This book, with the callbacks to popular culture and the inspiration from the tale of Pinocchio, brings us a unique perspective of what it means to be human and what makes a family. Several laugh-out-loud moments alleviate the post-apocalyptic world building and the feelings of impending doom that accompany Vic, their two robot companions, and the adventure they undertake to save Gio, Vic's adoptive father. With his unerring social insight, Klune brings us another beautifully cozy addition to our sci-fi and fantasy shelves.

In the books of TJ Klune exists a sort of magic. Whenever I read Klune, I want to live inside the pages of the book and yet, in some ways, already do. Klune finds a way to explore the darkest depths and intricate complexity of humanity. In The Lives of Puppets is no different.

In The Lives of Puppets is the story of a machine that gave life to a human who then gave life to machines. The cast of characters is hilarious and lovable and flawed. I instantly fell in love with Rambo and Nurse Ratched. Klune's wit and humor is unmatched and a welcome reprieve in a book with some heavy ideas.

In the book, I see nods to Pinocchio, but also Frankenstein (it feels like no coincidence that Vic is named Victor and becomes a Creator like his father). As such, the book raises questions about our creations and what we put out into the world. I will always jump at a book written by TJ Klune and give this book the highest of recommendations!

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for a eARC of this novel.

TJ Klune’s work is always incredible. This was a futuristic off-shoot of Pinocchio. The world that is created and some of the major characters are robots and androids. They all have extremely human qualities. The world and characters that are created are in-depth and intricate. Klune is such an incredible talent, I can’t highly recommend this enough.

Yet another wonderful work about humanity that is sure to evoke tears.

Read IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS by TJ KLUNE if you love broken things, treehouses, robots in the wilderness, retellings, "They look like us now," complicated families, hearts, vacuums, transformative journeys, ace heroes, butterflies, cozy trauma narratives & old movies.

A charming book about an android, his human son, and their two hilarious robots. When the gang finds a decommissioned android in the scrap yards, their lives forever change.

This book somehow managed to juggle so many themes and important lessons all at once. The reader must question the future of technology and the human race - Can they coexist? What will come of planet earth when technology replaces the need for humans? Aspects of this book reminded me of Wall-E. The sci-fi feel certainly makes you think about the future of this planet!

TJ Klune has a special way of making characters come to life in a way that makes you fall in love with them instantly. As someone who struggles with visualizing while reading, I have never had this issue while reading a TJ Klune book. His detailed descriptions of his characters combined with the imagery throughout his books are what draw me to his writing style. His quirky, irresistible characters make me laugh out loud. I can honestly say that no author makes me laugh out loud as much as TJ Klune.

On the flip side, TJ Klune also managed to make me cry while reading a book about androids and robots! I don’t remember the last time a book made me cry. Actually, I do - It was the last time I read a TJ Klune book! He is easily a favorite author of mine, as he has broadened my genres as a reader and opened my eyes to new novels.

Criticisms:

- I found it odd how frequently this book referenced penises and sex. Then again, perhaps these are intriguing topics of conversation for androids and robots of the future.🤷🏽‍♀️

- While TJ Klune has a way of fostering the most vivid images in my mind while I read, I also found myself craving less dialogue.

I give it 4/5 stars! It would be a fun buddy read or book club pick!

🤖🦾🫀

A HUGE thank you to @netgalley and @torbooks for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. This beauty will be published in April of 2023💗

A TJ Klune book is always a delight.

This book continues that streak and even though I generally loathe Pinocchio I felt this was more inspired by than a retelling.

It's beautifully written, full of the unexpected, always brimming with warmth, humor and ofcourse the value of family, friendship and love. And that everyone always has a place.

Chauncey and Rambo deserve a spinoff at some hotel cleaning and bellhopping.

These books are always what I need at the right time and I'm forever grateful not only to get an ARC for this review but that I have it in my collection to revisit bc it's like a hug for the soul.

I absolutely hate to say this. It actually breaks my heart to say I wasn’t a fan of a T. J. Klune book. I wanted to love it. I’ve loved all of Klune’s other books and they have been easily 5-stars … but this one just didn’t do it for me.

Don’t get me wrong - the writing was in the usual style I love and the emotion was in it. But the storyline just lost me. If you like sci-fi type stuff you will probably love it. But robots just aren’t my thing and this story line just didn’t interest me.

