Quick Take: A highly contagious virus ravages the state of California and while the rich pass the time in ammenity abundant high rises where the companinship program allows them to upload their coincidenceness before they die so they can remain with their family. But things become complicated when “the companions” start to experience flashbacks from their former lives.

What I Loved: First of all, let be known that this one wasn’t a real DNF. I skimmed the last few chapters and enjoyed the audiobook for it’s full cast of stellar voice actors. I was incredibly intrigued by the premise of this book which is pitched as Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go. It also felt a bit on the nose as the books about how cities started sheltering in place when people started getting sick. Maybe not exactly a comforting read at the moment. Be that as it may, I was still excited to read this book and am sad to say I was disappointed.

What I Didn’t Love: I was really excited for this book because of the premise and I appreciate what Flynn was trying to do with her commentary on elitist mentality and social class systems. My main issue with this book was how disjointed it felt. It felt more like a tangled book of short stories than a cohesive novel and I never felt like the characters were fleshed out enough to give them any real depth. Ultimately, the synopsis sucked me in, but the choppy execution took me out of the story completely and was confusing at numerous points. I read all the way through this one and will not be coming back to it.

2 stars

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This was a confusing, lack-luster science fiction book that left me wondering "what the heck did I just read?"

The premise of the book is promising, and apropos of our current virus crisis. The state of California is under quarantine after a deadly virus is unleashed. Residents are locked in their high rise towers and can't leave. As a result of the quarantine, a "companionship" program arises, which allows people to have their consciousness uploaded into a computer program before dying so they can stay in the custody of their families. They are given robotic bodies, which vary is complexity from simple models to manufactured bodies that can pass as humans. Less fortunate people are uploaded and rented out to strangers to be, in essence, their slaves. Lilac is a 16 year old girl that is rented out to strangers. When she realizes she can disregard her command program, she takes off, looking for the woman that killed her. Intriguing, right?

Sadly, the book doesn't deliver. The book starts as if it's in the middle of the story, so the reader is lost until later in the book when the author provides a few bits of details about the world. I know that some other authors use this tactic as well, but I don't like it. It's annoying to have to read pages and pages of a book just to try to figure out what is going on.

The world-building in this book is almost non-existent, as is the character development. There are multiple characters and storylines, with the single thread of Lilac to tie them together. I found myself not really caring about any of them. The book is supposed to be about issues of loss, love, revenge and loneliness. I was left wanting. To me, it was a wandering story that didn't seem to have a point. So many random things happened that weren't explained. It was like entering someone else's stream of consciousness - you see what's happening but have no idea what any of it means.

This book wasn't for me, but that's not to say others won't enjoy it.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley & Gallery/Scout Press in exchange for an honest review.

If ever there was a book for right now it should be The Companions, for this is a dystopian story of various California residents during and after a long-extended quarantine. During this quarantine “companions,” life-like robots, had been created with the personalities and memories of actual people. Initially these companions were helpers or staff, but eventually they became a way for people to hang on to their loved ones. The companions themselves evolved over time, as well. Though I initially found the many characters interesting, and the story itself fascinating, by the second half of the book it became messy and jumbled. I think Flynn simply had too many elements to her story, forcing it to limp along to an ending that did not live up to the promise of its start.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Gallery Scout Press (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’ve been wanting to read this one for a while, but with both jobs still going strong, I am thankful for the paychecks and the work, but it’s left little time for anything other than audiobooks. I had a full Saturday off today, and I was finally able to dive in, and some parts of this book seem a little scary in their timeliness.

With a rampant virus, California is on quarantine, and those who can afford them lease “companions,” machines with the consciousnesses of dead people. The better models even pass for human. Though the dying can chose to be a companion before they die, they become property of the Metis Corporation and lose complete autonomy over their bodies and placement. Lilac is companion to a teenager in a high rise, until she is somehow able to ignore her protocol and bust out. The years that follow lead her on a journey that will change the world.

This book is told from eight perspectives, and though I was skeptical about making connections with characters with that many alternating povs, I couldn’t put this down and were wholly invested in the characters. There are a bunch of people to keep up with, but their stories are so intertwined, even across many years, I didn’t get lost among any of the stories.

If you cope with escapism during trying times, maybe save this for when things go back to “normal,” but if you like to read pretty apt sci-fi/dystopian fiction, definitely give this one a go. I read it in just a few hours, wholly absorbed in finding out what happens. It’s melancholic, for sure. Even thought it’s sci-fi, I found the stories to be pretty realistic. Not everyone gets a happy ending in life, but there’s closure for these characters even if sometimes their struggles, like our own, seem to have no meaning. There’s something terribly human in the story of these sentient machines and the humans they live alongside.

