A woman whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash is left alone with an unnerving home robot.
In near-future Japan, Susie Sakamoto is mourning the loss of her husband and son to a plane crash. Alone in her big modern house, which feels like more of a prison, she spends her days drinking heavily and taking her anger out at the only “sentient” thing left in her life: Sunny, the annoying home robot her husband designed. She despises Sunny, and sometimes even gets a sinking feeling that Sunny is out to hurt her.
To escape her paranoia and depression, Susie frequents the city's seedy, drug-fueled bars, where she hears rumors of "The Dark Manual," a set of guidelines that allows owners to reprogram their robot for nefarious purposes. In hopes of finding a way to turn off Sunny for good, Susie begins to search for the manual, only to learn it's too late: The machines are becoming more sentient and dangerous.
Siho Ellsmore transports listeners to Japan in the near future for the story of Susie Sakamoto, who is navigating life after the loss of her husband and son. Susie's only companion is Sunny, a home-help robot designed by her husband. Ellsmore is the perfect narrator for this harrowing story. She reflects Susie's Irish background in her characterization and keeps the story moving during Susie's per
