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Fallow
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Slyly funny and disarmingly tender, Fallow is the story of a young woman who signs up to be the world’s first in-house corporate surrogate, then finds herself caught up in a social experiment of another kind.
Natalie knows one truth: There is no such thing as a good job.
As the clock ticks away at the workplace harassment call center, she tries to ignore the increasing pain in her jaw. She has no dental insurance. She has no skills or ambitions. She has student loans. And, minute by minute, she hears the many ways workers are not just not getting by, but actually getting hustled.
Then, at the blood bank where she sells her plasma, a mysterious flyer leads her to The Company. Natalie turns out to be the perfect candidate for their pilot program: in-house surrogate. The Company pitches it as an opportunity to help women access greater gender equity, motherhood without maternity leave. Finally, she will be adequately—generously—compensated.
For years, her every need is met: stacks of healthy meals in the refrigerator of a luxury condo, fitness coaches and nutritionists, around-the-clock healthcare. Between deliveries, she takes time off—no obligations or expectations. For the first time in her life, she is good at her job; for the first time, she feels free.
But just as she’s about to fulfill the terms of her contract, a staffing decision upends everything and drags her deep into another social experiment. There she meets new questions about her future, her freedom, her purpose, and what she can expect from the world.
Woundingly funny and deeply moving, Sarah Anderson’s Fallow is a tender, hilarious, alarmingly real vision of a woman balancing on the knife-edge of capitalism as she comes to realize who she wants to be.
Natalie knows one truth: There is no such thing as a good job.
As the clock ticks away at the workplace harassment call center, she tries to ignore the increasing pain in her jaw. She has no dental insurance. She has no skills or ambitions. She has student loans. And, minute by minute, she hears the many ways workers are not just not getting by, but actually getting hustled.
Then, at the blood bank where she sells her plasma, a mysterious flyer leads her to The Company. Natalie turns out to be the perfect candidate for their pilot program: in-house surrogate. The Company pitches it as an opportunity to help women access greater gender equity, motherhood without maternity leave. Finally, she will be adequately—generously—compensated.
For years, her every need is met: stacks of healthy meals in the refrigerator of a luxury condo, fitness coaches and nutritionists, around-the-clock healthcare. Between deliveries, she takes time off—no obligations or expectations. For the first time in her life, she is good at her job; for the first time, she feels free.
But just as she’s about to fulfill the terms of her contract, a staffing decision upends everything and drags her deep into another social experiment. There she meets new questions about her future, her freedom, her purpose, and what she can expect from the world.
Woundingly funny and deeply moving, Sarah Anderson’s Fallow is a tender, hilarious, alarmingly real vision of a woman balancing on the knife-edge of capitalism as she comes to realize who she wants to be.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 15, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Book of the Month
reading this while being pregnant was….. interesting! not in a negative way, but the entire book revolves around pregnancy just keep that in mind! it’s about a girl who becomes the first ever in-house surrogate for a massive corporation. really liked the first 60-70%, but the ending kind of lost me. overall, loved the way the main character was written, she was so nonchalant about everything thrown her way, and this was just a fascinating read in general! one of those books that won’t be for everyone, but i’m glad i read & enjoyed it
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wondered if Dr. X and Shane were actually onto something—if I had a little bit of trad wife in my genetic code. Maybe what I'd told Phoebe was right. Maybe this was something I was just good at.
No idea why this is tagged as "horror" on Goodreads. It is not a horror novel— in fact, it's barely a dystopian novel —but about a near future where a company offers surrogacy as part of their hiring package, ensuring that pregnancy doesn't mean a motherhood penalty for working women.
Natalie, sick and tired of her current job, seizes the opportunity to be a surrogate, to escape soul-sucking work culture and get paid to do almost nothing for nine months.
I've been very interested in the ethics around surrogacy ever since I read The Farm some years ago. Is it a noble venture? Or just another way of commodifying women's bodies? It also, of course, further complicates the already tense issue of whose rights have priority.
The way I would describe Fallow is very much a novel of two halves, and the first was much more to my tastes. I found Natalie funny and charming. While she is perhaps naive in some ways, I think her desire to escape from the rat race and indignity of corporate America is easily understandable. She essentially buys herself time and freedom by selling her body… is it worth it? I'd say Anderson gives a fairly balanced view on it.
It explores what happens when a surrogate becomes emotionally attached to the family they are carrying for, and also what happens when it is decided that a pregnancy should be terminated. If you are interested in ethical issues, surrogacy is drowning in them.
I do think, however, that it reaches a point where it is clear that the author has explored the topic she wanted to and doesn't really know where to go with it or how to finish it. Years go by in a sentence, and, at one point, Natalie makes a decision that I would have liked more introspection on. It was not really clear why she was doing it, what drove her to make that decision.
The last third or so was why I could not rate higher than 3 stars. Everything after got sillier and boring. The entire farm commune aspect was uninteresting to me, even though I did get the point Anderson was reaching for— the longing for a simpler life, finding pleasure in work again.
Lots to like in the first half, but a difficult one to find a satisfying finish for.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 4.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed this a lot. This is a speculative, literary fiction novel about a woman and her freedoms. It's not exactly a satire but more of dystopian concept that nails the commentary about workplace/corporate culture, woman's autonomy and reproductive rights. Its strange yet philosophical, it ask great questions and offers accurate insight into what work, life and benefits are for pregnant women or mothers in general in corporate America. I thought that Anderson wrote a sharp, darkly funny concept and I know many people will compare this to Yesteryear. I am someone who LOVED Yesteryear and while the books have a lot of similarities, they are quite different in the points they are trying to make. Fallow is more about the moral compass and personal freedoms, our outlooks on life and how we want to live it. Natalie, our protagonist is such a complex character! She is complicated, selfish, lazy even yet she feels like an actual person. What makes this story amazing is how accurately it captures the issues and critiques of corporate America: how in America, the corporate culture penalizes motherhood or pregnancy. Women post pregnancy are more likely to be let go or are never fairly compensated. The system offers ZERO benefits or time off or guarantees job security past the first 12 weeks postpartum. Some of us are lucky to get FMLA for the first 12 weeks, while most women are expected to return after 6-8 weeks back to work as if newborns don't need to be raised. What a joke!
What's it about?
