I absolutely Loved In The Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune. It is heartfelt and hilarious. The sociopath nursing machine a.k.a. Nurse Ratched was so funny and was my favorite. I have now named my roomba, Rambo.
Thank you NetGalley and TOR/Forge Publishing for the ARC in exchange, for my honest review.

This book has the whimsical charm that The House in the Cerulean Sea had but there's a lot going on and it was hard to follow the storyline.

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a delightful, compelling read! Fantasy meets post-singularity, apocalyptic science fiction. I loved the quirky robot characters that made me laugh out loud. (I had to look up the Pinocchio references, which was interesting, but it reminded me as much of The Wizard of Oz.) Add a tremendous amount of heart (no pun intended) and humanity to an epic quest, and you come close.

Some reviewers have said it's too long and the ending is unsatisfying; I think the length is fine, but I agree with the assessment of the ending. I WANT MORE! I want to know more of this world and hopefully it's not as bleak as implied. Maybe TJ Klune will write a sequel? That's not his style so far, but there's room here (as well a neurotic Roomba named Rambo -- love, love, love!).

“In the Lives of Puppets” shares the story of Victor Lawson, the human son of a robot father. Victor lives with a literally found family as his two best friends are robots he’s built from pieces found at the Scrap Yards, one being a nurse robot and the other a self-propelling vacuum. Despite being robots, the family is funny and loving, with the nurse showing sociopathic tendencies that come in useful in the more dangerous scenes.

When Victor discovers an almost-complete android during one of his regular visits to the Scrap Yards, he starts an adventure that destroys his childhood home and propels him on a journey to the robot capital. Along the way, he meets questionable friends and allies, but through it all, his friends travel with him.

This new vision of the Pinocchio tale delighted and amazed me, as do all of Klune’s stories. And the thing about Klune’s work is that my heart always breaks open when I read it. Human existence is celebrated in all of its joy and delight and love and heartbreak. When I finished reading the book, I set it on my chest and tried to absorb all of the goodness into my heart and being.

In the Lives of Puppets had all the elements that we’ve come to expect from a T.J. Klune book: quirky characters, cozy fantasy/sci-fi, humorous dialog, and queer romance. While I enjoyed this story, it is probably my least favorite Klune book. There was just something off for me.

Much like Klune’s other works, the characters are truly what makes his stories shine. The characters are loveable, vibrant, and eccentric. The dialog and banter between the characters was on point, making for many laugh-out-loud moments. By the way, Nurse Ratched is the best character in the book and I’ll die on this hill. Klune really knows how to write a heartwarming found family dynamic that I can’t get enough of.

As far as the plot goes, this was marketed as a Pinocchio retelling, but I’d say it felt like a sci-fi mashup of Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz. I think Klune did a good job of the retelling aspect, which can be tough. Klune infused just enough Pinocchio elements while creating a completely new and unique story. There are some very thought provoking moments throughout the story and I really enjoyed how everything wrapped up in the end. It was bitter sweet.

And now for what didn’t work for me... I just didn’t believe the romantic connection between Vic and HAP. I can’t put my finger on why, but it just felt awkward. There were also some odd parts in the plot that just felt out of place. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would still recommend it. If you have enjoyed Klune’s previous books, you’ll want to give this a go as well.

***Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review***

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book before its publication date.

I really enjoyed this novel by TJ Klune. I am not always the biggest sci-fi fan, but the story and characters in this one drew me in. I found myself cheering for Vic as he struggled with identity and love and finding his place in this world. I also really enjoyed the touches of Pinocchio and Wall-E and Swiss Family Robinson that were evident throughout the entire book.

TJ Klune, you've done it again and I'm still on kind of a book high with this one.

BTW, thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc!

TJ Klune has become one of my favorite authors and while the last one I read (Under the Whispering Door) wasn't among my favorites, this one certainly redeemed it. I loved how he combined elements of Robinson Crusoe, i-Robot, and Pinocchio to make a story that captivated me and kept me interested. The characters all had fleshed out personalities and quirks (Nurse Ratched had me guffawing, Rambo was a bit over the top but cute nonetheless, GIO was the soft father we all wish we had, Hap was a protector, and Victor was flawed in a good way and great asexual representation in my opinion). I was thoroughly captivated with the wonder that we were shown through various characters' eyes and the danger they fell into felt very real. The Smooth Men were creepy in every way which made the danger that much more real. Their quest right into the Lion's Den was heroic and foolish and I was so there for that. And the reveal of the City of Electric Dreams and Heaven (where the Blue Fairy resides) made me laugh so hard because I could just picture it as it now stands.

