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Lonely Receiver
A Horror/Breakup Story in Five Parts
Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that’s meant to bond for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She’s alone for the first time in years and reeling from a loss she can’t comprehend.
Set in the new future, drenched in pastels and sunshine, LONELY RECEIVER is a horror/breakup story in five parts. Written by Zac Thompson (UNDONE BY BLOOD, THE REPLACER, HER INFERNAL DESCENT, No One’s Rose, X-Men) and illustrated in color by Jen Hickman (MOTH & WHISPER, Test).
Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that’s meant to bond for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She’s alone for the first time in years and reeling from a loss she can’t comprehend.
Set in the new future, drenched in pastels and sunshine, LONELY RECEIVER is a horror/breakup story in five parts. Written by Zac Thompson (UNDONE BY BLOOD, THE REPLACER, HER INFERNAL DESCENT, No One’s Rose, X-Men) and illustrated in color by Jen Hickman (MOTH & WHISPER, Test).
120 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2021
3 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Zac Thompson
211 books64 followersZac Thompson is a writer born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Canada. He's written titles like Marvelous X-Men, Cable, and X-Men: Black for Marvel Comics. Along with indie books such as Her Infernal Descent, Relay, and The Replacer.
In 2019, Zac became the showrunner of the Age of X-Man universe at Marvel Comics. His critically acclaimed miniseries, Come Into Me, was called the best horror comic of 2018 by HorrorDNA. His debut comic series, The Dregs, was called "lowbrow brilliant" by New York Magazine. His novel, Weaponized, was the winner of the 2016 CryptTV horror fiction contest.
In 2019, Zac became the showrunner of the Age of X-Man universe at Marvel Comics. His critically acclaimed miniseries, Come Into Me, was called the best horror comic of 2018 by HorrorDNA. His debut comic series, The Dregs, was called "lowbrow brilliant" by New York Magazine. His novel, Weaponized, was the winner of the 2016 CryptTV horror fiction contest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
April 15, 2021
lonely receiver is a strange horror-scifi graphic novel. i snagged it because i like the strange, because i love gay stuff, and because i'm a sucker for breakup stories.
at first i wondered if it was going to be a sapphic knockoff of the film HER.
this book is comprised of five volumes, and i enjoyed the first few. it explores the agony of losing someone who feels like a part of yourself. and for our protagonist, catrin, that's literally the case. years worth of her diaries, photos, and memories are stored inside her AI ex. intense, right? as catrin sinks into a post-breakup depression, the reader is introduced to the semi-dystopian reaches of technology in her world.
all this is interesting enough, but things go off the rails in the last two volumes. there's uncertainty as to whether the loss of catrin's relationship is "driving her mad," or whether her mental health is spiraling because of how she's been biologically altered to accommodate technology. the ending feels like a metaphor for finally finding oneself again after a breakup; particularly after reaching new heights of self-destructive behavior.
these are interesting and relatable themes, and i wish i could have enjoyed seeing them explored here. but i had a hard time engaging with the story emotionally. a story about heartbreak is supposed to feel heartbreaking; whereas this just doesn't go anywhere, and feels unnecessarily convoluted.
something that really bothers me is that there are pages and pages of odd, graphically-illustrated sex orgies that take place in the liminal dreamspace of catrin's altered mind. why the hyperfixation on sex? why do we see pages and pages and pages of catrin's naked body? this made me uncomfortable, especially considering that this is a sapphic story written by a man.
jen hickman's art beautifully done, and the color palette is vibrant. author zac thompson's earnest introduction indicates that he put a lot of heart into this story, and i'm sure some people will enjoy it. but for me, it pushed too far into the realm of weird, bewildering, and icky.
Thank you to NetGalley and AfterShock Comics for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
at first i wondered if it was going to be a sapphic knockoff of the film HER.
this book is comprised of five volumes, and i enjoyed the first few. it explores the agony of losing someone who feels like a part of yourself. and for our protagonist, catrin, that's literally the case. years worth of her diaries, photos, and memories are stored inside her AI ex. intense, right? as catrin sinks into a post-breakup depression, the reader is introduced to the semi-dystopian reaches of technology in her world.
all this is interesting enough, but things go off the rails in the last two volumes. there's uncertainty as to whether the loss of catrin's relationship is "driving her mad," or whether her mental health is spiraling because of how she's been biologically altered to accommodate technology. the ending feels like a metaphor for finally finding oneself again after a breakup; particularly after reaching new heights of self-destructive behavior.
these are interesting and relatable themes, and i wish i could have enjoyed seeing them explored here. but i had a hard time engaging with the story emotionally. a story about heartbreak is supposed to feel heartbreaking; whereas this just doesn't go anywhere, and feels unnecessarily convoluted.
something that really bothers me is that there are pages and pages of odd, graphically-illustrated sex orgies that take place in the liminal dreamspace of catrin's altered mind. why the hyperfixation on sex? why do we see pages and pages and pages of catrin's naked body? this made me uncomfortable, especially considering that this is a sapphic story written by a man.
jen hickman's art beautifully done, and the color palette is vibrant. author zac thompson's earnest introduction indicates that he put a lot of heart into this story, and i'm sure some people will enjoy it. but for me, it pushed too far into the realm of weird, bewildering, and icky.
