TJ Klune has written one of the most charming, heartwarming, inventive retellings of Pinocchio that I have ever had the privilege of reading.

All of the characters from Victor to Rambo, Nurse Ratched, Hap, and Gio are incredibly distinctive and utterly loveable. I found myself slowing down my pacing of reading or putting the book aside because I never want Klune’s books to end.

Every year there is that one book that I end up reading passages aloud to family and friends and recommending and obsessing about. It’s only the beginning of the year and I know that In the Lives of Puppets will be that book that everyone’s getting in their stocking. It is pure, delightful magic.

Recommended for anyone who grew up loving fairytales, robots, or humanity.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and TJ Klune for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

It's taken me a week to decide my rating for this book and I still might end up coming back and changing it at some point but for now we are sitting between 4 and 4.5 stars. The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door both rank in my top 10 books of all time, so perhaps I am holding it to an unfairly high standard. I believe TJ Klune's greatest strength is his ability to make you crave more time with his characters in the worlds that he creates. He pulls you into the fray and makes you care deeply about each one of them and I think that still holds true for In the Lives of Puppets. However, there were some places where it fell just a little short for me in comparison to his other books. That does not mean, though, that I didn't enjoy every minute of my time reading it. I would quite literally take a bullet for Rambo. Nurse Ratched made me laugh out loud multiple times. Giovanni's love for Vic and HAP's reverence for the butterflies brought tears to my eyes. It really is a wonderful story that I would recommend to almost everyone, especially if you are a fan of Klune's already.

Another wonderful heartwarming tale from TJ Klune is soon to hit our shelves. I think I loved Nurse Ratched the most. The ending was sadder then i wanted, but i was still satisfied.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the review copy.

I ended up DNF'ing at 15%. The tone and pacing was off for me, and the writing style felt very YA. For those who liked the Extraordinaries trilogy, this will be right up your alley.

thank you to netgalley and tor publishing group for the advanced reading copy of in the lives of puppets by tj klune. this books was a retelling of Pinocchio, a peculiar empty forest, a man not holy a man. a son he could only have dreamed of, a few robots friends makes for an odd grouping of friends. vic the son finds a new robot one day and when he fixes him up it accidently sends a notification to those hunting his father who has run away and lived there for years. as well as human hunters. their forest is no longer safe and the family must travel elsewhere to protect each other. this was a gripping newly reimagined tale from klune that was worth the wait. his books are written so beautifully and just draws you in. a must read for anyone who hasn't experienced his work yet.

Inspired by the story of Pinocchio, Klune creates another heartwarming and uplifting story of found family. Giovanni Lawson raises a child that he names Victor deep in the forest far away from anyone else. Giovanni is an inventor and he teaches Victor how to repair machines. Victor repairs a nurse robot--Nurse Ratched-- and an automated vacuum he calls Rambo that he finds in the Scrap Yards. When Victor finds another sentient android on the edge of dying, he brings him home to repair in the same way his father, Giovanni, another sentient android, continues to exist: through a homemade, gear-driven heart.

The consequences of this act set Victor and his friends on an adventure that leads them to the City of Electric Dreams, seeking the help of the Blue Fairy. Klune has created a delightful group of characters that are funny, complex, and deeply human. It is a magical read.

Filled with the witty banter and friendship that I have come to expect from TJ Klune. I LOVE found family, and the magical, fantastical worlds built within these stories are just filled with love and family. Puppets focuses on eccentric and lovable Inventor, Giovanni who builds himself a massive home within the canopy of a forest. He builds himself a family of sorts including a hilariously sarcastic nurse android and a lovable vacuum android named Rambo. When the Giovanni is surprised by a scared couple with a Small infant escaping through the forest, he decides to keep the infant as his own and names him Victor. Victor grows up in the mechanical whimsical world that Giovanni has built and becomes a strong and curious young man who loves to salvage parts and fix robots. After Vic helps to repair a strange new robot named HAP, his world is suddenly turned on its head and he finds himself fighting to save the only person he has ever known as his father.

Such an amazing, feel good, funny, queer sci-if fantasy. Another Klune masterpiece.

T.J. Klune strikes again with another brilliant, heartwarming story - this one about a human and his family of robots who live hidden in a forest. Vic, our human, leads a pretty peaceful existence, alongside Gio - the inventor android who raised him, Nurse Ratched - a feisty nursing robot, and Rambo (a roomba-esque vacuum). But when Vic finds a new android in the scrap yard and brings him home, things go off the rails...

This story had some perfect nods to Pinocchio, and some serious Brave Little Toaster vibes (which happened to be one of my favorites as a kid). As per Klune's usual, the world-building is on point. Similarly to Under the Whispering Door and The House in the Cerulean Sea, Puppets is set in a world not unsimilar to ours with more magical/whimsical properties. There's a dark side to the story, but there's so much humor, light, and love to balance it out. Setting is almost as much of a character as some of the characters themselves; from the Forests of Ory-gone to the City of Electric Dreams. And the characters themselves did not disappoint - Nurse Ratched and Rambo had me frequently giggling.

I can see how this might not be easily digestible for some folks, or how some might say it's not original enough. Sure, to some degree it's a typical "quest" trope - someone needs saving and our heroes go on a rescue mission. And, most of the characters are robots. But I love a good twisted fairy tale, and especially one that has so much heart and explores what it means to be human. With the hype/craziness surrounding Chat GPT lately, and as fast as technology is changing, this feels like a timely release; despite its fictional nature, it really made me think.

I was so excited to read this one, as Klune was easily my favorite discovery of the past year or so. His writing style combines the heart of Fredrik Backman with the world building skills and quirk of Lewis Carroll, plus, there's some romance thrown in as the cherry on top.

