A Robot in the Garden

A Robot in the… #1

by Deborah Install

For fans of THE ROSIE PROJECT and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHTTIME, A broken man and his damaged robot build an unlikely friendship-with some assembly required.

Ben's really great at failing at things-his job, taking the garbage out, and being a husband. But when he discovers a battered robot named Tang in his garden, he decides to get out of his couch-ridden comfort zone. Without a crucial bit of machinery, Tang will stop working, and Ben can't let that happen, especially since he's already alienated everyone else he cares about. Determined to achieve something for once in his life, Ben sets out to fix his new robot comrade and soon discovers that Tang might be just the thing to fix what's broken in Ben. Funny, touching, and charming, A Robot in the Garden explores what it is to be a man, a sentient being, and a friend.

Genres: Fiction, Science Fiction, Robots, Adult Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Adult

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Deborah Install has been writing fiction since childhood, submitting her first book to a publisher at the age of 8. Her love of writing persisted, leading to a number of jobs, including web journalism and her most recent role as copywriter at a design and marketing agency. She lives in Birmingham, UK, with her husband, toddler and affectionate but imperious cat. Her debut novel, A ROBOT IN THE GARDEN, is inspired by her own young son, and is backed up by copious technological research.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 5-star read for my April 2022 "Fantasy/Science Fiction Month"!

Why I chose to read this book:
I bought a copy at my local library's annual book sale a couple of years ago after reading a good friend's glowing review.

Positives:
1. this story's strong suit is its character-development! When MC Ben Chambers finds a robot in his garden, he goes from being aimless (both as a husband and in life) to a man of responsibility and revelation as he takes his newfound friend, Tang, on a worldwide mission to find its creator in order to fix its cracked cylinder. As for Tang, I ADORE him! He is like a loveable toddler! Obviously, author Deborah Install wrote what she knows and cares about in her debut novel, as she stylized Tang after her real-life child, Toby. Tang's antics really made me laugh and pulled at my heartstrings; and,
2. this almost reads like contemporary fiction except for the light science fiction portrayed by Tang, the robot, and the androids employed in various stations on Earth.

This is a sweet, delightful story, with a touch of humor, about sensitivity, enlightenment and love. If you are leery about reading science fiction, then I highly recommend that you begin with this one.

Thanks, Holly, for bringing this lovely story to my attention! A new favorite!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly charming and adorable!!

Okay, now that I have let that out...

"There's a robot in the garden," my wife informed me.

And so it begins.

Ben and Amy are experiencing some marital problems, so when Tang shows up at their doorstep (actually their back garden) and Ben decides to take him on a trip to find its creator, things might not go as planned.

Ofcourse, going on a trip with and old fashioned robot instead of an android which is more common those days, is an invitation for hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings. But Ben is determined to bring this adventure to a successful ending and along the way the two form a special bond that only they understand.

This is a story about friendship, and growing up. But also belief in one another. And if this tale doesn't make you all warm and cuddly...you must be an android.


Review copy supplied by publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a rating and/or review.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a huge soft spot for robots, and have done since I was very young, so I was really looking forward to this book, and it didn’t disappoint.

What would you do if a rickety old robot appeared in your garden, said very little and just stared at the horses in the distance? Would you ignore it, throw it away, or invite it into your house?

Ben decides to try and help the robot, despite his wife, Amy wanting him to get ride of it. What follows is Ben going on an adventure with 'Tang' the robot in an attempt to find his maker. The things they both experience on their travels are both challenging and also laugh out loud funny.

Tang is an adorable little robot. I fell in love with him almost straight away and just wanted to cuddle and protect him, the poor little thing. Sometimes he was like a naughty and annoying child, while at other times, some of the wise words he came out with, reminded me of Mr Miyagi from Karate Kid. Tang was such a cute and fun character that I fully enjoyed getting to know as the story progressed.

This story runs deeper than a tale of a poorly made robot. It is about love, unlikely friendships and growing up. At times it is emotional, and I had tears in my eyes on a couple of occasions. This was such a lovely tale.

I have a garden with horses at the end. I’m now patiently waiting for my robot to arrive…

I would like to thank the publisher, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for allowing me a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah Churchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

So. Adorable.