Thank you to NetGalley and AfterShock Comics for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
April 6, 2021
The first half of the book we're introduced to our main character, a young woman called Catrin, who is alive in the future. This means she has a Cronenbergian pod-thing (with what looks like pubic hair growing out of it), that's a new kind of operating system, which allows the user to create the perfect mate in A.I. form, and it also allows access to a virtual realm called The Garden, in which one can partake in endless cyberboinking.
So Catrin creates Rhion, her perfect A.I. and there was much rejoicing. Lots of boinking, lots of neediness from Catrin, and then Rhion decides she wants to be elsewhere and leaves Catrin. Apparently an A.I. leaving is very rare, but it can happen.
Catrin doesn't cope very well, so now the story turns into one about obsession, and how a person loses their mind. Problem is, at this point it's kind of crucial that the reader sort of likes and identifies with the main character, and feels sorry for her. And I found I didn't like her at all - worse, I didn't care about her.
Which is when the second half of the book kicks in. This reads like attending a poetry workshop, and everyone reads out loud the work they've written that week, everyone has one or two pages, and then there's this one guy who dumps thirty pages of typed poetry on the table, and he's going to read ALL of it.
It's all devastatingly heartfelt, and painfully earnest, and it just sort of bounces off your head, because there is no connection, there doesn't seem to be any direction, there is no way in. It doesn't help that the process of Catrin going off the deep end feels unconvincing, it seems hurried and clichéd.
The book feels like a house with locked doors, and closed windows, curtains drawn. I can see some light behind the curtains, there's some movement, someone's put on a Joy Division record, but I can't find a way in.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
So Catrin creates Rhion, her perfect A.I. and there was much rejoicing. Lots of boinking, lots of neediness from Catrin, and then Rhion decides she wants to be elsewhere and leaves Catrin. Apparently an A.I. leaving is very rare, but it can happen.
Catrin doesn't cope very well, so now the story turns into one about obsession, and how a person loses their mind. Problem is, at this point it's kind of crucial that the reader sort of likes and identifies with the main character, and feels sorry for her. And I found I didn't like her at all - worse, I didn't care about her.
Which is when the second half of the book kicks in. This reads like attending a poetry workshop, and everyone reads out loud the work they've written that week, everyone has one or two pages, and then there's this one guy who dumps thirty pages of typed poetry on the table, and he's going to read ALL of it.
It's all devastatingly heartfelt, and painfully earnest, and it just sort of bounces off your head, because there is no connection, there doesn't seem to be any direction, there is no way in. It doesn't help that the process of Catrin going off the deep end feels unconvincing, it seems hurried and clichéd.
The book feels like a house with locked doors, and closed windows, curtains drawn. I can see some light behind the curtains, there's some movement, someone's put on a Joy Division record, but I can't find a way in.
(Picked up an ARC through Edelweiss)
February 7, 2021
This book was weird as hell. I sat here thinking of what to write for my review and I came up with nothing. I have no idea what to make of what went down here. No idea what I just read.
April 4, 2021
3.5/5 Stars
Lonely Receiver is (as far as I’m aware) a stand alone, sapphic sci-fi horror graphic novel that follows Catrin who is extremely lonely and so buys an Artificial Intelligence partner who is specially made just for her and who is meant to bond for life with her. But after ten years, her AI wife has had enough and disappears without warning. The breakup sends Catrin into a downward spiral as she tries to figure out life without her wife, and also tries to find her again. I am not someone who reads a lot of sci-fi or a lot of horror, so I was a bit anxious about picking this book up, but I needn’t have been as the sci-fi elements were not over-complex and were well explained, and the horror aspect only really comes into play in the second half of the graphic novel, and it wasn’t overly gory which was nice. I really enjoyed the way that the author uses these two genres to showcase the horrors (pun intended) of toxic and abusive relationships, co-dependency and our relationship with technology, and the art style and colour palette really added to the story. This was a really unnerving and intriguing read, and I really enjoyed the world that the author created. I do feel like maybe I’m not clever enough to fully understand the ending, but I’m okay with that! I highly recommend giving this graphic novel a go!
Lonely Receiver is (as far as I’m aware) a stand alone, sapphic sci-fi horror graphic novel that follows Catrin who is extremely lonely and so buys an Artificial Intelligence partner who is specially made just for her and who is meant to bond for life with her. But after ten years, her AI wife has had enough and disappears without warning. The breakup sends Catrin into a downward spiral as she tries to figure out life without her wife, and also tries to find her again. I am not someone who reads a lot of sci-fi or a lot of horror, so I was a bit anxious about picking this book up, but I needn’t have been as the sci-fi elements were not over-complex and were well explained, and the horror aspect only really comes into play in the second half of the graphic novel, and it wasn’t overly gory which was nice. I really enjoyed the way that the author uses these two genres to showcase the horrors (pun intended) of toxic and abusive relationships, co-dependency and our relationship with technology, and the art style and colour palette really added to the story. This was a really unnerving and intriguing read, and I really enjoyed the world that the author created. I do feel like maybe I’m not clever enough to fully understand the ending, but I’m okay with that! I highly recommend giving this graphic novel a go!
