I just couldn't connect with this book. Even from the synopsis you can tell there's not much in terms of actual plot. This is a character-driven novel, which I sometimes appreciate, but this book just lacked plotline and lifeless characters for me. Also, I felt this book was hard to understand, and I read a lot of novels every year, so this was a shock for me. The best thing I can say is I REALLY like the cover art. It is striking and beautiful. I just wish the actual story delivered for me. I can't think of one thing I liked about this story. It was boring and underwhelming.

3.75 Stars

Whoever You Are Honey was a beautifully written book about the intensity of female friendships, with undertones of sci-fi horror. Mitty lives in a dilapidated old house with her elderly friend Bethel, when Lena and her Silicon Valley rich husband move in next door. As they befriend each other, Mitty reflects on the past she can't forget and Lena struggles with the past she can't remember.

The strength of this book is the characters. I am always a fan of books with a kooky older woman so I was very fond of Bethel. Both Mitty and Lena were well-rounded characters and I enjoyed following both of their POVs. Mitty's story regarding the past actions she was fleeing from was intriguing and kept me engaged. While maybe not to the same extreme, it would be relatable to anyone who had a dramatic friendship break up in high school.

Lena's story added a bit of more of the sci-fi/horror elements as she struggles with feeling that none of her memories are real. I was very interested in the story, but I wish it had leaned into those elements a bit more. It was very subtle throughout and the resolution seemed a bit rushed compared to the pacing of Mitty's story.

My critique basically comes down to "I wish this had been longer because I wanted more of this story" so I would still recommend reading it, especially if you are someone who prefers subtler narratives and open-to-interpretation endings.

by Olivia Gatwood. This was a tough read for me. I had no idea what was going on and kept waiting for something to happen other than some voyeuristic sex scenes that were, I think, supposed to indicate a controlling relationship. Maybe if the writing had drawn me in I would have gotten more into the story, but sadly I think this was not for me.

Well...what the heck was that book? Slow , oh so slow and then abruptly ends. Just wasn't for me I guess.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5
olivia gatwood the woman you are <3
I've watched olivia's performance of her poem "ode to the women on long island" probably 200 times. she has such an incredible way worth words and what a TREAT that she's brought her talents to the novel.
I absolutely devoured this and have very few complaints, except that I often find these slice-of-life/unwell women/quiet but heartracing books to end abruptly when really I want olivia to hold my hand and please tell me everything that happened and will happen.
but, at the very least, you should read it. and then maybe we can talk about it together.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press and NetGalley for permitting me to read this work prior to its publication date.

I was stoked to read this novel, as I've been a fan of Olivia Gatwood's poetry for several years and it did not disappoint. It was a beautiful exploration of what it means to be a woman, what it means to exist and to be "perfect".

Mitty and Bethel are roommates in a California beach town that is quickly being overrun with IT guys. Lena and Sebastian move in next door to them. Sebastian is handsome, older and successful. Lena is his live-in girlfriend and seemingly flawless, sexually available to Sebastian, never seems to eat or menstruate and doesn't have any imperfections. She also can't seem to remember a life without Sebastian. It's almost like he made her up...

This is speculative fiction at its finest. it was so subtle that it crept up on me and then left me wide-eyed and stunned.

A tale about the interpersonal relationships of three women, Mitty, Bethel & Lena, couched amid the backdrop of a growing tech start up market, and a recent murder rumored to have involved an AI cover up.

As fun as the speculative elements of the story are, and they can truly be engaging, the focus of page real estate, and the heart of the story, lies with the simple, internal lives of the female leads, their relationships with one another and the truly great dialogue.

The story explores themes of disassociation, memory, identity, abuse and self forgiveness. It's character and atmosphere focused, preferring to exist in a space more focused on feeling and atmosphere, which it does quite well. This does fall into the category of fiction who's intent isn't to explain everything or tie up every thread in a bow, preferring to leave some things vague and open to interpretation. Subjectively: I would've liked a couple of more answers. Objectively: That wasn't the point.

A very enjoyable read, and one I'm sure to come back to and speculate about.

