Sex Doll Goddess

by Jadet Kamjorndet, จเด็จ กำจรเดช, Hunter Therron (Translator)

316 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 16, 2027

Reviews

[angelinabvby ۶ৎ]

✨ 𝖆𝖗𝖈 𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖓𝖙 ✨
ur freaky hoe is happy to report that she got this freaky book

[Mai H.]

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books

[Pawarut Jongsirirag · Rating 3 out of 5]

เรื่องนี้น่าจะเป็นเล่มแรก ที่พูดได้เต็มปากว่า คือ ไซไฟสายเลือดไทยของแท้

องค์ประกอบหลายอย่างที่ไทยเหลือเกิ๊นนนนนนนน นำมาใส่พร้อมปั่นรวมกันในเรื่องนี้เต็มที่เลย

นางตะเคียนก็มี พระก็มา วัฒนธรรมการบูชาสิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์แบบมูๆ ผสมกับการเสียดสีโมเดลข้าราชการเอาหน้าก็ไม่มีพลาด นี่คือน้ำจิ้มนะ ในเล่มยังมีอีกเยอะ

แล้วจบด้วยตุ๊กตายางเป็นตัวเอกครับ

ตอนแรกก็งงหนักว่าเรื่องมันจะเป็นยังไง ดูแค่ปกนี่ผมนึกไปถึงหนัง Planet terror ของ Robert Rodriguez แล้ว ยิงกันสนั่น แบบบ้าบวมๆ แต่พอไปอ่านจากปกหลัง บอกว่า มีเพื่อนขโมยตุ๊กตายางที่ดันมีปืนยิงที่แขนงี้เหรอ คือไรวะ 555 แถมพออ่านปกหลังจบ (ที่ไม่ได้ย่อเย่อเนื้อหาอะไรทั้งนั้น) ผมก็เดาไปก่อนเลยว่า นี่มันต้องมาสายวุ่นๆ ตลกๆ แน่เลย แล้วก็ไม่ผิดหวังครับ เพราะมันวุ่นจริง วุ่นขนาดที่ใช้เวลาถึง 300 ปีเลยนะครับ แล้วก็ตลกด้วยนิดหน่อย

เรื่องนี้เซทติ้งในยุคไหนก็ไม่รู้ครับ แต่เดาเอาว่าคงปัจจุบันนี่แหละแถมเป็นที่ไทยซะด้วย แต่เป็นโลกที่มีวิทยาการหุ่นยนต์แอนดรอยต์แล้วนะ ออกแนวเบลดรันเนอร์ที่ไม่ได้เป็นไซเบอร์พังก์

เริ่มต้นเหมือนที่ปกหลังบอก เพื่อนคนหนึ่งขโมยตุ๊กตายางของเพื่อนอีกคน คนหนึ่งหนี คนนึงออกตาม ตามกันไปหนีกันมา ก็มาเจอพระ เจอคนบ้า เจอสายลับ เจอนู่นนี่อะไรไม่รู้เยอะแยะไปหมด

ตัวเนื้อเรื่องเล่าโดยล้อว่าเป็นบทภาพยนตร์ มีการตัดแบ่งองก์ คั่นฉาก แถมมีบทเอนเครดิตกับโฆษณาด้วยนะ เอาเข้าไป เต็มที่กันไปเล้ยยย

การเล่าล้อเลียนบทภาพยนตร์นี่ไม่ใช่กิมมิคนะครับ สิ่งที่เป็นกิมมิคของเล่มนี้จริงๆอยู่ที่รายละเอียดเยอะแยะมากมายที่ถูกเทใส่ลงไป เหมือนที่ผมบอกตอนต้นนั่นแหละครับ มีพระ นางตะเคียน มีสายมู มีอะไรไม่รู้เยอะแยะ ทุกอย่างมะลุมมะตุ้มซัดกันนัวเนียเหมือนดูหนังเรื่อง Snatch ของ Guy Ritchie จากเหตุการณ์หนึ่งมุ่งสู่อีกเหตุการณ์หนึ่ง สู่อีกเหตุการณ์หนึ่ง อีกเหตุการณ์หนึ่ง ผสมกันไปเรื่อยๆ