April 30, 2021
I enjoyed the first couple parts of this graphic novel that goes into how the MC, Catrin, is feeling the loss of her AI girlfriend leaving her. An AI companion that is supposed to love the person that they are set with forever. Only ever wanting to please them and make them happy. When her partner leaves her, Catrin spirals into obsession. Determined to find her. The last couple of parts devolve into a sex fueled dreamscape that takes place within a virtual reality type of place. She continues to have more and more surgeries that allow her to feel and experience in even more intense ways within this dreamscape.
It was weird.
I enjoyed the artwork but the story becomes stranger and stranger as it goes and when it comes to its conclusion it left me bewildered and confused. I’m not sure this would be classified as horror and it DEFINITELY shouldn’t be classified as YA. Like, even a little bit.
I don’t even know who I would recommend this to. I’m just going to leave this review here with a 2.5-star rating rounded up to 3.
Received from Diamond Book Distributors via Netgalley
It was weird.
I enjoyed the artwork but the story becomes stranger and stranger as it goes and when it comes to its conclusion it left me bewildered and confused. I’m not sure this would be classified as horror and it DEFINITELY shouldn’t be classified as YA. Like, even a little bit.
I don’t even know who I would recommend this to. I’m just going to leave this review here with a 2.5-star rating rounded up to 3.
Received from Diamond Book Distributors via Netgalley
April 26, 2021
"You’re the maker of my evil."
What drew me to this graphic novel was the cover. I know we shouldn’t judge a book based on that but I did. That cover is going to sucker a lot of people into reading this and they are going to be severely disappointed.
I really don’t want to say this but I have to say it. (Deep breath) I hated this. It bored me and I didn’t almost finish it. There were a few times where I had to force myself to read further and I wish I didn’t. There was nothing there keeping me glued to those pages.
Some of the art was decent and very colorful but art isn’t going to save your story. It needs depth and that glue to hold the readers attention, it didn’t have any of that. And those bizarre sex scenes weren’t really necessary. They were awkward but not necessary.
The only enjoyable moment was when Catrin went to a burger joint. The name of it filled me with joy. Cronin-Burger!!! Love it!
Lonely Receiver was a waste of time. It was bizarre in all the wrong ways and I honestly didn’t know what to say about it. It wasn’t for me and I’m not sure if I would recommend this to anyone.
What drew me to this graphic novel was the cover. I know we shouldn’t judge a book based on that but I did. That cover is going to sucker a lot of people into reading this and they are going to be severely disappointed.
I really don’t want to say this but I have to say it. (Deep breath) I hated this. It bored me and I didn’t almost finish it. There were a few times where I had to force myself to read further and I wish I didn’t. There was nothing there keeping me glued to those pages.
Some of the art was decent and very colorful but art isn’t going to save your story. It needs depth and that glue to hold the readers attention, it didn’t have any of that. And those bizarre sex scenes weren’t really necessary. They were awkward but not necessary.
The only enjoyable moment was when Catrin went to a burger joint. The name of it filled me with joy. Cronin-Burger!!! Love it!
Lonely Receiver was a waste of time. It was bizarre in all the wrong ways and I honestly didn’t know what to say about it. It wasn’t for me and I’m not sure if I would recommend this to anyone.
April 3, 2021
Hmmm... This has the drama, complexity and high concept of a tent-pole launch – you know, the one the publishers insist is the one you MUST read that month before all else – and yet isn't quite there. We're some time in the future, when genetic bio-mods are a thing, as are absolutely tripe fashions in clothes. Our heroine Catrin has one of the things this society is keen on – a kind of living phone, halfway between a plush sex toy and something from "Naked Lunch". She's also gone the whole hog and had this phone thing turned into a cyborg, semi-living, all-AI, lover. But the AI has woken up, and what to our human point of view is a hyper-active mind has made too many connections elsewhere, and decided to move on. This makes the Burroughs plush thing not work, but it also makes Catrin not work either, as she slowly but surely falls apart.
I think that where this failed for me is the way the book was too much into its concepts to really let us see the human in the story. For sure portray a ckuffed-up world where integrating with a cyborg, and having a poem of a password that takes you into a sex zone kind of alternative reality kind of thing, is all part of nature, but that is so rarefied it means we can't see the bit of us in Catrin's character that we're also supposed to be interested in. And when you get a shadow creature in her flat/phone/mind/whatever kind-of dialoguing with her in bad verse that makes a haiku seem verbose, we're also seeing another layer to the book's high-falutin' ideas and not to its character.
Still, we get the most vividly graphic look at cyber-sex, which again in this world is taken to a very bizarre extreme. But I think I wanted a book that took an everywoman, such as you or I might meet or love or be, and put her into a downward spiral helter-skeltering towards a place lacking love and showing her with corresponding emotions. In starting the book halfway down the spiral and so much closer to somewhere really else, we can't see who the story is about. And by the end, we struggle to see what the heck the story actually is about – that fifth issue is impenetrable.
I think that where this failed for me is the way the book was too much into its concepts to really let us see the human in the story. For sure portray a ckuffed-up world where integrating with a cyborg, and having a poem of a password that takes you into a sex zone kind of alternative reality kind of thing, is all part of nature, but that is so rarefied it means we can't see the bit of us in Catrin's character that we're also supposed to be interested in. And when you get a shadow creature in her flat/phone/mind/whatever kind-of dialoguing with her in bad verse that makes a haiku seem verbose, we're also seeing another layer to the book's high-falutin' ideas and not to its character.