A 23-year old woman becomes a part of a corporate-surrogacy experiment, where women become in-house corporate surrogates. She agrees to a 10 year contact involving 7 pregnancies. In exchange, she gets financial security, best medical care, great housing, personal fitness, safety and food security. Sounds like paradise right? Well, even thought the company gives her plenty material freedoms, the company also takes away her bodily freedom. The Company controls everything in her life. From what she can drink and eat, her health is monitored, there are rules about sex and relationships. After completion of her 7 pregnancies, Natalie unexpectedly enters a second social experiment with which Natalie struggles to embrace. In this part of the novel, Natalie is faced with a dilemma that poses many questions about human value, choice and freedoms once again.
Modern workplace is not for Natalie. At least not the Natalie which we initially meet. She hates working, she hates her low paying job or the freedoms and luxuries of life she cannot afford. Natalie is disinterested in everything that is conventional like career, achievement and even self-improvement. She's selfish and cynical and when she is presented with a bizarre opportunity, she obviously takes it! Who wouldn't want six figure compensation or a laissez-faire lifestyle? So Natalie accepts and thinks of these pregnancies as a 'job'. Well.. she goes on to have seven of those and she's even promised a mommy make over after her contract ends. Isn't that sweet?
But what about attachment? What about emotional, human attachment. Or the effect the pregnancy has on the person? Surrogacy is a one of the most selfless things one can do for another family. There is beauty and light but no one speaks about its darkness. Natalie finds herself emotionally affected, seeking for simple human connection to families and even imagines growing close to them post birth. One family promises her rainbow and butterflies but all their promises never really come to fruition. The baby is still someone else's and Natalie is just a carrier. So this is where the book shines by showing how regardless of money, the corporations still wants a postpartum new mother and women in general (because its us who actually do the 'reproductive' work) to work and behave like a spreadsheet. Corporate America wants us to forget that we just birthed a new life and wants us to believe that pregnancy doesn't hurt women careers. But it does, childbirth does cause women to lose their jobs. Companies are more likely to let go of pregnant employees more likely than non-pregnant women. How many times have you heard a new mother lost her job? I hear it all the time. Women shouldn't have to pick between careers and motherhood. Women are constantly judged and judged harshly in all aspects of their performance. Corporate America should do better.
The novel in the later part of the story takes a huge turning point where Natalie, after completion of her pregnancies, is pushed into another social experiment without the luxuries of the life she was once given. Here, Natalie discovers the true value of human connection, capitalistic exploitation and what it really means to have a choice. While this part of the novel might feel far-fetched, I enjoyed this contrast very much. We are given two sides of the spectrum, one dystopian and the other more communal. We get a sense of life from both sides, the positive and negatives, as well as what 'freedom' really means. Overall, I thought this was a very thought provoking book and shouldn't be compared to Yesteryear but rather be appreciated for a refreshingly interesting content it carried and all the philosophical/social takes it offered on corporate America. Definitely an eye-opener and a great book for bookclubs!
If the body becomes an occupation, would you do it to get freedom from economic pressures and anxieties of life?
This is featured on BOTM for September! Very easy to sign up & cancel at no additional cost to you.
Get your $5 copy here: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
BOTM features early releases and has great quality books. You can get audiobooks too!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author, Sarah Anderson for an early copy.
Publication: September 15, 2025
What's it about?
A 23-year old woman becomes a part of a corporate-surrogacy experiment, where women become in-house corporate surrogates. She agrees to a 10 year contact involving 7 pregnancies. In exchange, she gets financial security, best medical care, great housing, personal fitness, safety and food security. Sounds like paradise right? Well, even thought the company gives her plenty material freedoms, the company also takes away her bodily freedom. The Company controls everything in her life. From what she can drink and eat, her health is monitored, there are rules about sex and relationships. After completion of her 7 pregnancies, Natalie unexpectedly enters a second social experiment with which Natalie struggles to embrace. In this part of the novel, Natalie is faced with a dilemma that poses many questions about human value, choice and freedoms once again.
Modern workplace is not for Natalie. At least not the Natalie which we initially meet. She hates working, she hates her low paying job or the freedoms and luxuries of life she cannot afford. Natalie is disinterested in everything that is conventional like career, achievement and even self-improvement. She's selfish and cynical and when she is presented with a bizarre opportunity, she obviously takes it! Who wouldn't want six figure compensation or a laissez-faire lifestyle? So Natalie accepts and thinks of these pregnancies as a 'job'. Well.. she goes on to have seven of those and she's even promised a mommy make over after her contract ends. Isn't that sweet?
But what about attachment? What about emotional, human attachment. Or the effect the pregnancy has on the person? Surrogacy is a one of the most selfless things one can do for another family. There is beauty and light but no one speaks about its darkness. Natalie finds herself emotionally affected, seeking for simple human connection to families and even imagines growing close to them post birth. One family promises her rainbow and butterflies but all their promises never really come to fruition. The baby is still someone else's and Natalie is just a carrier. So this is where the book shines by showing how regardless of money, the corporations still wants a postpartum new mother and women in general (because its us who actually do the 'reproductive' work) to work and behave like a spreadsheet. Corporate America wants us to forget that we just birthed a new life and wants us to believe that pregnancy doesn't hurt women careers. But it does, childbirth does cause women to lose their jobs. Companies are more likely to let go of pregnant employees more likely than non-pregnant women. How many times have you heard a new mother lost her job? I hear it all the time. Women shouldn't have to pick between careers and motherhood. Women are constantly judged and judged harshly in all aspects of their performance. Corporate America should do better.
The novel in the later part of the story takes a huge turning point where Natalie, after completion of her pregnancies, is pushed into another social experiment without the luxuries of the life she was once given. Here, Natalie discovers the true value of human connection, capitalistic exploitation and what it really means to have a choice. While this part of the novel might feel far-fetched, I enjoyed this contrast very much. We are given two sides of the spectrum, one dystopian and the other more communal. We get a sense of life from both sides, the positive and negatives, as well as what 'freedom' really means. Overall, I thought this was a very thought provoking book and shouldn't be compared to Yesteryear but rather be appreciated for a refreshingly interesting content it carried and all the philosophical/social takes it offered on corporate America. Definitely an eye-opener and a great book for bookclubs!
If the body becomes an occupation, would you do it to get freedom from economic pressures and anxieties of life?
This is featured on BOTM for September! Very easy to sign up & cancel at no additional cost to you.
Get your $5 copy here: https://www.mybotm.com/bgnrjn6qk0o
BOTM features early releases and has great quality books. You can get audiobooks too!
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and the author, Sarah Anderson for an early copy.
Publication: September 15, 2025
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC! This book had an interesting premise and raised an important question: How far would you go to achieve complete financial security?
I was super intrigued by the first half which showcased a sharp, witty, (sometimes funny) capitalistic take on society and kept me on the edge of my seat to know what would happen next. But the second half felt like a completely different story, as it shifted into a strange hippie/commune/cult-ish direction that didn’t work for me because there was (in my opinion) a lack of tension and stakes.
