As usual with TJ Klune books, life’s deeper questions are at the heart (mechanical or human) of the story. In this case what makes a family? What makes one a human? All of this told through loveable characters who had me smiling at their tenderness toward each other and laughing out loud at their sass. This will be a highly recommended book!

Pinnochio, meets Wall-E, meets Frankenstein. In the Lives of Puppets will no doubt appeal to most fans of Klune's, as it is also a story of charming misfits discovering their humanity. It is instantly recognizable as kin of The House in the Cerulean Sea, both in the childlike wonder expressed by the characters and the way Klune tells his story. Some might say it's a bit derivative of that previous work, but we'll leave that for others :)
For me, it was more difficult to really drop into this story than it was with Cerulean Sea because I found it difficult to keep track of the characters. Who is human, who isn't? And what are they? Garbage, robots, what? They're all archetypes, not fully human, but with human characteristics. I found it challenging to really engage with any of them. But that being said, I think it is a sweet story with some really great messages, and I think many readers (especially those hungry for more of the same) will enjoy this new book.

Another stunning fantastical novel from TJ Klune—master of wit and emotional writing! I absolutely love Klune’s writing style and the larger messages of found families, love, and connection that all of his books convey. This time around, In the Lives of Puppets takes us on a fairy tale retelling to tackle themes of loneliness, fitting in, and family and friendship.

Victor is an inventor who lives in the forest with his father Gio and his two rebuilt robot friends, Nurse Ratched and Rambo (the Roomba). As Victor sets about building his latest piece of work, he stumbles upon an android in the Scrap Yard and decides to offer it a second chance at life. This act of compassion sets Victor on a collision course to the reality of the world around him.

TJ Klune is a sorcerer. He uses his powers to make you fall in love with his characters, they burrow into your soul and stay forever. My blood pumping heart is bursting with love after finishing In the Lives of Puppets. The affection I feel for a robot vacuum named Rambo and medical machine Nurse Ratchet is immeasurably. I wish I could give this book 100 stars! This story gives new meaning to found family. I can’t thank netgalley enough for an advanced copy. I recommend this book to anyone that can read. I laughed out loud many times, I cried, I cheered. I am devastated it’s over. I tried to read it slowly so it wouldn’t end!

In The Lives of Puppets was such an amazing and wonderful reading experience. For me, the characters were the best part. I would die for that little roomba named Rambo. Nurse Ratched, HAP, Victor and Gio also found places in my heart as the story continued. I don't want to give anything away but just know this book will break your heart but then put all the pieces back together and leave you with such warmth and happiness.

I can't wait to see fan art for this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!!! I am a huge TJ Klune fan when someone suggested I read The House in the Cerulean Sea. His writing on this book had me in stitches laughing…. It definitely kept the seriousness of the book at bay until the ending. I honestly had such a hard time finding the right words to review this book because of the heaviness that was underlying there just beyond the humor. I wish I could give half stars… it’s a solid 4.5 for me and I am anxiously awaiting another gem from TJ that has hidden meanings wrapped in humor that make me go hmmmm.

DNF at 15%

While I absolutely adored The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door, I just could not enjoy the latest Klune. In the Lives of Puppets definitely maintains his unique, sweet style, but for me it didn't really work with his robot characters. The two sidekicks are a psychopathic nurse robot and a neurotic vacuum robot. Both felt one-dimensional and repeat the same jokes over and over. I found their dialogue exhausting rather than comedic or charming. I was interested in seeing how the dystopian AI plot would unfold, but it seemed like backdrop. Which makes sense since Klune's strengths are usually in his characters over his world-building. Not to mention that the blurb pretty much gives a lot away...

I remain a TJ Klune fan and will not hesitate to read his next release, but this one was a miss for me.

TJ Klune is a must-buy author for me, even though I know his books will emotionally ravage me. When I received an ARC of his upcoming release, In the Lives of Puppets, I dropped everything and dove right in.

