What are the rules?
- Stick together,
- Run if we have to,
- No dallying,
- No drilling,
- and above all else, be brave.

How do I even write a review for this sweet, hilarious, whimsical story? I’m going to try, but sorry if this review is all over the place. Frankly, being all over the place matches the vibe of this book.

First, I’d say DO NOT read the summary. It gives way too much away! I went in blind and was enamored with this story.

This story starts off with a bang. We are immediately thrust into this eccentric tale by meeting the gang and seeing their interactions.

The gang consists of:

Victor: a human child who was left in the care of a robot when his parents had to flee in danger, he is an inventor.

Gio: a robot inventor, and the father of Victor, who taught Victor everything he knows.

Nurse Ratched: A machine from human hospitals whose primary function is to “provide medical care”, I put that in quotes because she largely just says sexual innuendos and threatens everyone, but she is a delight.

Rambo: he’s a roomba and has such a pure robot soul 🥹

Hap: Hysterically Angry Puppet, that’s all you need to know… for now. He comes in later in the story.

These characters all live in the forest and end up going on a mission to find Gio after he is captured. I’ll leave the summary at that.

I LOVED these characters. I think what made me love them more is that the narrator, Daniel Henning, absolutely brought them to life. This audiobook was such an enjoyable adventure that made me laugh until I saw tears.

I was initially confused by this story and the way it just jumped into the characters interacting with each other, but once I got to know everyone I was hooked. I did feel that this book was largely humorous dialogue, and sometimes I felt like there was too much and he was trying too hard to fit in as much humor/innuendos that he could, but that’s a small criticism.

There is some romance in this book, and if you’ve read any books by this author before I think you can detect it pretty early on. 🥰 the way he writes romance is so wholesome and always makes my heart beat a little faster.

This story is the kind that will stay with you. It will make you feel like a little kid reading a bedtime story (but more mature) and it will make you swoon, make you laugh, and will make you cry. The word I keep circling back to is sweet, because it was, and the adventure this unlikely group of friends go on was written so uniquely and vividly. T.J. Klune IS magic.

I’m giving this a 4 ⭐️ rating overall only because the plot did start a bit too abruptly, the story was very long with a huge amount of dialogue, and the ending (although appropriate) didn’t satisfy me as much as I had hoped it would. I wanted a happier ending and more closure. I really would have liked to have seen an epilogue.

This book publishes tomorrow, April 25, 2023, and I STRONGLY suggest getting both the text and audiobook. The narration is truly something special to experience, and the writing is stunning.

Thank you so much NetGalley, T.J. Klune, Tor books, and Macmillan Audio for this amazing ARC/ALC in exchange for my honest opinion. 🫶🏻

This is the first book I read by this author. I love retellings/re-imaginings of fairy tales and folklore, so I was intrigued as this is supposed to be a re-imagining of sorts of Pinocchio, and while I enjoyed the book, I didn't LOVE it, like I was expecting to.

Overall, I enjoyed most of the characters. Nurse Ratchet was by far my favorite, while Rambo I just found annoying. The book itself was fine, but pacing seem to lag sometimes, and I kept finding myself having to put the book down and then picking it back up a day or so later. While the writing is great and I found myself chuckling a good portion, I think there's a lot going on in the story (killer cyborgs, kidnappers, a whale!) it was hard to fully enjoy the book. While it was not 100% my cup of tea, I know that this will be a 5 stars for others.

TJ Klune’s fans will immediately recognize "In the Lives of Puppets" as a signature piece in his overall body of work. The voice, the characters, and the themes of this story manifest the messages he’s addressed in past novels, and they do so with snark and quirky banter as well as a Manic Pixie Dream Bot named Rambo—a scene stealer if there ever was one—and a robot, Nurse Ratched, who exceeds her namesake in the psychopathy department but, somehow, still manages to charm and delight at the same time. But there are deeper wells of emotion to be plumbed too. Navigating the questions, and even consequences, of what makes us human—the heart, the soul, a conscience, family, friendships, love, loyalty, all of the above—moved me in unexpected ways.

