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Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Robot in the Garden in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
What would you do if you found a robot in your garden? That is exactly what, as the title suggests, 34-year-old Ben has to answer on making this discovery early one September morning. Set in the near future where many people have androids in their houses to do the chores they do not wish to do, finding a robot is not a completely unsettling event. What is unusual, however, is that this particular robot is the opposite of the modern, shiny models: he appears to be a mishmash of Japanese fine art and something you would find on a scrap heap.
As Ben discovers, the robot, named Tang is broken and is in need of urgent care and repair. Ben becomes obsessed with trying to pry information out of the robot as to where he came from and to whom he belongs to. Bringing Tang into the house is the last straw for his wife, Amy, who after letting him know all his faults – unemployment, never achieved anything – walks out on him. Now alone, with no one else to worry about, Ben is determined to locate Tang’s creator and save the robot’s life.
What continues is a wild goose chase across America and over to Asia as the strange pairing – human and robot – follows hints and clues that could help them reach their destination. Along the way Ben gets to know Tang and learns to love him in the same way a father loves a child. No matter what mischief Tang gets himself into, Ben is always there to fix the situation. The only thing he cannot fix is Tang’s internal parts, and time is running out.
Initially the story was about a man who wanted to prove he could achieve something to show his sister and his, now, ex-wife that they were wrong about him. However later on in the novel Ben realizes he is changing for himself, not for anyone else, and the person – or robot – that has helped him to achieve this is Tang. On the other hand it is also a humorous tale that explores a character that is unable to connect to the world around him. Tang is like a human toddler who needs constant care and attention, and is fascinated by everything around him. With Ben’s love and attention he proves to the world that he is much more than a rusty metal box.
<i>A Robot in the Garden</i> is a gem of a novel that is guaranteed to make the reader laugh. It is also touching and emotionally engaging, with both heartwarming and heart wrenching moments. Deborah Install has created an accurate representation of a character that has no understanding of the happenings in the world around it, basing many hilarious instances on those of her young son.
Whilst reading this book I could not help but compare it to the film <i>Short Circuit</i> (1986) in which a robot is electrocuted and gains human intelligence. I kept picturing the storyline of <i>A Robot in the Garden</i> in my head and thinking up ways it could be portrayed on screen. Whether there are plans to make it into a film I have no idea, but I am sure it would make prize-winning picture.
Do not be put off by its science fiction classification; <i>A Robot in the Garden</i> is no <i>War of the Worlds</i> or <i>Doctor Who</i> type of story. Instead it is a brilliant piece if fiction suitable for all adults. Those with children will laugh at the similarities between Tang and their offspring, whereas those without will sympathise with Ben’s struggles to keep the robot under control. All in all a great novel.
What would you do if you found a robot in your garden? That is exactly what, as the title suggests, 34-year-old Ben has to answer on making this discovery early one September morning. Set in the near future where many people have androids in their houses to do the chores they do not wish to do, finding a robot is not a completely unsettling event. What is unusual, however, is that this particular robot is the opposite of the modern, shiny models: he appears to be a mishmash of Japanese fine art and something you would find on a scrap heap.
As Ben discovers, the robot, named Tang is broken and is in need of urgent care and repair. Ben becomes obsessed with trying to pry information out of the robot as to where he came from and to whom he belongs to. Bringing Tang into the house is the last straw for his wife, Amy, who after letting him know all his faults – unemployment, never achieved anything – walks out on him. Now alone, with no one else to worry about, Ben is determined to locate Tang’s creator and save the robot’s life.
What continues is a wild goose chase across America and over to Asia as the strange pairing – human and robot – follows hints and clues that could help them reach their destination. Along the way Ben gets to know Tang and learns to love him in the same way a father loves a child. No matter what mischief Tang gets himself into, Ben is always there to fix the situation. The only thing he cannot fix is Tang’s internal parts, and time is running out.
Initially the story was about a man who wanted to prove he could achieve something to show his sister and his, now, ex-wife that they were wrong about him. However later on in the novel Ben realizes he is changing for himself, not for anyone else, and the person – or robot – that has helped him to achieve this is Tang. On the other hand it is also a humorous tale that explores a character that is unable to connect to the world around him. Tang is like a human toddler who needs constant care and attention, and is fascinated by everything around him. With Ben’s love and attention he proves to the world that he is much more than a rusty metal box.
<i>A Robot in the Garden</i> is a gem of a novel that is guaranteed to make the reader laugh. It is also touching and emotionally engaging, with both heartwarming and heart wrenching moments. Deborah Install has created an accurate representation of a character that has no understanding of the happenings in the world around it, basing many hilarious instances on those of her young son.