I am a child of the 80s, and The Brave Little Toaster was one of my favorite movies when I was growing up. If you took that classic, and mixed it in with Wall-E, with a sprinkling of Pinocchio and Frankenstein for good measure, plus the emotional heft we’ve come to know and love from this author, you may have some sense of what to expect. And if that all sounds like a lot, just trust me on this, it’s worth it.

I found myself laughing out loud - full, body-shaking laughter - at multiple points in this book. You’ve got a neurotic, clueless Roomba and a sociopathic, drily sarcastic hospital robot (who goes by Nurse Ratched, IYKYK) and their banter is simply off-the-charts perfection. Ask anyone who has spoken to me recently: I cannot shut up about how much I adore these characters. They’re perfect.

Yes, the humor is absolutely a delight, but trust me on this - this book also packs a wallop. To provide that emotional component, we’ve got Victor, a fragile human living amongst machines, and Hap, a recently rehabilitated robot trying to make sense of the world after losing his memory. Man and machine are not meant to trust each other, but over the course of the novel, their bond grows stronger and overcomes every challenge flung in their path.

Klune specializes in characters who don’t make sense as friends and as partners, pairings that buck tradition and don’t conform to societal norms. The connections between characters in Klune’s books are not sexual - they are based in support, trust, and comfort. Here, we see found family bonds, and how friendships can be found in the strangest of places - even in the scrap pile.

A million thanks to @torbooks for the ARC, provided via @netgalley.

In the Lives of Puppets will be released on April 25, 2023.

I will start by saying that I am already a TJ Klune fan and have read many of his other books. I was so excited for this one and honestly, still haven’t been disappointed by him! This story was like a sideways queer Pinocchio in another realm, and so much fun! As always, Klune’s books hit so many different emotions and themes and this was no different! The imagination that TJ Klune forces you to use is amazing and I would easily recommend this book to anyone, whether you’ve read him or not!

”I am not going to like this, am I,” Nurse Ratched said. “It’s okay,” Rambo told her. “If we die a horrible death, at least we’ll be together.” “That does not make me feel any better.” Her screen flashed the words I NEED NEW FRIENDS."

Listen I am not going to compare this to The House in the Cerulean Sea bc that book has its own magic (and reading it in 2020 was a specific experience), but this book really surpassed even my expectations. I liked but didn’t love Under the Whispering Door, and I’ve realized on reading this one, that much of the humor and levity from Cerulean Sea simply wasn’t in that story. This story has all of that back and then some. It’s sentimental without being melodramatic, and the humor was perfect.

This is a Pinocchio retelling of sorts, with robots and androids as the titular puppets, and one human man named Victor. It warmed my soul and made me laugh, and

First, thanks to Netgally for letting me read this in advance in Exchange of an honest opinion.

I finished this book a couple of weeks ago but I was too emotional to write something decent, now I think I have cleared my mind, so I hope this makes some sense.

First of all, I am a big fan of TJ and his work, so when I found out this one was to come out I was so excited and, as always, he didn’t disappoint. This book was so precious. When I finished it the only thing I could do was curl myself into a ball and hug my Kindle. I wanted to give a little bit of love to the characters and protect them from the world, but besides how much I love the book there were a couple of details I didn’t like, but first what’s the story about:

Here we have a world without humans. Instead there are robots, except for one little detail: Victor, the last human on the planet, he lives in the forest with Gio, his father, Nurse and Rambo, his two best friends. They spend the days inventing new things, hunting in the forest and going to the landfill in search of new parts, until they find Hap, their historical angry puppet. When they find him, problems follow them and they have to fight for their lives and protect what they love the most.

This is all I can say without giving away much. I believe this is the kind of book you want to get into without knowing too much. This is a book that gives you a lot of existential questions, but it is not pretentious about it and doesn’t try to give an answer, it lets you discover that by yourself and this is due to the magic of TJ’s writing and why he’s one of my favorites. This story is going to give you family love and loss, you are going to feel you don’t want to finish and wish you had never read it, so you can experience it for the first time once again. Also dear reader, let me tell you, you are going to have a void in your heart, you are going to feel something is missing, so I recommend you to hug your dog when you finish with this book. I promise you, you are going to need it.