I kept expecting the plot to build toward something bigger, especially with the fascinating moral question surrounding corporate control and reproduction. The story lost momentum and fizzled out instead.
I did appreciate how the author didn’t shame the women in the story for the positions they were in, but rather presented them in a normal and neutral way, showing that the real enemy in the story was capitalism and greed.
Overall, I enjoyed the concept and the first half A LOT and really wish it wouldn’t have ultimately switched directions in the way it did. Was it bad? No. I just expected it to deliver on the potential of its premise and it didn’t for me. Also, I expected more cows. Lol.
I was super intrigued by the first half which showcased a sharp, witty, (sometimes funny) capitalistic take on society and kept me on the edge of my seat to know what would happen next. But the second half felt like a completely different story, as it shifted into a strange hippie/commune/cult-ish direction that didn’t work for me because there was (in my opinion) a lack of tension and stakes.
I kept expecting the plot to build toward something bigger, especially with the fascinating moral question surrounding corporate control and reproduction. The story lost momentum and fizzled out instead.
I did appreciate how the author didn’t shame the women in the story for the positions they were in, but rather presented them in a normal and neutral way, showing that the real enemy in the story was capitalism and greed.
Overall, I enjoyed the concept and the first half A LOT and really wish it wouldn’t have ultimately switched directions in the way it did. Was it bad? No. I just expected it to deliver on the potential of its premise and it didn’t for me. Also, I expected more cows. Lol.
July 2, 2026
There are some books that you go into knowing you’ll just enjoy it, so it’s a giant relief when they don’t disappoint me. This is my kind of book in every way. Literary, darkly comedic, a bit of a grounded science fiction or speculative trip, a bit political, sarcasm heavy.
Sarah Anderson is coming in hot with her debut and I’m already so excited for her release and to see what she does next. Fallow follows our main character Natalie through an experimental first foray into surrogacy programs for tech companies who are desperate to even the ground for women wanting to give birth. The company clearly is wanting to put women first, allow them to keep their bottom line, their cultural and societal impact on the company and not lose the many sad benefits of staying at work during pregnancy and maternity leave. Are you catching my tone??
I’m utterly in love with Natalie and her neutrality in the beginning of this seemingly too good to be true program. The ramifications on her life, money, health and friendships. What happens when you can’t be honest 9 months out of 16? This reads like a Black Mirror episode with a little less horror and science fiction and is made for readers just like me.
Sarah Anderson is coming in hot with her debut and I’m already so excited for her release and to see what she does next. Fallow follows our main character Natalie through an experimental first foray into surrogacy programs for tech companies who are desperate to even the ground for women wanting to give birth. The company clearly is wanting to put women first, allow them to keep their bottom line, their cultural and societal impact on the company and not lose the many sad benefits of staying at work during pregnancy and maternity leave. Are you catching my tone??
I’m utterly in love with Natalie and her neutrality in the beginning of this seemingly too good to be true program. The ramifications on her life, money, health and friendships. What happens when you can’t be honest 9 months out of 16? This reads like a Black Mirror episode with a little less horror and science fiction and is made for readers just like me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There is no such thing as a good job.
…
“You’re not actually stuck here. You’re choosing to be stuck because it’s easier than admitting you’ve nothing worth to go back to.”
…
“It’s amazing to me,” she said, “how you’ve managed to grow seven babies and never grow up.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC of Fallow in exchange for an honest review.
Fallow is told in three parts. In the first two parts, Natalie has never liked working, and falls into a job as a surrogate for executives at a huge corporation, alleged “designed to accelerate gender equity through gestational outsourcing.” For the first time in her life, she has money, good health care, and housing. Not everyone would make the trade off she has chosen, but it works for her, mostly. Then, as her contract is nearing its end, one surrogacy goes sideways, and Natalie’s role with the company goes viral. There are some interesting ideas in this portion of the book about capitalism, Gen Z in the workplace, and women and the workplace. In other books, the remainder of the story would have fleshed those ideas out and resolved the remaining threads of what exactly was happening with Natalie’s pregnancies.
But the third part of Fallow goes in a completely different direction, as a plot twist allows Natalie to consider whether she’d be happier living in a communist, rather than capitalist, society. Even on its own terms, it’s very weird, so different in tone and pacing. And you can’t look too closely at the twist or the logic of it falls apart. Worse, though, by choosing to move Natalie into this new locale, the story is forced to abruptly drop many of the threads developed in the first two-thirds of the book.
Fallow has a great premise. It starts off well. And the audiobook has a great narrator whose voice draws you into the story. But the story falls apart in the back third. Ultimately, a bit disappointing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Loved her short stories, Take Me to Kirkland (Joyland) and Left (Epiphany SS20), so I am super excited to read her novel!
Update: It’s fantastic! The premise seems far-fetched on paper, but the way the story and characters developed, it felt totally plausible. I think millennials are so desperate for financial relief that a lot more people would sign up to be surrogates than you might think. I loved the main character and her dynamic relationship with her mom and sisters. Anderson’s prose isn’t flowery, it’s simple and accessible, but she manages to use details and build narrative that feels full and rich in ways that more lyrical fiction can ultimately feel hollow. I’d be surprised if this book doesn’t end up in my top 5 for the year. I think there will be a great response from readers. It feels like a book you can recommend to anyone. Excited to read more from Anderson in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and FSG for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Update: It’s fantastic! The premise seems far-fetched on paper, but the way the story and characters developed, it felt totally plausible. I think millennials are so desperate for financial relief that a lot more people would sign up to be surrogates than you might think. I loved the main character and her dynamic relationship with her mom and sisters. Anderson’s prose isn’t flowery, it’s simple and accessible, but she manages to use details and build narrative that feels full and rich in ways that more lyrical fiction can ultimately feel hollow. I’d be surprised if this book doesn’t end up in my top 5 for the year. I think there will be a great response from readers. It feels like a book you can recommend to anyone. Excited to read more from Anderson in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and FSG for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2026
Damn, I hate to say it but the first half of this was a 4/5 and the second half 2.5-3. Overall for me it sits somewhere between a 3 and 3.5. I really was enjoying Fallow and where it was going, I appreciated the writing style a lot and the chaotic type B MC Natalie was entertaining to read. I liked her weird relationships with the mothers and was excited to see where that was going to end up because I knew it couldn’t be good!
