I’m usually a fan of TJ Klune. And this is probably an unpopular opinion. But I could not finish this book. This was a major let down for me.

Holy moly. If I had read any of the reviews before actually diving into this ARC, I’m not sure what I would have anticipated. But my mind is kind of blown. It’s weird. It’s incredible. At times a little uncomfortable, heart breaking, and hilarious - you’ll experience it all. And whoa.

This is like a futuristic, Pinocchio-like, tale of machines, humans, and finding oneself. I experienced so many emotions while reading this, from the snarky humor of Nurse Ratched, to the innocence of Rambo, to the drive and love of Victor.
Android Gio has built his own house, lab, and little corner of Earth for himself, where he resides with his “son” Victor, a nurse machine Ratched, and basically a roomba named Rambo.

I couldn’t help but fall in love with these characters, their stories, and the unfolding of this story. It’s a masterpiece like none other.

I would not consider myself a big sci-fi reader but I loved this so much. I highly recommend this & am so thankful to both NetGalley & Tor publishing group for this ARC in exchange for my honest receive.

Beautiful book but it took me awhile to actually get into to - unlike his previous books. Not sure if it was because it was so fantastical or what but once I did I loved the characters and the amazing found family and adventure. Heartwarming!

In the Lives of Puppets invites readers into the heart of a peculiar forest in which three robots live—a fatherly inventor named Giovanni Lawson, a somewhat sadistic yet kind nurse machine and a small Roomba vacuum desperate for love. Together with a human, Victor Lawson, they make a family, hidden and safe from the outside world.

When Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled HAP, however, he learns of his father’s dark past— a past that was spent hunting down humans and eradicating them.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots to their whereabouts, the family is no longer safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory, all memory of his loved ones wiped clean. So together, Vic and his family must journey across the dangerous country and rescue Gio before he is reprogrammed. Along the way to save his father, Vic has to deal with conflicted emotions, betrayal and fear, blossoming affection and more for Hap. In the end, Vic must decide: can he accept love with all its strings attached?

One of these days I will finish a book by TJ Klune and not scream “emotional damage” at the top of my lungs for the next hour but this is not that day.

This man has made me care about many a thing over the past few years (including but not limited to wolves, bellhops, dead dogs and odd houses in the middle of the forest) and now he’s added machines to the list. That’s right, after reading In the Lives of Puppets, one of my new favourite characters is a Roomba vacuum called Rambo. A Roomba made me tear up. Made me laugh. Made me feel for him. You can’t make this stuff up.

Of course, this story has a fantastic cast of characters. From Victor’s father Giovanni that I just want to hug for eternity to Victor himself (asexual rep for the win!) to Victor’s best friends Nurse RATCHED and Rambo and of course, our fearsome, angry and hysterical puppet Hap, each character is as vivid as if they’re standing right next to you. Hilarious dialogue surrounding being human and…having human needs to what makes you truly feel alive, this story oscillates between hysterically funny and utterly heartbreaking—you know, the trademark Klune mix. Wouldn’t be a Klune book if you don’t need tissues for both your tears of pain and of laughter.

Also, the plot twists in this story. Listen, I have seen the Disney adaptation of Pinocchio maybe twice in my life as a kid so I don’t know if these plot twists are still as shocking if you know the original story but let me tell you, I was flabbergasted. Flabbergasted, I tell you, at some of these twists that wreak absolute havoc on Victor and his gang. From unexpected characters popping up to unlikely allies and…other events that make you question your own definition of humanity and machines, there’s just no dull moment in In The Lives of Puppets.

For the sake of spoilers, I won’t talk more about the plot but what I will say is that I am forever confused by how TJ Klune gets better with every single book. Yes, he was already fantastic but with every book I pick up, I keep subconsciously waiting for me to say “Okay, this was great, but not as great as…” and it just—never happens? I was SURE that nothing could beat my love for Wolfsong (and then the entirety of Green Creek happened). I was CERTAIN nothing could beat The House in the Cerulean Sea. And then this book happened. Man, whatever you’re doing, TJ, please keep doing it. I will never not need the boost of straight-up serotonin your books release in my body, mind and soul.

Anyways, long story short, if you’re a long-time fan of Klune’s trademark ridiculously funny humour, facepalm-inducing secondhand embarrassment, characters that will grip your heart and rip it out of your chest (only to then help you patch it up and make it better than ever before) and subtle yet insightful commentary on the human race and how love is the best thing we do, then you need to pick this book up immediately.