I’ll be thinking about this one for some time to come. Bonus, some queer representation, though that’s not the point, and there’s no descriptive sex if that’s an issue for you. Pick it up from your favorite, local bookstore or library.

The Companions is a fascinating exploration of consciousness and humanity - what makes us human? The philosophy behind the idea is fascinating. The plot is somewhat disjointing, jumping through time with reference to several key events, including a quarantine period due to a killer virus at the beginning of the book. There are several key characters, but none of them feel properly focused-on and developed. The MC at the end of the book who turned out to be someone the main storyline caught me completely by surprise. (Spoiler: it's not the person who the book starts with!) All in all, it was a really interesting story but it felt like there was too many plotlines and ideas spread too thin.

I loved the idea of this book - mass pandemic leads humans to the ability to not only load their consciousness into robots and live forever, but also to serve as companions to the wealthy. However, with memories of their old lives, companions are not happy and yearn for what they have lost. I loved the premise as well as the comparisons to Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, two of my favorite books. However, I think the storytelling and character development might have needed a bit more. Following the various characters was a bit difficult, and some were more developed than others. It was an engaging read, however, and definitely held my interest. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

‘In the wake of a highly contagious virus, California is under quarantine. Sequestered in high rise towers, the living can't go out, but the dead can come in - and they come in all forms, from sad rolling cans to manufactured bodies that pass for humans.’

THE COMPANIONS – An awesome concept, is a story told from eight different points of view through the eyes of characters who are human and some companion, which I liked.

Unfortunately, by the stories end - I was left with more questions than answers, as I struggled with why some of the characters acted and reacted the way they did, the jumping POV and time, perhaps, added to my confusion.

Thank you, NetGalley and Scout Press for providing me with an advance eBook of THE COMPANIONS in exchange for an honest review.

Very interesting concept and story. The characters are all very distinct and their stories are told in a very simple way that manages to convey a lot of details. I enjoyed how the story came full circle in the end, and if the author wanted, she could easily create more stories in the same universe.

3.5 stars. In the wake of a series of deadly viruses, humans live in a state of isolation. While they can't go out, their "companions" can come in. Companions are human consciousnesses contained in AI shells and act as nannies, maids, caregivers, and friends. But their programming isn't perfect and breaks in security features lead to some harrowing circumstances.

This tale is told in a series of disjointed, yet connected vignettes. The concept was great and I really love the world that was created. I'm not typically a fan of AI type stories, so this was a good middle ground for me and I found it intriguing. The implications were interesting to ponder and I liked seeing some of them played out through the plot.

The writing is good, but sometimes feels overly choppy and disorienting. Similarly, I liked the individual stories and how they wove together, but the transitions made things a little dizzy. The pieces often felt too short, somewhat rushed, and incomplete. I wanted so much more. The ending few chapters were confusing at first, but came clearer with some contemplation. This is a book that will likely have me thinking about the circumstances for a while to come.

I would like to see more from this author and really would love this particular world to be explored more fully. It was incredibly creative and had so much to offer. LOTS of potential. I just wanted to know more, to see more, to have a more encompassing exploration of the topic.

A bit all over the place and jumbled, but on the whole an interesting twist on an Artificial Intelligence fable.

(Actual rating: 3.5 stars)

In a future heavily shaped by numerous deadly flu pandemics (wow did I choose the wrong time to read it!), a company called Metis has begun uploading the consciousnesses of the dead, and then downloading them into robots called 'Companions'.  These companions are most typically used as caregivers to the elderly or the young, but they can also be leased from Metis by the family of the dead.

It's a theme that's been covered before.  In this iteration, we follow the story of several characters whose paths all intersect in interesting ways.  Primarily this is the story of Lilac, who suffered a traumatic death and went on to become a caregiver.  Lilac has never really obeyed her security protocols.  Something makes her different.  She was one of the earliest companions, and it's not long before she's breaking free and trying to find people she once knew as a human.

In the blurb, The Companions is compared to Station Eleven.  And it isn't completely wrong, though I think ultimately, Station Eleven was much better done.  This is a largely character driven novel, with a very thin semblance of a plot holding it together.  I don't mean this in a bad way- I actually did enjoy the meandering pace and drifting nature of the plot.

The writing was okay.  Not particularly memorable but that means it isn't particularly bad either.  I ultimately deducted a star for the ending, which felt rushed and strung together in a bunch of random scenes to tie it all up and put a bow on it.  I really didn't understand what the author was getting at with what Nat was doing, or even the relationship between Nat and Gabe in the end, and really had no clue what Rachel's real purpose was with her chapter.

I read an advanced copy, downloaded electronically several months before release, so I'd have to check to see if it was re-written at all to make it more cohesive.  If it was- this could easily have been a 4 star read.

Thank you to the publisher for the electronic review copy.  The Companions released on March 3, 2020 and can be found on GoodReads or ordered on Amazon.

