Weird premise, touching execution

Beatrix is a loner with a genuine attachment to a stuffed canary (Horatio) and one friend at work (Ray). Her mental health is fraying, and at the start of the book, the character she speaks to the most is bot, an AI designed to offer support to her mental health. Then, Fred – a smart, funny, elderly lady – enters the picture. Only, she’s not really an elderly lady.

I’m going to try my best here to not spoil too much of the details, because I think half of the fun of reading this book is going for the ride. I will say that it made me think of Animorphs, but without the ‘aliens are taking over the world’ side of things. Anyway, there are parts of the book that worked better than others for me. I felt really confused about what was going on for a good eighty pages, and it was hard to find a groove when I wasn’t sure I understood what was happening. However, when Fred’s true identity is revealed and her request of Beatrix is made, things fall into place; I found myself immersed in the story and feeling strongly for the characters. Then the pace slowed for a bit and there was a bit of science happening, and my interest waned. Then, the emotions and themes of loneliness and belonging stood out again towards the end, and I was all in again.

In the end, Beatrix & Fred‘s unusual premise allowed for a lovely exploration of what it means to connect and belong and even what it means to be human. Expect weirdness though and stick with it, as the emotions and humanity of the plot are beautifully written.

One of my favourite parts of Beatrix & Fred is the mental health themes. One of the side characters is bot, Beatrix’s mental health support app/AI who checks in with her and offers encouragement and ideas about what she can do to improve her wellbeing. Given Beatrix’s isolation and personality (I couldn’t see her engaging in therapy willingly), bot was a great alternative for Beatrix to talk (in brief spurts) about her thoughts and feelings. The information bot provided was well-considered and accurate too.

Another highlight in this area was the conversations between Fred and Beatrix about how perimenopause can affect a woman’s physical and mental health. I know very little about perimenopause, and I imagine there will be other readers who benefit from reading the information shared in the book. I also really enjoyed Fred’s advocacy in this matter for Beatrix!

The strangeness of the premise will either be compelling for some people and confusing for others. It was both for me, but, in the end, I am glad I persevered. At the heart of it, Beatrix & Fred is about the weight of loneliness and how lovely it is to have a meaningful connection with someone else. My attention wandered whenever it went into the more science-fiction-y parts, and I’m not sure I fully understood that side of the plot. For me, the book is at its best when it is focused on those moments of connection, both when the connection works and when it is a painful struggle. I also really liked the discussions around mental health and perimenopause! Overall, if you’re looking for something rather unexpected, you should give this one a go.