This story is credited as a reimagining of "The Adventures of Pinocchio", but I couldn’t help seeing shades of "The Wizard of Oz" and perhaps even a passing nod to "The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy" thrown in for good measure. Giovanni Lawson is an inventor with a secret past who is valiantly attempting to make peace with it through his son, Victor, a human living amongst AI in an enchanting bit of forest apart from the outside world. Gio’s secrets will eventually out, though, much to Vic’s shock and heartache. And it’s the android HAP, who Vic found and rescued from the Scrap Yard, and reanimated, that will accompany Vic, Rambo, and Nurse Ratched on a perilous journey into the outside world to recover what was lost to them.

Along the way, readers will watch Vic influence the world, not only because of who he is but because of those who believe in him. He is the central cog in a steadfast machine around which the story and characters revolve. There is also perhaps the greatest unanswerable question posed in the end: is love inherently selfish, or is it the sharpest, most benevolent edge in our arsenal of emotions? Klune confronts sacrifice, death and, more distinctively, what it means to be alive. This story is rife with compassion and kindness and kinship expressed unabashedly.

While it would be inaccurate to say "In the Lives of Puppets" is a perfect book—there are points in the journey that ambled when I wanted them to run—I will always be open to the messages TJ Klune conveys through characters who make me laugh and cry all in the same story.

I absolutely adored the eclectic cast of characters and thought they worked so well together. Vic's exasperation was everything, but he never asked them to be anything but what they were. Despite their antics, he always simply allows them to be so wholly themselves, never asking them to change but only ever carefully nudging them to be their shining selves. In the end, that seems to be what they love most about one another.

There was a bit of a lull in the middle, but I felt it more than recovered from it with the ending. As a book about all different types of love, it truly covers them wonderfully. Parental, platonic, romanic. All the ways in which a person can be someone to you and the way they irrevocably change your life. I absolutely adored this book and highly recommend it! (also I cried a lot)

In the Lives of Puppets- 5⭐️s this was essentially Pinocchio but with Robots and some LGBTQ romance. It was lovely and heart warming, nurse ratched had me laughing out loud. This wasn’t as heavy a read as his last book but I really really loved this one. So far TJ Klune is 3 for 3 with 5 star books. Easily my favorite author and I will just forever buy his books. Be sure to grab it today it’s worth a read!
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I’m not going to lie when I heard that this was a Pinocchio retelling with robots I was a little nervous. Pinnochio freaks me out a little bit. And robots taking over the world has always been a fear of mine. So that already had me hesitant. This book however is a really creative retelling it’s more wholesome than creepy (though it still has those elements). But as with a lot of TJ Klunes stories it’s very sweet.
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I didn’t love this as much as I have loved his other books. I wasn’t as attached to Vic and Hap and I wanted to be. Honestly, Nurse Ratched and Rambo steal the show. A sarcastic version of Rosie from the Jetsons and a tiny vacuum with WALL·E vibes, how could they not? It was just the story that wasn’t it for me. I enjoyed the world building, and the relationship between father and son and well as the found family of both human and robot. I just don’t know if this was the book for me. I’m sure many others will love it but something was missing for me.

Honestly, I am taken aback and in complete awe of how much I absolutely loved this book.
I didn’t know if I would and being that I haven’t read any of TJ Klune’s works prior to this, I wasn’t sure how much I would vibe with his writing style so I was nervous going into this but good god. I have never been so happy to be wrong in my life.
In The Lives of Puppets is a Pinnochio retelling with a twist. Rather than our main character be Pinnochio, a puppet in a world of humans, we’re introduced to Vic, a human in a world of robots.

Vic is raised by his humanoid android father who much like Gepetto in Pinnochio, is an inventor. He helps and teaches Vic what he knows, eventually helping Vic bring Nurse Ratched (a robot nurse who is literally a sociopath) and Rambo (a sweet, wholesome, cinnamon roll vacuum) back to life. Vic uses his talent to then fix up another humanoid android in secret and days after Hap is brought back to life, Vic’s whole world turns upside down. Vic, Nurse Ratched, Rambo, and Hap go on a mission to save Gio after he discovered by the Authorities to work on a new mission.

