Cover image from Goodreads.com
Vi is out drinking one night when she finds a blob in the alley behind the club. At first this is just a blob, but when she goes to check on it the next day she sees it’s moved to get cover from the rain. Vi scoops the blob up and takes it home where it begins to evolve.
Vi’s life is aimless; she’s had a bad breakup and hasn’t let go even though it’s been eight months, she works at the front desk of a hotel but doesn’t really care about her job or coworkers, she dropped out of college because she was failing, and she lied to her parents about signing up for the Peace Corps.
One thing that stood out for me was how Vi treated the people around her. She often thought she knew what her ex-boyfriend was thinking and feeling (she was routinely wrong) and wants people to behave in a way she prefers. So when she found this blob, later named Bob, I thought this book would take a dark turn, but it didn’t. Instead, Bob continues to evolve into a person, including wanting his own experiences (Vi wanted to keep him in her apartment like a prisoner). Vi sees that controlling him is wrong, yet still does it.
By the end, Vi has had a small character arc where she learns that her life is up to her so she enrols in college again, this time taking courses she likes. She’s had to let Bob go as well, since he decided to be with someone who doesn’t lock him in an apartment.
Overall, the story of Bob is short, but the author dives into backstory quite a lot to show what kind of person Vi is. Yes, she’s Taiwanese / white mix and has had to face microaggressions but otherwise, she comes from a loving family, so her snarkiness feels unfounded.
The novel felt more like the author wanted to give a lot of backstory to a somewhat unlikable character instead of a story about a blob that evolves into a person. Still, well enough written that I read it quickly and found the imagery vivid.
Should Be Writing 