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A Robot in the Garden Kindle Edition

by Deborah Install (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 396 ratings
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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, being a husband, taking the garbage out. But then he finds a battered robot named Tang in his garden. And Tang needs Ben.

More ornery and prone to tantrums than one would expect from something made of gears and springs, Tang desperately must be fixed—and he just might be the thing to fix what's broken in Ben. Together they will discover that friendship can rise up under the strangest of circumstances, and what it really means to be human.

Funny, touching, charming, wise, and a bit unusual, A Robot in the Garden is a gem of a first novel, perfect for anyone who has ever found it difficult to connection with the world.

"Our hero is a FANTASTIC and UNFORGETTABLE creation, and so is this absolute marvel of a novel."—Neil Smith, author of Bang Crunch and Boo

"An inventive and utterly charming tale...heartwarming."—Booklist, Starred Review

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  1. Print length
    321 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Sourcebooks Landmark
  5. Publication date
    May 10, 2016
  6. File size
    1151 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"…a delightful romp and an emotional journey, both hilarious and poignant….[An] exceptionally charming novel…" ― Shelf Awareness

"an inventive and utterly charming tale…heartwarming." ― Booklist, STARRED Review

"[A] charming first novel… with characters that, whether they are carbon based or cybernetic, never fail to engage the readers’ sympathy and win our hearts with their humanity." ― Publishers Weekly

"Put two or more characters in a car and send them on zany adventures with inevitable encounters with quirky locals and you’ve got one of my favorite sub-sub-sub genres: the road trip novel. It’s the perfect vehicle (HAAA) for your protagonist to find themselves and solve life’s big questions" ― BookRiot

"Install’s debut novel is quirky and witty, full of true human―and robot―emotion that will have readers both laughing and crying. This unusual cast of characters, including the robot Tang, come from all walks of life and set up situations that are interesting and thought-provoking. A Robot in the Garden is a breath of fresh air." ― RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

About the Author

Deborah Install has been writing fiction since childhood, submitting her first book to a publisher at the age of eight. 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. A ROBOT IN THE GARDEN came about while caring for her new baby. She lives in Birmingham, UK, with her husband, toddler and affectionate but imperious cat.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B019HQ2LJ0
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sourcebooks Landmark (May 10, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 10, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1151 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1492631264
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 396 ratings

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Deborah Install

Deborah Install

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
396 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Serena
5.0 out of 5 stars Surprised by the Originality and Charm of this Quirky Book
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
Ben is depressed and his wife is disgusted with him. He wakes up one day surprised to find a banged up robot in the yard. This robot has a personality much like a thirteen year old and Ben is charmed by it. Despite his wife walking out the door for good Ben begins an around the world quest with the robot to find the robot creator. During this process Tang the robot develops a taste for luxury and Ben begins to heal himself.

This original and quirky book is not science fiction. The time seems like now with perfected robots that do housework and hold jobs.

For me, this book is the surprise hit of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of reading it.
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Angie Boyter
4.0 out of 5 stars A charming story with a bit of food for thought
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2017
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Ben has failed in his career, and his marriage has fallen apart, so when a damaged robot named Tang shows up in his yard, of course he takes off on a round-the-world trek to find someone who can fix him. As Ben says, "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." How can you not love a story like that? This was such a whimsical, heartwarming book that I forgave its flaws, especially since it is a debut novel.
Despite the fact that one of the two main characters is a robot, this is not SF and is likely appeal to readers who would never pick up an SF book. Nonetheless, one of its themes is how we relate to artificial intelligences and what kinds of "life" matter. As I find myself saying "Please"and "Thank you" to Alexa, who is far from the sophistication of Tang, I recognize that this is a timely topic.
A lot of the flaws in the book relate to attention to details that probably could have been addressed fairly easily. One that bugged me in particular is that it is set in a near-future (or alternate universe?) in which sophisticated androids are mainstream devices, but the tech and cultural references are too clearly rooted in today. A little skill could have avoided what appear to be anachronisms. Somewhat more serious is the fact that Ben is described over and over as training to be a veterinarian. It is mentioned so often that the author SHOULD have done something with it. Ben seems to have zero interest in animals, for example.
But I got past the flaws and closed the book wishing I could have a Tang in my house.
2 people found this helpful
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Jo-Ann Mapson
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming Tale of Human and Technology
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2016
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This charming and complex tale of a failed man and a broken robot utterly captivated me. The British landscape is perfect for the beginning, and the breakup of Ben and Amy's marriage sends Ben and Tang on a round the world quest to get Tang "fixed." AI androids are in this world, yet seem thick-headed and emotionless when compared to Tang. Ben changes as a person, though too late for his marriage to survive. Nevertheless, rewards come his way, and the relationshop between Ben and Tang turns out to be a truly wonderful thing. I recommend this book for anyone who loves British fiction, enjoys the soeties baffling interaction of human versus technology, and stories of a quest taken onto to deliver a different kind of insight. Really charming.
One person found this helpful
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Madeline E. Miller
4.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected - loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2016
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{Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of A Robot in the Garden in exchange for an honest review. Find more reviews at [...]

