I loved the cover of this book - In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune, especially as it drew me in and I just had to open my kindle and start to read it. Wow this book did not disappoint! Epecially as this is the first book I have read by this author, it just took my breath away, it was so beautifully written and from her heart. A book that will be with me for a long time and a book I have to have in hardback in my book case to read again and admire its cover.

I highly recommend this book. It was beautiful from start to finish.

Big Thank you to Tor Books, NetGalley and author TJ Klune for this digital ARC to honestly review.

In the Lives of Puppets takes on the story of Pinocchio, painting it in a subverted light with one real boy in a world of robots. I really enjoyed this heartfelt but humorous book set in a world where humanity has been (almost) eradicated.
I thought that the found family elements of the story were the strongest, unsurprising given Klune's other works, with the respectively homicidal and cowardly Nurse Ratched and Roomba (or something legally distinct from that) taking centre stage and providing a much needed comic relief to balance out some of the angstier elements of the story.
While not (at least in my view) a beat for beat retelling of the original, fans of Pinochhio will doubtless be able to spot references to the original story including the Terrible Dogfish!
I liked this book on the whole, I thought it felt a little bit dragging in places especially compared to some of Klune's previous works but that might be the more quest-like nature of this particular story. I was pleased to see Ace representation - though I am not qualified to comment on the accuracy or sensitivity of such rep myself.
Overall, while In the Lives of Puppets is not my personal favourite of Klune's works (Under the Whispering Door set an incredibly high bar) I do think many will find this a moving and also comforting read.
I received a free digital review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley - all opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this book because TJ Klune is amazing and one of my favorites. However, I feel like Victor fell flat as a main character (though I LOVED Rambo. This book is a Sci-Fi cozy get devastating book that I'm sure many will love!

What a world these guys live in! I got a little bit of Altered Carbon, little bit of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? vibes. Of course with a typical TJ Klune twist in it. Walk into this world and decide for yourself if you can actually survive there.

While everything AI is covering the front pages everywhere, it was bit eye opening to read this story. Could they really match human and/or flesh and blood animals? Isn't there something that makes us different from each other? We are different from one age to another, so it's hard to imagine where machine completely replaces human.

But what if we are not as special as we thought we are? In that case, we TJ Klune to read :)

I previously adored TJ Klune's book, "The House in the Cerulean Sea," and I loved "In the Lives of Puppets" for all the same reasons. Klune absolutely nails the magical element of all of their stories, making them intriguing and enchanting. Additionally, the characters well well-developed and lovable, with Rambo being my favorite. I felt so many emotions while reading this, I was instantly sucked in. I would definitely recommend this to fantasy-lovers and those who enjoy character-focused stories.

I wholeheartedly LOVED this book. The robot characters are hilarious! They added whimsy to a book that has serious themes running through it. This book has EVERYTHING- lols, tears, drama and action. I have loved all of TJ Klune’s book, but this has been my favorite.

Another winner from Klune! This story follows a chosen family that loses one of its most important members into a post-human world controlled by robots. The story starts in the home of Victor and Giovanni Lawson, along with their nursing robot, Nurse Ratched, and a vacuum cleaner named Rambo. During a scavenging excursion, another android, HAP, joins the group. While there is the implication that there are few humans, if any, left, Victor doesn't know how large of a part the members of his chosen family played in their downfall. Due to Victor's insistence on going to a local dumping ground despite Gio's warnings, Gio is captured, and Victor and his crew must rescue him from the City of Electric Dreams. He learns much about himself and the members of his family along the way, and has to wrestle with their past and his future. The love between all the main characters is clear, but navigating love and trying to rescue your father can be difficult. The story changes from idyllic forest life to fast-paced rescue tale early on, and it is thrilling. An excellent choice for those who enjoy Klune's work and snappy comebacks.

This was a sweet, futuristic fairy-tale of a novel. While I have appreciated the whimsy of the previous two TJ Klune novels I have read, In The Lives of Puppets takes that whimsy and sends it into the future. In a society of robots, one boy is looking for human connection.

If I had to convey the gravitas of the book based on just the description, I could not do it justice. I mean around its implausible premise, a story of connection, and forgiveness, love, friendship, acceptance and adventure is forged. And it is frequently beautiful and heart-wrenching, and often even funny. Klune is a master of getting the reader to really feel deeply about the subjects of his books and to think and challenge themselves about how we see others. Occasionally, in his zeal, he gets clumsy in his execution which wrenches me out of the lyricism of the story, but overall, I just believe the author is a genius.