ในแต่ละช่วงของเรื่อง (ที่ถูกแบ่งออกเป็นองก์เหมือนในหนัง) ก็จะมีลูกเล่นที่ถูกใส่เพิ่มเข้ามาพับทบกันไปตลอดเวลา ซึ่งไอลูกเล่นเนี่ยนอกจากที่ผมบอกว่ามันคือความเป็นไทยแล้ว ไม่รู้ผมคิดไปเองมั้ยว่ามันมีการใส่เหตุการณ์ร่วมสมัยลงไปด้วยนะ เสียดสีเล็กน้อยพอได้ซู๊ดปากบ้าง ก็นับเป็นจุดเล็กๆที่เสริมเข้ามาเป็นสีสันได้อยู่

ผมมีเรื่องติดนิดนึงว่า ในบางลูกเล่นหรือกิมมิคบางอย่าง (ที่รวมถึงตัวละครบางตัวด้วย) มันก็ดูไม่ค่อยจะเนียนกับเรื่องราวเท่าไหร่นัก แบบว่าโอเคผมมีของชิ้นนั้น ชิ้นนี้ต้องใส่นะ แต่หาจุดลงตัวดีๆไม่ได้ซักที งั้นก็ใส่มันไปเลยละกัน กลบๆเล็กน้อยแล้วจะได้ไปต่อกัน ทำให้มีบางจุดรู้สึกว่าไม่ต้องใส่มาก็ได้หรือตัดเนื้อเรื่องบางส่วนออกไปก็น่าจะทำได้ พออ่านจนจบแล้วเลยคิดว่า มันน่าจะเขียนให้กระชับกว่านี้ ลดบางจุดบางตอนลงหน่อยก็ดูจะไม่ได้เสียรูปเรื่องอะไรนัก ประมาณว่าหายไปซัก 20 เปอเซนก็ไม่ติดอะไรเลย

นอกจากเรื่องกิมมิกแล้ว อีกอันที่น่าพูดถึงหน่อย คือ การเซทติ้งเรื่องราวที่ยาวถึง 300 ปีเลย นับจากจุดเริ่มต้น วันที่เพื่อนขโมยตุ๊กตามา แต่เห็นกินเวลาขนาดนี้ มันไม่ได้เล่าเป็นเส้นตรงนะครับ มันใช้วิธีเล่าเรื่องตัดสลับไปมาระหว่างปัจจุบันและอนาคต แม้จะเน้นหนักไปที่ปัจจุบันมากกกกกกกกกกว่าเยอะ แถมยังเล่าผ่านมุมมองของตัวเอกหลายตัวไปพร้อมกันด้วย เรียกว่าอ่านมุมมองคนนู้นคนนี้ ตัดภาพวาปไปอนาคต ดึงวาปกลับมาตรงนี้ ตัดกลับไปคนนั้น

การเล่าแบบนี้ มุมหนึ่งมันก็เป็นข้อดีที่ทำให้ได้คนอ่าน ได้เห็นมุมมองของตัวละครที่แตกต่างกัน ไม่ได้จมอยู่ที่ตัวละครเอกคนเดียว (เพราะตัวละครแอบเยอะนะครับ บอกเลย 555) แต่ผมก็คิดว่ามันก็ไม่ได้จำเป็นต้องเล่าผ่านสายตาของหลายตัวละครแบบนี้ก็ได้ พูดอีกอย่างคือเล่าจากมุมมองเดียวก็ไม่ได้ทำให้เรื่องราวแตกต่างออกไป หรือเห็นอะไรลึกขึ้นกว่าเดิมมากนัก ทำให้การตัดไปตัดมา ลดความลื่นไหลของการอ่านไปพอสมควร ประกอบว่าผมชอบพาทในอนาคตมากกว่าปัจจุบัน แต่มีน้อยเกิ๊นนน เลยแบบ โห่วว ใส่มามากกว่านี้ได้มั้ยยยยยยยย.....