And if you’re new to this author, let me just say: In The Lives of Puppets is the perfect place to start. I promise it’ll be worth it (it being the trauma you’ll go through reading about your favourites having to face hell). But also, please be ready with tissues for the final chapters. You’ll need them.

Combining a queer retelling of Pinocchio with Klune’s trademark humour and tendency to both break and mend hearts in the same story, In The Lives of Puppets is a masterpiece that will make you question what it means to be human.

The rules: Stick together. Run if we have to. No dallying. No drilling. And above all else, be brave.

I loved this. I just want to be in a room with all of TJ Klune's characters surrounding me in a big, giant group hug. In the Lives of Puppets is a whimsical, heart-warming, queer science fiction reimagining of Pinocchio. TJ Klune has once again made me fall in love with an adorable cast of loveable characters. I'm a sucker for the found family trope, and this one delivered on that front.
The main characters:
-Vic, an asexual human inventor grappling with questions of humanity and what it means to exist.
-Gio, is an android coming to terms with his past creations.
-Nurse Ratched (Registered Automaton To Care, Heal, Educate, and Drill), a hilarious sociopathic nursing robot.
-Rambo, an utterly adorable, anxious Roomba.
-Hap (Hysterically Angry Puppet), a damaged android with a mysterious past.
There are many heartfelt moments, a venture into the unknown, hilarious laugh out loud moments thanks to Nurse Ratched, and serious moments where characters are grappling with difficult subjects like depression, grief, and purpose.
This is a great read for those who enjoyed Becky Chamber's Monk and Robot series, Martha Well's Murderbot Diaries, and the films Wall-E and the Brave Little Toaster. (I love all of these, which explains why I absolutely loved this book).
A huge thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and TJ Klune for the opportunity to review this electronic advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. It’s due to be published on April 25, 2023.

Also sharing this review soon on Instagram at @hannahthelibrarian_

To be perfectly honest, I never thought I would be lucky enough to have been chosen to read this book early. I was all set to wait until April. And after Under The Whispering Door, which I was obsessed with, I could only hope that the experience reading it matched the hopefulness I had for it. Let me tell you it absolutely did. This author has such a way with words, using exactly the right ones, invoking imagination and opening the mind. I will forever treasure finding this author and the books that have come to mean so much.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley

This was a hilarious heartfelt tale by Klune. Every book of his gets stronger and stronger. If you are a fairy tale fan and love whimsy, I would highly suggest this book.

What a lovely story!!!! TJ Klune has knocked it out of the park once again. I have yet to read anything by him that didn't make my heart burst with happiness. This book was pure joy, pure love, and pure comfort. I loved the characters and reading about their journey. I felt so filled with warmth devouring each word of this. Love.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The book tackles what it is to be human, and what our future could be. I found the plot to be moving and I was quite attached to the characters. I loved the eccentricities of the side characters as they added to the story in a necessary manner. Definitely a worthwhile read for anyone.

Ok, TJ. I expect ALL your books to be warm and cozy hugs from here on out. The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door took us to different places and we met different characters. The misfits, found family, and the heart of the books always shows up. Sometimes you wonder how will this fit together. Is this fantasy, contemporary? This one is a Pinocchio retelling. It also has some Wizard of Oz themes. I can't wait for you to read this. I fell in love with robots, and I hope you do too.

TJ Klune is an automatic read for me and I adore his storytelling and whimsical character creation. In the Lives of Puppets hit me in the feels with the characters - I instantly attached to them and was happy giggling at their banter and chosen family energy.

When the action scenes started I was still invested, but perhaps a little less. The energy and pace shifted so much that I was on the back foot, and then when I caught up, it shifted down again. I really love when authors take their core strength, in this case lovable chosen family that you instantly love, and branch out into new and interesting plots or genres. For me, the action scenes were okay but the family scenes were what really did it for me.

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the chance to read this book early, I love this author and felt so lucky!

TJ Klune doesn't miss. Another heartwarming story that makes you want to crawl into the book to spend more time with these lovely characters. I don't typically enjoy retellings (remember when every YA fantasy was a retelling?) but this one stands up enough on its own, and I could mostly forget it was a Pinocchio story. The found family dynamic in this story reminded me 'Cerulean Sea' in the best way.

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.