The characters were well written and it did have many funny moments that had me laughing. I just often found myself lost in this fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian? world that I had no idea what was going on. I never truly felt like I understood what was really happening and the very slight romance element had me even more confused.

This was a 2.5 star read for me rounded up to 3. I still highly recommend it to those who are more into stories like this and loved Klune’s other books. But personally I could care less about a robot story.

Huge thanks to T. J. Klune and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley and TOR books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is slightly different than the others I’ve read of his, and it’s just as amazing as the others. I would call it a dystopian, futuristic, queer take on Pinocchio. I thought it was brilliant and had as much heart as his others!

Read this if you’re looking for:
- Magically realistic SciFi
- Dystopian setting
- Asexual rep
- Queer Pinocchio retelling
- Brave little toaster vibes
- Found family

I don’t want to spoil anything but Nurse Ratched is my new favorite character! She’s such a smart ass. Genius, T.J.! Well done!!

I cannot wait for this to be released in April so I can scoop up a physical copy for my shelves. This cover is as gorgeous as all his others!!

Another absolute winner from Klune! If you enjoyed THITCS you'll probably like this too. Full of Klune's signature humor and heart it was truly a treat to read an early copy. The queer representation is again, (imo) beautifully done.

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 favorite 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 humor, 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 favorites 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 humor 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.

DNF @ 15%

This may come as a shock to everyone. Are you ready? This is the first book that I have ever read by TJK. I know! It’s pure insanity. It probably shouldn’t have been my first but I can’t go back now.

TJK has a magical way with words. They may only be words but they are mighty. His style is something you just can’t compete with.

This story just wasn’t for me. I’ve tried to read a little bit of this daily for the past nine days and I couldn’t go any further. It’s not my cup of tea. I would definitely try to read something else by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy for review.

I just finished reading this book and am struggling to find words to express how I am feeling. Nothing I write can even begin to do this book justice.

This is the story of Victor Lawson. He is a human who has been raised by his "father" Gio Lawson, a robot, in the forest. Victor's best friends are a sociopathic nursing robot named Nurse Ratched and a Roomba with severe anxiety named Rambo. They come across a damaged android and decide to repair it. This starts a chain of events that lead to Gio being captured and Victor and his friends heading to the City of Electric Dreams to rescue him.

TJ Klune is the master of writing the "found family." No other author could breath so much life and humanity into a bunch of robots. This book will make you feel all the feels. You will laugh, cry, and everything in between.

Enchanting and magical. I will always love this author and his imagination as this book felt like a warm hug. Much like the author's previous work, I found this one fantastic and I can't wait to read more. Highly recommend these books never disappointed and I always feel, I am amongst friends.

In true TJ Klune fashion this is a book with very loving characters and generally a fun story.

The first part of the book sets the scene with Victor living in the woods with his father Gio and two robots, Nurse Ratched and Rambo. As Victor and his friends raid the scrapyard, they discover pieces of a humanoid android - Hap - that they reassemble and turn into another friend.

Without giving away too much, the 4 friends will set off on an adventure to rescue Gio. In my opinion, this is where the book picked up. While it was pleasant enough beforehand (with perhaps a few too many references to evacuating bowels and inserting things into one another), the story got more interesting once they encountered the Coachman. There was a fair bit of pondering what makes us human, what are feelings, what is love and friendship, loyalty and purpose.

Some of the characters really grew on me. I wasn't overly fond of Rambo and Nurse Ratched and their mannerisms in the beginning, but towards the end they were beginning to seem delightful.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing a free ARC in exchange for an hones review.

TJ Klune has once again struck that very special balance of heartbreakingly beautiful in his Frankenstinean retelling of Pinocchio. Following a young human inventor in a world of robots as he searches for his father, this book primarily concerns itself with how we build love into our lives - especially when we feel it is undeserved. The importance of this love radiates throughout the book and brings a joyful twist to a familiar story. I found myself consuming quite a few pinnochio retellings this year and this one succeeded in giving real heart to its cast of characters. As always though with Klune, have a box of tissues ready as love and joy come with their fair share of loss and heartbreak.