A guy called Ben is living with his wife Amy in a nice big house left to him by his parents. Amy is a barrister, and they're living comfortably despite Ben's lack of a job. He doesn't think he needs one, or in fact need to do much of anything. His wife, of course, disagrees.

So their marriage is already on the rocks when little Tang appears. He's a dilapidated robot that looks out of place in this world of high-end androids, but Ben sees something special in him and takes him on an adventure around the globe to find his maker and get the leaking cylinder inside him fixed before he stops working for good.

Cue hilarity in airports, misunderstandings in android 'companion' hotels and a few scientists (both of the friendly and mad variety).

This is a heartwarming tale of friendship, learning and growing up. It's also laugh out loud funny because Tang is stubborn, sulky, adorable and wraps EVERYONE around his little finger. Or grabber. You know what I mean.

I would like a Tang please.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.

"Now, I have to admit that the idea of traveling across the desert in a Dodge Charger with a retro robot and a radioactive sausage dog is not something I would have imagined myself doing. But life takes us in peculiar directions sometimes, and on those occasions the only thing to do is give it a high-five and roll with it. 

That is basically a summary of both the events and the mood of the book.

A Robot In The Garden is an extremely adorable and endearing book about the friendship between a sad man and a small, old broken robot.

When I read the description I was not totally sold, I expected to even be disappointed and/or bored. None of which happened. I really like this sweet and very positive story of friendship, love and adventure. 

Another thing that impressed me was the fact that instead of going great lengths to manipulate our feelings, the author played it cheerful and without too much excessive drama. There were surely sad and negative events, but even they had a tint of hope and optimism and I really liked that. No low that the characters reached was too deep for them not to be able to come out of it.

The two main characters, Ben and Tang, were a great duo. I enjoyed their relationship so much, I had many "Awww" moments and I also laughed a lot during their adventures. Not to mention that I found it the best thing ever when from friendship they moved more to a father/son type of relationship and that opened way for so many amazing events, like Ben buying Tang a wardrobe so he can hide from the witches on Halloween. Adorable!

My favourite secondary character was the abovementioned radioactive sausage dog. You can't get any cooler than a hitchhiking radioactive sausage dog. That is not to say that the dog could talk or anything like that. It was just cool.

I found everything about the A Robot In The Garden very refreshing and cheerful and cute. It was a great feel-good book that I recommend to everyone, especially people who are feeling down.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had a mild robot obsession since reading Mason Johnson's Sad Robot Stories two years ago. Surely that's what led me to enter this giveaway, even though I had a nagging feeling that the book would prove to be a bit too sentimental for my tastes. And I was right - it was corny, and oversweet, even a tad syrupy at times.
But, hey - it starred a ROBOT!



A recalcitrant, easily-bored robot who's apparently incontinent.

"Where were you before you got here?"

Mercifully, it seemed Tang had gotten the hang of this game, and he raised a grabber to point at the bus stop over the road.

"You came on a bus? Why?"

He looked at me in wide-eyed panic, and shifted from foot to foot. Then a pool of oil appeared at his feet.

Yes, Tang the Robot, shows up one day in Ben's garden. Before too long, Ben's interest in, and devotion to, the woebegone and out-dated creature is enough to break his already fractured marriage. Wifey departs. And what do two guys do when left alone? You got it - ROAD TRIP! Ben and Tang are off on a globetrotting adventure, trying to find a scientist who's competent enough to fix a cracked cylinder in Tang's chest. Apparently, they don't teach Advanced Cylinder Repair at M.I.T., and the supposedly learned scientists are clueless. Our heroes manage to rack up plenty of air miles in their quest. They finally wind up in the clutches of the "mad scientist" who created Tang. The poor guy has no minions, so his clutches are ridiculously easy to escape. And, in the end, predictably, they both learn from each other, and, of course, wind up becoming better people and robots.

Maybe it's my robot bias peeking through, but I really liked Tang, and his presence is the only reason this book gets three stars instead of the two it deserves. His innocence and naivety are charming. He also throws a high-pitched, squealy "Tang-trum" when he doesn't get his own way. So, yes, this robot is essentially a two-year-old child, BUT, he's also the most fully developed character in the novel. The writing is just not good enough to bring any of the humans to life.

