TJ Klune’s In The Lives of Puppets channels delight into a story of a young boy and his relationship to his father, an android, and two other robots. The writing and worldbuilding are just as strong and whimsical as Klune’s previous endeavors, and I particularly found this to be the most fresh and innovative of his recent three novels.

Vic makes a wonderful protagonist to follow. He’s endearing, easy to root for, and also has charismatic flaws. Nurse Ratched and Rambo are delightful additions to the Klune-verse, albeit somewhat annoying at times, though mostly endearing.

The world of Mechanics and woodworking and puppets and treehouses feels like the most lived in and developed of Klune’s worlds so far. Particularly the Junk Yards were exciting to me.

Overall, Klune developed worlds and characters that are wholly original from his previous while still delivering on that charisma and charm he carrie’s through every book.

While I still have a lot of TK Klune’s back list ahead of me, I’ve really enjoyed the books that I’ve read of his so far. I certainly squealed with excitement when I got the opportunity to read an advanced copy of his latest release, In the Lives of Puppets. I was quite intrigued when I saw that it was described as a queer reimagining of Pinocchio. In a grove of trees, lies a strange little home to the most unique of found families I’ve stumbled across. We have Giovanni, an android inventor, Nurse Rachet, a nurse machine, Rambo, a robot vacuum, and Victor, a human. When Victor salvages and repairs an android he finds while scavenging for parts, HAP, he learns that there is a dark shared past between Giovanni and Hap where they hunted humans. When robots from Gio’s past life are alerted to their whereabouts, he is taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. Vic gathers up his group of misfits and must do what he can to try to save him, despite the dangers.

I did enjoy this one, but I did find it a bit hard to get into at the start and become connected to the story. The characters were as quirky as expected and of course, endearing. Humanity was a big theme in the story and Klune executed well with his typical mix of wit and emotion. It really was the heartwarming read full of adventure I was expecting.

I think part of my struggle of getting into this one was how long the chapters were at times. That is really probably more of a personal preference, I prefer shorter chapters. When chapters start to feel long, I have a harder time staying present in the story.

If you’re looking for a heartwarming adventure with the quirkiest found family, I would recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to @netgalley & @torbooks for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! In the Lives of Puppets is out April 25, 2023!

⭐3.75/5 stars⭐

2.5 I am a huge fan of "Under the Whispering Door" and "The House in the Cerulean Sea;" unfortunately, "In the Lives of Puppets" just did not hold my attention. The premise sounded promising and TJ Klune's beautiful writing style is obvious, but the plot and pacing were a struggle for me and I found myself putting the book down several times. It started off strong at the beginning and I liked the setting and introduction to the characters, especially when HAP is introduced, but as it continued it was like a slow meandering to their goal of rescuing Gio. While the protagonist, Vic, is a fun character and seemingly the only human in a world of robots, he and HAP just didn't click for me. Honestly, what made the story for me was Nurse Ratched and Rambo. Seriously, they were fantastic. These two robot "side-kicks" propelled the plot, held the humor, and were so creative in their dialogue and observations of the other characters.

Even though this wasn't my favorite novel, I know I will probably be in the minority and am sure many will love this novel. I will still read whatever imaginative creation comes out of Klune's head next.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I recently discovered Studio Ghibli movies, and I’ve discovered something. What I love so much about them is this heartwarming feeling I always get, even if the plot is a little weird.

T.J. Klune books are like that for me.

In the Lives of Puppets made me laugh, and cry, and my heart grew three sizes. The notion of a found family has never been more clear than in ItLoP. Truly, this story made my soul sing with happiness. I have nothing else to say except I highly recommend everyone read this book. It was *that* good.

Hands down, one of the best books of 2023.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the review copy!

“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙩.”

I never thought I’d see the day where I fall in love with a book about androids and vacuum cleaners, but here I am. Another masterpiece by TJ Klune that everyone needs to read!

If you’ve read TJ Klune’s books in the past, then you know just how marvelous his imagination is! This book is unlike anything I’ve ever read, and is filled with so much wonder, detail, and adventure. You’ll fall in love with each and every character from their banter, jokes, sarcasm, and ultimately, love.