TJ Klune does it again. Taking an abstract idea and forming it into a beautiful story of love. It’s a story about friendship, family, humanity and the desire to find oneself in a scary and crazy world. The beauty of TJK’s writing truly feels like a warm and comforting hug.

The story is a modern queer retelling of Pinocchio, and follows the story of creator Giovanni Lawson. Not a human, but not entirely a robot, he is a lonely being who receives the greatest gift through strange circumstances. A son, Victor. Victor is a human who grows to love nature, his father, his quirky, hilarious and adorable robot friends, and the desire to fix things that deserve a second chance. In fact, the story really starts when Victor repares “HAP”, a robot initially created to kill humanity. When Giovanni gets taken, it is up to Victor, his friends, and HAP to travel to the city of Electric Dreams in order to save the day.

If you can suspend reality, you will come to find that this is truly a beautiful story that is filled with so many anecdotes that will leave a print on your heart!

4.5 ⭐️

Another beautiful, whimsical book from TJ Klune! When I heard this was a Pinocchio retelling, I had my reservations. I haven't even remotely enjoyed a single Pinocchio adaptation....until this book. TJ Klune has a way of writing every character so well, you can't help but feel close to them which is why he's able to pack such an emotional punch time and time again.

What a quirkster this one is! But really, what else can we expect from a TJ Klune book?! In the Lives of Puppets is a welcome addition to Klune's loving batch of hilarious misfits.

Victor is an orphan being raised in the woods by his adopted dad/not quite a man, Gio. With his sidekicks Rambo, a roomba vacuum, and Nurse Ratched, a medical aid robot, he spends his days experiment, exploring a nearby scrap yard, listening to records, and watching Rambo's favorite movie repeatedly. One day the three friends discover a dangerous new robot, Hap, and their lives take an unexpected turn.

Like so many of Klune's books this story centers on chosen family. That is where the magic really is, in the familal bond between these characters and their fierce loyalty when faced with peril. There is also the trademark humor. I could read an entire sequel just with Nurse Ratched's death threats and Rambo's innocent babbling. Their banter is hysterical.

Cons are that it's a bit long and drags more than it needs to. There felt like a lot of filler happening and the potential romance takes a very long time to even maybe start. It's a strange story for sure, but I'm not convinced that's a con. There's so much humor and whimsy and the good kind of weird that makes this book enjoyable .
3.5 stars rounded up!

Victor is a human living among machines, but he never feels any different. Rambo, Nurse Ratched, and his father are his family. They are the only family he has ever known. When he finds something in the scrap yard that he thinks he can fix into a working machine, he doesn't know the can of worms it will open and potentially change everything he has ever known to be true.

This is a book way outside of what I typically read. I guess I would describe it as adult fantasy, as there were some parts definitely geared toward adults. Oddly enough, even though it isn't my usual type read, I enjoyed most of it. It was a story of family and love, no matter what you are and what you are designed to do. The takeaway is that we have free choice and should use that to love. I know many of my customers that would really enjoy a book that is as well written such as this.

No one creates character development quite like Klune. The characters are truly the star of the show here. I adored every one of them. Sweet Gio was such a perfect father figure, Vic was a great MC, Nurse Ratched made me LOL multiple times not only for her jokes but her demeanor in general (is it weird to say she reminded me of me? "Engaging empathy protocol. There there." Enneagram 8s will understand!), Rambo was such a funny, naïve, silly addition, and HAP was another bright light. I loved how each character defined what it means to love and grow and to choose who you want to be.

Puppets didn’t hook me in like his previous books did, however. It was a very long story and seemed to rely on dialogue rather than plot. The dialogue was funny, however the plot was just very thin. The story reminded me of Wizard of Oz meets Wall-E. It was overall heartwarming but I feel like it may have been more of my style had it been 75 pages shorter. I didn't feel like a ton happened throughout the plot and the ending was okay, but the climax was subpar.

Read if you like:
-Wizard of Oz
-Puppets
-Wall-E
-Fantasy
-Amazing audiobook narration
-Found family
-Journeys
-Freedom to choose who you are.