One more thing, just to prove I'm not a totally heartless bitch who's incapable of appreciating a tender moment - here's one I did like:

Back in our room, I lay outstretched on the ridiculous but wonderful oversized bed and closed my eyes to think. Then I felt a movement and found Tang had clambered up next to me. He lay down and rested his head on my extended arm. I didn't have the heart to tell him his head was incredibly heavy and was crushing me, so for a few minutes I just put up with it. Then I noticed Tang's eyes were closed, and a faint tick-tick-tick sound was coming from his head. With my free hand, as gently as I could, I slid a pillow under him and removed my arm.

Aw! See - I'm not that horrible. And road tripping with a robot? That's now on my bucket list.

[The Captain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahoy there me mateys! Who doesn’t like robots? I have no idea where I first heard about this one but I am so glad that I finally took the time to read it. This is not yer typical robot story but it is completely worthwhile and fabulous.

This story follows Ben who is living at home with no job, ambition, or hobby. He is just floating along and passively watching his marriage unravel at the seams. He is woken one morning by his wife, Amy, who informs him that there is a robot sitting under a tree in the garden and that he should go look at it. He reluctantly goes to check out the robot. He was told to get rid of the unsightly, battered little robot but doesn’t.

The robot, Tang, is just wonderful. He has been compared in spirit to Paddington Bear and I do kinda get why. The story is set in an unspecified future that is just like ours except there are androids doing tasks like cooking, cleaning, etc. Robots are so old-fashioned. But Ben finds himself becoming interested in Tang. He soon discovers that parts of Tang seem to be failing. Ben is determined to find out how to save Tang. What follows is a remarkably lovely journey.

Ben and Tang’s evolving relationship is the highlight of this book. Ben sort of gal-lumps along in an endearing fashion. But he grows as the story progresses both in how he sees himself and how he views Tang. Watching Tang grow, change, and have opinions is charming and sometimes embarrassing for poor Ben. And even though this is a story about traveling from point to point, yer never bored because of the little robot and the man trying to save him.

This story was heart-warming and delightful and occasionally very funny. I am still smiling about it as I type this review. Little Tang stole me salty, grumpy heart. He can keep it. I highly suggest ye read this one even if robots aren’t usually yer thing. I don’t think ye will regret it.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute book. Disney kids movie cute. Too cute for me.

In a near future populated with sleek service androids, Ben Chambers finds Tang, a boxy seemingly antiquated robot sitting in his garden. The robot turns out to be radically sentient, but with the knowledge and personality of a toddler. Think Wall-E. It is leaking fluid it needs to survive. The lazy, befuddled and failure at most everything Ben decides to find the robot’s owner so he can be repaired. And their adventure begins!

The saccharine level in this book was just too high for me—Tang especially is too cute. The other characters all too cliche. Ben is too much of a befuddled sad sack (Hugh Grant or John Cusak in the title role). His wife Amy, the beautiful vapid lawyer (Katherine Heigl). Hated her. There’s the perky nerdy girl scientist (Amy Irving crossed with Ellen Page), the tall handsome sophisticated Asian robot engineer (John Cho) and the short bearded semi-evil mad scientist living on a secluded island who creates Tang (the guy who creates Jurassic Park). There’s even a weiner dog named Kyle for comic relief. I rolled my eyes at at each stereotype.

I can imagine every actor in this movie asking what is their motivation for what they do. Why did Amy marry Ben in the first place? They have nothing in common. How is it that agoraphobic Ben is able to navigate the entire globe with no problems when he’s rarely traveled? Why does nerd scientist Lizzie jump into bed with Ben who is not a catch within hours of meeting him when she’s pining for hot robot engineer Kato? Why if Tang is the future of robotics does the mad scientist Bollinger not pursue Tang when he initially escapes and make no effort to pursue Ben and Tang when they escape again? If the movie is animated, and it should be, none of this will matter because adults are almost always caricatures in kids movies. The kids will giggle at Tang regardless, and the weiner dog will be a hit.

So two stars for me. Three for the writing which is good. Subtract one for the cliched story. Drop the Ben and Amy dysfunctional marriage stuff and Robot in the Garden might approach a four star Iron Giant like kids read. On my buy, borrow, skip scale: A borrow at best. You won’t miss much if you skip.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, charming, sweet, heart-warming, it made me smile, it made me teary-eyed and I just loved it. It's a beautifully written story of self-discovery, growing-up, love and friendship. The relationship between Ben and Tang is just lovely. Ben is a great main character and Tang an even greater companion. You must read that book. It's just stunning!

