1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Faustian bargains for the younger set, Mar 10 2006
By Perrin Rynning "thausgt" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Is There Life on a Plastic Planet? (Hardcover)
The story puts the notion that no matter how badly you might want someone else to solve your problems for you, it will lead to more problems for you to solve yourself. Don't like the students or teachers at school? Send in a robot double to handle them. Not getting along with your parents? Expand the robot double's duties to them, too. But if the robot double is really living your whole life better than you can... what will you do then?
There are no easy answers to making the process of growing up easy. In the end, when Holis says, "I've changed my mind, I don't want this any more" she discovers that she really can handle trouble by herself.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Withstands the Test of Time, Oct 3 2011
By Healing River - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Is There Life on a Plastic Planet? (Hardcover)
This was one of the first science fiction books I ever read - probably around age 8 - and I loved it. I tried to get it out of my library system a couple of years ago but it was in storage. How pleased I was when I was able to find this Hardcover copy on Amazon in good condition. I was even more pleased to enjoy the high quality writing and well developed story thirty years later.
Hollis' story of having doll (i.e. robot)go to school for her is creative and probably a lot of kids' secret wish. For awhile, for Hollis, her dream has come true. The unraveling of the robot living her life for her I found entertaining and harrowing, even as an adult. Also, Hollis' relationship with her mother is more complex than I remember as a child and I found that to be an eye opening subplot as well.
Hopefully, this book will be back in print some day.