..But then the second half came along and it really lost me. The second half felt like an entirely different book and took a turn that seemed very silly, out of nowhere and just didn’t work for me. It reminded me of the commune in Patricia Wants to Cuddle a little bit but seemed very out of place in this particular book. Also what the hell was that ending..? That had to be the most boring, corny and dissatisfying ending I have read in a long time. As a whole this book was entertaining enough and the first half was great, but unfortunately in the end I was just hoping it would be over. I thank the publisher for my review copy!
..But then the second half came along and it really lost me. The second half felt like an entirely different book and took a turn that seemed very silly, out of nowhere and just didn’t work for me. It reminded me of the commune in Patricia Wants to Cuddle a little bit but seemed very out of place in this particular book. Also what the hell was that ending..? That had to be the most boring, corny and dissatisfying ending I have read in a long time. As a whole this book was entertaining enough and the first half was great, but unfortunately in the end I was just hoping it would be over. I thank the publisher for my review copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Book of the Month
My kind of book. If you liked The Compound or Severance, this is a combination of both. Constantly hunting for gems like this.
June 7, 2026
I thought it was aight! A book in two parts really. The first more my speed. Cynical and critical and examining systematic control albeit through a lazy and avoidant character. The second half is a pretty hard swerve into the pastoral that felt pretty alien for our narrator. Meh!
March 23, 2026
Damn
Banger after banger.
I am so thankful to FSG Books, NetGalley, and Sarah Anderson for advanced digital access before this beauty hits shelves on September 15, 2026.
Natalie has found herself in a sticky situation. She desperately needs her wisdom teeth removed, and doesn’t have health insurance… so what does she do?? Becomes an in-house, contractual surrogate for a massive tech company, pops out 7 babies in 10 years, deposits hundreds of thousands of dollars, and loses all connection with the real world as she’s hidden beneath NDAs and strict rules.
Woof.
There were times where I read this novel and thought, heck, I could do that.
But no pregnancy is like the other, and some experiences leave her scarred, and longing for a connection she didn’t previously anticipate.
Darkly funny and horrifically spun, Fallow played with my emotions and sent me spiraling. I’m so excited to see what everyone else thinks!!
Banger after banger.
I am so thankful to FSG Books, NetGalley, and Sarah Anderson for advanced digital access before this beauty hits shelves on September 15, 2026.
Natalie has found herself in a sticky situation. She desperately needs her wisdom teeth removed, and doesn’t have health insurance… so what does she do?? Becomes an in-house, contractual surrogate for a massive tech company, pops out 7 babies in 10 years, deposits hundreds of thousands of dollars, and loses all connection with the real world as she’s hidden beneath NDAs and strict rules.
Woof.
There were times where I read this novel and thought, heck, I could do that.
But no pregnancy is like the other, and some experiences leave her scarred, and longing for a connection she didn’t previously anticipate.
Darkly funny and horrifically spun, Fallow played with my emotions and sent me spiraling. I’m so excited to see what everyone else thinks!!
September 13, 2026
Fallow (audio) 4 ⭐️
I loved the writing and narration. I just wish there was a better overall flow of the storyline. It felt so close to being the whole package and was on track with eerily realistic themes, especially moral dilemmas and corporate greed. But something was missing/lacking. After introducing the premise, the book flies through majority of her pregnancies/fallow periods, gives a little more umph for the 2nd to last pregnancy, and then draaaaags the final pregnancy out in what feels like a completely different book. And the second half of the book isn’t bad, I just struggled to adapt from the first half. I think this may have felt more complete to me as a series. The author is very talented and I look forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Sep 15 2026
I loved the writing and narration. I just wish there was a better overall flow of the storyline. It felt so close to being the whole package and was on track with eerily realistic themes, especially moral dilemmas and corporate greed. But something was missing/lacking. After introducing the premise, the book flies through majority of her pregnancies/fallow periods, gives a little more umph for the 2nd to last pregnancy, and then draaaaags the final pregnancy out in what feels like a completely different book. And the second half of the book isn’t bad, I just struggled to adapt from the first half. I think this may have felt more complete to me as a series. The author is very talented and I look forward to reading more of her books.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
Pub Date Sep 15 2026
May 21, 2026
the real horror is that this book made the dystopian, life-altering corporate in-house surrogacy job sound more peaceful than a normal office job.
am i part of the problem if I would seriously consider signing too if it meant I didn’t have to ever work a 9-5 again & still have all my bills paid??
moo. 🤰🐮😂
am i part of the problem if I would seriously consider signing too if it meant I didn’t have to ever work a 9-5 again & still have all my bills paid??
moo. 🤰🐮😂
September 13, 2026
Fallow had a promising premise, and for the first two parts, I was genuinely engaged. The story kept me wondering what would happen next, and I was invested enough to keep turning the pages.
Then came Part Three.
It hit like cold water when you’re sleeping. Suddenly, it felt like I was reading an entirely different book. The connections to the first two parts felt thin, and instead of pulling everything together, they left me wondering, Where exactly is this going?
There are some funny and snarky moments sprinkled throughout, and I appreciated those, but unfortunately, they weren’t enough to overcome how disconnected the final section felt. By the time I reached the ending, I was hoping for something that would bring everything together, but it landed with more of a shrug than a satisfying conclusion.
One other thing that threw me off: Goodreads categorizes this as horror, and honestly, I’m not sure where the horror is. I didn’t find much, if anything, that felt remotely like horror. Unless they’re referring to Part Three, in which case... well, that would certainly explain something.
Not the worst book I’ve read, but definitely not the best. For me, Fallow started strong and then lost me somewhere along the way.
Thank you, NetGalley, Sarah Anderson, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC. All comments and opinions are my own.
Then came Part Three.
It hit like cold water when you’re sleeping. Suddenly, it felt like I was reading an entirely different book. The connections to the first two parts felt thin, and instead of pulling everything together, they left me wondering, Where exactly is this going?
There are some funny and snarky moments sprinkled throughout, and I appreciated those, but unfortunately, they weren’t enough to overcome how disconnected the final section felt. By the time I reached the ending, I was hoping for something that would bring everything together, but it landed with more of a shrug than a satisfying conclusion.
One other thing that threw me off: Goodreads categorizes this as horror, and honestly, I’m not sure where the horror is. I didn’t find much, if anything, that felt remotely like horror. Unless they’re referring to Part Three, in which case... well, that would certainly explain something.
Not the worst book I’ve read, but definitely not the best. For me, Fallow started strong and then lost me somewhere along the way.
Thank you, NetGalley, Sarah Anderson, and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for the ARC. All comments and opinions are my own.
September 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5. Thank you @fsgbooks for the gifted copy, this is out 9/26.