Whilst reading this book I could not help but compare it to the film <i>Short Circuit</i> (1986) in which a robot is electrocuted and gains human intelligence. I kept picturing the storyline of <i>A Robot in the Garden</i> in my head and thinking up ways it could be portrayed on screen. Whether there are plans to make it into a film I have no idea, but I am sure it would make prize-winning picture.
Do not be put off by its science fiction classification; <i>A Robot in the Garden</i> is no <i>War of the Worlds</i> or <i>Doctor Who</i> type of story. Instead it is a brilliant piece if fiction suitable for all adults. Those with children will laugh at the similarities between Tang and their offspring, whereas those without will sympathise with Ben’s struggles to keep the robot under control. All in all a great novel.
The Documentary Impulse
Book
Award-winning photographer Stuart Franklin's exploration of how we, as humans, are driven to...
Cocoa Beach (A Certain Age #2)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Burdened by a dark family secret, Virginia Fortescue flees her oppressive home in New York City for...
Dana (24 KP) rated The Winner's Kiss in Books
Mar 23, 2018
So my rating for this is actually a 3.5 stars instead of a 4 stars, but I rounded up. Oh and there will be spoilers in this review, so you have been warned.
This was an okay ending for the series-it wasn't bad but it wasn't bad either.
The characters got whiny and I only understood some of their motivations for what they did. Kestrel and Arin were very angsty throughout the series, and they did not disappoint in this book either.
I understand Kestrel had to forget herself in the work camp to be able to survive the camp and to become a better person afterwards, but to me, it was kinda pointless. Yes, she gets to start a new relationship with Arin and everyone else, but it seemed like a cover for the story to be able to go on without as many hitches. She was still able to retain some of herself, but most of her memories were gone? That just didn't make much sense to me. With that, how would she remember how to play the games so well if her mind was gone? I'm pretty sure that war strategy doesn't stay with you longer than your core memories, but hey, that's just my opinion. Another convenient thing that came with Kestrel's memory loss was that some of the previous novels' subplots were not touched on because she couldn't remember them. Again, not really my favorite thing in the world when it comes to writing.
Because of these couple of things, I did see quite a few plot holes that were too big for me not to notice.
I liked Arin the tiger. I want a tiger friend because that would be awesome.
I also really liked the clever way Kestrel took down the emperor. That was a brilliant move and I was actually really worried for her when I was reading that part of the book.
Overall, it was paced quite well, it was a very quick read, but there were plot and characterization problems that kept me from absolutely loving it. I am glad that I finished reading this series and that I waited to be able to binge read them all in one summer, but it was also kind of a let down from what I had expected.
If you like books with interesting concepts, lands, and politics, definitely pick this series up because, like I said before, I didn't dislike it! Not by a long shot!
This was an okay ending for the series-it wasn't bad but it wasn't bad either.
The characters got whiny and I only understood some of their motivations for what they did. Kestrel and Arin were very angsty throughout the series, and they did not disappoint in this book either.
I understand Kestrel had to forget herself in the work camp to be able to survive the camp and to become a better person afterwards, but to me, it was kinda pointless. Yes, she gets to start a new relationship with Arin and everyone else, but it seemed like a cover for the story to be able to go on without as many hitches. She was still able to retain some of herself, but most of her memories were gone? That just didn't make much sense to me. With that, how would she remember how to play the games so well if her mind was gone? I'm pretty sure that war strategy doesn't stay with you longer than your core memories, but hey, that's just my opinion. Another convenient thing that came with Kestrel's memory loss was that some of the previous novels' subplots were not touched on because she couldn't remember them. Again, not really my favorite thing in the world when it comes to writing.
Because of these couple of things, I did see quite a few plot holes that were too big for me not to notice.
I liked Arin the tiger. I want a tiger friend because that would be awesome.
I also really liked the clever way Kestrel took down the emperor. That was a brilliant move and I was actually really worried for her when I was reading that part of the book.
Overall, it was paced quite well, it was a very quick read, but there were plot and characterization problems that kept me from absolutely loving it. I am glad that I finished reading this series and that I waited to be able to binge read them all in one summer, but it was also kind of a let down from what I had expected.
If you like books with interesting concepts, lands, and politics, definitely pick this series up because, like I said before, I didn't dislike it! Not by a long shot!
Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918
Book
With a death toll of between 50 and 100 million people and a global reach, the Spanish flu of...
History Medicine
Awix (3310 KP) rated The War of the Worlds in TV
Dec 2, 2019
Grisly non-adaptation of the immortal H.G. Wells story retains the same basic premise and the very occasional moment, but essentially scoops out the innards of the actual novel and replaces them with indescribably turgid attempts to (I would guess) update the story and make it relevant to the modern world.
