Maggie Su's debut novel, Blob, is a humorous and deeply moving debut novel in the vein of Bunny and Convenience Store Woman about a young woman who tries to shape a sentient blob into her perfect boyfriend.

The daughter of a Taiwanese father and white mother, Vi Liu has never quite fit into her Midwestern college town. Aimless after getting dumped by her boyfriend and dropping out of college, Vi works at the front desk of a hotel where she greets guests, refills cucumber water samovars, and tries to evade her bubbly blond coworker, Rachel. Little does Vi know her life is about to be permanently transformed when she agrees to a night out with Rachel. In the alley outside the bar, Vi discovers a strange blob--a small living creature with beady black eyes. In a moment of concern and drunken desperation, she takes it home. But the blob is no ordinary pet. Becoming increasingly sentient, it begins to grow, shift shape, and obey Vi's commands. As the entity continues to change, Vi is struck with a daring idea: she'll mold the creature into her ideal partner. Feeding it a stream of sweet breakfast cereals and American pop culture, the creature grows into a movie-star handsome white man. But when Vi's desire to be loved unconditionally threatens to spiral out of control, she is forced to confront her lonely childhood, her aloof ex-boyfriend, and the racial marginalization that has defined her relationships--a journey of self-discovery that teaches her it's impossible to control those you love.

Reviews:

"Blob tackles similar questions about connection but is ultimately also about a young woman trying to figure out herself and her relationships; think the humor of Flubber, the emotional salience of Her, and the sweet, fraught, occasionally infuriating self-discovery of Girls." -- Jezebel

"A journey of self-discovery that is as delightful and touching as it is downright strange." -- Polygon

"Su's ambitions extend beyond a Chiller Theater rom-com... To say more would spoil the dark fun of this book. Suffice it to say that Blob isn't a horror novel, and Bob isn't the only one who evolves from a disagreeable lump into someone willing to accept who and what they are. In Su's affecting Frankenstein story, the monster's transformation is the least surprising one." -- Washington Post

"Funny, original, and charming, Blob ponders the shape-shifting potential of love."
-- Interview Magazine

"So weird and wonderful! A funny, moving look at what it means to be real, to grow, and to truly connect with yourself and others." -- Read This Next

Meet Maggie Su

Maggie Su is a writer and editor. She received a PhD in fiction from University of Cincinnati and an MFA from Indiana University. Her work has appeared in New England Review, Four Way Review, TriQuarterly Review, Puerto del Sol, Juked, DIAGRAM, and elsewhere. She currently lives in South Bend, Indiana, with her partner, cat, and turtle.