*ARC provided by NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group*

I kept waiting for something to happen... Anything! Unfortunately, the only allusion to something interesting occurs far too late. 2 Stars.

DNF -- I've been a fan of Olivia Gatwood's poetry for such a long time, so it saddens me to say I couldn't get into her first novel.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book was so interesting and I’d say it’s definitely prime weird girl lit fic 😂 it was also quite bingeable! This book has grit, sexuality, friendship, and navigating womanhood. I enjoyed following the monologues of Lena & Mitty but I wanted more from the plot by the end. 3.5 ⭐️

Fun and freaky feminist, sci-fi/speculative fiction. Definitely a “Stepford Wives” the 21st-century. He writing crackled, and I found myself calling friends and reading them passages I loved so much! Ms. Gatwood, bravo, you will be a must-read forevermore!

Whoever You Are Honey drew me in almost immediately. Olivia Gatwood creates an incredible sense of place in this novel with precise sensory details. I can't put my finger on how she does it, but the novel's sci-fi eeriness shines through descriptions of even the sunniest of places. The relationships between the core characters are the heart of the book for me. Warm but gritty, tender, tested by histories only sometimes known to each otherthat unfold to the reader as the plot progresses. This is exactly the kind of novel that I want to read all the time.
(ARC received from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group. Thank you!)

This novel, despite being true to the blurb, still managed to greatly surprise me! I was already a fan of the author's poetry and I thought her turn as a debut novelist demonstrated her command of language, ability to weave literary devices, and care for the act of beautiful writing. The characters - especially the female ones - felt fully fleshed out and I was really excited to track their journeys. The sex scenes I think, as is common for literary fiction, were a bit clunkily written but maybe that was intentional. I think Olivia Gatwood is great at making the reader fully engage with the story by presenting questions - not in the sense of a lecture but as someone that is interested in understanding the full scope of humanity.

Whoever You Are, Honey was my first read by this author and now I must read more from her. I loved, loved, loved this book, easily 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A darkly brilliant novel that explores the intricate lives of women, friendship , and the ever present algorithm The writing is both gripping and seductive, drawing the reader into a world where the boundaries between reality and dystopia blur.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

First- I love the cover. I don’t know what it is about it, but I can relate. .. which is probably an elusive synopsis of my review of the book itself.

It’s essentially a book about loneliness and complicated relationships but also, a theme of artificial intelligence. If you’re a fan of Ishiguro, (specifically thinking of Klara and the Sun) you might like this. I don’t know how I felt about the ending, but I’m okay with weird endings. Life is weird endings. 😂

This was a wonderful read. It was both fun and thoughtful. I highlighted many quotes throughout that I felt a deep connection to. I honestly was not expecting what was going on with Lena at the end of the book. Also just love relationships with young queer people and old people.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book.
The book starts as a slow burn that leads you into a page turner, wondering what is going to happen next? The ending was not predictable and I loved that about this book. I could definitely see a second book to this me, and me reading it. The main characters are going through a lot of emotions and self reflection/discovery, and I want to be along for the ride. The mystery aspect of this book and cusp of near sex situations between characters makes me want more, and wonder will there be? Though I know that is not the point of the book, it adds to the read and experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend to others.

Definitely an interesting read. I loved the characters and the plot, and the questions it poses about technology, identity, and our perceptions of other people are timely. I would give it a higher rating, but there's something about the actual prose that didn't do it for me. It felt kind of clinical? I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in the world on the pages or emotionally connect. I'm not saying it was written badly, just that it didn't suit my personal taste.

I don't read a lot of poetry, but I really loved Life of the Party so when I saw that Olivia Gatwood had a novel being published I could not wait (especially after I saw that cover!)! I was so excited to get an advanced copy of the e-book. I want to start by saying that if you are not okay with ambiguous, open ended books this is probably not for you. I could have read so much more about these characters and their stories, BUT I still really enjoyed the book and I can appreciate not knowing all the answers. I will definitely be thinking about these characters for a long time and I think I probably wouldn't feel that way as much if it was tied up perfectly. This was a really fun, weird, little plot/mostly vibes book and I highly recommend it, but it won't be for everyone.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.