This was not my favorite of TJ Klune's books but let's give credit where credit is due. His brain is a magical place and I've never had a daydream half as vivid as all of the ideas he's probably turned away. And a book with an asexual main character is being traditionally published with special editions at major retailers. Accomplishments on accomplishments.

Now, I've read a bunch of his backlist and I'm going to set this one a little to the side of Tales From Verania on the how manic the book feels. Rambo was cute but man he almost got everyone killed more than once. I liked the nods to other books that TJ has written that were in this book.

The tone in the end was what I wish the entire book had. The ending was everything I needed from the book. I wish we had an epilogue just from the distance showing that everything is ok now as they build their home. I didn't feel like anyone was in the condition to end the book where it did.

Daniel Henning is excellent as always as the audiobook narrator. Always adds so much to the story.

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

I was absolutely delighted to receive an early copy of In the Lives of Puppets as I absolutely adore TJ Klune’s writing, and this book was no exception.

When I read the synopsis for this I was a little apprehensive because it sounded very different than Klune’s other standalones. However, I had faith and it was not misplaced. I absolutely adored the cast of characters in Puppets. We have Vic, the human boy raised by his android father Gio, and his two rescued friends: the aggressive and sarcastic Nurse Ratched, and absolute cinnamon roll Rambo the robot vacuum cleaner.

The book is split into 4 parts. Part 1 was probably my favourite. Setting the scene, meeting the characters, generally very wholesome and cosy.
Parts 2 and 3 are our adventure, which I thoroughly enjoyed - getting to see more of the wider world was nice, and the characters came into their own when forced into a different situation, plus it have the opportunity for relationships to develop - and part 4 is our conclusion, which nicely rounds off the story.

I don’t want to go into more detail for fear of spoiling the plot, but I really loved everything about this book. The characters, the world - clearly a dystopian future of our own, the relationships - which were heartwarming and delightful, and the overarching message of love despite differences, and changing the way we treat the world before it’s too late.

The narrator really added to the story, and I loved their voices for each character. They really helped me feel immersed in the events of the narrative and to engage with the characters.

Overall, I very much enjoyed In the Lives of Puppets. Like Klune’s other standalones it’s a story I can see myself coming back to, and one I would recommend without hesitation.

Loosely inspired by Pinocchio, this is a futurist take of the familiar story.

Victor has grown up in the woods with just his father, Giovanni, and his two friends, Rambo and Nurse Ratched.

Victor is the only human. His father is a robot designed to create; Rambo, a roomba; and Nurse Ratched, a health care robot.

Gio tells the story of a woman and man on the run leaving their child with him for safety and never returning, but this isn’t quite the truth.

Soon another unexpected friend is added, but this leads to robots from The Authority coming and the revelation of huge truths previously hidden from Victor. Gio is taken and Victor and his three friends set out on an adventure to get him back.

Ultimately this is the story exploring what it means to have humanity.

I’m a huge fan of the chosen family plot line and love how Klune’s books never end in a picture perfect way, but some how the imperfection is everything I really want. I’ll be wondering about these characters for a long time. Also, Rambo is the cutest.

Klune audiobooks are difficult to top. He always works with the best narrators that add a little extra something to his stories.

TJ Klune does it AGAIN!!

A beautiful story where Pinocchio meets Jim Henson’s Labyrinth meets The Wizard of Oz.

The worlds TJ creates are utterly magical and the characters are insanely lovable and unforgettable. From the prologue to the final paragraph I was mesmerized by how worlds, ripped with emotion.

I can say reading TJ Klune is amazing, but LISTENING is an entirely elevated experience. Especially when narrated by Daniel Henning. This is a story worth reading and going back to listen to the audiobook version as well.

If by the end of the book you don’t want to be best friends with Nurse Ratched and Rambo, you are missing out. Nurse Ratched had me laughing out loud while Rambo just said all the correct things to make you want to hug him. I adored these two characters.

I can’t say enough good things! A must read.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audiobook!!

I'm not sure why the jacket copy on the TJ Klune books I've read has been so misleading; I never know what to expect in a way that makes it hard to gauge my enjoyment of the book. I think I liked this more than I expected to, and I liked the way that familiar elements were incorporated into it. It's possible it just wasn't for me, but it felt like something was missing. I thought the narration was well done.

In the Lives of Puppets
by TJ Klune
Narrated by Daniel Henning
Pub Date 25 Apr 2023
Macmillan Audio
Sci Fi & Fantasy
Rating: 5/5

In the Lives of Puppets is a whimsical, imaginative and delightful audiobook. The narration by Daniel Henning is amazing as he brings the characters to life with his many voices! With hysterical banter, tender moments, and mystical scenes, Tj Klune's story is perfectly written. There is no doubt that reading the book is a brilliant experience, but in this case, you shouldn't miss listening to the audiobook. As it is made to be enjoyed over and over, I plan on listening to it again soon. It is my favorite audiobook of the year! Don't miss this magical adventure!

Thank you NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio, for sharing this incredible audiobook with me. I enjoyed every minute of it! Your kindness is appreciated.