In The Lives of Puppets is primarily based around Victor Lawson, and human raised and living among androids in a dystopian world. His dad, Giovanni, is a creator humanoid, and passes down those skills to Victor, who helps bring Nurse Ratched, (a sarcastic robotic nurse) Rambo (a sweet Roomba that loves to clean), and later on, Hap (a humanoid originally designed to erase humankind), back to life after finding them discarded in a scrapyard. This found family is all about being who you want to be regardless of what they’re built to do. After Giovanni gets taken, it’s up to Victor and his robotic family to bring him home.

I absolutely loved and devoured this book. And I especially loved the Easter eggs of TJ’s previous work throughout the book. This book will make you laugh, cry, and warm your heart. If you’re new to TJ, you need to read this and then continue reading everything of his because they’re all phenomenal!

“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚𝙨?
𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧!
𝙍𝙪𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙬𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤.
𝙉𝙤 𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜!
𝙉𝙤 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜.
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚, 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚!”

I would also like to give a thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced reader copy of “In the Lives of Puppets.” I’ve loved the other unique books I’ve read by TJ Klune and so I had to read this one too. The concept was so interesting to me and this one was a page-turner for me. I had to see how it was going to end and what lay in store for Vic (& Hap!). I was a bit less invested in the “journey” part of the book (some parts felt a bit disconnected and random) and I felt like I was actually left wanting to learn a lot more of where Vic’s relationships were going at the end. I would rate this book a 3.5 rounded up to 4⭐️ for Goodreads.

T.J Klune just excels with creating quirky, lovable, but still complex characters while always working in diverse representation. These characters were absolutely hysterical (especially Nurse Ratched). I was constantly highlighting my favorite lines and giggling to myself. I also loved Vic's character arc throughout the story and could really see his character mature and become more of an independent adult.

I absolutely adored all of the friendships. The dynamic between Nurse Ratched, Rambo, Vic, and Hap was both hysterical and wholesome. I did have some trouble with the romance between Vic and Hap. I just wasn't quite sold on it and kept thinking I'd rather they just stay friends.

I loved the initial tree house setting and the rest of the settings were easy to visualize. I also enjoyed all the futuristic elements. I would've enjoyed seeing even more futuristic technology (outside of the robots) especially when we were in the city.

Klune's writing is always so cozy and approachable. I can't say enough how funny this book was throughout. Klune also just does the found family trope so well. I also thought he handled deeper discussions of grief and love beautifully.

For some readers, the plot may leave something to be desired. I was much more invested in the characters, so I didn't mind that the plot was a bit basic. However, it was compelling enough to keep the story moving along at a comfortable pace.

Rather than ending happily ever after, I appreciate that the ending was realistic and a bit sad, but overall still left us on a good note. I think this choice really helped add depth to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It left such a warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart. In the Lives of Puppets, like Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea, will always stay with me.

Do you like Pinocchio? Wizard of Oz? Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? Then you’re in luck! In the Lives of Puppets is the book for you.

I requested an advanced copy of In the Lives of Puppets solely because I love TJ Klune. I was overjoyed when I was approved for a digital copy. I didn’t read it right away. I needed to be in the right headspace to potentially read my next favourite book. I purposely didn’t read the synopsis of the book nor anything about it online. I wanted to go in blind. This is important because I had NO IDEA this was a reimagining of Pinocchio.

The book begins with Gio Lawson, an android inventor, introducing us to his human son Victor. Victor has taken after his father and is also an inventor and loves to salvage items from the Scrap Yards. Here is where he finds HAP. Finding and rebuilding HAP is the beginning of a new adventure for Victor and his two android friends, Nurse Ratched and Rambo.

The quirky commentary and characters brings a light hearted approach to a rather dismal reality of a post-apocalyptic time where androids rule the world and Victor is the last human on Earth.

Now like I said earlier I had no idea this was a reimagining of Pinocchio so when I began reading I couldn’t help but question the similarities to the classic tale. It took me aback at how Klune took tropes from not only Pinocchio but also The Wizard of Oz and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. I questioned why an author with a high quality of story telling would mirror such classic books.

All in all a great read, lovely story telling, quirky and loveable characters, and well paced.

Though it did not surpass my love of The House in the Cerulean Sea, I did enjoy it more than Under the Whispering Door. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you like Klune or if you enjoy genre-hybrid fantasy books.

Thank you also to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Short synopsis: Vic lives with his dad Gio and their robot friends in a house in the woods. One day in the junkyard he finds evidence of another robot of the brink of death.

