I’ve had many issues with TJ Klune’s older work. After the success of House in the Cerulean Sea, I thought that maybe he’d come into his Renaissance period of books actually worth reading. But, alas, House in the Cerulean Sea was a fluke, because this book barely captures the magic and enjoyment of that previous one. Aside from the robot companions, I felt nothing for the main story or MC.

This is the only book I’ve read by this author (and I read it months ago so my memory is a bit foggy), but I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected as sci-fi/fantasy is not a genre I generally read. But this story, while a slight nod to Pinocchio, was so unique and different for me that I couldn’t help being captivated by the very quirky characters. Never imagined that a little neurotic roomba vacuum named Rambo would worm its way into my heart like he did! There was so much more heart and soul (and humour!) in this story than I ever would have expected from a sci-fi book. A very readable book about discovering who you truly are and what you’re made of.

Highly recommend this! It was so full of fun and whimsy and an enjoyable read all the way through.

Klune hits another home run with this one!

In the Lives of Puppets is described by the author as a queer retelling of Pinocchio, but I would add it also had hints of the Wizard of Oz, as well.

This story follows Gio and his ragtag team of droids, Rambo, Nurse Ratched, and Hap as they travel far from their house in the trees to the city trying to save Gio’s father, Victor.

This story is in true TJ Klune fashion. Be prepared to laugh and cry a a lot through this beautiful story of family and love as Gio figures out who he really is and what love really means.

TJ Klune is a consistent writer of fantastical queer stories. I loved having the opportunity to read this one, and the way he crafts representation is heartwarming. Wonderfully done.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of in the lives of puppets. I've read TJ Klunes other titles and just wasn't impressed with this one. It was very slow and just didn't care for any of the characters. This was just a weird Pinocchio retelling.

TJ Klune is one of my most favorite authors, and this is another one that he has hit out of the park. Impeccable world building and character building. Klune makes you fall in love with each character as they are introduced and through the storytelling. I purchased the hard copy upon release, as I loved the story itself so very much.

We experience the journeys of Vic, whom we learn is a human inventor, Nurse Ratched, who is an overzealous medical machine, Rambo, a very, very hyperactive vacuum cleaner, and Hap, the newest member of the found family, as they join together and go in search of Gio, Vic's AI father, when he is taken by the Authority to the City of Electric Dreams. This found family shares so many experiences, all which allow them to grow and develop and make you, the reader, fall in love with them.

We see TJ Klune always building such beautiful worlds, and this one did not disappoint.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, as well as the publisher, for the ability to review this beautiful read. I thoroughly loved this read, and would give it 11 stars if I could!

I am a huge fan of TJ Klune’s writing, and this book is no exception! However, other facets of the book weren’t quite as strong as his previous novels. Here are some of my thoughts:

What I loved:
• The characters. Without a doubt, this guy knows how to write characters. In every single book I’ve read, his characters are unique, funny, deep, 3D in quality, the list goes on. I would have to say that this book shines as an audiobook because the narrator does a great job of bringing the voices to life and I may have gotten a bit more bored had it not been for that.
• Setting a scene. Not only does his writing bring in characters to life, but the scenery and places that he paints with words are so lifelike, I can see them in my head. The way he infuses conversations with descriptions of actions, movement, etc. is brilliant.

What I didn’t love as much:
• the plot. The idea of this book was great, don’t get me wrong. Otherwise, I don’t think I could have finished it. But the pacing and the solution to some of the plot points left me feeling like it could have been better.

Overall, if you are a fan of TJ, Klune, you can’t miss this one! But there are others I would recommend to you before this.

TJ Klune has such a unique voice that draws me in to these gentle fantasy worlds. I was lulled into this story and fell in love with the characters, as I always do with Klune's work. His ability to build worlds and characters that feel like old friends is such a treat.

This book was so cute and fun to read. I listened to the audiobook and read along. I love Nurse Ratched and and Rambo! That cute little anxious robot had my heart. I've never read a Pinnochio retelling before and I really enjoyed it. I also am very much into vintage items and crafting so I loved those elements of this book as well. I gave it 4 stars as a rating overall. It was very heartwarming and cute

DNF at 40%. I just couldn’t get into this one. I almost DNF’d at 20%, kept going to give it a shot because I’m normally a huge fan of Klune’s. I just feel like it’s going to be a 3 star book and I don’t want to continue with a long book I’m not loving.