ในส่วนสุดท้ายที่อยากพูดถึง คือ การเล่นกับเรื่อง อะไรคือความเป็นมนุษย์ อะไรคือหุ่นยนต์ สิ่งใดที่เราไว้ใช้แยกระหว่างกัน อารมณ์ความรู้สึกมั้ย ความคิดจินตนาการหรือเปล่า คำตอบมันก็ไม่ได้แน่ชัด ซึ่งแก่นอันนี้แหละที่เรื่องนี้ใช้เป็นเรื่องเล่าฉากหลัง การเล่าโดยใช้แก่นเรื่องแบบนี้ ถ้าใครได้อ่านไซไฟมาพอประมาณก็น่าจะเดาได้ว่ามันจะถูกเล่าออกมายังไง อะไรจะถูกตั้งเป็นคำถามและถูกเล่าผ่านสายตาของใคร ซึ่งมันก็ดีเป็นไปตามมาตรฐาน แต่ผมอยากเห็นการเล่าอีกแบบมากกว่าครับ แบบที่เล่าผ่านสายตาของมนุษย์ที่อยู่มานานจนมีชีวิตเหมือนหุ่นยนต์ เรามักตั้งต้นว่าถ้าหุยนต์อยู่มานานพอมันจะกลายเป็นมนุษย์ (มั้ย) เหมือนเรื่องมนุษย์สองร้อยปีของอสิมอฟ แต่ไม่ได้เห็นการเล่าในมุมกลับนั้นเท่าไหร่นัก ที่เคยเห็นคือเรื่องสั้นของ เคนหลิว ที่ล่าในมุมนี้ได้บันเทิงมาก เลยแอบเสียดายว่าที่เล่มนี้เหมือนจะไปแตะแล้ว แต่ก็ไม่ได้เล่าต่อหรือขยี้ลงไป ยังคงเล่าโดยใช่แก่นเรื่องเดิมเสียมากกว่า

ในภาพรวมมันเป็นไซไฟที่โอเคนะครับ ไม่ได้ดูพยายามจะเป็นไซไฟจนเลี่ยน เป็นความบันเทิงแบบบ้าๆบวมๆที่สนุกดี แม้ว่าจะมีแผลตรงนั้นบ้างตรงนี้หน่อย แต่ก็ไม่ได้สาหัสจนทำให้เรื่องเป๋ นับว่าไม่ได้เป็นไซไฟไทยแบบที่เหมือนเราพยายามเขียนให้เหมือนเมืองนอก ทั้งๆที่หากคิดดูดีๆแล้ว “ความเป็นไทย” เนี่ย มันมีความพิลึกพิลั่นเหนือจริงที่นำมาเขียนเป็นไซไฟที่มีกลิ่นความเป็นไทยชัดเจนได้ไม่ยากเลย

เรื่องนี้ก็เป็นตัวอย่างที่ดี ที่พูดได้เต็มปากว่ามันคือไซไฟของไทยจริงๆ ครับ ดูน้อยลง

[Sylthrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lotte is a failure - he's a screen writer who had a single success and nothing ever since, he's got a wife and kids, but frequently leaves them to do nothing but drink and waste time. He's got a friend in Mep though, that's where he goes to stay at whenever the wife kicks him out - and Mep allows him to do anything he wants at his place, treat it like his own. This time Mep gave him one rule, stay out of his bedroom. Obviously that's the only thing Lotte wants to do from then on, so he begs to stay for one more day when Mep has to leave and then immediately breaks into his bedroom to discover Mep's secret: a sex doll. And her things, including a wedding dress, just to show how serious Mep took this part of himself. And Lotte then does exactly what he always has: he steals Samsaen, the sex doll.

While you're reading his book it straight up feels like no amount of insanity would ever allow me to come up with the plot for it. Lotte stealing Mep's sex doll wife is crazy enough, it fits his character, yeah, but somehow it's the perfect way to meet Lotte and see who he is. Then him losing Samsaen to some thugs in the way he did, the things that can only happen because he did, him trying to get her back so he can return her to Mep because deep down he's not the guy to steal your sex doll and then never return it.. This book is nothing but chaos. And it doesn't get any more controlled later on either - every person you meet along the way has some insane backstory and yet they're not really crazy. The whole plot is basically someone asking 'what if things got even more unhinged? Like what if we add aliens and the military and high tech craziness and and and..' And then doing it. And still, things wrap up by the end. Absolutely wild.