Reading a TJ Klune book always makes me so happy. This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows Victor Lawson, a human raised by a machine, whose best friends are machines. He ends up finding a machine and fixing him, creating another friend. I really don’t want to give away anything in this story, it’s just so sweet and beautiful.

I laughed so hard at Nurse Ratched’s antics, and Rambo’s excitement. The scene with Victor in the bathroom had me in absolute stitches. I read it out loud to several friends who also cracked up.

This book is funny, lovely, and heartwarming. Please pick it up when released!

Thank you Tor Books and NetGalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This book is one of the sweetest, funniest, most charming adventures I’ve ever read! Victor lives in the forest with his two best friends and his father. The thing is he’s the only one of that’s human, Rambo’s a vacuum robot, Nurse Ratched is a medical robot, and his rather is an android. They live a good live and one day while searching a scrap yard Victor discovers another android. The fix him up and name him Hap, he doesn’t remember anything from his past. When mysterious androids show up and take Victors father, he go on a daring adventure with his family to save his father. Will Hap remember his past? Will he like what he finds? Will they be able to rescue Victor’s father? One of my favorite things about TJ Klune is the sarcastic witty humor that he writes into all of his books, it reminds me so much of my own and I absolutely love it! I laughed throughout the whole book! Nurse Ratched was my favorite! And the relationship between Victor and Hap was so heartwarming! An amazing adventure full of hope, found family, love, and humor! I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re a fan of any other of TJ Klune books! You won’t be disappointed, can’t wait to read it again!

I was unsure at first, but finishing this tonight I’m feeling a solid 8.5/10 just for the emotions and the vivid pictures of every character in my brain, and somehow loving them even though they’re fictional and mostly machines! 😂

After LOVING “The House In The Cerulean Sea”, I was nervous as to how I’d find this book. “Fantasy romance” (as it is dubbed) is not my usual style, but I love the way Klune writes and paints a picture. And the way they develop characters. I really disliked one character to begin with, but then almost cried over them at the end. That is powerful! This book filled my mind and my soul with colour and warmth and I loved it just like I did House.

The one small downfall for me personally was a couple of times I think the author could have been more subtle at explaining things, and just let us feel and experience it like we did for throughout rest of the book. I know representation is important (maybe that’s why it was necessary to be clear) but I think we could have just known the same thing without Klune having to say it at all.

Overall, a really lovely, slightly heart wrenching, and somehow also funny read about friendship, loyalty, loss and love.

Thanks to the publisher for offering an ARC for me to read!

TJ Klune strikes again with his typical lyrical language in this book. It's equal parts Wall-E, Pinocchio, and Swiss Family Robinson--and the combination just WORKS.

Who can help but fall in love with an anxiety-ridden Roomba?

If you go into this expecting a funny little book because it's a Pinocchio re-telling but with robots including a talking Roomba with anxiety you will definitely get that but you will also get an epic, emotional, and wonderful story about humanity, loneliness, forgiveness, and love. Like what the crap I don't know how it happened but it is a real journey.

All the characters are fully developed and complex, even the robot vacuum. Or maybe especially the robot vacuum. There were lines which made me laugh and then a few pages later it was deep thoughts and emotions. I appreciated the levity because otherwise it would be Too Much. As it is, I will probably be thinking about these characters for a while.

I should have expected a book about robots to do this to me since this is the same author who thought "haha what if i wrote a book about werewolves wouldn't that be fun" and gave us the emotional throat punch of the Green Creek series which ruined me for a week after I read it but here we are.

Oh, and the romance! Incredibly slow burn and quiet but very deep as Hap and Victor learn about themselves and each other. It gave a compelling undercurrent to the plot and I was very Invested in them. And we got fun lines like this:

<i>"What you are feeling now might be considered happiness."

"It's terrible," Hap said. "I want to p-punch something."</i>

I don't want to spoil anything because the less you know going in the better the experience will be so I will end my review here.

tl;dr In conclusion, Klune did it again. Good book everyone go read it.

Side note: I looked up Pinocchio (the original non-Disney version) and first of all, children's stories were fucked up back in the day - Pinocchio and his friends die a lot as punishment for being bad kids and not doing their homework and eating too much candy and whatever. BUT there really are a lot of elements and characters pulled from the story except, you know, robots. Neat!