[Figgy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5

It was half past seven in the morning when the robot entered our lives.

Ben and Amy never wanted kids. They’d discussed the upsides of not having them, such as never having to stress over Halloween costumes, and decided that was a very good reason for not starting a family. They had discussed getting a robot, but this wasn’t what they had in mind.

My new backpack arrived the next day, smelling of warehouse and containing an excessive amount of little packets of silica gel. As fast as I bundled things into the bag, Tang pulled them out again, each item of curious interest to him for about ten seconds, then discarded.

Amy was the one who always wanted an android to help around the house, and Ben was the uncertain one, which is why it surprises them both that Amy wants this one taken to the tip, and Ben’s considering traveling half way around the world in order to fix it.

Tang noticed me chuckling and began to kick his legs up and down with happiness. But as the tune continued to ring out, my mood began to dip. Tang had such a lot of personality, and it was growing all the time. Yet he was not ‘born to be wild’, He was… ‘made to be servile’. And with the thought of his leaking cylinder that meant his time would be up sooner or later, it all made me sad.

Now Amy has left Ben, and Ben and Tang are off to America in an attempt to find out where Tang was created, to find someone to fix him.


The rest of this review can be found here!




BEFORE READING:



The robot looks like Gir. OMG THE ROBOT LOOKS LIKE GIR!

I am going to read the CRAP out of this book!

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2013, I was at the Festival of Writing in York (UK) run by the Writer's Workshop. During the Saturday night live competition, I heard Deborah Install read from her as yet unpublished, unbought novel. It came as a huge relief to find out that she had found an agent and then a publisher as I was dying to know what happened next. I've never met Deborah so simply demanding to read the rest of the novel seemed a bit presumptuous.(In case you're wondering, yes it did get my vote in that competition.)

This is a story unlike any other. A modern fable about family, loss, friendship, growing up and yes, getting on with things. Ben is a sympathetic character, however exasperating his behaviour can sometimes be. He has allowed himself to stagnate after his parents death, neither moving forward with his life nor growing as a person, he takes his comfortable circumstances and his hard working wife for granted.

And the one day he finds a battered, broken robot in the garden, unlike the modern androids - used as house keepers and servants by so many people if they can afford them. Tang is different and although Ben isn't sure how, Tang is special. Ben becomes completely absorbed in Tang, who has a sentience never yet achieved in AI technology but the vocabulary of a two year old...and the manners to match. From there one of the strangest and most absorbing friendship in literature is born. In a round the world quest to save Tang's life, the pair confront diverse attitudes to androids and robots, the ties and pulls of someone needing you and relying on you and what it really means to be human, and more importantly humane. Through his growing friendship with Tang, Ben confronts the fact that he is even more broken than the 'bot, and with the realisation comes hope for the future. Of course there are many difficulties and dangers to overcome first...

This is a wonderful debut. Warm, funny, poignant and honest told in an accessible but intelligent way. If you're looking for hard sci-fi you won't find it here - that's not what this book is about. In fact you'll find a few holes if you prod it under a scientific microscope, but then you'd really be missing the point. This is an examination of the flawed but beautiful human spirit and how it interacts with others to become something greater than the sum of its parts. Simply lovely. One to read and reread.

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Between My Lines

From the second this book dropped through my letterbox, I couldn’t wait to get stuck.  I loved the theme of a Robot just showing up in your garden and when the blurb compared it to Paddington Bear, I just knew it could be a winner for me.  And it was!



First Line of A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install:

‘There’s a robot in the garden,’ my wife Amy, informed me.

 My Thoughts on A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install:

All the way though this book I was smiling with amusement.  Tang, the home-made robot, who materialised one morning in Ben and Amy’s garden is the cutest robot ever.  I want this book to be a movie and I want to buy ALL the Tang merchandise.

Amy and Ben are going through a rough patch in their marriage and neither of them is listening to what the other person wants or feels.  And neither comes across as particularly nice.  Amy is snappy and business focused and Ben is wandering aimlessly through his life.  So when Tang makes his unexpected appearance, it causes lots of changes in both their lives.