Huge thanks to Tor & Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've enjoyed TJ Klune's other books, but this one wasn't for me. I'm not really a science fiction fan, so that's not a big surprise. I'll still recommend this to those who do enjoy science fiction.

I really enjoy the worlds that TJ Klune transports me to. A world full of lovable characters and scenes close enough to home that you can picture yourself in. Unfortunately, I didn’t experience that with In The Lives of Puppets. While I enjoyed the characters and had some laugh out loud moments, I didn’t feel particularly connected to any of them or invested in the plot. Looking forward to reading any future releases from Klune but this one didn’t do it for me

This book is great, love this author. Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A heartwarming adventure very much in T.J. Klune's style. The characters were very distinct, if sometimes cliche, and made for an exciting read. The twists felt as though they fit very well and did keep me on the edge of my seat, but I knew everything would work out it the end despite hardships. In all, this reworking of fairytale with hints of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson held my attention with its gullible Rambo, harsh Nurse Ratched, and heart grabbing Vic, on their venture of discovery and family with Hap.

2.5 stars.. I am so sad that this this didn't work out for me. I loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door but this one was hard to finish. I think I am the problem since it has more sci-fi and I am usually not a sci-fi reader so I can see how others may enjoy this one more than I did.
The story felt chaotic and it was very slow paced. While I tried to not compare it to his other books it was hard as his characters were replicas of his characters in THICS but in this one it was harder to connect with them.
I appreciated the Pinocchio references and even felt that there was a "Wizard of Oz" element to it. Nonetheless I will continue to purchase his books.
The overall plot was intriguing and unique in my opinion. I would recommend this title to the right reader.

TJ Klune warms this beating heart (pun intended!) once more in his new novel In the Lives of the Puppets. In a robotic world not too unlike our own, he takes the reader on an adventure with Vic, a young human man, as he searches for the things that matter most in our world: Love, relationships, and connection. With his trademark humor (In this novel, served up via the banter of Rambo and Nurse Ratched, two robot-friends of Vic), the reader is immersed in this dystopian family story. This was a wonderful, cheery read, for fans of Klune and Fredrik Backman, and I highly suggest reading this.

“Once upon a time, humanity dreamed of machines, wonders made of metal and wires and plastic, capable of doing things they could not—or would not—do. Machines for everyday life, machines for war, star-bound machines containing golden records filled with music and language and math. And in each of these machines—regardless of what they were made of or what their purpose was—humans instilled bits and pieces of themselves. But that is the way of creation: it requires sacrifice, sometimes in blood.”


This novel is more timely than ever, with the rapid development of AI technology and the discussions we are having about the increasing role that tech is having in our lives.

This novel asks us to consider what makes us human and what our responsibility is towards what we create. I found myself crying and then laughing within the same chapters. This is a story I’ll “hap-pily” treasure for years to come.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing this arc. My opinions are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this book!

This was my favorite of any Klune novel I read! I already pre-ordered the audiobook because I want to hear the story told to me as well. This was so good. I loved the characters, and I think everyone else will too.

In The Lives of Puppets is an introspective and warm-hearted story of found family and what it means to be human. TJ Klune crafts a story that is well-paced with bright and vibrant characters. Vic and his family of robots had me smiling and they were the heart of this story for me.

While I adored the characters, the plot of this book lost me a little bit. I enjoyed the initial setup, but once the action began, it fell. a bit flat for me. I was ready to be swept away in fantasy and instead just ended up feeling a bit dull and empty. I also felt disappointed when we finally got to meet the infamous blue fairy. I guess the author was going for a morally grey kind of character here, but it felt underdeveloped and forced to me. I also found the ending to be very abrupt and bitter-sweet. To me, personally, I felt like the characters were worse off than when the book began.

Overall, this is a charming story with vivid main characters in a unique setting. Unfortunately, the storyline and overall takeaways didn't work for me due to personal preferences. I've been a big fan of TJ Klune's other works and will continue to read his future releases but this one was a bit of a disappointment for me.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune is a stunning work of fiction that explores themes of identity, family, and the power of storytelling. The novel follows the story of a young boy named Beau, who is living in a world of poverty and hardship with his grandmother. One day, he discovers a strange puppet and becomes obsessed with its mysterious past and the stories it tells.

Klune's writing is exquisite, and he masterfully weaves together different narrative threads to create a rich, layered story. The characters are vividly drawn, and the relationship between Beau and his grandmother is particularly poignant. The story is full of unexpected twists and turns, and the themes of self-discovery and the search for meaning will resonate with readers of all ages.

One of the most striking things about In the Lives of Puppets is the way it explores the power of storytelling to shape our lives and our sense of self. The puppet, with its ability to tell stories from different perspectives and time periods, serves as a metaphor for the power of narrative to help us understand ourselves and our place in the world.

Overall, In the Lives of Puppets is a stunning and deeply moving novel that showcases TJ Klune's talents as a writer. The book is a must-read for anyone who loves thoughtful, character-driven fiction, and is sure to stay with readers long after they've turned the last page.

A heart-warming and fun adventure. I loved the quirky and often strikingly human robots that make up Victor's family. As expected from a TJ Klune novel it will get you right in your heart and have some heartfelt lessons about life along the way.

TJ Klune continues the tradition started with Cerulean Sea, creating lovable characters with flaws that make them more human, more hilarious, more everything. Although this is loosely a Pinocchio retelling, it will appeal even to those who know nothing about Pinocchio or hate the original story. I easily read this book in one sitting, hungry for the warm spirits and happy ending, even while including the bittersweet moments of life that make this book so very real.