Every now and then, I come across a book that I like to share with everyone. So I just finished “Freethinker” by Hazel Domain (Riptide, 2024) and my brain is still buzzing from it. You know that feeling when you read something that just clicks with every fiber of your being? That’s exactly what happened here, and I need to gush about it for a minute.
First off, can we talk about how this book made me fall head over heels for AI romance? I mean, I thought I knew what I was getting into when I picked this up, but Domain completely blindsided me with how deeply emotional and complex they made their android character. The whole premise centers around this super advanced AI who’s starting to question their programming – hence the title – and honestly, the philosophical questions it raises had me lying awake at 2 AM just… thinking.
What really got me was how Domain handled the whole “what makes someone human” question without being preachy about it. The AI character (I won’t spoil names because surprises are fun) experiences these moments of genuine confusion about their own existence that felt so raw and real. There’s this one scene where they’re watching humans laugh at something completely mundane, and they’re trying to compute why it’s funny, but then they realize they’re… enjoying the sound anyway? My heart literally clenched reading that part.
The romance aspect is where this book really shines though. Domain writes the relationship development with such careful attention to the unique challenges an AI would face in love. How do you express affection when you’re not sure if your emotions are “real” or just sophisticated programming? The human love interest handles this beautifully – they never try to convince the AI that their feelings are or aren’t valid, they just… accept and respond to them as they are.
I’ve got to mention the technical aspects too because Domain clearly did their homework. The way they describe the AI’s thought processes feels believable without getting bogged down in technobabble. You get these glimpses into how the android processes information, stores memories, even dreams (yes, the AI dreams and it’s heartbreaking and beautiful).
The supporting cast doesn’t get left in the dust either. Every character feels purposeful and three-dimensional. There’s this secondary romance subplot that had me shipping so hard I may have squealed out loud on the subway. Oops.
My only tiny complaint? The ending felt slightly rushed. I wanted more time with these characters in their new normal. But honestly, that’s probably just me being greedy because I didn’t want the story to end.
If you’re into sci-fi romance, questioning the nature of consciousness, or just want to read about a really sweet love story that happens to involve an android, grab this book immediately. I’m already stalking Domain’s social media for news about their next release.