And I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Tang.  He is stubborn, inclined to tantrums when he doesn’t get his own way and is endearingly old-fashioned and shabby.  His favourite song is ‘Born to be Wild’ which is such a paradox as he should be manufactured to obey orders.  But Tang doesn’t do orders or the expected;  instead he is his own robot.  And this stubborn, quirky little guy is charming even when he is being a brat!

The book is set in the near future and the world seems very familiar.  One of the few differences is that lots of households have androids to do chores for them.  But Tang is a robot and there is a lot made of the differences between robots and androids.  I’m not at all familiar with the science aspect of this and the book doesn’t overly delve into this either.  Instead it’s a book about relationships, how different sections of society can be labelled and put in a box which turns out to be a very thought-provoking theme.

I kind of hated Amy at the start of the book as what we saw of her was just through Ben’s eyes.  Later on though I got to appreciate her side of things and it made me want this little family to pull through.  And yes Amy, Ben and Tang are very much a family even though one of them is a robot.  And I know people talk a lot about book boyfriends but I’ve now decided that Tang is my book child and I’m going to be fiercely protective over him!

Overall I can sum this up in one word; ADORABLE!

 



 

Who should read A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install?

I’d highly recommend this to you if you like the idea of a quirky robot main character and book that explodes with cuteness and humour.  And it doesn’t have a childish feel to it as it deals with complex relationships and really does make you think about AI.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through good reads firstreads

Is this story cute? Sure. Is it possible for a child-like robot to teach a man humility? Why not. Will AI and robots exist in the near future? Probably.

Does it make sense to fly around the world to fix a robot without even picking up a god dam phone? No.

When your wife leaves you and gets with another guy, moves in with your sister, then says she doesn't know who the father of her baby will be, is it sensible to not be angry with her and try and win her back? No.

In a futuristic world that is, quite frankly, NOT futuristic at all aside from the existence of robots, a man decides to fly from the UK to America, to Tokyo, to Micronesia based on hunches in an effort to fix a broken robot that showed up in his garden.

This is an EASY read with not a lot of substance.

[Angigames · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stelle e mezzo
Libro dolcissimo. Ho adorato Tang, il suo comportamento è così dolce e a volte ingenuo da farti venire voglio di abbracciarlo senza più lasciarlo andare! La lettura mi ha ricordato molto il film A. I. Intelligenza Artificiale.(Film che mi aveva ridotto in lacrime, sappiatelo).
Questo libro ci propone una storia molto carina, è la storia di Ben, un non-veterinario mezzo fallito. Ben ha perso i genitori in un orribile incidente aereo e riuscirà a perdere anche la moglie Amy con la quale vive da sempre un rapporto molto conflittuale. L’uomo dovrebbe cadere nella disperazione e invece, grazie alla presenza del piccolo Tang, un semplice robot trovato un giorno in giardino, che sembra avere bisogno di essere riparato, Ben affronterà un incredibile viaggio che lo condurrà, alla fine, a trovare se stesso e ad essere pronto per ricominciare.
La prima cosa che colpisce in questa lettura è l’ambientazione: ci si trova in un futuro dove gli androidi hanno sostituito l’uomo in diverse mansioni e dove, ci si chiede se effettivamente l’intelligenza artificiale possa essere tutela come quella umana. I robot hanno sentimenti? Si affezzionano ai padroni umani?
Il rapporto tra Ben e Tang chiarisce senza ombra di dubbio le possibili risposte.
Umano e robot avranno un rapporto alla fine così profondo da rasentare quello tra padre e figlio. La cosa mi ha fatto molto emozionare, perché fin da subito Ben ci viene presentato come uno svogliato nullafacente, quasi un poco di buono, invece, grazie alla presenza di Tang, il lettore scoprirà dei lati dell���uomo che risulteranno veramente straordinari.
Lo stile però è semplice e in alcuni punti molto affrettato, l’autrice non si perde mai in troppe spiegazioni e questo è un male, considerando che ci viene presentato un mondo completamente nuovo. Anche la parte romance, pur rimanendo sempre in secondo piano, non è delle migliori. Poco approfondito è il rapporto tra Ben ed Amy ed il finale, pur essendo molto dolce ha dal fantascientifico, soprattutto alla luce di alcuni fatti accaduti. Lasciatelo dire, pare che l’autrice l’abbia scritto molto a tirar via, come se avesse perso l’ispirazione ed è un enorme peccato!
Lettura comunque molto piacevole.