Vic, Nurse Ratched, Rambo, and Hap are forced to leave the only home they’ve ever known to try to save Gio and the story just picks up from there but my absolute favorite thing about this book is the relationship between the four of them. Nurse Ratched had me audibly laughing multiple times, Rambo being painfully adorable but also frustrating, Hap learning and growing emotionally and Vic, leading his found family and being so brave in a world that is completely foreign to him.

In The Lives of Puppets is a phenomenal retelling, including a nonbinary Blue Fairy, the concept of a conscious, that one random kidnapping and forced labor scene, a reference to donkey ears and of course, the iconic whale. But beyond being an amazing retelling, Klune nailed the found family trope so perfectly. I truly felt like all the characters were my friends too and the growth in each character was amazing.

There are so many more things I could say about this but tldr: it’s absolutely amazing and actually such a sweet story.

TJ DOES IT AGAIN!!!!

TJ’s character development skills are insane (in the best of ways of course) and his books always find a way to completely surprise me. I find that with TJ, you truly cannot judge a book by the cover. You may think you know what this book will entail, but I bet you are 1000% incorrect.

Like I’ve said previously, his books make me want to be a better person and do better. He joins quirky, unique, and hilarious characters with an even more unique storyline to break your heart and mend it together at the same time. This story had me sitting on the edge of my seat, getting teary eyed, and laughing out loud on multiple occasions. And wow there are just so many plot twists in this one!! It truly is such a unique novel and does not even compare to his others as well. But wow. Just wow. If I could even try to explain without giving anything away, think Tarzan meets I, Robot meets Swiss Family Robinson meets Pinocchio.

But I loved this book, it felt like one wild ride, and I truly kept rooting for these nonfictional characters I felt connected with (pun intended).

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley.
Though not as soft as HITCS, In the Lives of Puppets is still a loving look at what it means to be human, even if you are a robot. As the only human in his family, Victor has still always felt loved. He has his father and his two best friends, Nurse Ratchet and Rambo, and has never needed more. However, finding and fixing a new android friend from the scrap yard sets off a chain reaction that leads them on an epic quest.
This story is full of love, adventure, danger, and is laugh out loud funny. The characters are amazing, and the dialogue is witty. This hybrid of Pinocchio meets Wall-E manages to take my very least favorite story (Pinocchio) and make it better. With themes of forgiveness and choice, it is poignant and sweet enough to make me cry a little, while also giving me the compulsion to hug a vacuum.
This may not quite be a warm hug, but it is a loving fist bump, and it deserves a chance. You can choose it.

This is a dystopia mix retelling of Pinocchio and the Robinson family that has made me laugh a lot and almost, almost a few tears.
It is a story that will steal your heart because of the variety of its characters, Nurse Ratched with her black humor that tells you things without filter, Rambo, oh Rambo will steal your heart with his innocence and loyalty, and Hap and Victor will show us that there are no impossibles when you really love something or someone. Oh and of course Gio who is the creator of all these characters, without him none of them would exist.
It is a book that shows us that not even machines are perfect and can make mistakes as much as humans, that you can change if you really feel it. Forgiveness is difficult and sometimes impossible, but it is not necessary to do it if we can’t, sometimes it is best to move forward and start again. It shows us the value of friendship, loyalty, forgiveness and love in all its forms.
This is a story that will stay with me forever, it goes on my list of books to reread, and of course 100% recommended.

TJ Klune always knows how to get his readers in the feels, and In the Lives of Puppets is no exception. This is a retelling of Pinocchio using robots, including a Roomba with anxiety that you can't help but love. Even though this story is about robots it has all the hallmarks of a great human story such as love, family, loneliness, adventure, humor, and friendship. Klune continues to be a master story teller!

