the complex. the way all of the non specimens speak was so aggravating because it was pages worth of rambling drivel. insufferable. the author listed their own content warnings and among which was “sexual assault (brief scene),” which i found VASTLY misleading. the story is hinged ENTIRELY on continued thematic implication of sexual assault and rape as well as a graphic on page rape that is brief only in the sense that it was quickly stopped. i did enjoy the book regardless, just wish it was better.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A thought-provoking tale about a “scientific” establishment that “produces” a cohort of women with different attributes, designed to be companions and helpmates to the very rich following the expected fall of civilization. But the young women develop minds of their own and start to question their purpose. It’s heavy-handed, biting satire that turned sometimes silly or dark.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @RBMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook for review purposes. Publication date: 28 July 2026.