My thoughts: I had no idea what to expect from this one going in, other than quirky characters and a heartwarming story. Well I was right, but this was so much more.

This is a Pinocchio retelling, but I also sensed bits of the Wizard of Oz in it too. It’s a silly story with lots of witty dialogue but huge undertones of family, love, compassion, and understanding.

Nurse Ratched was by far my favorite with some amazing one-liners, but Rambo the quick to love robot was also so great.

Read if you love:
- Underlying messages
- Acceptance
- Family and friends
- Quirky and lovable characters
- Retellings

I did a mix of audio and physical reading on this one. The narration was so well done, and he had such a great way of voicing each different character to bring out their personalities.

Thank you so much Tor and Macmillan audio for early copies of this heartwarming story!

Unfortunately nothing about this worked for me - I didn't like the characters, the plot, the writing, the humour, the relationships, it was a big miss.

Book Review for: "In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune
Source: ARC from NetGalley
Score: 4.5/5 stars

The book "In the Lives of Puppets" follows Victor and his friends as they explore their lives as a family of human and androids. As troubles come up, they must rely on each other for support to save fellow loved ones.

Plot:
The plot is not the central focus of the book. Although we have Victor and his band of machines trying to save a loved one, the book focuses on it's conversation on humanity, family, and choice. Throughout the book, the machines learn and adapt to become "more human" and choose what they want to do. With that, we see the alternative - machines that only exist to follow out their designated functions. This book uses these juxtaposed positions to question our idea of humanity and what makes someone human?

The story does not focus on it's plot but instead uses the world to build a thought-provoking narrative about existence and what it means to be human.

Writing:
The book is slow but very much balanced. The writing is elaborate in it's description of the scenery and beautifully articulates the emotions of the characters. The final chapter is masterfully written as it cashes in on the heartfelt story that had taken place before it.

The author is patient and careful with each character and has developed a beautiful world for androids and humans to coexist.

Overall, the book moves with patience and creates a beautiful story along the way.

Characters:
Overall, the characters are what makes this book. Every character has space to grow. Every character has their own personality and quirks that are memorable. Every character matters and shares their love for each other with tenderness.

The final chapter would not have worked if it were not for the characters who you have grown to love throughout the story.

Although we have machines/androids as characters, there is much personality to them and form a loving family of human and androids.

Finale:
Overall, this book is wholesome, loving, and healing.

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC of this book! Every time I read one of TJ Klune’s books, it always leaves a very heartwarming and hopeful feeling at the end, and this one is no different. First off, it surprised me how a story about a family of androids and robots could be so much more humane than a story about humans. We see a group of characters, each with their own imperfections. But when they behave as a family, I love how their personalities very seamlessly complement one another. I think the author made such a creative decision when he chose robots (essentially puppets) as his main characters. By stripping them away from emotions that we are so familiar with, like love and anger and curiosity, the characters’ desire to feel these emotions help exemplify just how important they are, and how we should embrace these emotions, for they are what makes us alive.

Given that this is my third TJ Klune book, I would like to remind readers that his stories mostly start on the slower side, but because he sets readers up for such a fantastic world-building. All I can say to this is, take your time when reading this book, and use this opportunity to actually enjoy the prose, the world, and the characters and their relationships to one another. Overall, a LOVELY and WONDERFUL read. For all who love fantasy and sci-fi, and for those who may need a little bit of hope in their lives right now, this would be a great book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, TJ Klune has written an excellent book that made me laugh, made me happy cry, made me sad cry, and made me fall in love with all of the characters. This book, a loose reimagining of Pinocchio, was so inventive and imaginative and heartwarming, and I will absolutely be recommending it to all my friends.

Things I loved to see: ace rep, a character with a stutter (even though the character with a stutter is an android and the stutter rests in a fault in his code/wiring, it’s never miraculously “fixed” and I love that), found family (my all time favorite trope), RAMBO (probably my favorite character, if I’m being honest, but it’s a close call).

Fans of Klune’s previous works will definitely need to pick this one up ASAP.

What a beautiful, heartfelt hug of a book. This was exactly what I expected, and yet still frequently surprised me. The more I think about the entire vibe of this story the more my heart fills.