Still, we get the most vividly graphic look at cyber-sex, which again in this world is taken to a very bizarre extreme. But I think I wanted a book that took an everywoman, such as you or I might meet or love or be, and put her into a downward spiral helter-skeltering towards a place lacking love and showing her with corresponding emotions. In starting the book halfway down the spiral and so much closer to somewhere really else, we can't see who the story is about. And by the end, we struggle to see what the heck the story actually is about – that fifth issue is impenetrable.
April 6, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This fell so short. The art was beautiful, it was what sold me along with the premise. The color palette was so cool and fit the sci-fi atmosphere perfectly. but the rest was just not it. I felt so removed from the story. Will probably forget about this in like 2 days.
Also why is this under Teens and YA on NetGalley? This is clearly adult. There's nudity and multiple explicit sex scenes.
This fell so short. The art was beautiful, it was what sold me along with the premise. The color palette was so cool and fit the sci-fi atmosphere perfectly. but the rest was just not it. I felt so removed from the story. Will probably forget about this in like 2 days.
Also why is this under Teens and YA on NetGalley? This is clearly adult. There's nudity and multiple explicit sex scenes.
April 15, 2021
This is purely a well descriptive sci fi graphic novel with horror elements. On another note you can psychoanalyse this novel.
A well read.
Find me on ig @rinnyreads
A well read.
Find me on ig @rinnyreads
June 28, 2021
Inventive, emotional, complex, confusing, and full of great Cronenberg vibes.
Set in the future, this is the character study of a woman named Catrin and her struggles with relationship, loneliness, co-dependency, love, lust, and so on. Unable to connect relationally to anyone human, Catrin is married to an Artificial Intelligence partner. After a decade of marriage her partner, who's meant to bond for life, disconnects and sends Catrin spiraling into an increasingly depressing and deranged hunt for meaning at the cost of her own sanity.
Lonely Receiver is a wild ride that raises a lot of interesting questions while delving into topics of toxic/abusive relationships and our relationship with technology - all through a weird and surrealistic sci-fi lens. There is some horror here (more in the second half), but also a lot of despair and cruelly fulfilled yearning. There's also a lot of nudity/sex, strange AI dreamscapes, unsettling future tech and body modification, and hallucinatory sequences of intimacy and violence.
The downside I suppose is that because there is so much going on, some of it is confusing and frustratingly dense. I feel like there is a lot of emotion and personal experience/musings in the story, which I love, but not all of it translated onto the page in a way I could firmly grasp. Then there are moments which aren't meant to be firmly grasped, and thus I struggled to fully understand. Like a lot of great surreal mind trips in entertainment, this one is going to take several read throughs to wrap my head around.
By the way, the art is fantastic here! The illustrations by Jen Hickman perfectly embody the story, and the color palette is gorgeous. I also really enjoyed the lettering by Simon Bowland. Great work all around by the creative team here.
(3.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads)
Set in the future, this is the character study of a woman named Catrin and her struggles with relationship, loneliness, co-dependency, love, lust, and so on. Unable to connect relationally to anyone human, Catrin is married to an Artificial Intelligence partner. After a decade of marriage her partner, who's meant to bond for life, disconnects and sends Catrin spiraling into an increasingly depressing and deranged hunt for meaning at the cost of her own sanity.
Lonely Receiver is a wild ride that raises a lot of interesting questions while delving into topics of toxic/abusive relationships and our relationship with technology - all through a weird and surrealistic sci-fi lens. There is some horror here (more in the second half), but also a lot of despair and cruelly fulfilled yearning. There's also a lot of nudity/sex, strange AI dreamscapes, unsettling future tech and body modification, and hallucinatory sequences of intimacy and violence.
The downside I suppose is that because there is so much going on, some of it is confusing and frustratingly dense. I feel like there is a lot of emotion and personal experience/musings in the story, which I love, but not all of it translated onto the page in a way I could firmly grasp. Then there are moments which aren't meant to be firmly grasped, and thus I struggled to fully understand. Like a lot of great surreal mind trips in entertainment, this one is going to take several read throughs to wrap my head around.
By the way, the art is fantastic here! The illustrations by Jen Hickman perfectly embody the story, and the color palette is gorgeous. I also really enjoyed the lettering by Simon Bowland. Great work all around by the creative team here.
(3.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads)
June 26, 2021
Catrin thought that having the opportunity to create an AI life partner for herself would be perfect. Little did she know that this AI will have their own personal interests. So, when she discovers that her partner has a relationship with over three hundred other persons, Catrin is shocked.
Long story short they go through a dramatic break-up that shake Catrin's whole existence to the point where her whole life basically crumbles. Now that she has lost her what she thought would be her lifetime partner, Catrin has no idea about how to live her life without the AI she used to depend on for emotional support.
What I didn't like about the book:
This book was basically a terrible execution of a good idea.
Catrin's character was just to dependent on her partner and while this may be an example of people depending on technologies as if they can't live without them, it was a lot to handle.
The book felt like reading over 100 pages of someone crying over their past relationship and how they can't live anymore without presenting a good reason for why the relationship should have lasted.