I'm not going to lie, the writing style is a little hard to get used to. It feels very much like listening to someone endlessly rambling. Weirdly enough, even this gets addressed by the end and it's almost crazy to say but after it gets mentioned, it makes sense - this story had to be told in that way.
That doesn't mean it was an easy read though - whenever anyone in the story comes across someone else, they soon start to recount how they're related or how they know each other, going back to their childhood to talk about things in detail and explaining, which is nice but those descriptions often also include crazy things.. Such as the story of Lotte meeting Ding again, then immediately going off to talk about how Ding really is a buffalo and he's lost, but then turns out he's not, he's human and his father had a special buffalo once. Or there's the temple of Ai Kai and when that temple gets mentioned you find out about how they worship by using chicken statues there and how it wasn't always chicken, who it is they worship there, where the chicken all came from, who made them and how.. And then you meet the chicken sculptor and all of those randomly told details build a story. I really enjoyed them for that reason - it feels like someone's crazy rambling grandparent who forgot what he's really talking about to now bring you this random story, but if you listen to enough of them, they all paint a picture and you need to stay until the end to really see it.

The whole book is split into different acts, as if you're actually reading the screenplay of a movie and these were the different parts, just that there are chapters stepping away from the screenplay too to explain things that happen outside of it - like the ending. You get the epilogue, the credits roll and there's descriptions of the cinema getting cleaned, people leaving.. And not even that part is just random. At first again it felt like 'and it's still going? We're at the third random clip after the movie ended and it's just not over?' and then you find out more about the plot and where in the plot that ending is actually to be placed and who is there, cleaning.. Wow. To write a book like this, split it up like that and still manage to hold all the threads and keep going.. I feel like there's very few books like this and every time I come across one, it's nothing but impressive.

I read this book and had no idea how it was going to end. And I'll say it again, I read this book and never would have expected that ending to come either. It's a book about a sex doll goddess and even the title only really makes sense by the end and that's where it goes?! It fits, it works, it makes sense and wraps things up, goes back to pretty much the beginning of the story and explains some of the weirder details, but damn.
With the amount of details and plot twists though, there are a few details that left me wondering at the end - including the whole tiger business. Why were two characters somehow talking about tigers living in them, taking control, letting the tiger out etc? Or the actual way the story was supposed to have unfolded if you add the plot twist into it - I feel like there are a few things left to guess there. With how detailed everything else was, I really would have wanted some more for those parts as well.

Overall, you've got to trust the process with this book, things may seem random but really, they're not. And even the final reveal is layered, it just takes time until you realize how all of the little details really fit together. Really reminded me of Eversion by Alastair Reynolds, so if you're into that.. This one's for you.

Thank you Penguin Random House SEA for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Reynacor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for proving an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sex Doll Goddess by Jadet Kamjordent follows two friends Mep and Lotte and Samsaen the sex doll. It’s classified under Fantasy and Romance, I honestly did not see any romance in the book, there was no love. I think it’s more under horror because of how Samsaen was treated by the men around her.

The novel at the start follows Lotte, and most of his failures. I dislike Lotte a lot, his reminiscing and lore-dumping was kind of annoying, and I wanted out of his point of view. Until things changed. That’s why it was confusing that Lotte did not remember a lot of his old acquaintances, and how they kept saying he was dead. I thought it was just a joke, to tell that he never visited his hometown.

Mep on the other hand was an accomplished educator, he basically had all what Lotte doesn’t have except for a wife, though Lotte used to be an award winning screenwriter, but that was all in the past. Mep even put on an effort to make up a story about his supposed wife. And so one night him and Lotte decided to look for a sex doll.

Also for the whole of the story, Mep’s tiger’s wrath was certainly not working.

It’s like Lotte and Mep have a symbiotic relationship.

As the story goes, we know the real Lotte was dead, but it didn’t excuse him being an annoying and bad friend, he died not following what Mep had told him. He was just a bad friend, and Mep was too passive.

It was such a plot twist, 70% in the story where finally, things are moving forward. We thought Samsaen was the goal of the repo guys, but no, it was Lotte who is an old model.

The pacing was really slow. I admit my eyes started glossing over and had to reread because the writing was not that good in my opinion, perhaps it’s a translation problem. The story was confusing at times, the writing tended to jump from point of view to point of view. Even minor characters get a litany. The story tends to segway into a different one, confusing me with what relevance does it have for the plot, at one point I forgot about Samsaen. It took so long to go back to her plot. There was too much rambling that I really don’t think is important. Perhaps the writing mimics Lotte’s screenplay, but I don’t want it as an excuse for the writing to be too much

There were times where I didn't understand the reference, but it’s my fault for not researching enough about Thai culture. There was also a huge chunk of the story regarding monks. I get that it’s important to transition to Samsaen being a goddess but perhaps and maybe it can be shortened? I don’t understand how I can care about the other characters' story when the title of the book was about Samsaen. Not all characters deserved a lore dump. At the end, the story became more confusing, it’s like somebody decided to change the plot midway and now we are where the humans are extinct.