With nothing else to say, this is a million star book, but I can only rate it 5. If I could, I would give it more.

In the Lives of Puppets was an enjoyable, heartwarming and often hilarious read. I quickly became enamoured with the characters and the unfolding story which I can only describe as Terminator meets Pinocchio.

I would highly recommend this novel for anyone yearning for a queer sci-fi/fantasy story about the redemptive power of love and the joy of found family. TJ Klune scores bonus points for his zany sidekick characters, including a naive Rose Nyland-esque vacuum cleaner and a sociopathic robot nurse (trust me, it will all make sense once you read it). And finally, a warning - it may make you leak.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️

This was so interesting! someone compared this to Wall E and I definitely see the similarities. Klune writes such incredible stories that can be for kids or older and I would love to see his work adapted into movies/tv because wow

was so excited to get the ARC for TJ Klune’s new book, In the Lives of Puppets. He is now an auto buy author for our family. Also I’m a sucker for a retelling.

Klune calls it a queer reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio. I was shocked to realize I had not read this. I will need to rectify this oversight.

I saw all the Pinocchio elements but also felt like it had elements of A Wrinkle in Time, Wizard of Oz, Klara and the Sun, and Swiss Family Robinson. I LOVED it.

OF COURSE, my favorite was the Registered Automaton to Care, Heal, Educate, and Drill. Nurse Ratched for short. 😆 She had the best lines. “Yes, we. I would not let you go by yourself. You will most likely die without me. If that happened, I would not be there to tell you ‘I told you so.’ I want to have that experience.” 😆 These robots are all fantastic. I love them all.

Thank you to @netgalley and @torbooks for this digital copy. This is my honest review. Go get this book April 25th!

This book was beautiful, not that I went in expecting anything else knowing it is a T.J. Klune book and hearing so many friends who also got ARCs rave reviews. Back in June 2022 T.J. promised he'd make us cry over a roomba and my god did I fucking cry over a fictional roomba last night at 3am.
It's only January, but I can pretty surely say that this book is going to be one of my favorites of the year and Nurse Ratched might just be one of my favorite book characters, like ever.
In The Lives of Puppets is kind of a mashup of Wall-E and Pinocchio (which makes sense because it is literally a Pinocchio retelling) set in a world post AI/robot takeover. It was very interesting world building, great characters, and a plot that definitely made me cry... MULTIPLE times. This book comes out officially on my birthday and I cannot think of a better birthday gift than this book existing!

I think if I hadn’t gone into this with 5 star expectations, I might’ve had 5 star feelings about it. Maybe I hyped it up too much in my head. I ADORED “The House in the Cerulean Sea” and “Under the Whispering Door,” so I was obviously excited to read this new novel by Klune. It just didn’t grab me the way those others did. There were characters I loved, and I thought the story was creative. I just found myself getting bored at times during the “journey” bit of the book. This is probably a 4.5 instead of a 4, but I rounded down because of the occasional boredom I felt. That’s not to say this was a bad book. The characters are absolutely lovely, as you would expect from Klune, and they are reason enough to read this book. There were definitely some enjoyable bits, and I think it was a solid read - just not a 5 star for me.

The thing I love about Klune book is how he is able to weave such a whimsical storyline while at the same time illustrating a beautiful story about second chances & accepting each other for who they are now & not on their past. This book was phenomenal. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

Tj Klune has become a recent favorite author of mine since his now widely beloved novel The House in the Cerulean Sea, and then again with Under the Whispering Door. So when I heard he was coming out with yet another new release, I was of course over the moon! Sure enough, in his signature way, TJ Klune gifts us with yet another utterly charming, whimsical tale with so much heart at the center. Themes of found family, belonging, embracing difference in one another, and fostering empathy shine through just as brightly in this latest release, In the Lives of Puppets.

