Have you ever been gifted one of those grow-a-boyfriend kits as a gag gift? The small sponge man grows in water and is said to be the perfect boyfriend who doesn’t argue, doesn’t snore, and is always polite! Sponge boyfriend might be perfect, but he’s a bit quiet and can’t offer you any real companionship. If you could create the ideal partner from scratch, though, then all your romantic problems would be solved, right? The creation of the perfect partner and what comes afterwards is explored in a hilarious, absurd way in Blob by Maggie Su. 

Blob centers around Vi Liu, a young biracial woman going through a rough patch. After a breakup and dropping out of college, Vi spends her days as a hotel receptionist, refilling fancy cucumber water dispensers.  While out at a club, Vi finds a mysterious Blob by a dumpster. Drunk and unsure of the Blob’s origins, Vi scoops it into her purse and takes it home. 

At home, Vi gives the Blob sugary cereal and treats it like a pet. The Blob begins to act like a sentient Roomba, creating messes all over Vi’s apartment, demanding more cereal. Vi dubs him Bob the Blob. Bob is very adaptive, listening to Vi’s commands and growing. Soon, Bob is fully formed into  a human man with movie-star handsome good looks. When Bob begins to self-actualize and make his own choices, Vi grapples with her own issues of control and self-absorption. 

Blob’s subtitle, A Love Story, appears to refer to Vi and Bob as Vi attempts to mold Bob into her ideal partner. The greater love story is that of Vi rediscovering love for herself. Vi is the sort of “unlikeable” female main character that I love to read about. Clearly depressed and down on her luck, Vi is also avoiding the things that would help her feel better.  Vi is insecure and selfish and self-sabotaging. Her desire for unconditional love is what drives most of her choices, including exerting control over Bob. Vi’s loneliness is what drives her to scoop up the puddle of goo in the alley. Vi is desperate for connection, yet pushes away attempts at friendship and rejects others.

It’s important to note that Vi, a Taiwanese American woman, created a “perfect” white boyfriend. Vi’s desire for belonging and validation extends to all areas of her life, so it makes sense that Bob would materialize as a man with the most social mobility. Vi has a lot of hurt that she has to heal on her own, that no relationship or job could fix. 

If you’re in the mood for some quirky speculative fiction, Blob is a delightful read.