I tried really hard to like this, the concept was interesting and the cover was stunning, but I really did not enjoy my time reading this. It was a task finishing this book, I thought it had gotten better near the end, but it just became more confusing.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the blub, I thought this was going to a be a thriller about a sex doll terrorising everyone... 😂 Nope.

Sex Doll Goddess, translated from Thai, follows Lotte after he finds his friend’s state-of-the-art sex doll in wedding clothes and runs away with her to his hometown in Southern Thailand. What starts as a bizarre journey quickly turns into something much bigger, as the doll develops sentience and the story dives into androids, identity and what it means to be human.

I’ll be honest, the first half was a struggle for me. There was a LOT of backstory, and I kept wondering what the point was. But Parts 3 and 4 really picked up, and the revelations finally started making sense.

I loved the whole “becoming self-aware” aspect and the questions around identity. The plot twist was definitely an “OH!” moment and made so many earlier details click into place.

Overall, I enjoyed the ideas more than the actual storyline, but I did appreciate how unconventional it was. It definitely wasn’t what I expected!

⭐⭐⭐ rated up

I always love discovering authors from Southeast Asia, so I’m really glad I picked this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jadet Kamjorndet, and Penguin Random House Asia for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a journey. This story reads like a fever dream. I was not certain to understand what was really happening. A lot of characters were introduced without really knowing what their purpose. I liked how it was written like a movie script, it was an interesting choice. I feel like the summary is maybe a bit misleading, I was expecting thriller/slasher book, maybe with a touch of feminism as Samsaen is taking her revenge. That’s not what happened at all. I can’t quite describe what this book is without spoiling it. I think you just have to read for yourself and enjoy the ride. It’s definitely an unexpected story, I never could’ve imagine how it was going to end. It does take some time before it really gets going. I liked the writing, the translation was great! Overall, it’s a good book and it was fun to read a story set in Thailand. The story structure was very different and some details that looked random were actually foreshadowing which I liked. It’s definitely worth reading !

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.

[irem · Rating 2 out of 5]

My gratitude goes to the publishing house and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. To begin with, I found the concept rather intriguing, and the first couple of chapters were quite engaging. However, soon I lost track of the plot and failed to be interested in the events developing. The major point that made it hard for me to immerse into the story was its structure. There is a great variety of plots and perspectives that keep changing all the time, which makes it hard to get into them as there isn't any continuity and pace to keep up with. Even though there were some unusual and weird ideas in the story that intrigued me, I did not manage to figure out their connection and how they were going to affect the development of the main characters and the storyline as a whole.
It is worth noting that it was not the writing style that prevented me from being interested. In the second part of the book, I was rather motivated to read just to finish the story than being excited about it.

[Katie Rufo Barksdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sex Doll Goddess was a truly unique reading experience, though I felt that some of the nuance was lost in translation. The writing style often caused narrative whiplash, as the perspective shifts between characters in a non-linear fashion, which made the story quite difficult to follow.

I particularly appreciated the moments where the author referenced other works of art, like movies, and took the time to explain how they related to the story. Too often, authors drop references that go over the reader's head, which can detract from the immersion, so I was grateful for the context provided here.

While the book started strong, it unfortunately lost steam shortly after. I’m glad I finished it to see how everything concluded, but I found myself lacking the motivation to keep reading for most of the middle section. Thankfully, the final quarter was the most engaging part of the book. The premise is incredibly creative and intricate, and I only wish the execution had been more cohesive to make the journey easier to navigate.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️.5

I have to admit, the premise of this book totally hooked me. It sounded wonderfully bizarre and eerie, so I went in expecting to be properly creeped out. Instead? I spent most of the time just feeling bored.