[Leslie Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I must confess that I have a fondness for robot stories , so that may slant my feelings on this book. I fell in love with the characters Ben and Tang. When a book makes me cry with joy and laugh out loud it has to be great. I highly recommend this book.

[GinaRose Cristello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to spend a fabulous weekend soaking up this fresh story! I was completely transported. Quirky and Smart- think The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir who got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe. Install has created a crazily loveable new being in Tang the Robot.. I love how she took the way a child can think (and scheme) and futurized it, by applying it to AI. Readers are given just enough description of characters and scenes to allow our imaginations to really play with the story.. I think that is a signature talent in an author. Allowing the simple to narrate complex emotions and situations. You are left thinking about what it means to be a man, and a parent. Beautifully done. This is a very special story. Be excited for the release!

[Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A szó legjobb értelmében szívmelengető.
A közeli jövőben játszódó történetben egy szétesőfélben lévő házasságba egy lepukkant, ütött-kopott kis robot érkezik, és miután a feleség kilép a képből, a saját életében megrekedt férj, Ben összeszedi magát, és felkerekedik, hogy megjavíttassa az kezdetben idegesítő, ám az idő múlásával a barátjává váló kis fémemberkét.
Egyrészt road- movie regény, másrészt fejlődéstörténet barátságról, felelősségvállalásról, felnőtté válásról, emberségről és szeretetről. Radioaktív kutyák, androidokkal huncutkodó motellátogatók, klasszikus őrült tudósok színesítik a sztorit, a humora meg egyszerűen bűbájos.
Nem tudok nem lelkesedni érte.

[Kady Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's a story of friendship, hope and love.
And it's funny :)
The story revolves around the main character, Ben, who finds what seems to be, a homemade robot in his garden. The Robot's name is Tang, and he is a bit broken. He's also cute and has quite a personality.
Ben has recently been drifting through life aimlessly, and finding Tang's owner/maker, who will hopefully be able to fix the little guy, gives him a purpose. The book is the story of their journey together and the relationship that soon blossoms.

Recommended read.

[Jess Manley · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY cute and warms your heart. Once you get going, it's hard to put down because you're always wondering if the two friends will make it to wherever they need to be.

I wouldn't be surprised if Install announced that the story was based on real-life prejudices (race, physical and mental ability, if you have the latest iPhone model, etc.) that make people stare and judge. A lot of what I read made me reflect on what we see everyday and on how I treat others... Makes you think !

[Thea N · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a feel good novel about an unlikely friendship, a globe trotting adventure, eye opening self discovery and a wonderful robot named Tang, then this book will enchant you, make you laugh and you will have a smile on your heave the entire time.
10 out of 5 stars! Absolutely adored this book!

[zuzanka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ciepła, bardzo przyjemna książka. Szybko się ją czyta i ma przepiękny przekaz. Polecam

[Sleepover137 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it fairly slow in the beginning although the second half more than made up for it.

[Thomas Edmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robot in the Garden is a pretty straightforward book, well sort of. The premise is right there in the title and the first few chapters progress as described in the blurb.

The rest of the story is actually quite odd, in a couple of respects. The majority of the book contains the adventure of Ben and Robot as he journeys to get the poor little bot fixed. As we journey we learn much, much more about Ben's backstory and how he found himself in the isolated situation he is now.

Generally the Ben focus is actually what the book is about, but along the way we also have a sort of "robot rights" subplot which is ultimately more of a blunt metaphor for human compassion and how we should treat others.

Interestingly there is a sort of double 3rd act in this book, even once the robot adventure is complete we still have Ben's life to fix and this part of the book has a much more emotional focus than the earlier cross country adventure. It's a very unique juxtaposition of stories which I kind of enjoyed but also did find a little unusual and unexpected.

All in all, there isn't really anything negative to say about Robot in the Garden I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on the ending if anyone wants a spoiler discussion in the comments!

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, do you ever get that tingly little feeling after a few pages of a new book? And realize you've just re prioritized your to-do list so you can keep reading?