What a smart and thought provoking speculative satire!
Dissatisfied with her dead-end job and in need of cash, Natalie agrees to become an in-house corporate surrogate for “The Company.” She signs a contract to have seven children in ten years (!) in exchange for fantastic pay and benefits. The Company tracks her eating, her sleep, her exercise – even her heart rate. Her time off between pregnancies is her “fallow” period where she can go wild, doing whatever she wants for six months before preparing to become pregnant again. It’s a little dystopian, but it’s actually a pretty believable premise in a lot of ways!
Halfway through, the book takes an unexpected turn, shifting both spatially and tonally, to Natalie living on a co-op farm and experiencing a coming of age. I preferred the speculative front half, but this was still a fantastic read overall that I really enjoyed! For fans of Severance and Yesteryear!
What a smart and thought provoking speculative satire!
Dissatisfied with her dead-end job and in need of cash, Natalie agrees to become an in-house corporate surrogate for “The Company.” She signs a contract to have seven children in ten years (!) in exchange for fantastic pay and benefits. The Company tracks her eating, her sleep, her exercise – even her heart rate. Her time off between pregnancies is her “fallow” period where she can go wild, doing whatever she wants for six months before preparing to become pregnant again. It’s a little dystopian, but it’s actually a pretty believable premise in a lot of ways!
Halfway through, the book takes an unexpected turn, shifting both spatially and tonally, to Natalie living on a co-op farm and experiencing a coming of age. I preferred the speculative front half, but this was still a fantastic read overall that I really enjoyed! For fans of Severance and Yesteryear!
July 18, 2026
Fallow started out as commentary about capitalism, the patriarchy, and corporate greed. From student loan debt to low wages, skyrocketing housing costs, and a subpar healthcare system, the book shows us firsthand how difficult it is for young people to survive in the modern world.
When Natalie is faced with needing a painful and expensive dental procedure, she turns to plasma donation to supplement her low-paying call center job. At the plasma center, she learns of a job as a corporate surrogate, which could be the answer to all of her financial problems.
Without giving too much away, about the middle of the book the narrative takes a dramatic turn away from the urban commentary and shifts toward something much more pastoral. The cow on the cover is a metaphor, but it's also literal.
Overall, this book was interesting, and I appreciated the questions about society invoked by the text. At points the pacing felt a little slow, and the book felt disjointed — the first half had a very different vibe than the second half.
Through it all, our main character was untethered floating along wherever the wind took her. She was so passive and indifferent; life was something that happened to her. She was a victim. I think her character arc could've been delivered more strongly, as this was clearly meant to be a coming-of-age story, because in the end, "she gave birth to herself."
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
When Natalie is faced with needing a painful and expensive dental procedure, she turns to plasma donation to supplement her low-paying call center job. At the plasma center, she learns of a job as a corporate surrogate, which could be the answer to all of her financial problems.
Without giving too much away, about the middle of the book the narrative takes a dramatic turn away from the urban commentary and shifts toward something much more pastoral. The cow on the cover is a metaphor, but it's also literal.
Overall, this book was interesting, and I appreciated the questions about society invoked by the text. At points the pacing felt a little slow, and the book felt disjointed — the first half had a very different vibe than the second half.
Through it all, our main character was untethered floating along wherever the wind took her. She was so passive and indifferent; life was something that happened to her. She was a victim. I think her character arc could've been delivered more strongly, as this was clearly meant to be a coming-of-age story, because in the end, "she gave birth to herself."
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
September 5, 2026
There was opportunity for this to be so much weirder and darker and I yearned for it. I still had a great time, finishing in a day. The book takes a pivot and we never really descend back into the weird girl lit in the way this book was marketed.
May 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and FSG for the arc!!
Wow this was GOOD. Controversial feminism with a preposterous (not really) plot that would make a fabulous movie! Women are crucial to daily life and society as a whole, always making HERstory!!!!
Wow this was GOOD. Controversial feminism with a preposterous (not really) plot that would make a fabulous movie! Women are crucial to daily life and society as a whole, always making HERstory!!!!
September 13, 2026
Real rate: 4.5/5 stars but rounded up for making me cry at least 3 times. And realistically, I said until the last ~70% that it was a 5 star book but felt a bit of a slow down in the end that had me slightly dragging.
Overall, I loved this book and have been telling everyone about it. From the first chapter’s recounting of Natalie’s first job caring for chameleons in the local pet store, I knew that Sarah Anderson’s ability to capture the minutia of everyday life would be enough to carry me through. Natalie as a narrator is flawed and beautifully human, and truly captures a very human part of the modern world and the modern dream of not having to work. The genre of speculative satire lands beautifully here, because it feels incredibly real and possible, but also so funny in all of its dystopia. Anderson’s ability to write about modern office culture and the variety of humans in our current world made it easy to remember all of the character and to enjoy the wild journey. I found myself shocked by the breadth the story had covered by halfway through, and enjoyed the themes greatly.
I know a book is also a star in its own right when it develops new language for ways of seeing my world. The idea of a fallow period/fallow time will be here to stay in considering many parts of my life and the interesting ways work demands us to comply and shift our own rhythms to fit. To think of how the labor of care is something both given freely and is required for our world to work is one I’ll be brewing over for a long time to come.
I laughed out loud, I cried multiple times, and I enjoyed this book immensely. And honestly, by the end of this review, I think it’s closer to 5 stars than I had thought when I started writing!
Loved loved loved loved loved. Cannot wait to see what else Sarah Anderson writes!!!!
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the E-ARC :)
Overall, I loved this book and have been telling everyone about it. From the first chapter’s recounting of Natalie’s first job caring for chameleons in the local pet store, I knew that Sarah Anderson’s ability to capture the minutia of everyday life would be enough to carry me through. Natalie as a narrator is flawed and beautifully human, and truly captures a very human part of the modern world and the modern dream of not having to work. The genre of speculative satire lands beautifully here, because it feels incredibly real and possible, but also so funny in all of its dystopia. Anderson’s ability to write about modern office culture and the variety of humans in our current world made it easy to remember all of the character and to enjoy the wild journey. I found myself shocked by the breadth the story had covered by halfway through, and enjoyed the themes greatly.
I know a book is also a star in its own right when it develops new language for ways of seeing my world. The idea of a fallow period/fallow time will be here to stay in considering many parts of my life and the interesting ways work demands us to comply and shift our own rhythms to fit. To think of how the labor of care is something both given freely and is required for our world to work is one I’ll be brewing over for a long time to come.