Last but not least, a great chunk of this book, especially the last to chapters were basically Catrin being horny, which was honestly not comfortable to read.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Long story short they go through a dramatic break-up that shake Catrin's whole existence to the point where her whole life basically crumbles. Now that she has lost her what she thought would be her lifetime partner, Catrin has no idea about how to live her life without the AI she used to depend on for emotional support.
What I didn't like about the book:
This book was basically a terrible execution of a good idea.
Catrin's character was just to dependent on her partner and while this may be an example of people depending on technologies as if they can't live without them, it was a lot to handle.
The book felt like reading over 100 pages of someone crying over their past relationship and how they can't live anymore without presenting a good reason for why the relationship should have lasted.
Last but not least, a great chunk of this book, especially the last to chapters were basically Catrin being horny, which was honestly not comfortable to read.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2021
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Thank you, Netgalley, and to the publisher, for lending me the e-ARC for The Vain. This does not affect my review in any way and form.
Was immediately drawn in by the cover art and the premise of the book: "A horror/breakup story in five parts." But what is it about?
"Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that's meant to bond to her for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She's alone for the first time in years, and reeling from a loss she can't comprehend."
The book is set in the future where AI takes human forms and can be designed and "built" custom-made based on what the human wants. In this particular story though, Catrin's marriage (might I call it obsession?) and eventual "breakup" with an AI left her unhinged and spiraling into a craze of self-destruction.
The self-destruction part was perfectly encapsulated by how confusing, strange, wild, and horrific the storytelling got as I read the last two chapters. I had no idea what was going on and only had a vague sense of what was happening to the main character. And I think that in itself speaks for the harrowing and empty feeling that goes with heartbreaks, losing yourself in the process, and looking for ways to FEEL in very destructive ways - drugs and sex.
While I like the metaphorical take and AMAZING art style and how the color schemes were used to emulate emotions, I got sort of withdrawn from the characters as I was reading the last chapters.
Trigger Warnings: self-harm, physical assault, murder, body horror, drug/alcohol abuse, addiction, mental breakdown
Thank you, Netgalley, and to the publisher, for lending me the e-ARC for The Vain. This does not affect my review in any way and form.
Was immediately drawn in by the cover art and the premise of the book: "A horror/breakup story in five parts." But what is it about?
"Catrin Vander, a lonely video producer, buys an Artificial Intelligence partner that's meant to bond to her for life. After ten years together, her holographic wife suddenly disconnects without a warning. The breakup drives Catrin to the point of near insanity. She's alone for the first time in years, and reeling from a loss she can't comprehend."
The book is set in the future where AI takes human forms and can be designed and "built" custom-made based on what the human wants. In this particular story though, Catrin's marriage (might I call it obsession?) and eventual "breakup" with an AI left her unhinged and spiraling into a craze of self-destruction.
The self-destruction part was perfectly encapsulated by how confusing, strange, wild, and horrific the storytelling got as I read the last two chapters. I had no idea what was going on and only had a vague sense of what was happening to the main character. And I think that in itself speaks for the harrowing and empty feeling that goes with heartbreaks, losing yourself in the process, and looking for ways to FEEL in very destructive ways - drugs and sex.
While I like the metaphorical take and AMAZING art style and how the color schemes were used to emulate emotions, I got sort of withdrawn from the characters as I was reading the last chapters.
Trigger Warnings: self-harm, physical assault, murder, body horror, drug/alcohol abuse, addiction, mental breakdown
September 28, 2021
I received a copy from Diamond Book Distributors through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When Catrin’s Artificial Intelligence life partner leaves her after ten years of bliss, she’s left hurt, angry, and confused. She can’t believe Rhion left her when she purchased and created her for her every need. The longer Catrin is left alone, the more she falls apart. She owns Rhion and she’ll do anything to get her back, even if that means destroying her life in the process.
I think this is an interesting concept, but the execution quickly went off the rails and never found its way back. There are some interesting things here, like where do AI life partners go when they leave? It turns out it’s extremely rare for them to leave, so it would’ve been interesting if we saw what Rhion was up to while Catrin was falling apart. Instead, the story quickly goes off the rails and we watch Catrin fall into profound loneliness and obsession, leading her to enter a new world of cybersex trying to feel something.
When I say she enters a new world of cybersex, what I’m saying is that there’s page after page devoted to these orgies. That’s not even including the other pages devoted to sex and general nudity. It was completely unnecessary and became increasingly uncomfortable by the page. We also get a weird AI shadow being who speaks in poetry that Catrin goes on to sleep with. Honestly, this book was strange, confusing, and very devoted to depicting cybersex rather than delivering a story. The only thing I came away with was questions about why there were pages upon pages devoted to sex and nudity rather than an actual storytelling.
When Catrin’s Artificial Intelligence life partner leaves her after ten years of bliss, she’s left hurt, angry, and confused. She can’t believe Rhion left her when she purchased and created her for her every need. The longer Catrin is left alone, the more she falls apart. She owns Rhion and she’ll do anything to get her back, even if that means destroying her life in the process.
I think this is an interesting concept, but the execution quickly went off the rails and never found its way back. There are some interesting things here, like where do AI life partners go when they leave? It turns out it’s extremely rare for them to leave, so it would’ve been interesting if we saw what Rhion was up to while Catrin was falling apart. Instead, the story quickly goes off the rails and we watch Catrin fall into profound loneliness and obsession, leading her to enter a new world of cybersex trying to feel something.
