La vida de las marionetas

by T.J. Klune, Carlos Abreu Fetter (Translator), Marc Gomez (Narrator)

¡Bienvenido a la Ciudad de los Sueños Eléctricos!

Un mundo de robots extraordinarios que permanecerá para siempre en tu corazón.

Tres robots viven en una diminuta y peculiar casa entre las ramas de una arboleda: una máquina enfermera un poco sádica, una pequeña aspiradora desesperada por recibir amor y atención, y Giovanni Lawson, un androide inventor. Pero también vive con ellos un humano: Victor Lawson, hijo de Gio. Refugiados y a salvo en el bosque, los cuatro forman una extraña familia.

Pero todo cambia el día en que Vic rescata y repara a un androide llamado Hap, que, al parece, comparte un oscuro secreto con Giovanni: un pasado dedicado a cazar humanos.

Sin ser consciente de ello, Hap alerta sobre su paradero a los robots de aquella vida anterior, y la familia deja de estar oculta y a salvo. Gio es capturado y, con tal de impedir que lo desmantelen, o incluso peor, que lo reprogramen, el resto emprenderá un viaje para rescatarlo a través de un mundo despiadado.

En medio de sentimientos encontrados de traición y afecto por Hap, Vic debe tomar una difícil decisión: ¿será capaz de aceptar un amor con ataduras?

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, LGBT, Audiobook, Romance, Queer

16 pages, Audible Audio

First published April 25, 2023

About the author

TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Extraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

Reviews

[Yun · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are a dream. A hope. A remembrance of what we once were.

Of course this story completely slayed me. I should've known better than to doubt. I thought I'd already found a favorite from T.J. Klune in The House in the Cerulean Sea and it would have been impossible to top that. But here comes a story that I love just as much, if not more.

On the surface, In the Lives of Puppets seems simple enough. It's a tale about a boy and his father and some robots, and they go on an adventure together. But the more I read, the more I realized it is so much more.

If ever there was a story about what it means to be human, this is it. It's an ode to our affinity for love and friendship, as well as a celebration of our flaws and quirks. And it does so with humor and heart, alternating between making me chuckle and filling me with joy. Of course humor is subjective, but the blend of innocent and naughty in here totally worked for me. It brought a spark of levity to an otherwise very sweet story.

Klune did a wonderful job with the science fiction elements, taking an interesting premise and building it into something fascinating and thought-provoking. Often with speculative fiction, either we don't get enough explanation and so the whole thing feels vague, or we get too much explanation and you get mired in the how's and why's. But Klune struck it just right, and the sci-fi elements end up feeling natural and wholly believable.

It did take me a little bit to get into the story, so don't be discouraged if you don't find it riveting right off the bat. Like any good fable, the first 100 pages or so introduces us to the cast of characters and their circumstances. It builds up slowly and easily, all the while feeling quite cozy. But then we get to the main conflict, and I was hooked.

I've been trying to put my finger on exactly why T.J. Klune's tales feel so special, and I've finally figured it out. It's because reading them makes me feel like a kid again, stepping into a magical world where you can cheer on the good guys as they triumph over the forces of evil. Along the way, you fall in love with the characters and their world, and it feels like you are really there, immersed in the wonder of it all.

