Well, TJ Klune has done it again! In the Lives of Puppets is a heartwarming tale for grown ups, with characters who will make you laugh and cry and feel all the feels. I found the depth of character and the storyline to be more expansive than in his last book. I am looking forward to reading what comes next. There is a goodness in Klune's books that's much needed those days.

Oh my heart – this book. I’ve never read a T.J. Klune book that left me unaffected so I’m not sure why I wasn’t prepared. He has an excellent way of making you think about big things while still feeling cozy and heartwarming.

In the book, we follow Vic, the only human, as he learns about himself and goes on a quest to save his father. The beginning was intriguing, with the world building and character introductions/development. Klune does found family so well and this was no exception.

Gio, Vic’s android father, heads the family with creativity, compassion, and wonder. The robots Vic found and brought back to ‘life’ are a strange motley of characters. Nurse Rachet is a nursing machine, capable of providing care, electrocution, drilling, and tough love. Her cheeky dialog took a bit to get the hang of, but soon enough she had me grinning with each interaction. Rambo is a vacuum with big feelings and anxiety. His excitement for everything was infectious and he had me both cringing and smiling. The newest addition is HAP and his arrival brings to light a past that Gio had worked hard to leave behind and atone for.

When Gio is taken, Vic and the others go on an adventure to save him. The beginnings of the journey drug a little, but looking back, each step brought growth and knowledge to Vic and the group. Hap is learning to be himself and that he can choose who he wants t be. He doesn’t just have to follow his old programming or be that person. His development was intriguing and through provoking.

The slow, steady development of feeling between Vic and Hap was sweet and heartwarming. They each had to learn to trust themselves as well as each other. I struggled a few times with Hap being an android and Vic a human, but Klune has a way of making lines disappear and the character’s hearts shine through.

Once they truly get on their way to the city, the pace pick up and keeps going. With characters that help and some that confuse, they finally make it to their destination. And each have to make some tough choices of their own.

I spent the last quart of the book in tears or on the verge of tears. There were instances of grief, disappointment, hope, joy, and so many emotion. For a book about robots, it is very human.

I haven’t read Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio and it has been a minute since I watched Disney’s version. So I’m sure I missed some of the more subtle nods during this retelling. There were enough though that that I was able to recognize it as a retelling but it is definitely it’s own story.

This book’s pub date is April 25, 2023. Do yourself a favor and pre-order In the Lives of Puppets. You don’t want to miss this hug of a book. A big thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for access to this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This wonderful, wonderful book had me laughing from the beginning! The humor was a perfect balance to the later drama as the story unfolded. It's not wrong that the plot revolves around hearts because this book has an abundance of heart. It's utterly charming and I can't recommend it enough.

2.5 stars. I was so excited for a new TJ Klune book. This one has great characters, endearing message, and the witty, funny dialogue that I love from his books. But the setting and plot were just not for me. I was so bored and disinterested. This book took me over a month to read and I only finished because I would force myself to read it. I am not a fan of sci-fi and robots and just didn't enjoy the topic and storyline.

I enjoyed this and his first novel. He has a way of making his books humorous and also touching at the same time. He touches on topics that are relevant.

Deep in the woods in an intricate setup of tree houses lives Victor, a human, and his three android “family” members; Fatherly Gio, the inventor, Nurse Ratchet, a witty and sadistic robot, and Rambo, the loving vacuum. One day they find Hap - a robot in trouble and in need of help. Or, is he the trouble…?

Each of T.J. Klune’s books is wildly unique yet maintains one important aspect - the depth, complexity and lovability of the characters. In true form, he does it again. These characters truly demonstrate that you don’t need to share blood to be family. From Nurse Ratchet’s witty commentary and desire to drill, to Rambo’s sweet innocence, to Victor’s heart and love for them all - this book really made me feel all the feels. 🥰🥺🤣

For the first portion of the book, I was kind of wondering where it would go. It was interesting reading about the world setup and learning about the characters/setting, but I still didn’t know what more to expect. Then it turns and goes from interesting to exciting, with an intensity and adventure that is unique in this story compared to his others. Getting lost in Klune’s writing and eagerly rooting for these characters, I could not put this down and read the first 2/3 in one sitting!

This is a lovely story about found family and the lengths we go to keep our family safe. Going into "In the Lives of Puppets," I knew it was going to be a queer retelling of the Pinocchio tale, but I wasn't prepared for just how much I would fall in love with these characters (Rambo! Nurse Ratched! HAP! I loved all of them...). I was invested in their journey from page one. I should have known this would happen - I've had the exact same experience with each of Klune's prior books.