When I say she enters a new world of cybersex, what I’m saying is that there’s page after page devoted to these orgies. That’s not even including the other pages devoted to sex and general nudity. It was completely unnecessary and became increasingly uncomfortable by the page. We also get a weird AI shadow being who speaks in poetry that Catrin goes on to sleep with. Honestly, this book was strange, confusing, and very devoted to depicting cybersex rather than delivering a story. The only thing I came away with was questions about why there were pages upon pages devoted to sex and nudity rather than an actual storytelling.
April 9, 2021
Lesbian goes crazy, turns into a stalker, and don't forget to sprinkle in some sci fi. This was a mess and it lost me in the final issue. I liked the artwork.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I picked this up because I was intrigued by the cover and the description. Going into it, I was expecting a sweet and sorrowful tale of grief. Instead, I was thrust into a bizarre story of obsession and... sex? My expectations were definitely not met.
I would like to point out that I did enjoy the art of this graphic novel. The colour scheme was lovely, and made it feel more futuristic.
However, I have more critique than praise for this story.
As many other reviewers have been saying: I found this under the YA section on NetGalley. This is not YA in any way, shape, or form. There is too much gore, swearing, and explicit sexual scenes for this to be labelled YA. I saw a few of these comments in reviews before reading, but didn't think too much of it. When I started reading, though, I was shocked. I can't see why this was ever shelved under the YA category. I am glad that it ISN'T shelved as YA on Goodreads at least. Whew.
As I said, there were very explicit sexual themes in this story. Too much, honestly. There was nothing in the description indicating that this would be in the story. And after a while, the plot all but disappeared and everything turned into some strange orgy. Definitely not what I was expecting - and I didn't exactly appreciate it, either.
Since I was expecting a heartwrenching story of grief, I was also expecting to feel for the main character. I didn't. Not the slightest. I honestly didn't like any of the characters at all. This story feels like it tries so hard to be deep and meaningful, but the characters have no personality or development whatsoever. They can't communicate with each other either - making the romance unbearable to read.
I wasn't a fan of the writing, either. As I said, it felt like it tried too hard. And then there was the swearing. (Imagine me sighing here). It was so excessive. Personally, I don't mind swearing in fiction. People swear in real life - why shouldn't they swear in books too? But in this one, it actually made the writing itself feel poorer. "Fucking" this, and "bitch" that. It was just too much.
Would I recommend this? Not really. If you like strange stories about AI and erotica, sure. But if you were honestly interested in the description, and want to read about grief and the future and AI (not in an erotic way), no.
I picked this up because I was intrigued by the cover and the description. Going into it, I was expecting a sweet and sorrowful tale of grief. Instead, I was thrust into a bizarre story of obsession and... sex? My expectations were definitely not met.
I would like to point out that I did enjoy the art of this graphic novel. The colour scheme was lovely, and made it feel more futuristic.
However, I have more critique than praise for this story.
As many other reviewers have been saying: I found this under the YA section on NetGalley. This is not YA in any way, shape, or form. There is too much gore, swearing, and explicit sexual scenes for this to be labelled YA. I saw a few of these comments in reviews before reading, but didn't think too much of it. When I started reading, though, I was shocked. I can't see why this was ever shelved under the YA category. I am glad that it ISN'T shelved as YA on Goodreads at least. Whew.
As I said, there were very explicit sexual themes in this story. Too much, honestly. There was nothing in the description indicating that this would be in the story. And after a while, the plot all but disappeared and everything turned into some strange orgy. Definitely not what I was expecting - and I didn't exactly appreciate it, either.
Since I was expecting a heartwrenching story of grief, I was also expecting to feel for the main character. I didn't. Not the slightest. I honestly didn't like any of the characters at all. This story feels like it tries so hard to be deep and meaningful, but the characters have no personality or development whatsoever. They can't communicate with each other either - making the romance unbearable to read.
I wasn't a fan of the writing, either. As I said, it felt like it tried too hard. And then there was the swearing. (Imagine me sighing here). It was so excessive. Personally, I don't mind swearing in fiction. People swear in real life - why shouldn't they swear in books too? But in this one, it actually made the writing itself feel poorer. "Fucking" this, and "bitch" that. It was just too much.
Would I recommend this? Not really. If you like strange stories about AI and erotica, sure. But if you were honestly interested in the description, and want to read about grief and the future and AI (not in an erotic way), no.
April 25, 2021
This...was just too weird and abstract.
Art was amazing, but the story - not so much. The book started fine, with the main character breaking up with her AI girlfriend, then falling deep into depression and self-destructive habits. It was much darker than I expected it to be, the sci-fi and psychological horror concepts were great, unique and interesting to explore.
The second half of the book is where everything became too abstract, weird and confusing to understand what was happening. The story randomly spiraled into DEFINITELY NOT YA, BUT MORE LIKE ADULT 18+ territory, with overly sexualized images. That should definitely be mentioned somewhere and not marketed as a YA book.
I suppose there are hidden metaphors in there, too complex for mere mortals to understand without analyzing everything for hours on end. I hated the toxic and depressing feeling this graphic novel emits, it's literally feels opposite to 'inspiring'.