Part of a grim tradition where BBC attempts to adapt SF, fantasy and horror classics operate to different standards than when they are tackling Austen or Dickens. If the team who perpetrated War of the Worlds got their hands on Pride and Prejudice, it would end up being a lesbian romance between the Bennets' maid and one of the minor daughters, performed on ice, with a frame story concerning the Boer war. It's not just that it does the book badly, it genuinely doesn't seem interested in it at all. Someone gets a leaden, clumsy speech articulating the subtext of the novel (how to adapt a great book for the hard-of-thinking) but as to what this version of the story is supposed to be about or why we should care at all... It takes real skill and determination to screw up a classic piece of literature quite this badly.
Part of a grim tradition where BBC attempts to adapt SF, fantasy and horror classics operate to different standards than when they are tackling Austen or Dickens. If the team who perpetrated War of the Worlds got their hands on Pride and Prejudice, it would end up being a lesbian romance between the Bennets' maid and one of the minor daughters, performed on ice, with a frame story concerning the Boer war. It's not just that it does the book badly, it genuinely doesn't seem interested in it at all. Someone gets a leaden, clumsy speech articulating the subtext of the novel (how to adapt a great book for the hard-of-thinking) but as to what this version of the story is supposed to be about or why we should care at all... It takes real skill and determination to screw up a classic piece of literature quite this badly.
A Farewell to Arms: The Special Edition
6.0
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Book
Written when Ernest Hemingway was thirty years old and lauded as the best American novel to emerge...
A German Requiem
Book
'For Christmas, I would like all of Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir novels.' Sam Mendes, Guardian 'Philip...
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated The Fate of the Furious (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2017
Loud, dumb, eye pleasing action (2 more)
Jason Statham and a baby
The Rock coaching girls' soccer
RIP Paul Walker (2 more)
We want Han Seoul-Oh back
10-year-old autonomous cars?
Over the Top and a Little Too Far
Contains spoilers, click to show
I put up with the endless runway (was it a Möbius strip?) in Fast 6. That alone should prove I have a very high tolerance for movies that really put the concept of "suspension of disbelief" to the test. The Fate of the Furious, however, had more than a few moments that left me unable to suspend my disbelief. A movie about cars should not have a whole scene showing 10-year-old cars being controlled autonomously (I specifically remember seeing 2005-ish Volkswagen Jetta in a World War Z zombie swarm of driverless cars). Even most cars being produced in 2017 would not have this capability. Also, why would Jeep/Chrysler want their cars prominently featured in a scene involving a hacker taking control of cars in order to create mass destruction and chaos? Just a thought, and I digress. There are more unbelievable moments in the movie, nothing out of the ordinary for a Fast and Furious movie though (winning a race in reverse, anyone?). It's great dumb fun, as always, and if you don't care about all the physics and reality breaking nonsense it's a wild ride. For me though, it feels as if the Fast and the Furious franchise has finally jumped the shark, or should I say submarine? I will say this though, this one scene near the end of the movie involving Jason Statham and a baby was worth the price of admission alone.
Gritty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining
Kimberley Chambers isn't known as the "Queen of Gangland Crime Fiction" for nothing and here we have yet another masterpiece of story-telling ... the saga that is "Queenie".
This book tells the story of Queenie from her life as a young girl during World War II right up to the early 60's and what a life she leads! She is one heck of a character; one minute you absolutely adore her, the next she disappoints you, then she'll surprise you and then shock ... I felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish and I still don't know how I feel about her even now!
Queenie is not the only character however, this book is absolutely brimmed to the rim with fantastic personalities from the bit players to the main stars; some you'll love and some ... not so much. The setting in the east end of London felt perfect but it could equally have worked in any inner-city borough. For those of us who weren't around during the time span of this book, I felt it captured them well and it felt authentic and believable to me.
"Queenie" is a gritty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining read and one I would definitely recommend even if you haven't read any of the other books in the "Butler" series; this can easily be read as a standalone as it is the prequel to the first book in the series "The Trap."
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This book tells the story of Queenie from her life as a young girl during World War II right up to the early 60's and what a life she leads! She is one heck of a character; one minute you absolutely adore her, the next she disappoints you, then she'll surprise you and then shock ... I felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish and I still don't know how I feel about her even now!
Queenie is not the only character however, this book is absolutely brimmed to the rim with fantastic personalities from the bit players to the main stars; some you'll love and some ... not so much. The setting in the east end of London felt perfect but it could equally have worked in any inner-city borough. For those of us who weren't around during the time span of this book, I felt it captured them well and it felt authentic and believable to me.
"Queenie" is a gritty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining read and one I would definitely recommend even if you haven't read any of the other books in the "Butler" series; this can easily be read as a standalone as it is the prequel to the first book in the series "The Trap."
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.