As always I adore TJ Klune’s characters, they’re funny, crude, gentle, and loveable. The BANTER. god, it’s out of this world. Rambo is without a doubt my favourite, his gentle little heart and raging anxiety brought me so much joy.

overall a lot of the story is very conveniently not explained, a lot of the plot relies on coincidence and a general lack of understanding for very important driving forces in the story that the reader just has to accept will never be explained. It often felt like Klune was putting more focus into writing funny banter and likeable characters and not actually developing this complex world he created, or giving the plot enough time to fully develop in a believable way.

That being said, I don’t think it majorly deters from the story. Avid sci fi fans looking for an in-depth explanation of this world will be sorely disappointed, but those looking for a fairytale-esque story about humanity, family, love, and perseverance will be over the moon with this sweet book.

this is such a nice, cozy robot adventure book. It’s simple, it’s hilarious, and it’s a great book to escape into when you need to have a good laugh and maybe a bit of a cry. I’ll be singing “heaven, I’m in heaven” for the rest of the week.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the advanced copy of such a delightful book!

TJ Klune's adult books have always made me laugh, cry, and feel hopeful. "Under the Whispering Door" was one of my favorite books of 2021.

This one was sadly a bit of a let down. I thought it had a lot more of "Wizard of Oz" than "Pinocchio" or "Wall-E". The characters were somewhat enjoyable and fun (especially Rambo and Nurse Ratched), but mostly not memorable. While this story said a lot of the right things and a lot of what TJ Klune's reader would expect, it felt often heavy handed.

Many readers will absolutely love this book, and they should. Sadly I was not one of them. "Under the Whispering Door" stays my favorite for another few years.

The audiobook was good.

"Heaven. I'm in Heaven."

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune takes Pinocchio, Terminator, and Wall-E and creates a unique story about found family in the time of the apocalypse and makes it whimsical in only the way Klune can.

Klune is already an auto-buy author for me, and Puppets has really reminded me why. He paints such a wonderful picture with his storytelling and his characters. He truly is one of the best out there as far as creating spectacular characters who you only grow to love as the book progresses.

Puppets is the story of Gio, a lonely an living in a forest sanctuary that would make the Swiss Family Robinson envious, as he raises his son, Victor. Victor's best friends are a Roomba named Rambo, and a robot nurse aptly named Nurse Ratched. The four of them live happily until Victor finds a decommissioned android, Hap, in the scrap yard. That's when the plot really gets started, and never stops.

Rambo and Nurse Ratched are easily my favorite characters in the book, which I never thought I would consider a Roomba to be one of the best, most hilarious, characters I've encountered all year, but that's what Klune does. He makes you fall in love with the most unlikely of "people." I laughed out loud several times, and I highlighted so many passages.

In addition to his trademark humor, there are also the moments that make you cry. There is a scene near the end where I found myself crying, and had to stop myself and shake my head over what I was crying over. That's all I'll say. I don't want to spoil anything.

If you enjoyed any of Klune's previous books, I highly recommend you pick this one up. If you've never read any of his books before, you might as well start with this one, and then read his back list. If there's a long wait at your library, go read the back list first.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first TJ Klune book and I loved it. I’ve always wanted to read this author and with a never ending TBR this eARC was exactly what I needed to start. In the Lives of Puppets, Victor is the only human in a world of robots. This book had me laughing from beginning to end and the characters were wonderful. I will admit it took a while for me to get into but the journey ended up being fantastical and heartwarming.

I love all things TJ Klune. He is my auto buy author and this book has been perfectly added next to his others on my bookshelf. His descriptive writing, his settings and the love his characters have are truly amazing.

From start to finish, I loved every second. This is actually my second robot story i have read this year with the idea of humanity being destroyed after we keep making robots. It is a fascinating concept. TJ Klume wrote this beautiful laugh out loud story that I will hold in my heart forever.

TJ Klune has become an instant-buy, favorite author for me. His characters, whether man or anti-christ, spirit guide or machine, are so alive, so nuanced, so flawed and lovely. In the Lives of Puppets does it again, giving even the setting such lovely character, you know right where you are, how the air feels, what it smells like, from the crisp forest of Oregon to the stale desert of Las Vegas. This book gives the reader a take on what it means to be human, in a world that is violently opposed to humanity. We meet machines that are so life-like they seem 100% human, but are they capable of the greatest of human emotions? What will it take for harmony, love and forgiveness to reign over order?