The premise is absolutely intriguing and I can see something like this happening in our future... and quite frankly, it terrifies me. Sadly though, this book just did NOT work for me.

The synopsis tells us about this deadly contagion that happens where now people are in quarantine... but the dead can come back in the form of "companions". The book touches on socio-economic status, human rights and the thought of human souls/thoughts, etc. being buried in a machine to "live on forever". But these all seem, weirdly, like a small portion of the book that quite honestly, didn't really go in any direction.

With a vast array of characters, only a few of which stayed within the length of the novel, they're all a bit underdeveloped and there's no true mainstay within the plot itself based on the synopsis given. Almost seeming like little short stories within the novel of different characters, slightly veering back to a couple main ones to try and make it cohesive.. and it just doesn't quite flow.

Since we are currently in the midst of a virus outbreak, I thought that this book would be timely. Actually, the virus and accompanying quarantine are pretty much irrelevant in this book. They serve only as a timing device - during quarantine/after quarantine. There is no world building that describes the virus or its impact. The book does have some interesting concepts. Upon death, your consciousness can be transferred to a new android body, of varying technological sophistication. They are programmed to act as loyal companions. However, some become capable of defying their programming.

This could have led to an exploration of philosophical questions, but the book was written in such a garbled fashion that it never really explored anything. The book dealt with a limited group of androids and humans who conveniently all kept encountering each other. Minds could be transferred repeatedly to upgraded vessels, so they were constantly changing names, appearance and gender. I was constantly asking myself “who did you used to be?” I also kept asking myself “remind me, exactly why are you killing this person?” Honestly, it was all pointless.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I found The Companions incredibly thought provoking, invoking relentless questions about what it means to be human, to be alive, in an eerily plausible future where the lines aren't so clear. So let's break it on down, shall we?

What I Liked:

• Again, holy thought provoking! This just made me think a lot. Like okay if you could continue your mind as a consciousness... would you? Should you? And what happens when people use this technology for evil (because gosh, you know they will)? And none of the answers are clear cut, honestly.

• I loved the world, and that we got to see quite a lot of time pass. This book doesn't take place in a few days, or even a few years- it's decades, and it was a great choice. We really get to see how this technology changes lives, changes humanity, and I think it's brilliant.

• The characters' stories are woven together, in a way that made me care about them. I will admit (and more on this in a bit) that there are a lot of characters introduced. And while it was a little overwhelming, I did enjoy that they all had a point in the grand scheme of things, and we followed many of them throughout the years.

• It felt eerily plausible. I mean, we're so going to do something awful like this as a species, aren't we? We so are. And the way the author wrote the world felt realistic as well.

• Also, the atmosphere was incredibly on point. Because it felt kind of the way you'd expect it would feel when you start stealing people's memories and redefine what makes someone "alive".

What I Didn't:

• Like I said, there are a lot of POV characters. Which at times became a bit confusing, because I couldn't quite place them all immediately. And perhaps a few of them were extraneous. 🤷‍♀️

Bottom Line: Thought provoking and startlingly plausible, I immensely enjoyed seeing the consequences of the decision to grab people's consciousness play out throughout the years and characters.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Companions

Author: Katie M. Flynn

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 2/5

Publication Date: March 3, 2020

Genre: YA Sci-Fi

Recommended Age: 16+ (attempted rape TW, murder, gore, violence)

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Pages: 272

Amazon Link

Synopsis: In the wake of a highly contagious virus, California is under quarantine. Sequestered in high rise towers, the living can’t go out, but the dead can come in—and they come in all forms, from sad rolling cans to manufactured bodies that can pass for human. Wealthy participants in the “companionship” program choose to upload their consciousness before dying, so they can stay in the custody of their families. The less fortunate are rented out to strangers upon their death, but all companions become the intellectual property of Metis Corporation, creating a new class of people—a command-driven product-class without legal rights or true free will.

Sixteen-year-old Lilac is one of the less fortunate, leased to a family of strangers. But when she realizes she’s able to defy commands, she throws off the shackles of servitude and runs away, searching for the woman who killed her.

Lilac’s act of rebellion sets off a chain of events that sweeps from San Francisco to Siberia to the very tip of South America. While the novel traces Lilac’s journey through an exquisitely imagined Northern California, the story is told from eight different points of view—some human, some companion—that explore the complex shapes love, revenge, and loneliness take when the dead linger on.

Review: This book gave me such Doctor Who vibes (you know the episode I’m talking about) and Detroit: Becoming Human vibes. It was an awesome novel with great character development and the premise of this book is really intriguing.

However, the way the story is told is a bit discombobulated and it’s really all over the place. It should have been multiple books broken up and further developed. The world building could have really benefited from this way as well.

