The Robot

June 1, 2011

A wildly improbable male teen fantasy of a super-sexy robot and the two geeks who discover it only to realize too late that they are messing with top-secret government property.

Gabe and Dover establish their nerd bona fides to readers early on when they are dumped into actual garbage. The plot kicks in when they sneak into Gabe's genius father's lab and discover T.R.I.N.A., a gorgeous, biologically realistic "female" robot they are sure will raise their status out of the Dumpster. The two manage to activate Trina after first checking for underwear. There is none. The sophomoric humor is endlessly fueled by a crassly juvenile sexual focus that supposedly matches typical adolescent fantasies. Gabe finds himself thinking of Trina as a romantic partner and grows offended by Dover's single-minded obsession with sex as they first lose and then furiously chase their robot to a high-school drinking party and ultimately into a clash with top-secret agents. None of this is particularly funny, realistic or clever. However, that shouldn't keep its target audience from enjoying this fast-paced, mindless adventure. A subplot in which Gabe suffers from his father's intimidating and browbeating parenting style is similarly unsatisfying.

Equally demeaning to geeks, women and teen boys, the appeal to the lowest common denominator is safely assured. (Adventure. 11-15)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

November 1, 2011

Gr 7 Up-Gabe and Dover, both 15, have been friends for as long as they both can remember. Outgoing and boisterous Dover encourages more nerdy and shy Gabe to break out of his shell. One of the ways to do this, Dover argues, is for Gabe to defy his inventor father by breaking into his private lab while his parents are on vacation. The boys are unprepared when they discover Mr. Messner's latest project, the lifelike automaton T.R.I.N.A. After activating her by accident, the boys race to put her back before Gabe's father gets home. What ensues is a wild journey involving a trip to New York City, two National Security agents, and one Dr. Phil. While at times incredibly corny, this novel may prove to be the type of book that works best in luring reluctant adolescent males into the world of reading. The idea of two love-starved boys finding the perfect "woman" is hardly original, but the twisty, action-packed climax is sure to thrill readers searching for a dynamic story. While the boys resort to high fives much too often, the narrative is paced well enough that readers can forgive some of the teens' juvenile antics.-Ryan Donovan, New York Public Library

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.