This book ticks all the boxes: a little heartache, some nail-biting adventure, found family or quirky and delightful characters, and a healthy dose of Klune's trademark humor and a dash of sarcasm. The world-building in this novel is phenomenal. If you love science fiction or fantasy, this book hovers the line between both, blending a futuristic vision of society with the trademark magical elements that make Klune's books so special. Klune does a wonderful job meditating on the meaning of memory and coming to terms with past mistakes - reminding us that it's never too late to start over or take a chance and make a change.

If I could give this one 10 stars, I would!

I think this is by far my favorite TJ Klune book. I savored this one and took my time, even though I could have flown through it. It was masterfully written. I cried at the end, I laughed throughout, and I fell in love with the characters. Nurse Ratched is forever my favorite. I could read 100 books with her in it - she's hilarious! This one is not to be missed. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book. The year has barely begun but this book is going to remain on my top 5 for 2023 for sure.

This was a cosy, heartwarming story that made me fall absolutely in love with these characters. If you have loved The House in the Cerulean Sea and/or Under the Whispering Door, you should definitely pick this one up! The interactions and cheekiness of the characters made it an entertaining and easy to love story.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for access to this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Victor Lawson lives in the isolated forest with his father, Giovanni, and his friends Rambo and Nurse Ratched. Victor is human, but everyone else in his world are robots. His father was given Victor when he was just a baby and raised him on his own. Gio is an inventor, and is always fixing or creating something. Victor is learning to create as well, and often goes to the scrapyard to search for bits and bobs that can be repurposed. One day he and his friends find a decommissioned robot that seems to be fixable, so they take it home and restore it. Their new "friend", Hap, becomes the start of an adventure that will change their lives.

I did enjoy this book. It gave me the same warm fuzzy feelings as TJ Kline's other novels, which is ultimately what I'm looking for. His books feel cozy but ultimately still carry important messages. This had the same "found family" plotline as I'd expected, and the same humour I hoped for. Somehow though, I didn't enjoy it as much as the other two books of his I've read. Parts of the plots felt convoluted, and the world building seemed to be so detailed at times I felt myself just skimming descriptions. I did appreciate the resolution and I ultimately liked the book, I just had really high hopes it didn't quite live up to. I'd definitely recommend checking it out if you're a fan of his other work.

TJ Klune as done it again! In the Lives of Puppets is another heartwarming story of found family, the power of love, and a clever analysis of consciousness and what makes something "alive". I loved the characters he created in this story, the cheeky dialogue and wit is what makes Klune's books so good. I also loved the asexual presentation, it's rare to find on-page, stated ace representation in books and Klune does a wonderful job of not only having an ace main character but also showing what a relationship and romance for an ace person can look like. I can't recommend this book enough!

Another heart breakingly lovely story from TJ Klune filled with laughter and adventure. Reminiscent of the cast from House I'm the Cerulean Sea but all the loving self reflection brought on by Under the Whispering Door.

Thank you to Netgalley, TOR Books, and TJ Klune for the opportunity of reading this lovely book for an unbiased review.

What can I possibly say to do this incredible read justice. TJ Klune knocked it out the park again with this heartwarming story. When Vic stumbles on a discarded android, he brings it back to life with love and wonder. When Vic's father Gio gets taken back to the city, Vic and his wonderful companions embark on a journey to save Gio. This book is full of quirky characters that really bring this book to life, and touches on subjects of loyalty and love

This one was so good and strange it's hard for me to review. It's coined as a "modern telling of Pinocchio" and has a starring cast of characters, including a neurotic Roomba and a sociopathic robot nurse. I can say that the supporting characters were the best part of the story. In the end, it was a heart-warming tale of humanity, what it means to have a family, and hope for the future. Highly recommended.

Witty dialogue, complex characters with hidden depths, and a way of describing things that is altogether innovative and intriguing. If you are a TJ Kline fan, you will not be disappointed.

I admit, I read the synopsis and was not totally interested. Robots? What does the title even mean? (That cover though, in typical fashion, is gorgeous!) Once again, I was delighted and enthralled with the story of Victor and Gio. I adored Nurse Ratched and Rambo as well. The character development is rich and fun, and is revealed through the dialogue in the book.

We follow the story of Victor, a boy among robots, living in a treehouse in the wilderness, with his father Giovanni. All his life, he has been a creator, inventor, innovator, like his father. He has never seen another human, never known anyone but the four of them that live in the treehouse.