Verdict: It’s good, but it didn’t make my faves.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book had an interesting premise and a good start. “Companions” which are people’s consciousness put into a robot, are around after some kind of mass Illness. The book starts with one such companion.

I lost interest in this book about 52% in and tried really hard to finish with a lot of skimming.

What I found to be problematic in this book was although it was a short book there were way too many characters and side stories. It got so boring and I had a hard time keeping the characters straight.

The other major issue was that the mass illness or whatever was not really explained at all. The book could have been so much better if it went more into what the backstory is and only focused on a few characters. It was just so drawn out. Maybe it would’ve made a nice short story.

'The Companions': what if we could place a dead human's memory inside a human body, and have it 'live' in the real world, with other humans? That's the premise of this book, and what attracted me to it.
The book exposes some problematic scenarios (what happens when you think you are still a human, and suddenly understand you are not? what happens when you need a new 'body'? how conscious are you really? what if a robot wants revenge on a human?), which I enjoyed - I don't have any clear idea of what a world with human-robot relationships would be, and therefore like exploring these less than perfect situations.
I did feel the book dragged a little by the end, and thatthe plot was complicated by the use of timelines.
The fact that it was written with different points of view worked well for me, since each person or companion had their own story, and this way we got to see different aspects of the companionship.

In this dystopian future, scientists have found a way to download human memories and consciousness, a wonderful advancement, in theory. What could have been the possible altruist good of saving the memories of the leading minds of the day quickly turns into people misusing the science for their own selfish reasons and Companions are released.

Over time, people elect to become Companions so that they can live forever, some for fame and some as an answer to a terminal illness.

After a virus forced a quarantine, people must stay indoors, with little to no contact from the outside world. But never fear, now you can enjoy companionship with a robot with human memories and consciousness, be it your grandmother or a complete stranger. They come in all shapes and sizes with some companions no more than a cube, while others are given very expensive, “skin”-covered bodies. There is no need to ever be lonely again. And the best part? These companions are programmed to do as you tell them and any sign of aggressive thoughts make them feel sick, so you are entirely safe to mistreat them as you see fit.

Until that programming fails. When one Companion remembers that she was murdered and wants answers.

This is a great premise for a story, what happens when we take the humanity out of a person but leave all of their memories and most of their senses including touch. It gives new meaning to what it is to be alive. As the Companions build new memories, make new plans and revisit old connections, it seems natural to have compassion for them.

There were too many characters and their place in the plot were not always made clear in their introductions. The pacing is a little drawn out for my liking and I felt that the character development was a little flat, although that may have been purposeful to highlight that many of the characters were no longer “human”

2 Stars

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy of The Companions.
Although dark and frequently sad this is a well-written and timely piece speculative fiction. The world has been devastated by an outbreak of a virus and we’ve also discovered a way to back up our conscious after (and sometimes before) death into a manufactured body. Through different characters Katie M Flynn explores what this leap in science would do to our connections with each other.
In the end, The Companions is a book about finding each other despite the passage of time and the changes in our physical presence. Each character keeps reaching to their past over and over looking for closure and connection.
I recommend this to anyone that enjoys science, dystopia and speculative fiction. It is not the most uplifting book of the year and even the “companions” with their false bodies are flawed beyond belief. But it has a thoughtful and quiet approach to storytelling that many readers may enjoy.

A fascinating theme, that ties with certain questions I see raised when it comes to consciousness, AI, and “the cloud”: what if, someday, we found a way to upload human consciousness at or shortly before the moment of death, so that our minds could keep existing on a server, or, in the case here, in artificial bodies? With an added theme in “The Companions”: all these “reborn” humans are actually no more than slaves, being the property of the Metis corporation, leased to people wealthy enough to afford them, and hindered by safeguards so that they remain the, well, obedient little slaves they’re meant to be.

Interesting, right? There are so many things wrong here, starting with the property part, and going on with what happens when the artificial body is damaged, or how memories fare after years spent like that. This is one of the conundrums of Lilac’s existence: now the companion to a teenager named Dahlia, she was murdered as a teenager herself, and keeps her memories alive at first by telling Dahlia her “story”. Up until the day she gets information that the person who killed her is still alive, and realises that, for some reason, her “failsafes” aren’t exactly working.

But.

The narrative itself turned out to be increasingly… random. At first, having Lilac’s perspective to rely on was fairly intriguing, and the additional, other characters’ points of view seemed seamless at first (after Lilac, we get Cam, who works at the place where Lilac goes to find her killer, so that does make sense). However, it quickly became quite muddled, with the characters themselves not leaving much of an impression. In a way, this read at times like a collection of short stories that were trying to form into a novel, and in the end, that made for neither strong short stories nor a strong novel. The overall story, all in all, kept meandering, and never gave the sense of an actual plot/red thread tying everything together.

Conclusion: Good theme, but not particularly well-handled.