My rating explained (CAWPILE method):
Characters-10, Atmosphere-7, Writing-8, Plot-5, Intrigue-5, Logic-6, Enjoyment-6= 47/7= 6.71= 3 stars

Synopsis:
"In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots—fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio–a past spent hunting humans.
When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.”

My Thoughts:
This is a cute story about found friendship, overcoming our differences, and sexuality. We follow a group of robots and a human as they travel to the City of Emerald Dreams. Along the way they encounter several robots and begin to realize that the world, and those in it, are not as they had expected. And, as they overcome challenges together, they slowly put together the pieces of their past.
The narrator on the audiobook is fantastic and does a phenomenal job voicing each of the characters. I've heard this book referenced as a Pinocchio retelling, which I can some what see, but I definitely felt strong Wizard of Oz vibes as well. I did think it felt a little long at times and included more references of private parts and human functions than needed; but it is told with great wit and humor, making the over story more enjoyable.

Thank you to @netgalley , @torbooks , and @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy of this book.

In The Lives of Puppets

By: TJ Klune

Publisher: Tor Books

Publish Date: 25 April 2023

LGBTQIAP+/ Sci Fi and Fantasy

#IntheLivesofPuppets#NetGalley

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and Tor Books for allowing me to read and review this book.

Good Reads synopsis:

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots–fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP,” he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio’s former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Book Review:

Sadly, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations and I gave it only 3 stars. It was still good but not what i hoping for. I still enjoy his story telling and writing. This just was a little unbelievable in parts.

We are probably not far off on having robots doing a lot of things for but I’m not sure I am ready for them to take over the world and having us killed off.

This is a story about a robot who has a conscience and wants to make amends for his pass doings. He is able to feel and still create things and one of his creations is his son who happens to be a human. This son loves to explore and during one of his outings he finds another robot and brings it home to rebuild it with the help of the other robots he has rebuilt.

The only problem is this robot was designed to kill humans. As the story continues on, they are discovered and Victor the human decides to go and save his dad, Gio. Can they do this and survive? What will happen to them if they fail? This actually got me thinking about our world around us and that TJ Klune really isn’t too far off of his thinking.

I do recommend this book because it makes you think and ponder about the future.

Klune has yet again made me fall in love with a new book family! He is one of my all-time favorite authors and his books always feel like a breath of fresh air. This plot was not what I was expecting with a world of robots, but I adored it. It's full of identity, family, and humor; His books always make me laugh, but Nurse Rachet made me cackle (she is a new favorite character of mine)!

Read this if you want:
-Found Family
-Dystopia
-Asexual Rep
-Witty Humor
-Unique Characters
-Wholesome/Whimsical plot

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and Netgalley for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

TJ Klune does it again!

Although I wasn't a fan of the movie as a child, this was a beautiful retelling of Pinocchio that is crossed with Wall-e and I, Robot. Real boy Victor was a beautiful child raised by robots, so was uncertain about human life and reasons.

Nurse Ratched was paired perfectly with Rambo, the vacuum, for a comical side kick duo. Such a colorful cast of characters made for interesting twists along the way. A found family, dystopian novel that is sure to pull at the strings of your heart.

I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea despite it not being my usual genre. So I was excited to request this without knowing anything about it other than it was Klune’s new book. It may have been bad timing but this isn’t working for me and I decided to DNF. I definitely think this is a case of being the wrong reader and not about the book. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

TJ Klune fans will not be disappointed!

This story is about Victor and Giovanni Lawson, who are living in a world where machines have been created and progressed to be sentient and living. The inciting action is when Vic finds a new robot at the scrap yard, and his life as he knows it is altered.

This novel had the signature Klune characters that you just absolutely fall in love with, as well as the themes of found family and what it means to create a home. It didn't quite punch me in the face emotionally the same way as his other adult titles, but I really did love the ending a lot!!

https://bookandfilmglobe.com/fiction/book-review-in-the-lives-of-puppets/

The fate of humanity is in the balance once again for TJ Klune, author of the 2020 New York Times best-seller, The House in the Cerulean Sea. This time the protagonist is Victor Lawson, who lives in a forest near the Scrap Yards with his adoptive father Gio, and his friends Nurse Ratchet and Rambo. Gio is a wise, loving and perfectly lifelike android; Nurse Ratchet is a large, cabinet-like mobile medical unit with a brutal bedside manner but an empathy protocol several petabytes wide; and Rambo is a small, naive and enthusiastic vacuum unit.