Ultimately, I think this was another great one in TJ Klune's record book and I can't wait to recommend it to everyone when it comes out.

This is by far my favorite TJ Klune novel to date! The robots are absolutely adorable and hilarious and heartfelt. Nurse Ratched is my absolute favorite with her dry wit and sarcasm and innate thirst for blood AND helping. I'm glad I read instead of waited for an audio version, because that was my main problem with the other novels. I couldn't get past the voices of the characters. This is definitely a 5 star read for me and think it will be everyone's favorite as well.

TJ Klune has become a must-read author for me over the past few years.

In the Lives of Puppets was phenomenal. Klune has a mix of Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz, because the main character along with a group of misfits sets out on a journey to rescue his father, who actually isn't a human. The clever twists to the traditional Pinocchio story of what makes a person a "real person" were very thought-provoking and so well-handled.

The story revolves around Victor, a human living in a world of robots. Parts of the story get rather dark, but Klune still manages to deliver a heartfelt story of acceptance, love and found family.

This is probably my favorite TJ Klune novel yet.

A lovely found family story! At times silly, touching, and dystopian, In the Lives of Puppets is filled with the kindness, longing, and humor that shines through many of TJ Klune's books. It took me a few chapters to acclimate to the setting and characters, especially Nurse Ratchet's rather unique personality. Rambo the vacuum is irrepressibly enthusiastic and positive, making him a nice complement to Nurse Ratchet's blunt and sometimes violent proclamations. Vic is a sweetheart! As an ace person, it was really wonderful to read an ace main character. I also enjoyed Hap, the newly repaired and recharged android with a mysterious past and a fixation on Vic.

The story itself is a gradual unveiling of what occurred to make the world the way it is, one where humans have been hunted and killed by machines. As Vic leaves the ruins of his home and starts on his quest, he's confronted with this harsh reality and meets new machines - both allies and enemies - who shed light on what happened. No matter the perils he confronts, Vic remains determined to protect his family and see them all healed and reunited. While I enjoyed the focus on the characters and their bonds, I felt like there wasn't enough examination of the world and the fate of humanity. All the world building surrounding the Authority was very vague and I was left wondering if Vic had changed the world or not. The story just ended with Home 2.0 being realized but I was still curious about the larger picture. Overall, a pleasant read with a big heart.

Having loved both House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, I had high expectations for In the Lives of Puppets. Unfortunately, I felt it was lacking some of the magic of the other two. While the first two felt like the scene in The Wizard of Oz where Oz appears in Technicolor, In the Lives of Puppets felt like it got stalled on the Kansas side.

In the Lives of Puppets follows Vic, a human living with his android father, Gio, and his bffs, the vacuum and nursing robot he rescued and restored from the dump. When Vic saves another android from the dump, the past catches up to Gio, forcing the gang, including the irascible Hap, to leave their secluded home and rescue him.

There were parts of the book that I did enjoy. I liked picking up on the pop culture references, including Wall-E, Pinocchio, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Big Hero 6. Klune yet again delivers the loveable found family typical of his novels, though these characters skew more toward caricatures than fully rounded characters. It wasn’t until halfway through the book that I became invested in the conflict, but once it clicked, the rest of the book was much more enjoyable. In the second half, the deeper themes started to solidify, replacing the comedic bits that seemed to characterize the first half. I quite enjoyed the humor at the beginning, but the repetition of the bits wore that enjoyment off quickly. The hopefulness, however, never wears off, despite some difficult circumstances.

There was so much there that I might have loved but it never coalesced into something I really cared about.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A home built in trees with a fatherly inventor android named Giovani Lawson (Gio), a savage nurse machine and a small curious l vacuum desperate for attention. Then there's Victor, the last known human on the planet. Victor loves to salvage and one day he comes across an android that he fixes up and names them Hap.  When Hap and Giovanni meet it seems they have a history, past spent hunting humans. The family is no longer safe when Hap accidentally alerts robots to his whereabouts. Giovani is captured and the rest of the family must go into the city to save him. Secrets are discovered and Victor must decide if he's willing to look past the faults of his father Gio an Hap.

If there is one thing Klune is good at it's his whimsical characters who are lovable, funny, caring and brave. I absolutely adored these characters. They had me laughing out loud several times. I also loved the storytelling.  A glimpse into a world where humankind is destroyed and machines take over. It's a beautiful story about love, friendship, humanity, forgiveness and understanding.  Another spectacular story by Klune.