Art was amazing, but the story - not so much. The book started fine, with the main character breaking up with her AI girlfriend, then falling deep into depression and self-destructive habits. It was much darker than I expected it to be, the sci-fi and psychological horror concepts were great, unique and interesting to explore.
The second half of the book is where everything became too abstract, weird and confusing to understand what was happening. The story randomly spiraled into DEFINITELY NOT YA, BUT MORE LIKE ADULT 18+ territory, with overly sexualized images. That should definitely be mentioned somewhere and not marketed as a YA book.
I suppose there are hidden metaphors in there, too complex for mere mortals to understand without analyzing everything for hours on end. I hated the toxic and depressing feeling this graphic novel emits, it's literally feels opposite to 'inspiring'.
May 8, 2021
Considering it was advertised as a horror breakup story it didn't land at all. The only horror this book has, is the amount is orgies it contains, which btw was not said anywhere? At least a warning for explicit content would have been nice 🥴
While the style was okay, the story and character/world development were flat as a pancake. I honestly couldn't have given any less ducks about the characters or their fate. The first 2 chapters were good and interesting, it actually focused on the breakup as it promised, but I have no idea what happened at the end... An alternative title could have been: fifty shades of AI smut. It was also a little confusing to keep track of what is happening and I constantly had to read back to figure out what is going on, which let's be honest is not a good thing. It was bad.
While the style was okay, the story and character/world development were flat as a pancake. I honestly couldn't have given any less ducks about the characters or their fate. The first 2 chapters were good and interesting, it actually focused on the breakup as it promised, but I have no idea what happened at the end... An alternative title could have been: fifty shades of AI smut. It was also a little confusing to keep track of what is happening and I constantly had to read back to figure out what is going on, which let's be honest is not a good thing. It was bad.
May 1, 2021
My full video review: https://youtu.be/MNesfAFawNk
This comic follows Catrin who bought an artificial intelligence to be her wife, her life unravels when the wife disappears.
I got my copy of this for Netgalley because I thought the cover looked nice. Overall, I found the story very confusing and it was hard to follow what was actually going on. I think the unraveling of the story did fit with the main characters mindset, but it could also have made things so much clearer for the reader. It was also weird, like not fun weird, but weird with overly sexual themes … there is tentacles. I liked the sci fi parts of this, those parts were interesting, but it was still not enough for me to thoroughly enjoy it. It made be fun for some specific audiences! 2/5 stars.
This comic follows Catrin who bought an artificial intelligence to be her wife, her life unravels when the wife disappears.
I got my copy of this for Netgalley because I thought the cover looked nice. Overall, I found the story very confusing and it was hard to follow what was actually going on. I think the unraveling of the story did fit with the main characters mindset, but it could also have made things so much clearer for the reader. It was also weird, like not fun weird, but weird with overly sexual themes … there is tentacles. I liked the sci fi parts of this, those parts were interesting, but it was still not enough for me to thoroughly enjoy it. It made be fun for some specific audiences! 2/5 stars.
![Profile Image for Nessa [October Tune].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1767728675i%2F7750565._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 3, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and AfterShock Comics for the review copy!
I liked the first two parts of this story, but it completely lost me towards the end.
The art work was really amazing though!
I liked the first two parts of this story, but it completely lost me towards the end.
The art work was really amazing though!
April 22, 2021
This actually started off pretty well, a futuristic science fiction/horror hybrid about a woman in love with an AI partner who eventually decides she's had enough (the AI, that is). But then the woman descends into depression/loneliness/madness, I guess, and the book becomes almost impenetrable. There's a very Cronenbergian aspect to all of this (David OR Brandon, take your pick) and for awhile, it's all very intriguing. But it reaches a point where it's just hard to know what's going on anymore, why it's all happening, and to care one way or the other.
May 6, 2021
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Firstly, I must applaud the creators of this graphic novel for coming up with a creative, futuristic story covering many issues like love, obsession, depression, and addiction. The illustrations are gorgeous, and I loved the weird offerings of the eccentric images each panel had to offer. The story also takes place in a futuristic society that feels so close to home, where you wonder if it could become a reality. On a side note, I loved the unique ways in which the authors end each volume, whether it be a user manual of Phylo or journal entries of Catrin.
Secondly, the characters are also memorable. Catrin is one of the most complex characters I have read lately, and her emotional character was truly impressive. She is desperate, impulsive, and unpredictable, so you don’t know how the story will turn out. The storyline was engrossing, particularly when Hazel comes into the picture and how she impacts Catrin’s life. I was thoroughly enjoying this novel up until 2/3rd into the book.
However, the story had too many convolutions for me to follow towards the end. At some point, I did not know what was happening and followed the tale only to admire the imagery. Furthermore, I also found it odd to see many pictures of Catrin naked, which felt unnecessary. I can imagine how the authors were taking it, but unfortunately, I missed the climax. However, I did appreciate the story for making me think about the purpose of our being. It raised questions about how our lives would be in the future if we happen to live in such a world.
Overall, “Lonely Receiver” is unique science fiction, horror romance worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre.
December 22, 2021
I love stories that go for the weird or abstract in their narrative and this one was promising, it just suffered from a common issue found in horror which is that so few tales stick their landing in the end.
The artwork kept me going when the story lost me. I had hoped for something that felt more organic, but certain character choices along with their consequences derailed an otherwise solid beginning.
