summary:
Brian is a reclusive inventor living in a remote valley in North Wales. Loneliness doesn’t seem to bother him, and he spends most of his isolated life creating strange objects in his dilapidated workshop that no one wants. One day Brian builds a robot out of an old washing machine and a battered mannequin head. The imposing machine, more than 2 meters high, is a peculiar structure that looks like a dilapidated old man. Despite initially failing to activate, Brian returns home on a dark and stormy night to discover that Charles has not only worked but exceeded all of his expectations: a lifeform that walks and talks like a curious child, wants to know everything about you. environment and how things work. At first, Brian gets along very well with Charles, who is the perfect antidote to his loneliness. But as their relationship develops, tensions rise. As a growing boy, Charles desires more independence and becomes obsessed with exploring new horizons, but Brian is reluctant to share his robot with the outside world. He is reluctant to even let her out, making it clear from the very beginning that many dangers lurk. Brian’s main concern is the Tommingtons, a local family, and especially Eddie Tommington, an experienced farmer who has robbed him in the past.