It’s fantastic! The premise seems far-fetched on paper, but the way the story and characters developed, it felt totally plausible. I think millennials are so desperate for financial relief that a lot more people would sign up to be surrogates than you might think. I loved the main character and her dynamic relationship with her mom and sisters. Anderson’s prose isn’t flowery, it’s simple and accessible, but she manages to use details and build narrative that feels full and rich in ways that more lyrical fiction can ultimately feel hollow. I’d be surprised if this book doesn’t end up in my top 5 for the year. I think there will be a great response from readers. It feels like a book you can recommend to anyone. Excited to read more from Anderson in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and FSG for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A perfect addition to the contemporary anti-work literary canon. A searing portrait of our social-media-, baby-, health-, and money-obsessed, capitalist world, filled with humor and surprise.

So good!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the quick moving plot without the book feeling hastened. I love Natalie: even though she is not very likeable I feel we are alike (except for her willing to birth 7 children). I also loved the detailed descriptions of the benefits. And while I found everything surrounding The Company incredibly interesting, I thoroughly enjoyed the third act, which I didn't see coming at all. Fallow is incredibly entertaining while touching on some important themes like sisterhood, capitalism and self-determination. Would recommend!

I absolutely loved this! Fallow is fast paced, entertaining and a surprisingly tender debut that blends satire with genuine emotional depth. Anderson writes with an incredibly engaging and unique voice, and the book offers a fresh, thought provoking take on work, identity, and modern capitalism. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one!

Sarah Anderson's novel Fallow is a "coming-of-adulthood" novel (is that a thing?). Natalie Gallagher is suffering from millennial malaise, working a job she hates just so she can keep herself alive and her student loans at bay. When she's offered an extremely high-paying yet unorthodox job in a new surrogacy pilot program at a large company, it seems like an offer that's too good to be true. So what if she has to be constantly monitored and can't tell anyone in her life what she really does? At least she can pay off her student loans and spend a lot of time lounging around watching reality tv. Ah, the dream!

Of course, a twist (actually, a couple), come about halfway and three-quarters of the way through the novel. Natalie's seemingly comfortable existence is challenged, and she has to decide what she really wants and who she really is. Ultimately, its a book about finding yourself through finding your purpose. This book is weird, and the characters are annoying at times (including Natalie), but it has something interesting to say, and it was a fun read! There was enough humor and reflection sown throughout its pages to make it feel both enjoyable and worthwhile.

Thanks so much to FSG and NetGalley for my ARC!

Holy freaking GOD this book blew me away. I picked it up in the late afternoon & found myself seated in place for the next 5 hours reading it in its entirety. It follows Natalie, a woman low on funds who signs a surrogacy contract for a major tech corporation. I loved how it explored multiple distinct periods of Natalie’s life, which really reminds me of the way that various “eras” in our lives can feel like they occurred in different realities, but still ultimately shape us. I went in expecting some kind of dystopian capitalism commentary and while that is present, this book goes so so much deeper than that. To me it was about Natalie’s growth as a woman & I really related to and found lots of meaning in the ways she grew and changed and fit into/tried to force herself into different molds. I was surprised at how quickly the first part of the contract progressed, expecting it to unfold over the entire book, but I LOVE the way that the events unfolded. I absolutely adored this story & its characters. “Thank you, life, for making me a woman.” WOWWWWOWOWOW. Thank you to NetGalley, Anderson & Macmillan for the advance copy.

This was a very entertaining, hilarious, and fun read. The author created quite a unique and relevant premise in this modern era. Does not seem far off.
I liked how the main character's journey unraveled and changed from different extremes. Her inner thoughts were quite relatable.
The corporate lingo in this book made me laugh out loud.

A hilarious, dystopian novel (though the plot doesn't seem too far fetched these days...). Natalie hates work. When an opportunity to become a surrogate for a major corporation with housing, insurance, and a generous salary provided, Natalie doesn't think too hard or read too carefully before she signs the contract.

I loved the writing and Natalie's narration and apathy toward work really grabbed my attention from the start. A stunning and exciting debut! I can't wait to read whatever the author writes next.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

I adored this book. It is one of my favorites of the year. It's written beautifully and simply, and took an unexpected turn that was a beautiful way to wrap the story up. The main character is frustrating in a Hannah Horvath way, but you can't help but love her. I identified with almost none of her traits but I loved her journey as a person. I think this book managed to stay very grounded as well against some big concepts. I cannot say more good things about it.