#InTheLivesOfPuppets #TJKlune

AHHHHHHHH!

This is my second ever TJ Klune book, and I'm ALIVE for it. I am so thankful to the lovely author TJ Klune, Tor Books, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for granting me advanced audio access before the book publishes on April 25, 2023.

In the Lives of Puppets tells the tale of a dystopian future where humans have been eradicated, and machines and Androids have taken over. Deep in the wooded area of a remote town, though, exists a family of mismatched and decommissioned robots, machines, and Androids, and their kid-brother Victor or Vic, for short, and that's right, he is INDEED a human, likely one of the last ones alive.

His father, Gio has kept him hidden from the horrors of the real world, but like Vic like his father is a curious one with an inventive spirit and wanders into a dangerous situation where authoritarian machines are hunting down the last of humans to keep the world pure and technologically advanced, BUT along the way, Vic and his crew of device-like friends run into a crazy list of characters who all realize the magnitude of humanity and the innocence that follows.

Gio is captured by the people in charge and it's up to Vic and his family to free him, knowing all well he might not be the same after the brainwashing and recruiting. This tale of friendship and love is so heartwarming and beautiful and I love the message that TJ Klune conveys with every novel.

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this advanced copy of In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune.

I both read and listening to this book (read the first half, listened to the second) and feel it is another poignant offering from TJ Klune regarding found family and what it really means to be "human." In the Lives of Puppets is a reimagining of Pinocchio in reverse--the main character Victor is already a real boy, raised by machines. Each machine character is distinct and full, from Rambo (the exuberant Roomba) to Nurse Ratched (dry humor but fiercely protective) and Hap (a reformed instrument of destruction). Even Gio, Victor's dad, is full of warmth, patience, and life. As the events of the book unfold, TJ Klune's signature hilarious dialogue and ability to describe very complex feelings in beautiful ways is evident and he raises deep, thoughtful questions about whether people (or machines) can change and what it means to be "human." I enjoyed this book tremendously and will be recommending it to my library patrons.

Daniel Henning is a fantastic narrator, managing to fully separate each character's personality and voice so that the reader can remain immersed in the story. The only voice I didn't love was that of the Blue Pixie, but thankfully that part was shorter in comparison with the other characters and was over fairly quickly. Overall, another wonderful narration by Daniel Henning!

TJ Klune does it again, creating a unique world with interesting and complex characters. This was a very fun listen and I have no doubt I would have enjoyed reading the text, but Daniel Henning brought this story to life with his narration! His ability to bring each characters persona to life and portray their emotional range throughout was beautifully done.

I enjoyed the distinct personalities of each character in the book. I was actually surprised that by the end of the book, it was the side characters that I was more interested in. Rambo, a vacuum robot, and Nurse Ratched, a nurse bot, were a hilarious duo throughout the entire book. Their personalities really balanced each other. Nurse Ratched was actually my favorite character and I looked forward to her quips each time she was part of the conversation.

The House in the Cerulean Sea is still my favorite TJ Klune, but if you enjoyed that or just like a whimsical post-apocalyptic found-family robot adventure with a touch of romance this is an absolute must read!

I have seen so many mixed reviews on this one but I LOVED IT! I am not much of a book crier, but these little androids and robots got me misty several times. And the audio was superb!

This is supposed to be based on Pinocchio, and I can see that. But it also gave me a little bit of Toy Story and a little Oz!

The characters are all amazing and funny and quirky! We have Vic, a sweet, inquisitive, asexual human; Nurse Ratched, a sassy, sarcastic nurse bot; Rambo, a little vacuum robot with a big personality; and HAP, the Hysterically Angry Puppet, a sweet, attractive former killer robat who was rescued and given a heart made by Vic.

They set out for the City of Electric Dreams to save GEO, Vic’s father, who is a robot. You feel like you are with them and it is quite an adventure.

These little bots all captured my heart. I adored every minute. The audio was the kind that made you feel totally immersed in the story. This one will give you all the feels!

I adored every character for different reasons, but Rambo and Nurse Ratched were definitely favorites.

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Tor Publishing for both an ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced listening copy of this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator who did a fabulous job of incorporating you into this world. I liked this book, but it was not my favorite by Klune. It is Pinocchio mixed with the Wizard of Oz. This story gives you all the feels, set in a whimsical world. Taking off a star because it is a bit slow and a little too long. 4 star

4 / 5 ⭐️‘s

"In the Lives of Puppets" by TJ Klune

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥," 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘈𝘕𝘖𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘙 𝘚𝘜𝘊𝘊𝘌𝘚𝘚𝘍𝘜𝘓 𝘗𝘈𝘛𝘐𝘌𝘕𝘛 𝘐𝘕𝘛𝘌𝘙𝘈𝘊𝘛𝘐𝘖𝘕.”

Set in a unique world where robots and humans coexist, this book tells the story of Vic, a human, and his unconventional family of robots.

