Member Reviews

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

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!

Was this review helpful?

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.

Was this review helpful?

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝕀𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 ℙ𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕥𝕤
𝐓𝐉 𝐊𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐞
LGBTQ/Fantasy Fiction
432 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs

In the Lives of Puppets tells of a world made up of robots instead of humans, except for one.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs

I don’t feel I can find the words to explain the absolute genius storytelling that TJ Klune has accomplished with this book. The characters grab your heartstrings and feel like a glowing bout of the best hugs out there.

Right off the bat I was obsessed with Gio, Victor, a nurse robot, and a vacuum robot. Their personalities are so intriguing and industrious. Gio is super protective of Victor, who is his human son. Victor is so caring and will go to the ends of the earth to help those he loves.The nurse robot says the ruthless things but in a way that made me laugh throughout this adventure. She is a delight! The little vacuum is obsessed with cleaning, yet is somewhat vulnerable and easily taken in by the words of others.

Then Hap is introduced and brings a whole new aspect to Vicor’s life. These characters are so well thought out and their vibrant characteristics tip the chart as being wholesome and unique.

This is the only end of human life story I’ve read that is more touching than atrocious. Yes, horrible things have happened to bring an end to humans, but the majority of what is told shows that change is always a choice. It shows that good can prevail even when it seems impossible.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

In a little home built into a large tree deep in the forest, there live a little family of three robots: Gio the inventor, Nurse Ratched the funny yet sadistic medical android and Rambo the anxiety ridden and lovable vacuum.. Gio's son, Victor, also lives there. Victor is human. Together they live happily and safely until everything changes when Victor, Rambo and Nurse Ratched rescue an android they have never seen before labeled HAP. Soon Victor will have to face his father's past and the world outside the only woods has have ever known.

T.J. Klune has done it again. In my opinion, he is a master at writing the "found family" trope and it just makes my heart so full. He really takes the time to make you fall in love with the characters, believe in the bonds they have with each other and leave you rooting for them to win. This story is meant to be influenced by the story of Pinocchio and I loved the twist of having Victor be the one human, or "real boy", among the robots. I honestly never thought that I would feel so much emotion from a group of androids, but I laughed and cried throughout the book. Also, I don't know if T.J. Klune has stated this, but I wondered if Victor was neurodivergent. My son is on the autism spectrum, and I saw many of his characteristics in Vic. It was wonderful to see a character like him go on an adventure and be surrounded by so much love.

If you loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, definitely check this one out! Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

I have put off writing this review in full to give myself time to wrap my head around all the reasons why I love “In the Lives of Puppets.” At this point, though, I am no less speechless than I was the moment I read the last word.

When I first read an excerpt, what drew me in was the characterization and sense of humor. Klune’s cast of characters, particularly those of the mechanical variety, had me laughing literally out loud several times, just in the opening pages. It is intensely quotable, and every few minutes I found myself wanting to share some of the lines I came across with my partner or friends. Before long, I cared deeply about each of the characters, and developed a sense of where I thought the story was headed - only for the plot to follow a possibility I never even began to expect. Balancing worldbuilding and foreshadowing with unique story beats is difficult, but Klune handled it masterfully. The twists were next level creative and also worked perfectly in-character and in-setting.

Another aspect of this book that I found beautifully handled was the romance-not-romance between certain characters of the story. Deep love organically developed, never feeling forced and always in line with the values and identities of the characters as we understand them. Surprisingly poignant and moving, the events were heavy in some moments, but perfectly placed levity prevented it from feeling emotionally burdensome and kept the emotion progressing forward.

5(thousand) stars! I believe this will be the best book I read in 2023 - I can’t imagine how it will be beaten. Thank you TJ Klune for bringing this story to the world. I’ll be coming back to it over and over again.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Books for the eARC!

Was this review helpful?

This was a sweet testimonial to friendship and freewill, but the romance between human and machine was a bit of a stretch for me.

One of the redeeming characters was Nurse Ratched. She was so witty and funny, I would have read a whole book dedicated to her character.

I actually think if you removed the romantic/sexual and graphic components, it would've made a sweet children's story about what makes us human and how our emotions are so important.

Was this review helpful?

This is the third TJ Klune book I’ve read, and I was not disappointed. Each book is like a warm hug. In The Lives of Puppets draws from The Adventures of Pinocchio and explores themes of what it means to be human with a bit of caution about the future of AI. Like the other Klune books I’ve read, it’s mainly about connection, found family, and being true to yourself and who you want to be. If comforting, feel good fantasy is your idea of a pleasant escape, you won’t be disappointed.

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book. This is very different in terms of speed of a story that I'm used to with Klune, but it contains all the humor, imagery, and character development that I love from him. I am so thankful for this advanced read, as he is one of my famous authors.

Was this review helpful?

No one does LGBTQ literary fiction quite like TJ Klune. Another instant classic! Will definitely be recommending to a friend. Thank you netgalley!

Was this review helpful?

T.J. Klune is one of my favorite authors, and In the Lives of Puppets is another amazing book by him. This story presents a whimsical, endearing, and adventurous retelling of Pinocchio with an amazing cast of characters. I love the movie A.I., and this book has similar themes of intertwining artificially intelligent robots with the Pinocchio story. The Blue Fairy (though very different from the one in A.I.) is even referenced in the book.

In the Lives of Puppets strengths lie in its diverse characters and setting (honestly the whole book was amazing). One of the main characters, Victor, is asexual, and I loved seeing that representation. His sexuality was never treated as a fault or hindrance which was refreshing to see, and as an asexual person myself I have nothing negative to say about the representation. A big theme of the book is accepting people how they are, and this is also seen through other characters such as HAP who stutters but this is once again not viewed negatively by the other main characters. The relationships between the characters as they travel to save Gio, Victor’s father, is what makes the book so magical.

Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in artificial intelligence, fantasy/sci-fi retellings, found families, or just good stories. It is only February, and I know this will be one of my favorite books of the year.

Thank you to Tor for an ARC in exchange for a review!

Was this review helpful?