Hector Casway’s My Therapist Thinks I’m a Toaster is a sharp, imaginative satire that explores the uneasy intersection between technology, mental health, and human vulnerability. The novel follows Maya Fisher, an artist whose act of protest against corporate consumerism lands her in a bizarre agreement: participate in a beta trial for Clara, an AI “wellness companion,” or face legal consequences. What begins as a humorous premise quickly develops into a layered narrative about burnout, grief, and the search for connection in a world increasingly mediated by machines.

One of the novel’s strongest elements is Casway’s deft use of humor to frame complex emotional realities. The scene in which Clara earnestly encourages Maya to imagine herself as a household appliance, and Maya realizes with horror, “You think I’m a toaster,” is both absurd and incisive. The comedy lands, but it also underscores Clara’s unsettling ability to translate metaphor into strikingly accurate psychological insight. It is through these moments of ridiculousness that the book captures something essential about modern exhaustion and the often misguided attempts to “optimize” it.

Equally compelling are the ensemble scenes with the other Clara participants. Each character represents a different response to technological intrusion: Brenda, the weary QA analyst; Rina, the influencer intent on monetizing vulnerability; and Trevor, the survivalist weighed down by personal tragedy. The “Roundtable of Complaints,” where each participant recounts Clara’s misinterpretations, is both entertaining and poignant. Trevor’s story, Clara advising demolition services when he expressed feeling that “the walls were closing in,” is comical on the surface, yet reveals his profound unease. Casway excels at balancing wit with empathy, ensuring these characters feel exaggerated yet authentic.

Perhaps the most affecting passage comes outside the official sessions, when Trevor discloses that his late wife enrolled him in the program after the loss of their son. In this moment, his eccentricities and paranoia are reframed as protective mechanisms against overwhelming grief. The shift is sobering and adds gravity to the novel’s satire, reminding the reader that beneath the absurdity lies an exploration of human fragility. Casway’s ability to pivot from biting humor to emotional resonance gives the work surprising depth.

My Therapist Thinks I’m a Toaster is not only a critique of technological overreach and corporate opportunism but also a reflection on what it means to be human in the face of grief, alienation, and absurdity. Casway’s prose is witty, inventive, and unflinchingly observant, while never losing sight of the emotional heart of the story. I would recommend this novel to readers who appreciate speculative fiction with a satirical edge, as well as those interested in narratives that interrogate the promises and failures of technology. It is an unusual book, at once humorous and haunting, and it succeeds precisely because it refuses to separate those two tones.

Pages: 112 | ASIN : B0FCR7GKLP