All of Klune's books have been very tenderhearted and lovable. They make you feel comforted and happy. This was no exception. I really liked it.

Klune is not without his faults, but his characters are so endearing, and he creates worlds in which readers can escape and feel loved. They all feel like a big 'ol hug.

I wanted to love this book soooo bad. It had the most amazing characters, a heartfelt story by an author I adored but somehow after the initial few chapters it just fizzled out and seemed to just repeat itself without going anywhere. I was very very sorry to have to finally dnf it at about 50%. The rating i give reflects the status of dnf and not the rating I would have given had I completed the book

This book took me by surprise.
I’m not a big science fiction reader, but there was something completely captivating, heart-warming, and charming about this book.
There were parts that had me laughing out loud, and parts that had me tearing up.
Best of all is the characters, their personalities and banter will keep you hooked.
Has all the heart, and the sense of found family like other T.J.Klume works. Would definitely recommend! 4.25/5

A lovely speculative adaptation of Collodi's Pinnochio, Klune's IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS weaves a touching and dreamlike tale I'd love to spend more time in.

I will admit, I am not a fan of the story Pinocchio, but it's T.J. Klune and I will basically read whatever he writes.

What makes us human? What is humanity? These are some of the questions Klune sets out to answer in his book about robots and humans and a robot run world.

Victor is on a quest to save his father Gio, who has been taken by the machines. See, Gio is also a machine with a very dark and secretive past, but he's also Vic's father. And Gio might be reprogrammed and forget all about Vic, and Rambo and Nurse Rachet. And so Vic, a real boy, sets out on his adventure with his family and newcomer Hap, who doesn't remember where he's from but may have an important role to come.

I love love love Rambo and Nurse Rachet. They added so much comic relief. I think I'll miss them the most. Can we get a short story with just the two of them??? They are my favorite!!!

The world Klune built is fantastical and scary. All of the different robots they meet on their journey are intriguing side characters. There's a lot of imagination in this book, with houses that shift and change shape and mechanical hearts. There's a lot of love between these pages.

And hope.

I’m working my way through tj klune’s books and I’m loving every second of it! I don’t know why it took me all year to get into this author!

Victor Lawson is the last human left on earth. But of course, he doesn't know that. His father, Gio, a humanoid robot designed to create, raised him deep in the woods, building and restoring other robots to join their small family and raising Vic without the knowledge of the outside world. But when the government finds Vic and Gio's hiding spot and takes Gia back to the City of Electric Dreams, Vic decides he must save his father. Accompanied by Nurse Rachet, a robotic medical caregiver, Rambo the talking Roomba, and his new find HAP (Hysterically Angry Puppet, Vic ventures from the forrest into the real world, discovering for the first time that this new world kills all humans. Furthermore, HAP, whom Vic rescued from the junkyard, is actually a wiped HARP, a series of robots designed to hunt and eradicate the human race. A design made by Gio himself. Vic and his team must learn how to survive their journey while protecting Vic from being killed, as well as learning to trust HAP and his ability to change and adapt from his previously murderous form. All while attempting to save Gio and restore him to his fatherly, loving self.

Like all of TJ Klune's novels, In the Lives of Puppets is a heartwarming soft-fantasy that delves into deeper themes of LGBTQIA identity, what it means to be human, and our places in a functioning, cohesive, accepting society. I especially love the ace/aro representation from Victor, as well as the hilarity that came from a world made almost entirely of robots. Klune was able to analyze humanity from a deeper level than ever before, and while there were slow moments that left me wishing for action, the conclusion was beautiful.

5 stars!
In the Lives of Puppets takes the classic story of Pinocchio and flips it on its head. What happens when a real human boy is surrounded by nothing but robots?
I absolutely loved this cozy-ish queer science fiction adventure. A found family that starts with Gio, an android, who raises his human son Victor, and they grow to include Nurse Registered Automaton To Care Heal Educate and Drill (or Nurse Ratched), a self-professed sociopath who threatens to drill everyone and Rambo, a Roomba vacuum who is quite the anxious little guy but I found to be such a delight. The final piece is Hap, an android Vic finds in the nearby scrapyard. However, Hap and Gio seem to have more than just Victor in common.
I read the eARC in tandem with the audiobook and found it to be so pleasant. The reader, Daniel Henning, is fantastic and brings such life (pun not intended) to each character.
I can absolutely see myself rereading this book time and again over the years. My thanks to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the eARC in exchange for my honest review.