I laughed out loud, I cried multiple times, and I enjoyed this book immensely. And honestly, by the end of this review, I think it’s closer to 5 stars than I had thought when I started writing!
Loved loved loved loved loved. Cannot wait to see what else Sarah Anderson writes!!!!
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the E-ARC :)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. Natalie Naudus did a fantastic job with the narration of this novel!
Talk about a dystopian read! I honestly was surprised about the turns that this book took while still being able to maintain the cohesiveness of the story.
Natalie more or less signs up to be a corporate surrogate in exchange for excellent employee benefits and no longer having to work a job in the traditional sense.
While I can’t say that being a surrogate, or even just being pregnant in general, appeals to me at all (kudos to the women that do it – you guys truly are superheroes), Natalie was still a character that was easy to relate to, understand, and become invested in.
A wild ride of a story that I ended up enjoying far more than I expected to!
Talk about a dystopian read! I honestly was surprised about the turns that this book took while still being able to maintain the cohesiveness of the story.
Natalie more or less signs up to be a corporate surrogate in exchange for excellent employee benefits and no longer having to work a job in the traditional sense.
While I can’t say that being a surrogate, or even just being pregnant in general, appeals to me at all (kudos to the women that do it – you guys truly are superheroes), Natalie was still a character that was easy to relate to, understand, and become invested in.
A wild ride of a story that I ended up enjoying far more than I expected to!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC kindly sent by the publisher.
all opinions are my own!
this one comes out on September 15th
this book wasn't what I expected and I mean that as a compliment. Fallow's premise seems simple: Natalie, a young woman with no dental insurance and thousands of dollars of student loans, decides to apply for a new job at The Company. here, she will be fairly compesated for her work - for the first time in her life. the job? become an in-house surrogate for The Company's executives, delivering 7 babies in 10 years. Natalie's life drastically changes: she starts to live a comfortable life where she no longer needs to worry about the next paycheck. but suddenly, her dream starts to unravel and, through humour and endless surprises, we follow Natalie's journey through adulthood in the modern age. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! Natalie's story was unique and special in its own way. although she was, in many ways, an unlikable protagonist, I loved following her journey of self discovery in a world dominated by capitalism where workers live only to increase capital, losing their individuality and freedom. a stunning debut, can't wait to read Sarah Anderson's next novel.
all opinions are my own!
this one comes out on September 15th
this book wasn't what I expected and I mean that as a compliment. Fallow's premise seems simple: Natalie, a young woman with no dental insurance and thousands of dollars of student loans, decides to apply for a new job at The Company. here, she will be fairly compesated for her work - for the first time in her life. the job? become an in-house surrogate for The Company's executives, delivering 7 babies in 10 years. Natalie's life drastically changes: she starts to live a comfortable life where she no longer needs to worry about the next paycheck. but suddenly, her dream starts to unravel and, through humour and endless surprises, we follow Natalie's journey through adulthood in the modern age. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! Natalie's story was unique and special in its own way. although she was, in many ways, an unlikable protagonist, I loved following her journey of self discovery in a world dominated by capitalism where workers live only to increase capital, losing their individuality and freedom. a stunning debut, can't wait to read Sarah Anderson's next novel.
August 13, 2026
Fallow is unlike any novel I've ever read and I say that in the best way possible. I went in blind (which I fully recommend) and genuinely had zero idea where the story was going, how anything would play out, or where we would end up. Any and all guesses I had were wildly wrong and quite frankly, I loved that.
Fallow takes an interesting perspective on feminism, motherhood, and doing whatever it takes to get ahead in your career. Pitched as a private and exclusive pilot program, The Company hires Natalie to be The Company Surrogate in order to allow women to "have it all." Why sacrifice motherhood for your career or your career for motherhood when you can have them both without sacrificing anything at all? No time away to give birth or recover. No ramp up from an extended leave. Just work one day, baby the next, and back to work the next.
Natalie is also unlike any protagonist I've ever read. Part of me hated her - she was passive, lazy, and though she was at the center of the entire plot, she was the least interesting part of the book. Another part of me was wildly impressed with her - despite being lazy and passive, she endured years of pregnancies and isolation with seemingly little complaint or negative consequence. I kept thinking the story would lead one way only to be so utterly and completely wrong that I had to just brace myself for the ride. Rarely do I wonder where earlier drafts of a work led, but this is a book where I'd be so excited to pick the author's brain.
Controversial, insightful, satiric... this one will spark heated conversations and lively debates.
Thank you to Farrar Straus for the copy. Don't miss this one!
Fallow takes an interesting perspective on feminism, motherhood, and doing whatever it takes to get ahead in your career. Pitched as a private and exclusive pilot program, The Company hires Natalie to be The Company Surrogate in order to allow women to "have it all." Why sacrifice motherhood for your career or your career for motherhood when you can have them both without sacrificing anything at all? No time away to give birth or recover. No ramp up from an extended leave. Just work one day, baby the next, and back to work the next.
Natalie is also unlike any protagonist I've ever read. Part of me hated her - she was passive, lazy, and though she was at the center of the entire plot, she was the least interesting part of the book. Another part of me was wildly impressed with her - despite being lazy and passive, she endured years of pregnancies and isolation with seemingly little complaint or negative consequence. I kept thinking the story would lead one way only to be so utterly and completely wrong that I had to just brace myself for the ride. Rarely do I wonder where earlier drafts of a work led, but this is a book where I'd be so excited to pick the author's brain.
Controversial, insightful, satiric... this one will spark heated conversations and lively debates.
Thank you to Farrar Straus for the copy. Don't miss this one!
September 12, 2026
Thank you @macmillan.audio #MacAudioPartner for the gifted audiobook...this is my honest review.
📖 FALLOW ✍️ Sarah Anderson
🗓️ SEP 15, 2026 | @macmillian
🎧 10 hrs 34 min | 🗣️Natalie Naudus
LIT Fic | Satire | Indescribable | Debut
✌️ VIBE CHECK ✌️
🤭 Dark humor
😲 WTF energy
🤗 Wildly addictive
🙃 Character growth
👯♀️ Found family
🫖 THE TEA
I went in blind, you should too!
💭 MY THOUGHTS
First, I HAVE to thank @another_read_by_angie_ (with her fab review) along with the publisher for putting this “cow” book on my radar. I don’t think I ever would have picked it up otherwise, which is exactly why I love bookstagram! It constantly pushes me outside my usual genre comfort zone.
This book is nothing like I expected. It blew me away with its dark humor while somehow still feeding my thriller-loving heart. I had no idea what I was in for or the complete chokehold it would have on me. I didn’t come up for air until I devoured every single chapter.