Deborah Install's debut novel A Robot in the Garden did just that!

Sometime in the near future in England, androids are an accepted part of everyday life, doing the cooking or gardening - even driving. They're high functioning, replacing the original robots.

Ben Chamber's wife Amy would like an android to help around the house (According to her, Ben does very little to help, well, very little anything) One morning though... "There's a robot in the garden" my wife informed me.

Ben is fascinated by the little robot - he's battered and worn and wherever could he have come from? He decides to keep him. But Amy has decided not to keep Ben - the marriage is done and she moves out. "But one thing she had said hurt more than anything else. 'He's never actually achieved anything.' She was right. I hadn't. It was about time I did."

And so Ben decides to save Tang, the broken robot. He will find his owner and get him fixed!

Tang and Ben set off on a journey that will hopefully heal Tang - and without him noticing - Ben as well. A Robot in the Garden houses quirky characters, odd situations, adventures and a pair of lead characters that you can't help but cheer for, between its pages. Ben is a perennial nice guy, who has just lost his way for a bit. And, as funny as it sounds, Tang has quite the personality, despite his limited vocabulary and boxy body.

I honestly laughed out loud so many times at Tang's antics. Tang was actually inspired by Install's own young son. As one character remarks "He's not so very different from a child if you ask me." Ben too is quite funny, albeit unintentionally sometimes.

I'm not going to spoil the book for you by revealing any more. Suffice it to say that the road trip to fix Tang is one you want to take.

A Robot in the Garden was funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming and so very, very good. How else could I describe The Robot in the Garden? Well, if you loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - cross that with Wall-E and you'll have an idea. Absolutely, positively recommended!

[Ilaria_ws · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Di tutte le emozioni umane più complesse che avrebbe potuto assimilare, a quanto pare, aveva colto proprio l'amore!"

L'incredibile viaggio di un piccolo robot dal cuore grande racconta la storia di Ben. Ben ha 30 anni, è sposato con Amy, avvocato in carriera, e ancora non sa cosa fare della sua vita. Questa sua indecisione mette in crisi il suo matrimonio. Un giorno nel giardino di casa sua compare un piccolo robot dall'aspetto piuttosto trascurato, si tratta di un modello superato, molto diverso dagli androidi che vanno tanto di moda. Ma inaspettatamente Ben si affeziona al piccolo Tang, e decide di partire per riportarlo a casa. In un viaggio che lo porterà da una parte all'altra del mondo, Ben capirà quello che in 30 anni non aveva mai capito, e tutto questo grazie ad un piccolo e vecchio robot che sembra capire gli esseri umani più di loro stessi.
Questo romanzo dalla trama così particolare e fuori dal comune racconta una storia molto delicata e in cui i sentimenti sono al centro del racconto.
L'arrivo di Tang nel giardino di Ben rivoluziona tutta la sua vita e lo porta a mettere in discussione ogni scelta fatta finora. Il viaggio alla ricerca del creatore di Tang lo spingerà a riflettere e lo aiuterà a fare chiarezza nella sua vita e nel suo matrimonio.
La lettura di questo romanzo procede in maniera scorrevole grazie ad uno stile semplice, non particolarmente elaborato, ma improntato ai sentimenti e alle sensazioni. La storia, nonostante sia ambientata in un futuro non precisato in cui ormai gli esseri umani convivono con robot e androidi, è piuttosto semplice e lineare. Lo sviluppo del racconto mi è piaciuto abbastanza, anche se devo dire che ho trovato la storia in sè per sè poco incisiva.
Personaggi principali sono Ben e il piccolo Tang e il viaggio che intraprendono intorno al mondo. Il viaggio inizia per trovare il creatore del piccolo robot e aggiustarlo, ma alla fine sarà proprio Tang ad "aggiustare" Ben e la sua vita confusa. Una storia semplice e genuina che vi terrà compagnia per qualche ora spensierata!

[Samuel Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I looked out into the garden and saw a piece of machinery sitting there, it is more likely to be an old washing machine than a robot, but a story about me travelling the world with an abandoned piece of white goods does not quite have the same appeal. Deborah Install’s ‘A Robot in The Garden’ is sort of an ‘Eat, Pray, Robot’; a coming of age for a character who should already have grown up. This character is Ben, a man in a failing relationship who comes across Tang, a robot who seems a little lost and a lot broken. They set off together to find Tang’s owner and get him fixed, on the way they both learn about themselves (and each other).