When I picked up A Robot in the Garden by Deborah Install, I wasn't expecting a heartwarming, globetrotting adventure involving a man and a disheveled robot, but that's what I got.

For some reason, I thought this was a book intended for the YA crowd, but no. A Robot in the Garden is definitely not for kids! While handled in a subtle and tasteful way, our protagonist Ben carts his robot, Tang, around through many unique and not kid-friendly circumstances, including an android fetish hotel, the breakdown of Ben's marriage, and Ben's own floundering with his adult life.

Install works wonders with how she presents a near future world where androids are ubiquitous. Ben is not a fan though and fights through the change in culture with his antique touchscreen phone. This is a world we can recognize, but is just different enough to seem exotic.

Even the writing style reflects the personality of Ben, with clear and simple prose that communicates his thoughts and feelings without pretension. This was a delightful read and a perfect pick me up.
3 people found this helpful
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science writer
3.0 out of 5 stars Needs editing
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2016
Verified Purchase
This story had charm and a certain sweetness, and the characters, while ordinary, were appealing. Not much dazzle, but the writing was smooth and unobtrusive. The plot moved along at a (mostly) steady pace, but it meandered. Much of the story involved an extended road trip. I kept wondering why Ben didn’t do a little computer research and call first before traipsing all over the world with his small child, uh, I mean robot. Too much description lavished on unimportant objects and incidents (the decor of various motels and hotels, airline procedures). The encounter with the dog in the desert seemed irrelevant–just thrown in for its cuteness factor. In other words, the book needed a good edit and didn’t get one.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A book for anyone.
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2021
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I purchased this book years ago but just now read it. It is not what I expected. This is an outstanding book for anyone: young, old, man, woman. While it involves a robot and androids, it is not science fiction. Delightful, funny, serious, entertaining. Yes it is all that. Read it. You won't be disappointed.
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CV80
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, warm, and thoroughly enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2016
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found myself smiling frequently. People have wondered who is the target audience. I also found myself wondering who will like it and who won't. It is fairly slow paced, but I found it hard to put the book down. The story is interesting and straight-forward. It doesn't jump around it time or in character perspective. There is no violence, no sex, no action sequences. The clear descriptions bring the robot to life. At times I felt like I could be watching a movie.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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samblackcrow
5.0 out of 5 stars Quite wonderful.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
What an intriguing book! There are so many layers to unpick. It seems like a simple story, with a charming premise, but the more you think about it, the nuances, the more there is of human psychology, emotion, growth, parents' relationships with their children and what we, as parents, might expect. It's a powerful commentary on society's views on what children should be versus what- WHO- they are. I'll read it again in a year or so, when I've forgotten it little, and no doubt find plenty more that I missed the first time.

I think the decription is a little misleading. Describing it as 'cosy' is to under-estimate it, I think. It's a lovely, easy read, one you don't have to think about too much if you don't want to, but there's so much to consider if you can be bothered, in my view you'd miss out by not doing so.

I loved it, and went to recommend it to an indie author friend as soon as i finished it, I enjoyed it so much. It's relatable, charming, and yes, quite wonderful.
One person found this helpful
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Reaud Véronique
5.0 out of 5 stars Une découverte enthousiasmante
Reviewed in France on September 24, 2018
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J'ai ADORE ce livre, découvert grâce à un post d'une amie anglaise sur Facebook. C'est émouvant, drôle, passionnant... A lire ! (il existe une version française)
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KH
5.0 out of 5 stars 心あたたまる本
Reviewed in Japan on October 17, 2020
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キチンと梱包されきれいな状態で予定通り届きました。日本語を読み原作を読んでみたくて購入。近い将来に起こりそうなでも心あたたまるステキな本です。
2 people found this helpful
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Daniel S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Schöne Geschichte
Reviewed in Germany on August 25, 2015
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hab das Buch gekauft um mein Englisch aufzufrischen. War sehr schön zu lesen und wurde auch schon 2x weiter verliehen. Konnte mich sehr gut reinversetzen
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Graham Hay
4.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 8, 2020
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A cheerful happy book the brings a smile to your face at the innocence of the robot,
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