Three ways I always know a book is an absolute banger:
🖤 I get genuinely giddy when reading and I refuse to put it down.
🖤 I can’t wait to gush about it. Y’all, THIS IS ME GUSHING! I had so many laughs, WTF moments, and emotions.
🖤 It’s unforgettable. I will remember this plot and exactly how it made me feel years from now.
Yes it ☑️ all the boxes!
🎧 WHY THE AUDIO?!
Natalie Naudus was absolutely fantastic! Her voice brought this audio to life. Honestly, however you consume this book, you’re probably going to love it, but the audiobook is top-tier and totally bingeable.
⭐ FINAL VERDICT | 5 🌟
I ate this up! It’s fun, a little crazy in the best way, slightly controversial, and somehow deeply empowering and tender all at once. It truly is indescribable in my opinion and can’t be put in one genre box. This would make such a fun book club pick. A big yes from me!
DeAnn @deannsreadingriot 🖤
#Bookstagram #AudiobooksOfInstagram #BookReview #BookRec
📖 FALLOW ✍️ Sarah Anderson
🗓️ SEP 15, 2026 | @macmillian
🎧 10 hrs 34 min | 🗣️Natalie Naudus
LIT Fic | Satire | Indescribable | Debut
✌️ VIBE CHECK ✌️
🤭 Dark humor
😲 WTF energy
🤗 Wildly addictive
🙃 Character growth
👯♀️ Found family
🫖 THE TEA
I went in blind, you should too!
💭 MY THOUGHTS
First, I HAVE to thank @another_read_by_angie_ (with her fab review) along with the publisher for putting this “cow” book on my radar. I don’t think I ever would have picked it up otherwise, which is exactly why I love bookstagram! It constantly pushes me outside my usual genre comfort zone.
This book is nothing like I expected. It blew me away with its dark humor while somehow still feeding my thriller-loving heart. I had no idea what I was in for or the complete chokehold it would have on me. I didn’t come up for air until I devoured every single chapter.
Three ways I always know a book is an absolute banger:
🖤 I get genuinely giddy when reading and I refuse to put it down.
🖤 I can’t wait to gush about it. Y’all, THIS IS ME GUSHING! I had so many laughs, WTF moments, and emotions.
🖤 It’s unforgettable. I will remember this plot and exactly how it made me feel years from now.
Yes it ☑️ all the boxes!
🎧 WHY THE AUDIO?!
Natalie Naudus was absolutely fantastic! Her voice brought this audio to life. Honestly, however you consume this book, you’re probably going to love it, but the audiobook is top-tier and totally bingeable.
⭐ FINAL VERDICT | 5 🌟
I ate this up! It’s fun, a little crazy in the best way, slightly controversial, and somehow deeply empowering and tender all at once. It truly is indescribable in my opinion and can’t be put in one genre box. This would make such a fun book club pick. A big yes from me!
DeAnn @deannsreadingriot 🖤
#Bookstagram #AudiobooksOfInstagram #BookReview #BookRec
September 5, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of Fallow in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this. Fallow is one of those books that made me think, “I have genuinely never read anything like this before,” and because I read so much, that is a huge compliment.
This is a strange, sharp, speculative literary novel that has a lot to say about women, work, money, bodily autonomy, patriarchy, and what we call “choice.” I especially liked the way it questioned whether a choice is ever completely free when finances, social expectations, and larger systems are shaping the options available to you.
Natalie is also not a neat, easily lovable main character, which I appreciated. She is messy, practical, avoidant, and often looking for the easiest path, but that made her feel very real. The book lets her remain complicated instead of forcing her into a tidy transformation.
The story gets increasingly wild as it goes, but honestly, the whole book is a little strange, so it worked for me. I loved the writing, the cover, and the originality of the concept.
Natalie Naudus was a great fit for the audiobook and really captured the dry, uncomfortable, slightly off-kilter tone of the story.
A very original, thought-provoking read that gave me a lot to think about after I finished.
I really enjoyed this. Fallow is one of those books that made me think, “I have genuinely never read anything like this before,” and because I read so much, that is a huge compliment.
This is a strange, sharp, speculative literary novel that has a lot to say about women, work, money, bodily autonomy, patriarchy, and what we call “choice.” I especially liked the way it questioned whether a choice is ever completely free when finances, social expectations, and larger systems are shaping the options available to you.
Natalie is also not a neat, easily lovable main character, which I appreciated. She is messy, practical, avoidant, and often looking for the easiest path, but that made her feel very real. The book lets her remain complicated instead of forcing her into a tidy transformation.
The story gets increasingly wild as it goes, but honestly, the whole book is a little strange, so it worked for me. I loved the writing, the cover, and the originality of the concept.
Natalie Naudus was a great fit for the audiobook and really captured the dry, uncomfortable, slightly off-kilter tone of the story.
A very original, thought-provoking read that gave me a lot to think about after I finished.
July 24, 2026
An unexpected hit for me! Thank you to FSG for the NetGalley ARC.
With the wit and humor of Jen Beagin’s Big Swiss, the eerie vibes of Apple TV’s Severance, and a perfect companion to Blackett and Gleichman’s Trust & Safety, Fallow by Sarah Anderson is a must-read speculative workplace novel.
Would you rather live a life of comfort, with everything provided for you - but your body doesn’t belong to you? Or, would you prefer freedom and community, but live a life filled with labor and hard work?
Fallow explores capitalism, labor, pregnancy, utopia, and the workforce through the lens of Natalie, the first corporate surrogate for The Company.
I did not expect to love Fallow as much as I did, and found it impossible to put down. I thought the book covered a lot of really fascinating topics. But, I never felt like any of the themes or metaphors were being spoon-fed or overexplained, which is usually what deters me from a lot of contemporary novels. This novel was hilarious, thoughtful, horrifying, and well-plotted, and I would highly recommend it; in fact, I’ve already gotten 6 of my friends to add it to their TBR!
With the wit and humor of Jen Beagin’s Big Swiss, the eerie vibes of Apple TV’s Severance, and a perfect companion to Blackett and Gleichman’s Trust & Safety, Fallow by Sarah Anderson is a must-read speculative workplace novel.
Would you rather live a life of comfort, with everything provided for you - but your body doesn’t belong to you? Or, would you prefer freedom and community, but live a life filled with labor and hard work?
Fallow explores capitalism, labor, pregnancy, utopia, and the workforce through the lens of Natalie, the first corporate surrogate for The Company.