In the Lives of Puppets
by TJ Klune
Pub Date April 25, 2023
Tor
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was quite excited to get the ARC because I have read several of Klune's books and really liked them.

This was, to me, not on par with his other books in terms of storytelling. The plot was forced and seemed to be trying to make a few too many statements on what is wrong with society today. It was also super cringey for there to be so much sex in a book with only one human in it.

Overall, I would choose any one of Klune's other books over this one. Not a hit for me, although I see other reviewers love it.
3 stars

After learning more about this author, and the racist origins of one of his other books, I will not be providing a review for this novel at this time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Honestly, I don't even know how to put this book and how I felt about it into words. Any book that makes you fall in love with a talking Roomba named Rambo is clearly doing something right. In the Lines of Puppets hit on so many different levels of being super uplifting and empowering, to sweet and lovely, and then to devastating and heartbreaking. I never thought I would find myself crying over androids, robots, and puppets, but here I am. This is structured somewhat as a Pinocchio retelling while also feeling like if Wall-E met the Hunger Games. Does that sound crazy? Yes, it is. But it works so well and was an amazing read. Victor and Hap's relationship and how that evolved was amazing to see and I loved the dynamics they both had with Gio, Nurse Ratched, and Rambo. The little family they created was so special and what happened to them was so devastating to read. I have loved my previous reads from T.J. Klune and this absolutely did not disappoint AT ALL.

SO SO SO MANY THANKS to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A young man named Vic, living with a charismatic and eclectic bunch of robots and androids finds out what his purpose is after he discovers another android when digging around in a dump. He is the only human in their group, but when he finds a very human-looking android, his whole world changes.

As with many of Klune’s stories, this one is fun, exciting, and hosts an excellent and diverse cast of characters. Whether you love the grumpy android called Hap or the slightly deranged nurse droid named Ratched, you will enjoy this found family trope.

This story is so easy to fall in love with. I personally am a big fan of the ‘found family’ trope, but this eclectic group of characters just hits all the right spots in my brain. Another popular trope, ‘Grumpy-sunshine’ is another well-used trope and Klune. The book reminds me a bit of a combination of Pinochio and Mass Effect.

A charming, funny, and eminently readable retelling of the legend of Pinocchio. Victor Lawson is a human raised by what he realizes much later is a creative android, his home in the middle of the woods with a neurotic Roomba and a sociopathic nurse droid for company (Registered Automaton to Care, Heal, Educate, and Drill - Nurse R.A.T.C.H.E.D). When their idyllic existence is interrupted by his discovery of a killer droid with its memory wiped clean, our protagonist must learn what happened to the rest of the humans on Earth - and what it means to be truly human and to truly love. Klune portrays an asexual/queer character with sensitivity and tact - this aspect of Victor's story is an important one, but not the primary or the overtly political point. Instead, the sly humor and pop culture references ("I aim to misbehave!" Nurse Ratched announces at one point) focus the story around who we are and who we can choose to be despite the circumstances of our birth.

I have enjoyed many of Klune's novels in the past, so I was very excited to receive a galley of In the Lives of Puppets from NetGalley. Puppets is a loose retelling of Pinochhio, but is set in a world inhabited mainly by androids ( I think calling them robots is too simple and have been getting ready for the next season of The Mandalorian). Even in this world, Klune manages to make you think long and hard about the humanity of yourself and others. The characters are lovely and you will want to take Rambo and Nurse Ratched home with you!

This was, to me, not on par with his other books in terms of story telling. The plot was forced and seemed to be trying to make a few too many statements on what is wrong with society today. It was also super cringey for there to be so much sex in a book with only one human in it.

Overall, I would choose any one of Klune's other books over this one.

Absolutely beautiful! TJ Klune never fails to mix deep human emotions with a great storyline that speaks to so many different things at once. I laughed, I cried, I was angry, and every other emotion. I feel in love with these characters and all their personality traits. (Nurse Ratched was probably my favorite). This is one that will have you feeling, wondering, and hoping for the best. Such a great book!

TJ Klune has done it again. I have seen this advertised as a Pinocchio retelling, but it is so much more than that. I honestly can't put into words how lovely this book is and how much I enjoyed reading it. I have not been disappointed by any of TJ Klune's books and if he keeps writing like this, I never will be. All I can say is that everyone who sees this book should read it.