Annie Bot

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Annie gradually learns to value her autonomy and independence. Reflect on a time when you had to assert your own boundaries in a relationship. How did this experience change your understanding of yourself?

2. Doug justifies his controlling behavior by emphasizing his ownership of Annie. Have you ever been in a situation where power dynamics significantly affected a relationship? How did you navigate those challenges?

3. Throughout the novel, Annie finds solace in learning and reading as a form of escape. What activities or interests have served as refuges for you during difficult periods in your life?

4. Annie struggles with the question of whether her artificial intelligence makes her emotions less valid than human emotions. Have you ever had your feelings dismissed or invalidated? How did you respond?

5. The therapy sessions between Annie, Doug, and Monica reveal how differently they each view their relationship. What insights have you gained from seeing a relationship from multiple perspectives?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Annie Bot explores themes of consent and autonomy in the context of artificial intelligence. How do these issues reflect current societal concerns about technology, consent, and power?

2. How does the novel’s portrayal of Doug’s toxic masculinity reflect or challenge contemporary conversations about gender roles and power dynamics?

3. The novel presents a world where advanced AI companions are commercially available. What does this suggest about the potential commodification of relationships and intimacy in our society?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Annie’s character development throughout the novel challenge or reinforce traditional ideas about what makes someone human?

2. In what ways does Doug’s relationship with Annie mirror patterns of domestic abuse? How does Greer use the human-bot relationship to highlight issues of control and power?

3. What do bodily modifications symbolize in the novel? How do Doug’s changes to Annie’s appearance contribute to the book’s exploration of objectification and agency? How does this compare to the treatment of human women’s bodies in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale?

4. The novel is narrated mainly through Annie’s perspective. How might the story have differed if told from Doug’s point of view? What insights does Annie’s perspective provide that Doug’s might not?

5. How does the introduction of Delta serve the narrative? What does her character reveal about both Annie and Doug?

6. Is sexuality a symbol in the novel? How does Greer use intimate scenes to explore themes of power, control, and authenticity?