I did not expect to love Fallow as much as I did, and found it impossible to put down. I thought the book covered a lot of really fascinating topics. But, I never felt like any of the themes or metaphors were being spoon-fed or overexplained, which is usually what deters me from a lot of contemporary novels. This novel was hilarious, thoughtful, horrifying, and well-plotted, and I would highly recommend it; in fact, I’ve already gotten 6 of my friends to add it to their TBR!
September 7, 2026
I received this book as an audio book arc from NetGalley thank you to all involved!
4 stars! This book was darkly funny, it made me think a lot and ask myself a lot of questions.
To start with the audio book itself was well done. One person narrated the book and it was crisp and clear easy to understand and easy to listen to sped up. Perfect 5/5.
The book is about Natalie , who at 23 isn’t a big fan of a 9-5 existence and comes across an opportunity to become a well compensated corporate surrogate.
I know she’s supposed to be an unlikable character but I really loved Natalie and was rooting for her the whole time. She was funny and at times really relatable. This book took a look at a lot of complex targets and left you with a lot to think about when it was over.
I absolutely LOVED it and I feel like this book is “weird girl” Yesteryear and I’m so here for it!
4 stars! This book was darkly funny, it made me think a lot and ask myself a lot of questions.
To start with the audio book itself was well done. One person narrated the book and it was crisp and clear easy to understand and easy to listen to sped up. Perfect 5/5.
The book is about Natalie , who at 23 isn’t a big fan of a 9-5 existence and comes across an opportunity to become a well compensated corporate surrogate.
I know she’s supposed to be an unlikable character but I really loved Natalie and was rooting for her the whole time. She was funny and at times really relatable. This book took a look at a lot of complex targets and left you with a lot to think about when it was over.
I absolutely LOVED it and I feel like this book is “weird girl” Yesteryear and I’m so here for it!
September 9, 2026
God this lost all of its steam in the last third. Really amazing set up for virtually no payoff.
July 29, 2026
Fallow is an engaging novel built on a strong concept: what if a major company provided in-house surrogacy services for its employees? What kind of woman would want to serve in this role? Who would this scheme ultimately benefit?
For the first two parts of this book, I thought it handled those questions well and did a good job highlighting some of the thornier issues surrounding surrogacy. Unfortunately, this doesn't exactly land the plane when it takes a sharp turn in the final third and then meanders to a strange, false feeling ending. It is a debut, and so in some ways it feels like two separate stories that were worked into one.
I still enjoyed the beginning of this book and all of the questions the idea of corporate surrogacy raises, so I still think this is worth checking out. It would probably make for either the best or worst book club pick, depending on the discussion that follows.
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
For the first two parts of this book, I thought it handled those questions well and did a good job highlighting some of the thornier issues surrounding surrogacy. Unfortunately, this doesn't exactly land the plane when it takes a sharp turn in the final third and then meanders to a strange, false feeling ending. It is a debut, and so in some ways it feels like two separate stories that were worked into one.
I still enjoyed the beginning of this book and all of the questions the idea of corporate surrogacy raises, so I still think this is worth checking out. It would probably make for either the best or worst book club pick, depending on the discussion that follows.
Many thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 2, 2026
Fallow felt like it was inspired by the Handmaids Tale with a corporate twist. And then there was a kidnapping (adultnapping?) and then there was a feminist commune???? And then it ended in the most boring way possible.
The more I think about this book the more I hate it. So no, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and to NetGalley for the chance to read the advanced digital copy.
The more I think about this book the more I hate it. So no, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and to NetGalley for the chance to read the advanced digital copy.
September 13, 2026
It’s hard for me to say where this went wrong for me, mainly because there was very little that went right. Still, I’ll try to be somewhat constructive and talk about some positives.
This book is split into multiple parts, but it really feels like two entirely different stories. I’m going to avoid spoilers and just refer to them as parts one and two.
Part one is basically the blurb. Natalie is a shiftless twenty-something working a crap job who gets the opportunity to become a corporate surrogate. The summary compared this to The Handmaid’s Tale, which I can kind of see? But it is not that. This was the part that had potential, though, and the reason I requested the book in the first place.
Unfortunately, it never really does anything with that potential. Nat is neither unlikable enough to be an antihero nor naive enough to be pitiable. That in itself could actually be interesting, but, like most things in this book, it just isn’t explored enough. I kept wishing Anderson would commit to something. Make it a more disturbing dark comedy, a smarter satire, a more emotional drama, or a more developed dystopia and I think it could have worked. As it is, it never digs deeply enough into any of those things to say much of anything.
Still, part one was quickly readable in the way reality TV is. Not good, exactly, but entertaining. And then it just sort of…ends. Almost like the author got sick of that story and decided to shift gears entirely.
Part two was so confusingly pointless to me and felt like it was giving an entirely different message. I kept waiting for it to meaningfully tie back into part one, and it never really did. It was just more of Natalie’s noncommittal character in a different setting. What I think was supposed to be character growth happened so quickly and with so little justification that it was pretty much lost on me. Then the ending was saccharine and neat, which this book was definitely not asking for.
I can’t recommend this one, which is a bummer because I really did think the premise had potential. If there was a larger message here, it was lost on me.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGallley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is split into multiple parts, but it really feels like two entirely different stories. I’m going to avoid spoilers and just refer to them as parts one and two.
Part one is basically the blurb. Natalie is a shiftless twenty-something working a crap job who gets the opportunity to become a corporate surrogate. The summary compared this to The Handmaid’s Tale, which I can kind of see? But it is not that. This was the part that had potential, though, and the reason I requested the book in the first place.
Unfortunately, it never really does anything with that potential. Nat is neither unlikable enough to be an antihero nor naive enough to be pitiable. That in itself could actually be interesting, but, like most things in this book, it just isn’t explored enough. I kept wishing Anderson would commit to something. Make it a more disturbing dark comedy, a smarter satire, a more emotional drama, or a more developed dystopia and I think it could have worked. As it is, it never digs deeply enough into any of those things to say much of anything.
Still, part one was quickly readable in the way reality TV is. Not good, exactly, but entertaining. And then it just sort of…ends. Almost like the author got sick of that story and decided to shift gears entirely.
Part two was so confusingly pointless to me and felt like it was giving an entirely different message. I kept waiting for it to meaningfully tie back into part one, and it never really did. It was just more of Natalie’s noncommittal character in a different setting. What I think was supposed to be character growth happened so quickly and with so little justification that it was pretty much lost on me. Then the ending was saccharine and neat, which this book was definitely not asking for.
I can’t recommend this one, which is a bummer because I really did think the premise had potential. If there was a larger message here, it was lost on me.
Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGallley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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