I really wanted to connect with her story, but she (Samsaen) often felt pushed aside by everything else happening. That said, it wasn't all bad a few plot twists actually managed to surprise me. Finding out Lotte was actually dead and that he, not Samsaen, was the real target was a genuinely great twist. My biggest problem was the pacing and writing. Lotte’s POV was especially difficult for me (probably everyone who reads this hate him)

It's a shame because the gorgeous cover and unique concept held so much potential, but finishing this felt like a task for me. Maybe this just wasn't the book for me, but I think the story had a genuinely fascinating idea but just got drag by the slow pacing and unnecessary detours. Beautiful cover, interesting concept, but unfortunately, not a memorable reading experience for me.

[Ran Mourey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, reading Sex Doll Goddess was a really unique experience for me. Right from the first few chapters, it was clear that Jadet Kamjorndet has a really precise and artistic way of writing. The prose is super evocative, and the imagery honestly stuck with me long after I put the book down.

​I really respect how bold the author is in exploring such complex themes. The narrative voice feels very strong and distinct, which really keeps you engaged. Hunter Therron’s translation also flows really well, keeping that poetic quality intact, which I think makes it a great pick for anyone who enjoys literature that challenges the status quo and gets you thinking.

​It’s definitely a daring story, but it’s clearly crafted for readers who appreciate thought-provoking tales that dive deep into human desires and reflections. It’s a sophisticated read that gives you a lot to chew on. I’m glad I had the chance to dive into this and see such a unique creative vision for myself.

[Beca Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for this ARC!*

[***2 STARS, DNF***]
I don't really know what I was expecting from this story, but the description really enticed me and I was thrilled to receive an ARC - but unfortunately this book really wasn't for me.

The book is set out like a screen play and the structure of it is super unique and interesting! If this writing style is something that you are able to follow and understand then this book will 100% be for you, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me at all :(
I found myself getting super confused on every page, I read for hours and was barely making progress and I just couldn't keep up with the story at all. The parts of the story that I did understand I really liked!

The plot is super unique and very fever-dream-esque, it defies genre in a way that it takes elements from horror, magical realism, lit-fic and thriller but doesn't quite fit into a single category fully. I was almost expecting some notes of feminism throughout but maybe I didn't get far enough in for that to happen?

If you can vibe with and understand the writing style, this will be a great read! The author does grip you and the characters do feel real because you get to see so many different sides of them, but yeah, this just wasn't for me unfortunately :(

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Books for the e-ARC!

If I had a nickel for every time I read a book about a sex doll that gained sentience, I would have two nickels. Which is not a lot, but isn't it weird it happened twice?

This book is like a trip on some wild drug-induced dream, as there’s a LOT going on. Written to mimic a screen play, we witness the sex doll, Samsen, transform from to goddess; all while we see her previous “owners” lives go sideways.

I initially thought that this would be somewhat more heist-y/ slasher, maybe a bit more feminist, but perhaps it’s because it’s translated that it doesn’t automatically come off that way.

Still an interesting story on companionship, autonomy, and what makes someone “human” or larger than life.

Overall, a strange, but interesting read.

3.5/5 stars

[Gulendam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t the right fit for me. I appreciate that the author aimed for something unique and unconventional, but I found the story too confusing to fully engage with. Instead of feeling immersed in the narrative, I often struggled to understand what was happening, which made it difficult to connect with the characters or the plot.

That said, I do admire the originality of the concept. It’s clear that the author took a creative approach, and I can see how readers who enjoy surreal, experimental storytelling might appreciate it much more than I did.

While this one didn’t work for me personally, I’m sure it will find an audience that enjoys books that challenge traditional storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an Advance Reader Copy.

[KelseyReadsABunch · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, Sex Doll Goddess wasn't the right fit for me. I made it to around 45% before deciding to DNF. I found the story incredibly confusing—almost like a fever dream—and felt like I was working too hard to follow what was happening rather than becoming immersed in it.

That said, I do want to give credit to the author for writing something so original and unlike anything I've read before. I also found myself wondering whether some of my confusion may have been due to translation, as it's possible some of the nuance or style didn't fully carry across.

While this one wasn't for me, readers looking for something truly unconventional may have a very different experience.

Thank you so much for NetGalley for the chance to review this unique arc.

[sab · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC received via NetGalley.

The cover really pulled me in. The woman, the colors, the title... everything was very enticing and meant for me to click and request.

If you like horror genre, you will like this book.
If you like books written as screen plays, ALSO read.
If you want a confirmation to how men treat women, alive or fake, this is for you too.