‘Robot’ is perhaps the gentlest slice of science fiction that I have read in a long time. Set in a near future Berkshire it has a sense of Englishness where androids and robots are just another element of life. The book is a road trip of discovery, but for it to work Ben has to be a little clueless to begin with. For a man who managed to get on a Veterinary course he seems exceptionally dim, but Install tries her hardest to make this a book about growth and at times the structure is a little clunky to allow this.

Putting the slightly touchy feely elements of the book to one side, there is a fun adventure to be had. Tang is a very amusing character; basically a toddler trapped in a robot’s body. Reading about him refusing to do something is funny and allows Install to explore the nature of parenthood. These more hidden elements of self-discovery are far stronger than the more open sections. The book is good, but would have been better had I, as a reader, been allowed to discover my own truth, rather than have one placed in front of me.

[Milou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a lovely book. It is overall charming and cosy and beautiful and I adored it. It tells the story of Ben, who finds a robot in his garden. Even though his wife wants to get rid of the thing, Ben decides to find the robot's owner and get him fixed. What follows is a trip around the world, and Ben and Tang (the robot) developing a great friendship on their hilarious adventures.

Now, I have to admit that the idea of travelling across the desert in a Dodge Charger with a retro robot and a radioactive sausage dog is not something I would have imagined myself doing. But life takes us in peculiar directions sometimes, and on those occasions the only thing to do is give it a high-five and roll with it. There are also worse ways to spend an autumn. Tiptoeing round a house in the middle of a failing marriage, for example. Yes, this was infinitely more pleasurable.

Ben is great protagonist, because he is just such a normal guy. He is very relatable, which makes it all the easier to imagine yourself getting into the situations he finds himself in. And than there is his companion, Tang. Tang is Adorable. The author states that se took inspiration from her toddler, and this is very clear to see. But he is also full of wisdom. He is so cute and a Lot of fun. I just instantly fell in love with him and ended up reading quite a few paragraphs out to my husband. 

Even though this is a story about a broken robot, it is also so much more. It is about the broken marriage of Ben and Amy, about friendship, about self-discovery and growing-up, about prejudice... It has lots of laugh out loud moments, but also quite a few emotional ones. Basically, it is just a lovely book. I Highly recommend it!

[Ornella Calcagnile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione completa su Peccati di Penna
L'incredibile viaggio di un piccolo robot dal cuore grande è una favola ma anche la trasposizione della realtà in versione fantastica dove alcuni difetti della società prendono forma in mdo soft: la paura di inseguire i propri obiettivi, la pigrizia e l’egoismo.

Ben, un uomo che non sta vivendo un bel periodo con sua moglie, le cose si complicano con l’arrivo di Tang un robottino antiquato e danneggiato che diventerà un amico per il nostro protagonista e anche il motore che avvierà il cambiamento nella sua apatica esistenza.

Anche se il personaggio principale dovrebbe essere Ben, è Tang che attira tutta la attenzione con la sua dolcezza e ingenuità. In un mondo dove gli androidi, macchine dalle fattezze umane sembrano perfetti e accompagnare ogni individuo per le più disperate funzioni, Tang è quella che si definisce la pecora nera della tecnologia, ma il tenero robottino sembra avere qualcosa in più anche se con tutti i suoi difetti: un'anima e un cuore.

...continua

[Gina Murdoch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely novel about an endearing little robot and the human who claims him as his own. Ben and Tang make a funny pair and their trip across the world was filled with amusing anecdotes and epiphanies.

[Ardyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I've had a lot of conversations over the past couple of years -- both online and "in real" -- about how sci-fi / speculative fic seems to be awfully grim. And I'm not entirely sure whether this is generally true, or recently true, or we're just self-selecting? But I'm over it.

If you're ready for a less pessimistic take on a possible future, maybe try this one. Found it while browsing stacks at the library.

It's charming. Not revolutionary, and certainly not going to scratch a hard sci-fi tech itch... but plenty charming. Don't know about you, but I could use a little bit more charming these days.