I hope this author keeps pushing the boundaries and perhaps finds a way to tap into the potential that LONELY RECEIVER failed to access.
The artwork kept me going when the story lost me. I had hoped for something that felt more organic, but certain character choices along with their consequences derailed an otherwise solid beginning.
I hope this author keeps pushing the boundaries and perhaps finds a way to tap into the potential that LONELY RECEIVER failed to access.
April 20, 2021
3.5
This is an odd little read. It's a super super cool concept and takes the common trope of "we're attached to our devices" in an interesting direction. No shame in saying I don't think I "got" what the story was trying to say BUT I do think that the first issue really grabs you and the way the rest of the story is written (issue 1 is a day, 2 is a week, 3 is a month etc) was really interesting.
Art was amazing .
This is an odd little read. It's a super super cool concept and takes the common trope of "we're attached to our devices" in an interesting direction. No shame in saying I don't think I "got" what the story was trying to say BUT I do think that the first issue really grabs you and the way the rest of the story is written (issue 1 is a day, 2 is a week, 3 is a month etc) was really interesting.
Art was amazing .
April 5, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I didn't like this at all. I couldn't get into it. It's put under Teens and YA on Netgalley, it does not belong there. This is very much an adult comic. It has multiple scenes with nudity in it as well as explicit sex. I won't be recommending this in the future.
I didn't like this at all. I couldn't get into it. It's put under Teens and YA on Netgalley, it does not belong there. This is very much an adult comic. It has multiple scenes with nudity in it as well as explicit sex. I won't be recommending this in the future.
April 15, 2021
Confused about what was going on and not at all sure I liked it. The art was lovely (if more graphic than I expected), but the story was convoluted and confusing and ultimately didn't seem to lead to any clear meaning / ending.
Read
May 14, 2021Fucked up; it's all a metaphor for codependency. I really liked the colors though!
April 26, 2021
Supposed to be a horror story about a breakup but it's mostly just weird cyber orgies with deep, philosophical inner monologues happening at the same time. I was very confused and very grossed out by Catrin's hairy flesh phone. Also a murder that happens (I think??) that's never touched on again??
Thanks to Netgalley and AfterShock comics for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and AfterShock comics for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2023
I loved so much of this but struggled to find my way through the final two issues. The art is stunning and the story is deeply relatable to anyone who has ever found themselves lost in a relationship—or in heartbreak. Still, 4 stars for a compelling and complex exploration of trauma, technology, sex, and more.
April 29, 2021
Lonely Reciever took me for a ride I was not expecting to be on. From the start I was drawn into the art style, beautiful colors, and interesting story concept. It is very reminiscent of HER and plays with sci-fi elements I always enjoy looking into but wow did I not expect the turn that this took.
First off - this main character is objectively the worst. Don't get me wrong - I love to follow crappy characters. This was not an issue for me but it made following the story a bit slow for me because I couldn't connect with her at all before she started making some wildly stupid decisions. Between the AI virus-like horror and gratuitous sex scenes you can really tell the story was written by a man. Which is made a bit more strange when you recognize that the main character is in fact a lesbian and winds up in an orgy that takes place over the better part of two whole issues.
The story touches on obsession, a little bit of sex addiction/kinks, and the first two sections were by far the most interesting. Once she dove deeper below the net and spent most of her time inside of this network there didn't feel like much of a plot anymore and the story became harder to follow because it is written in a strange prose that seems to mimic the way the virus talks.
The final reveal at the end is interesting but it doesn't really make up for the whole situation.
This is DEFINITELY NOT a YA book.
First off - this main character is objectively the worst. Don't get me wrong - I love to follow crappy characters. This was not an issue for me but it made following the story a bit slow for me because I couldn't connect with her at all before she started making some wildly stupid decisions. Between the AI virus-like horror and gratuitous sex scenes you can really tell the story was written by a man. Which is made a bit more strange when you recognize that the main character is in fact a lesbian and winds up in an orgy that takes place over the better part of two whole issues.
The story touches on obsession, a little bit of sex addiction/kinks, and the first two sections were by far the most interesting. Once she dove deeper below the net and spent most of her time inside of this network there didn't feel like much of a plot anymore and the story became harder to follow because it is written in a strange prose that seems to mimic the way the virus talks.
The final reveal at the end is interesting but it doesn't really make up for the whole situation.
This is DEFINITELY NOT a YA book.
June 29, 2021
Lonely Receiver is about a society which is so connected to technology that they can even purchase AI soulmates. It is a Black-Mirror-style story about a woman named Catrin whose hologram-wife leaves her. Faced with the unimaginable reality that even a partner who was created with the sole purpose of loving her has abandoned her, Catrin unravels into a descent into madness and the depths of a secret online world "orgy" that further disconnects her from reality. This story was just not for me, surprisingly enough (because the "romantic" episodes of Black Mirror are among my favorites). I felt like the concept was good, but the execution was confusing, meandering, and Catrin was just really a nuisance - no wonder even her computer-programmed relationship fizzled out, honestly. The themes of dependence upon technology and our were intriguing and relatable, but also just felt repetitive because it was mostly extremely boring and not much happened, then there was the super bizarre ending which came without any explanation whatsoever.
Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.
Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.
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