The author's writing style was great, I just couldn't follow along until the very end.
I believe the pace of this book is what put me off, and the fact that we got to meet soooo many characters and it got confusing very fast.

It is very original, big kudos to the author for writing this because at the very least it's not something you're used to reading (and can get bored of).

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

I don't think I've ever read anything like this before. This is both a compliment and a criticism of the entire book.

At times I couldn't put the story down and was quite literally glued to the page and I appreciated that the book took me somewhere I would have never had expected or even imagined, however the widing way the story played out was confusing at times. There were so many threads, characters and concepts to keep up with that it was a bit confusing at times. I think there was also a culture barrier with some of the things in this book for myself and could present as a possible issue for some.

Overall, I do think this is a book you need to make your own judgement on and go into with an open mind.

[blok sera szwajcarskiego · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for honest opinion, thanks!

Sex Doll Goddess is a short but oh how philosophical parable of humanity. It deceives reader about the direction it's going, choosing a path more down-to-earth, but by blending the fictional reality and fictional fiction, it creates a unique experience focused on what it means to be perceived as human and non-human. Android, sex doll, religious object of worship?

I will admit, I expected a bit more action-packed story, as such potential is present in the book. I am content with what I received, even though it was not what I assumed it would be.

[Hebah Jamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sex Doll Goddess Book Review 4🌟

What a book! It was my first time experiencing a book like this one. The book felt difficult to understand what was really happening especially with the many characters that were introduced! But when things started to hit, everything clicked together and became clearer! I’d lie if I said I didn't enjoy this book. It was truly a new good experience for me and a freaky one to be honest!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this opportunity and this beautiful read!!!

[Rahdika K · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ermmm…reads like a fever dream. I’m not sure what I have just read. I think the writing style is certainly unique. So if you can follow through, you might like this book. Otherwise, like me, you will be probably left in wonder. I felt like Dr Mos (one of the side character in the book that is deemed to be insane) for most of the time. The layout is like a screenplay. The book did remind me of my recent read, Lonely People Meet by Sayantan Ghosh. They both have somewhat similar concepts.

I’m divided whether to recommend this book or not.

[Salomé · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book made me feel quite uncomfortable. I found that the author spent too much time on the two male characters, while the doll—who had so much more to reveal—was barely explored. There was an abundance of backstory that didn’t really advance the plot. On the plus side, the beautiful cover initially drew me in. Perhaps something was lost in translation, which might have impacted the overall experience.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguins House for the arc

[Daan Jansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Translated from Thai, Sex Doll Goddess is such an unexpectedly easy and enjoyable read, and as a professional translator myself, it really made me appreciate the art of translation even more. Translating a book is so much more than simply moving words from one language to another; it requires an understanding of tone, culture, context, humour, and all those little details that make a story feel natural in another language. The fact that I never felt like I was “reading a translation,” but rather an English book that stood completely on its own, is probably the biggest compliment I can give to the translator.

As someone currently studying Thai, I had so much fun catching the little references to Southern Thailand, the language notes, and those details that made the setting feel even more alive.

The story itself is wonderfully quirky, fun, and surprisingly well-built. With a title like Sex Doll Goddess, you might expect something completely over-the-top, but I actually found the story much more balanced than I anticipated. It has plenty of weirdness and humour, but it never feels like it is trying too hard. The short chapters also made it incredibly easy to follow and kept the story moving at a really nice pace.

And to the author and translator: ขอบคุณมากครับสำหรับเรื่องราวสนุก ๆ แบบนี้!

[Kappy Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this novel. Some readers will certainly enjoy the writing style and prose in this book. The Thai atmosphere is very appealing as well. This book explores many life lessons and struggles in a creative way. Personally, I am not sure this was my cup of tea. The concept just never sat right with me the whole book.

[Amy Peterson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book was an odd fit for me. Like a fever dream or trip. I did DNF because I was confused.

I do want to give credit to the author for writing something so original and setting it like a screenplay. This book would be great for those watching an out of the box experience.

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy through NetGalley.

[Faiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading a book like this. It did took me some time to understand the book fully and then get into it. But once I got what was going on, I couldn’t stop myself from reading it and finishing. I won’t spoil it for others so read it to know how this book and end.