Everytime I read a book by TJ Klune I end up crying & enjoying the entirety of the book.

The story begins with Giovanni finding the perfect location to build his new home in the woods. A woman brings a young baby to him when it seems as she is being hunted & searched for. He tries to ask for the baby’s name but never gets it. He decides on the name Victor & treats him as his own son.

Victor grew up to do lots of tinkering and creating. While going to the scrap yards he fixes up an old nurse robot they named Ratched and a vacuum robot they named Rambo. You quickly learn that Victor is human & his dad is actually a robot as well.

Ratched is truly unhinged and hilarious. If anything you should read this book for her commentary. I can’t really put any of her quotes or Amazon could flag my review. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Victor, Rambo & Ratched save another android from the scrap yard and brought him back to life. He is volatile & hates everyone initially. Gio is pretty upset that Victor keeps going to the scrap yard because it’s extremely dangerous for a human to exist. If he were to get caught it would be deadly.

There is love & compassion from robots in this book while there is also crazy plot twists to this book as well. I won’t spill the beans on any of them because it’s significantly better to read about them than to see the spoilers.

The journey throughout this book was beautiful & I am looking forward to reading more from TJ Klune in the future. I definitely recommend picking up this book to read!

Thank you again to the author, the publisher, & NetGalley for letting me read this!

Here’s a funny quote from Ratched to end the review 😂
🤖 “He can fix almost anything. And he decided to fix you, so you should be thankful to your father. Your dad. Your daddy. Error. Error. Do not call people ‘daddy.’ That is unprofessional.”

There is so much I could say about this book but I’ll try to keep it relatively coherent. I went into this blind and didn’t even read the synopsis. I wanted to be surprised.

I was not expecting the adventure of a lifetime with the funniest robot sidekicks. I absolutely love Rambo with all my heart. Victor is such a great protagonist and has to come into his own while dealing with so many unanswered questions about his past.

Without giving major spoilers - this is a fantastic read and very on brand for TJ Klune. I will be buying this one for my shelves as soon as possible. Read this immediately. Just do it.

Deep in the forest, in a time where man and machine can coexist side by side, an inventor android named Giovanni Larson lives with a sociopathic refurbished nurse machine, a highly-anxious but very loyal robot vacuum, and his human son, Victor.

For Giovanni, Vic, and their unlikely companions, live in the protection of their hidden wood is full of wonder. Then, one day, Vic discovers the remains of an android they name "Hap" in the scrap yard near their homes in the trees. Following in the steps of his father, Vic restores the mysterious machine and unknowingly sets off a chain of events that will alter the course of their lives forever as a shared, dark past between Giovanni and Hap comes to light.

A rather dystopian, robot-riddled retelling of Pinocchio, "In the Lives of Puppets" is teeming with the kind of dark, laugh-out-loud moments, unforgettable misfit ensembles, and heartstring-tugging magic that trademarks TJ Klune at his very, very best. This story is an adventure of the most creative and epic proportions in every way, and at its core, tells the kind of found-family story that everyone needs to read at least once in their lifetime.

I simply couldn't get enough of Hap, Vic, and the other characters in this book; when all was said and done--and I really do say this rarely--I wanted this book to be even longer. Klune, as always, demonstrates his mastery at weaving whimsical stories with life's most imperative questions, and for me, the resounding question here is:

What does it mean to truly love someone, past, broken parts, and all?

Yet another classic Klune novel! While being wildly different from House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, this book has that same wonderfully cozy feel that you always get from Klune's writing. This was a fun sci fi dystopian adventure full of hilarious banter and a lot of heart! A fantastical combination of Pinocchio and Murderbot Diaries.

This was a read I enjoyed, but I didn't enjoy this as much as some of Klune's other works. I think something about the AI / sci fi machines just didn't fully resonate with me. I loved Rambo and Nurse Ratched, they stole the show for me. This was an interesting read and I can definitely see it being enjoyed by a lot of people.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in to this but I ended up really enjoying it! It didn’t capture me in the same way that Under the Whispering Door did but for someone who isn’t big into Sci-Fi and robots I had a fun time.