The story introduces us to a peculiar home nestled in the branches of trees, where three robots reside: Giovanni, an inventor android who serves as a father figure; Nurse Ratched a machine with a pleasantly sadistic personality; and Rambo a small vacuum robot longing for love and attention. Vic, a human, also lives with them, and they form a tight-knit family, hidden and safe from the outside world.

Nurse Ratched makes this book, fight me. I was DYING at the squirrel incident!

Klune's writing as always is masterful, drawing you into a richly imagined world filled with vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters. He seamlessly weaves together moments of heartwarming tenderness, hysterical laughter, and gut-wrenching emotions.

Overall, this was a beautifully written story that captivated me from start to finish.

PUB Date: 4/25/23

This ARC was provided by @netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator of this audio is amazing. Is probably my favorite audio that i have listened to. As for the story, this is my first Klune book and it absolutely will not be my last. While i thought the beginning of this novel was for lack of a better word odd, it wasn't long before i was completely sucked into this world. The characters are so much fun, obviously Nurse Rachet was my favorite. There were so many witty lines that i will be quoting for the foreseeable future. I felt that the character development, and story arc of Harp and Victor was done really well. The plot was so good. the ideas were fresh, unique and heartfelt. The world building was done so well i could see every bit of it in my mind. i have a feeling this will be a book that will nestle into the hearts of people for a long time.

5 stars

At this point, when I see that TJ Klune has written something, I'm not even messing around to find out WHAT; I'm just trying to figure out how I can read it immediately. So I came into this one with high expectations and limited information on plotting or any other details at all, and I think it's my favorite out of all of Klune's books so far (along with being a favorite of the year, for sure).

Klune describes this piece as "a queer retelling of Carlo Collodi's _The Adventures of Pinocchio_," but readers who are familiar with Klune's work will rightly know that there's going to be a whole lot more involved in this retelling than the average bear might anticipate. There are robots, tentacles, humans, quips, science, and magic all colliding here, and while that might sound like a wild story on its own, the noteworthy part is how heartfelt and emotional it is. I'm adding no extenuating detail about the characters or plot because I so enjoyed learning that as I read and hope other readers will have the same chance.

I can't recommend the audio highly enough. The narrator is superb and adds so much to the characters, the dark humor, and the depth of the storytelling. Folks who can access this version absolutely should. It's a treasure.

My love for TJ Klune has only grown while engaging with this most recent effort, and I can't wait to (1) share this with others and (2) read whatever comes next!

TJ Klune has done it again. He's created a fantastical world with wonderful characters that we fall in love with. This heartwarming book explores friendship, loneliness and the definition of humanity. Thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the advanced listener copy. The narrator Daniel Henning was great.

This was absolutely beautiful. Pinocchio meets Wall-E with a splash of the Wizard of Oz all rolled in with TJ Klune’s whimsical storytelling. Cozy and comforting while also tender and heartbreaking - In the Lives of Puppets is one of the most unique and most familiar books I have ever read.

Method read: 🎧
* Daniel Henning did an amazing job narrating and brought the story to life so effortlessly. 5⭐️


Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

This was a wonderful audiobook!! I loved this story so much, the characters and the plot were really well-written. A very interesting take on the Pinnochio fairytale.

TJ Klune has a beautiful ability to write found family storylines that are dynamic, whimsical, and heart-rending all at once. If I could sum up his writing style into one word, it would be: bittersweet.

In the Lives of Puppets is packed with unique characters, witty banter, and profound ideas about what it means to be human and how much love it takes to overcome the past. Can you accept love with strings attached?

While my heart wasn't ripped out and stomped on in this loose retelling of The Adventures of Pinocchio, the narrator gave me every reason to fall in love with the personalities of these characters. Daniel Henning does an incredible job bringing the story to life, letting you feel the relationship dynamics, and creating an entire persona for every personality- big or small.

"To love something meant loving the ghost inside, to be haunted by it. Humanity, that nebulous concept he didn't always understand, had lived and died by its creations."

Thank you Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC.

I definitely enjoyed my time reading this book. Klune consistently writes magical worlds with adorable found families. I loved the pinocchio retelling aspect. You’re launched right into a silly family dynamic with hilarious banter. It’s a very cute and very heartwarming story.

After I read "The House in the Cerulean Sea", I knew that I would forever be a fan of TJ Klune and his writing because it just resonates with me and feels exactly how I would write down my own thoughts. So when I saw that there was an ARC available for "In the Lives of Puppets", I sent in an immediate request hoping that I'd find a new favorite book.

While I still thoroughly enjoyed this story, I won't say that it's my favorite of his three most recent novels (in fact, it might be the "least favorite", even though I didn't dislike it at all). The characters were still great (I loved Rambo, Nurse Ratched, Hap and Vic so so much), the found family aspect was still there, and the humor and heartbreak combo was still fantastic. I think it was mostly just pacing that felt a little off to me, which threw off the rest of the story. The "journey" aspect felt too short in my opinion compared to the build up of the story.

I still definitely recommend fans of TJ Klune pick up this book, because it is WONDERFUL and it may be your next favorite book. I am giving it a 4 for my TJ Klune-universe rating, but I think it's definitely a 4.5/5 overall.