I sadly DNF’d this at about 23%. I love his other books, but this was just a bit too out there for me so I found it hard to relate to.

TJ Klune at it again with just a cozy vibe.

This book is giving Sci-fi adventure quest inspired by Pinocchio and I was not totally expecting that. Not in a major bad way, but I think it just was surprising.

I just felt like all the characters were meh except Rambo and Nurse Ratched. I honestly could have cared less about everything else and was just waiting for Rambo to make me laugh.
Vic felt so boring and Hap was meh. When the main conflict started and the journey began I was just getting dragged along for most of the book.

I think the plot is so unique and interesting this just was not the hit for me. Klune is an auto read author though because even if I am not in love with the story I know there will be one or two characters to make me love the book.

3.5 stars

Never knew I needed to read a robot love story unil this audiobook/book. How did I live without this genre in my life

First the audiobook review, the narrator was perfect . I don't think anyone else would have been right for voicing all these different characters IN ROBOT TONES. He made them all come alive. Between the sarcasm of Nurse Ratchet, the hopefulness of Rambo and the humanity of Vic.

Now to the story
This is my third TJ Klune and it was beautiful. The way TJ writes about love is touching.
Each books reminds you of the purity and rawness of love even between robots.

It's a mix of Wizard of Oz , Pinocchio with the classic Klune humor and touching kindness. Only this author could pull of a love story between a human created from an Android and an Android .
Every character stole my heart

Must be heaven!

TJ Klune writes such lovely books. I really like that all of his books have to do with kindness. I will say, I would love to see him challenge himself to write a different character than his normal grumpy/sunshine, but he does write those characters well.

Pinocchio is one of my favorite fairytales and I really liked this retelling with a dash of Wizard of Oz snuck in there. It was whimsy and an easy read. I almost forgot I was reading at times because Klune is easily able to get you lost in a magical world.

I absolutely recommend this book and am excited to purchase it in stores.

Story: B-
Prose: B
Characters: B
World: C
Theme(s): C+
Enjoyment: C+

The Good:
Warm, fuzzy, cozy. I mean, it's a lil found family who gets excited to listen to music and watch old movies together. Even the most sadistic robot is protective of Victor.
Fun writing style. Klune's writing is readable and lively, and he is generous with banter and other humorous bits.
Found family! One human and a collection of refurbished scrap robots protecting and supporting each other in times of strife.
Fun robots! Alongside Victor's scavenged family and their eclectic personalities, some of the other robots are just… really neat? The enigmatic Blue Fairy and their description is incredibly striking, for example.
Strong characterization. Although it sometimes feels a bit over-simplified, Klune's characters are distinct and sharply rendered.
Great reenvisioning of original material. Nods to the original work are easily identifiable, but aren't a forced 1-to-1 adaption.


The Bad:
Some timeline weirdness. Part of it is how Klune leads into some sections. He'll begin with all the ways the weather has changed, but then it turns out it's less than a week later. Another issue: Victor and Hap's relationship develops over a ridiculously short period of time and relies heavily on the way Hap "imprints" on Vic upon waking up.
Tonal incompatibilities. At some point the warm-fuzzy-found-family vibes jar violently with "my dad and my new friend used to hunt humans." (This isn't a spoiler, it's in the Amazon summary.)
World is a little thin. Some things don't make sense. Example: Humanity destroying the earth is a huge part of why robots decided to take over, but robots are still using fossil fuel–to the degree that Victor chokes upon smelling it.
Important ends left open. There are some pretty big world-wide implications and ripples from what the characters learn and the actions they take, and they're sort of ignored.
A number of long, unnecessary, or dull passages. Particularly at the start of a chapter. I skimmed ahead when the writing stagnated and forced myself to go back and read it in case I missed something, only to discover I hadn't missed anything.

YMMV:
Potty humour. Many bathroom-going references and dick jokes.
Quirky characters. Vic is accompanied by a neurotic, distractible Roomba and a sadistic nurse-bot.
A bit twee, depending on your taste. Look, you're either going to love when Victor's little group recites their core rules/values–ending with "And always be brave!"–or you're going to find it cloying.
Cured my hiccups. I had hiccups the morning I started the last third and no hiccups when I read the last sentence. Obviously, cannot guarantee the same for others.

Final thoughts: It's a nice adventure. I had a nice time. Klune's a solid writer. But there wasn't anything new here, and I feel like the core issue is that it's intended as something secular and cosy, but Klune's stretched out this big, underdeveloped setting for it

TJ Klune always surprises me with a book that I was sure I wouldn't like, but of course I end up enjoying. I don't care about robots, but now I care about robots. It did take a bit for this plot to really get going, but once it did it got there quickly. I almost could have used a little more of the journey, but this was so enjoyable. Read this if you're looking to pick you up.

This book transports readers into a realm where imagination reigns supreme and the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur. Klune, renowned for his captivating storytelling and unparalleled ability to delve into the depths of human emotions, once again delivers an enchanting narrative that leaves a profound impact. At its core, this novel explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and the power of love, beautifully packaged within a magical realm. This is a mesmerizing journey into the extraordinary that will captivate readers from beginning to end. TJ Klune's masterful storytelling, vivid world-building, and deeply human characters make this novel a must-read for fans of fantasy, magical realism, and heartfelt exploration of the human condition.

I think that this book may be someone's favorite book but just not mine.

I am aware that Klune's fanbase loves the two previous works that are out but this just did not do it for me.