The story follows our main character, Victor, who lives in the woods with his dad and their two friends secluded away from the rest of society. You soon learn that Victor is the only human in the group and the rest are robots. When Victor comes across a decommissioned robot one day and he takes on the task of helping him, things don’t go quite according to plan and Victor and his friends have to work together to save his father.

You can tell this book definitely draws on inspiration from Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz which I have mixed feelings about. I think it was executed well in how it pulls those themes and ideas in but the Wizard of Oz aspects toward the end felt kind of weird and out of place to me.

There are common themes that you can expect to see in Klune’s books such as found family, positive mental health representation, and discussions regarding sexuality and those were all present here. Victor has anxiety and is also asexual and I appreciate that the book highlighted these things while not making it a focus. It was addressed and came up naturally, much in the same way it normally does in real life.

I think the biggest strength of this book is the characters and their love and loyalty for each other. Their interactions were so sweet and funny and you can feel how much they all care for each other and the lengths they’re willing to go to in order to protect each other. I thought the added in romance element later on was also very sweet and heartwarming and I really enjoyed that and felt that it was well balanced with the rest of the plot.

Another strength this book has is the writing and creativity. The world and surroundings were described extremely well and I could vividly picture everything. I haven’t read anything quite like this before and I love when something feels new and fresh.

Moving on to what I didn’t love, there are a few things. I didn’t always love the dialogue and thought it was a bit weird at times. The humor was a little too much on the pop culture side of things and it didn’t land for me a lot of the time. I also thought the pacing was a bit weird, for the first 35% of the book I was enjoying it but I also had no idea where the book was going to go or what the ultimate goal was supposed to be. Lastly, I just didn’t connect with the story in the same way that I have in the past. Although I loved all the characters I didn’t feel that strong sense of emotional attachment that I have with other books. I cant put my finger on why exactly but there was just something missing for me that made me give this 4 stars instead of 5.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I had a good time reading it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor/Forge for providing me with this eARC!

WHAT A LETDOWN.

I love TJ Klune. He creates a beautiful world with a real message and it just warms your heart. In the Lives of Puppets did not do that. It was just WEIRD in a not great way. I appreciate his representation of the LGBTQIA+ community, but it felt so forced and irrelevant in this novel.

All in all, I was very disappointed.

This was such a delightful and fresh retelling of Pinocchio! I loved every minute of this book, and I am now deeply emotionally attached to Nurse Ratched and Rambo. They genuinely had me cackling in delight at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Stick together!...Run if we have to....No dallying....No drilling....And above all else, be brave!"

Easily my favorite book by TJ Klune, thus far. This book is so special for so many reasons that I'm going to find difficult to put into words. Giovanni lives in a treehouse with his son, Victor, and two robots, Rambo and Nurse Ratchet. It's just the four of them and has been for quite some time until Victor, Rambo, and Nurse Ratchet find a robot that is partially still active and decide to fix him and give him a heart. What follows changes their lives forever.

The warmth in this book overflows. I laughed and smiled throughout reading. I read and re-read passages, highlighting and saving lines that I knew I would want to revisit over and over. The found family in this book is typical of a Klune novel and yet so much more. Victor's determination, Rambo's neurotic behaviors, and Nurse Ratchet's dry humor quickly captured my heart. There is love, acceptance, and a willingness to stand for the others when needed. I loved this little motley crew and cheered them on throughout their entire journey. The wit is some of the best I have ever read. It is just such a smart, beautifully written book and one that I feel like everyone should read.

If you are lonely, this book is for you. If you wonder where your place is, this book is for you. If you just love to laugh and live in tales of adventure, this book is for you. If you love family that you choose, this book is for you. I say it every book, but I need to say it again: Thank you, TJ Klune, for writing something so beautiful and touching. This is what the world needs and I'm so glad I'm living during the time you are writing.