This book had me from page one as I was instantly swept up in this enchanting story of a robot who lives in a forest and endeavors to build a home and family from the ground up. I absolutely loved this quirky little family who live in treehouses and listen to old records and have movie nights together. I instantly felt a part of their world. I also just can’t emphasize how much comedy is interwoven in this book alongside the more tender moments. Even being robots, Rambo and Nurse Ratched had such vibrant personalities that jumped off the page, and their constant banter and little side comments to Victor being the straight man was such a hilarious dynamic. This genuinely hit all the boxes of being a promising Pixar movie as this ragtag group of characters set off on an epic journey.

I will say that while this book started off so strong, my interest gradually waned as the story went on. My main issue is Hap and how he comes to be the love interest of the story. I would’ve been fine if Hap had come in as an outsider and over the course of the novel comes to feel a sense of belonging in this family. This is what I wanted the story to be, but unfortunately it went a different angle. I just did not like the dynamic of this relationship between Hap and Victor. For Victor to develop feelings for a machine that he partially put back together… I hate to make this connection, but it comes dangerously close to the territory of sex dolls for me. There’s just a level of projecting your feelings and attraction onto something inanimate that can’t consent to any of it that made this all the more uncomfortable for me. But even when Hap is up and operating, I still didn’t feel any chemistry between him and Vic. A lot of their scenes together felt creepy to me and consisted of Hap staring at Vic while he slept, bathed…or basically did anything. All of that aside, I just wasn’t invested in their relationship. I think had this just been a story of friendship, I would’ve enjoyed that a lot more.

I have to admit, I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. It's definitely one that's bittersweet and doesn't have an immediate pay-off after everything our characters have been through. Everything isn't magically back to normal. Everyone is left broken in their own ways, whether physically or figuratively. Gio and Hap are fragments of their former selves. And while I understand the sentiment of why the story ends in this way, it still just left me feeling hollow and unsatisfied. I still really enjoyed my time with this book and loved the profound commentary on humanity that this story masterfully interweaves. This was just maybe not my favorite of TJ Klune's books.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an eARC of this book.

It's hard to go into this and not compare it to the other T.J. Klune books with houses on the covers, but it really is a different kind of book. This is a retelling of Pinocchio in a post-apocalyptic world. Vic is a human living in the forest with his "father" Giovanni, a medical robot Nurse Ratchet, and Rambo, the greatest and best vacuum cleaner to ever be. One day while exploring the scrap yard, Vic finds a decommissioned robot. They take the robot back to their house and name him Hap after some visible letters on him. Vic fixes Hap, but there's more to his past than they realize and more to the truth about Vic's past as well.

I enjoyed this. The characters are delightful (especially Rambo) and Klune is a master at dialogue. The references to Pinocchio were sometimes obvious, but also more subtle. I'm not a huge fan of Pinocchio, but then again I'm only familiar with the Disney retelling and not the original story.

I don't have anything negative to say except I didn't like it as much as Klune's other books with houses on the cover. Maybe because the romance wasn't as compelling with a robot and what I adored about the other books were the relationships. Either way, five stars for Rambo.

I am not usually a fan of sci-fi or fantasy, so if I am recommending a book from that genre, it means I loved it. I absolutely LOVED The House in the Cerulean Sea by this author, so I was fairly confident I would likely be a fan of any other book written by Klune. I was right.

SYNOPSIS: Gio Lawson, an android who escaped civilization, lives in the forest in a Swiss Family Robinson-esque compound with his human son, Vic, and two machines, Rambo & Nurse Ratched. Gio & Bic are both creators and inventors. Vic salvaged & restored Rambo & Nurse Ratched after finding them in the Scrap Yards. Eventually, Hap, a decommissioned android, is found in the Scrap Yards, and saved by Vic. Shortly after, some unfortunate events happen, which lead to a journey to the City.

MY THOUGHTS
- Klune’s writing is top-tier. He has a way of making even fantastical characters feel truly human. I enjoy his writing style, and find it easy to read & easy to get into.
- I did not want to put down the book. Although it’s a lengthy book, it’s fast paced.
- I laughed out loud at many of Nurse Ratched’s lines/parts.
- The book has a lot of interesting themes, such as, what family means, love, changing for the better.
-This is well worth the read. 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thanks to Tor Books, NetGalley and author TJ Klune for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. It's due to be published on April 25, 2023.