I wanted to love this book, I would've settled for liking it, but it just never did anything for me. It's an interesting take on pinocchio and even funny at times, but about halfway through I just wanted it to be over. There's only so much telling the audience to be kind that a reader can take.

TJ Klune can do no wrong. Every time I get a new book of his I think to myself, "This cannot possibly outdo ____" and he always, always does. It is truly incredible how gifted he is. This book is completely unique; I've never read another book that feels similar in any way. His writing is immersive and atomspheric and this had me wanting to climb treehouses and just bask in the comfort of this book. I did not think I've ever grow attached to robots? But here we are. I am a sucker for found family, and Klune does it best. A shiny five stars for me!

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and in no way did it disappoint. T.J. Klune has a way with writing realistic characters and making sure you're laughing throughout the whole novel. This story took the infamous Pinocchio story and turned it on it's head. I wish I hadn't known that before going into this because as much as it is a retelling, it's 100% it's own thing, taking the story and changing crutial aspects and making it better? The main character is asexual, which is a group of people that is seriously lacking in popular representation, but the whole story isn't ABOUT that and that's my favorite way to have representation in the books I read. T.J. Klune is definitely a master of his craft and I will absolutely pick up anything he writes. This novel solidified him as an all time favorite author.

It's possible I just love anything TJ Klune writes, but I really enjoyed this book. I never thought I'd be calling robots vibrant characters, but it definitely applies here. I fell in love with all of them and they absolutely come off of the page as you're reading.

This was such a fun and quirky read. Very enjoyable. Nurse Ratched stole the show for me. The dynamic between Vic and the robots was so wholesome too.

“Everything deserves a chance.”

This is the second book that I have read by TJ Klune and it is even more clear to me that his voice is strongest with it's whimsical and humorous approach to heavy themes. The characters more than anything else are the true stars of this story and shine thanks to Klune's humor and wit and willingness to lean into comedy and emotion in equal measures.

In the Lives of Puppets follows Victor Lawson, the lone human amongst a group of eccentric robots. We travel along with Victor as he struggles to come to grips with the world that he lives in and what humanity, loyalty, and friendship truly mean. It is on its surface a reimagining of Pinocchio, though for me this comparison was more a guiding thread in a story that is so much more than that.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this. It took me a long time to get through it, but all of the characters were quirky and wonderful. Where I struggled with this book was truly just in terms of connection. The characters and plot felt almost to be in war with each other -- the characters were so whimsical and the overarching plot was a polar opposite to it and the two never felt they merged satisfactorily for me. I commend Klune on his unwillingness to turn to the grim-dark that would be the natural approach to a story such as this, but I do think that many of the emotional moments would have truly sung had they been met with a touch less levity.

Overall, though, it was an enjoyable read and I will continue looking into Klune's other works as well!

Another TJ Klune story and Daniel Henning performance that make the reader care for a fantastical cast of characters, all of whom are impossible to forget!

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
The story is a retelling of Pinocchio. I loved the cast of characters. Vic was wonderful and drew me in. The robotic friends, Nurse Ratched, Rambo, and Hap, were energetic and lively. I constantly found myself laughing out loud due to the dialogue, especially because I was listening to the audiobook and the narrator was doing a great job. Another thing I liked seeing was the Ace main character who also managed to have a relationship.
I definitely plan on rereading this book more than once.

There is so much goodness about this book that comes through with every page you read. It is a breath of fresh air in a world gone mad. I can smell the pine trees and feel the forest around me with the author's descriptive writing. It is about love, loneliness, and found family. The characters and their personalities will have you laughing. Most importantly it is about humanity. This book is going to always be one of my favorites.

Ok. Don’t come for me, but I thought this one was just okay. I honestly kept getting bored while reading it. I loved the personalities of the robots, and the banter between them. But it just wasn’t enough to keep me engaged in the story. If I hadn’t gotten this one through NetGalley, I might have DNF it. It does start picking up after the first section, but my goodness it felt like wading through molasses there for a while. It wasn’t a bad story, just slow.

Vic is human, with a found family of robots. He lives in the woods, and goes to the Scrap Yards to salvage things that could be useful. What he doesn’t know is that humans were eradicated by a collective of robots, and every trip to the Scrap Yards he is in danger of being discovered and hunted down.

This may be my favorite book of 2023 so far. TJ Klune blew me away with In the Lives of Puppets and it's right up there with The House in the Cerulean Sea. I love how he writes characters and makes us really feel what they're feeling and experience what they're going through. Vic, Rambo, Nurse Ratched, Hap and Gio will live in my mind forever. In the Lives of Puppets is a story of found family, love, staying true to yourself and saving the world. I alternated from e-book and audio and I have to say, the audio was absolutely fantastic. The narrator's voices gave such dimension to the characters and I felt like I was watching a movie. I absolutely loved this sweet book and recommend it to everyone!

I love love loved this book! As a big fan of House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, I knew I’d love this one. With themes of chosen family, humor, and discovery, this book gave me all the fuzzy vibes that are typical of Klune. Nurse Ratched and Rambo were the STARS of the show and I honestly don’t think I’ve laughed so hard at characters in a fantasy/sci-fi novel. I couldn’t recommend this one enough!

I absolutely loved the House by the Cerulean Sea and so I had high hopes for this story. It seemed like the story they were trying to tell didn’t quite fit the retelling they were going for. I just didn’t really work for me.