One day they find a robot in the scrap yards and bring him back to life. Unknowingly, they have unlocked a dark past between this new robot, HAP, and Gio. When Gio is taken, they all must journey to save him.

A book about love, connection, and the power of memory.

I have to steal what my friend Shelf Blame said to describe In the Lives of Puppets (ITLOP)- it’s Swiss Family Robinson, Wall-E, Pinnochio, and The Wizard of Oz all combined into one book. It’s very sweet and heartwarming, while also being heartbreaking, as you can expect from a book about family, love, and friendship. More generally, ITLOP is about what it means to be human.

It took me a while to get into the book. Once the friends were on their Wizard-of-Oz-style adventure to find Gio, however, I was hooked. I think the adventures and characters present in the book, along with the general vibe, would be perfect for a Studio Ghibli movie. If you like Studio Ghibli, I would definitely recommend this to you.

The book has adorable gay representation.

Nobody is more disappointed by this rating than me!!

I didn't dislike this story - I'm glad I read it - but overall the story just fell a little bit flat for me. I don't mind a book with a lot of science, and I don't mind a book with vague sciency handwaving, and this somehow did both and failed at both of them.

A few emotional notes hit slightly, but I didn't cry or really feel that affected.

I will say this gives Wall-e vibes but I sob when I think about Wall-e.

In this heartwarming Pinocchio retelling Victor Lawson, an inventor, lives in the middle of the forest with his father. When he's not inventing he's in the scrap yard with his 2 robo besties, Nurse Ratched and Rambo.

Vic stumbles across something that will completely change the course of his life and the lives of those around him.

The best way to describe this book is Pinocchio and the movie Robots had a baby. It was absolutely fantastic!

I was really excited to receive this ARC through NetGalley. TJ Klune wrote ᵀᴴᴱ ᴴᴼᵁˢᴱ ᴵᴺ ᵀᴴᴱ ᶜᴱᴿᵁᴸᴱᴬᴺ ˢᴱᴬ which is one of my all time favorite books, and I book I think literally anyone would enjoy if they opened their heart and their mind up to it. Klune also wrote ᑌᑎᗪeᖇ tᕼe ᗯᕼiᔕᑭeᖇiᑎg ᗪooᖇ which I also found myself in love with. So to be approved for Ｉｎ Ｔｈｅ Ｌｉｖｅｓ ｏｆ Ｐｕｐｐｅｔｓ was a very big deal to me. I had already preordered it from Waterstones (have you seen their hardcover? It’s gorgeous!) but I get to read it early? HELL YES!

The Review:
It’s lovely. It’s heartbreaking. It’s delightfully heartwarming. It’s the Brave Little Toaster (with a touch of Iron Giant) meets Swiss Family Robinson meets The Wizard of Oz. It’s written in a way that feels fresh and new with nods to things old, that makes you question A LOT. Not only about humanity as a whole, but what it means to be who you are, and if you can ever truly change who you once were.
I loved the story, the thought and care you can tell were put into it, and the characters. Nurse Ratched (a sociopathic nurse machine) and Rambo (a roomba with arms and a severe case of anxiety) were two personal favorites of mine. If you’re looking for something different to pick up and read, this is it. You won’t regret it.

This is the story of Victor Lawson, a human son to an android named Giovanni Lawson who is an inventor. They have a small, quaint family consisting of a neurotic vacuum robot (Rambo) and a sociopathic nurse bot (Nurse Ratched). Victor, Rambo, and Nurse Ratched come across another android in the scrap yard (Hysterically Angry Puppet or Hap) and bring him back to life. Hap and Giovanni have quite the history together, but Hap cannot remember and Giovanni does not tell Victor. Giovanni is taken by the Authority to the City of Electric Dreams he had escaped years ago, and Victor and his robot friends travel to the city to bring him home against all odds.

This was one of the most heartwarming stories I have ever read, and the fact that there is only one human in the whole thing makes it that much better. It has strong themes of choice and consciousness, emotions, forgiveness, and love. Ironically, emotions are one of the most unhelpful things to a robot but also one of the things that truly makes an existence worth living (as the characters begin to experience as the book pans out). There’s lots of LGBTQ+ representation as usual in the work with TJ Klune which is always appreciated!

I only gave it a 4 out of 5 stars because I thought some parts were a little rushed and I would’ve liked more detail. Overall a fantastic book and one I will definitely read again.

Thank you to Net Galley and Tor Publishing Group for my advanced digital reading copy in exchange for an honest review.