As a reader, every time I pick up a book, this is the experience I'm hoping for. To have a story sink into your thoughts and wrap itself around your heart and leave you discombobulated afterwards, there's no other feeling like it in the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
See also, my thoughts on:
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Under the Whispering Door
~~~~~~~~~~~~

✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧

[T.J.]

A queer retelling of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio starring an inventor named Victor, a mysterious android called Hap (Hysterically Angry Puppet), an anxiety-riddled Roomba vacuum named Rambo, and a sociopathic nursing machine, the Registered Automaton To Care, Heal, Educate and Drill (Nurse Ratched, for short).

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘you are hope, a dream of a forgotten world. carry that in your soul, victor. carry that and may the burden never cause you to stumble.’

TJK has done it again. 😭

this is a story that radiates pure love, family, humanity, and the freedom to choose who we want to be. 

these are themes that have become synonymous with TJKs storytelling and i love the comforting familiarity i experience every time i pick up one of his books. 

this is yet another story that will warm the heart and fill the soul. 

beyond thankful to tor books for the ACR!

↠ 5 stars

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! Mentioning this book as masterpiece is not enough for me to express how much I adored this FREAKING FANTASTIC sci-fi experience, the mind bending, intelligent world building and perfectly crafted characterization blew my mind! It’s lovely combination of Swiss Robinson family meets Wall-E with Pinocchio vibes!

I think I should write another book to give all my honest praise! This fascinating and quirky journey is about family you choose and groovy kind of love!

Giovanni Lawson builds a house into branches of a groove of trees and invents a sadistic, sarcastic nurse machine Nurse Ratched ( definitely so much lovable than the original movie and Ryan Murphy’s series MC) and a small people pleaser vacuum cleaner doing everything to earn love called Rambo! Both of those robots should be turned into big screen characters! Glenn Close is my candidate as Ratched as Fred Armisen is my candidate for Rambo.( don’t forget to watch him on Wednesday)

Then one day a couple appears out of nowhere with a baby wrapped into rags, leaving him into Giovanni’s hands and they disappear as if they were never there!

Giovanni thinks this little boy is consultation price of universe for his loneliness so he raises him as his son and calls him Victor.

Vic, skinny young man, at the age of 22, enjoys salvaging and repairing robots. One day he repairs a strange android named HAP without having any idea about his origins. He realizes Hap shares a dark past with Giovanni. His secret mission to alert the robots about the hiding place of Giovanni destroys the small family and peaceful life they built in the woods.

Now Vic has to save his father who is sent yo his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams and he also has to confront feelings about Hap.

Such a lovely, adventurous, queery, fantasy meets sci-if!

I mostly enjoyed to read the dynamics and smart banters between characters and whirlwind, complex world building is well crafted!
Earning my visionary, love with strings attached five stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest feedback.

medium.com
instagram
facebook
twitter

[The Speculative Shelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could embrace this book with as much warmth and kindness as T.J. Klune imbues into his writing, but I felt that this book missed the mark much more than Klune’s previous two novels, unfortunately. Apart from one compelling twist, the emotional beats of this tale fell flat for me, as Klune’s trademark sentimentality feels empty when paired with an uninspired story.

The book itself is a Pinocchio retelling at its core, but it also reminded me of so many other works of fiction that it struggled to stand out on its own merits. If you threw together Pinocchio, Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries, Becky Chambers’ The Monk and Robot series, the setting of Fallout: New Vegas, the droids of Star Wars, the characters of The Brave Little Toaster, and the quest of The Wizard of Oz into a pot, you might have a stew that kinda sorta resembles In the Lives of Puppets. I just don’t think it tastes very good.

If you loved Klune’s previous work you’ll probably feel right at home with this book, but to me, a recovering cynic (who was still very much charmed by The House in the Cerulean Sea!), I think your reading time will be better spent elsewhere.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

See this review and others at The Speculative Shelf and follow on Twitter @specshelf.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a book that’s almost entirely inhabited by androids and machines, this may be one of the most human books I’ve read in a long time!

Synopsis: Giovanni Lawson, an android and inventor, has built a home in the forest with his human son, Victor, and two machines Victor salvaged: Rambo, an adorably neurotic and talkative vacuum and Nurse Ratched (Nurse Registered Automaton to Care, Heal, Educate, and Drill), who’s loyal, hilariously blunt and just a wee bit sociopathic! When Victor, Rambo and Nurse Ratched discover a decommissioned and damaged android who they name Hap, after his visible letters H.A.P.,Victor doesn’t realize his well-intentioned efforts to restore it will cause a cascade of events that unearths Gio’s past and threatens all of their futures.

Soon it becomes clear that the machines have no room for humanity in their plans. Only Victor’s peril-filled journey to the City of Electric Dreams with Nurse Ratched, Rambo and Hap to rescue Gio will decide what everyone’s future holds … or if there will be one at all.

My Thoughts: I LOVE this story. I’ve read three books now by TJ Klune and every one of them has made me laugh, cry, worry, grumble and just FEEL all the things. There’s so much insight and thought in what he writes that it never feels like “just a story”. You may not agree with every idea presented, but I guarantee they’ll make you think and that’s always a good thing!

The blurb says the story is inspired by Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio. I see some nods and references, but this is very much its own story, which I was so thankful for since I’m not a Pinocchio fan. Don’t let the word “puppets” scare you off, because there are NO creepy, nose-growing puppets in this story! It seems more a reference to the strings of thought that pull one to think and behave the way they do. There were also some Wizard of Oz vibes for me with the destination journey of one human with their three trusted friends. Overall it was a riveting adventure!

I’m not a big fan of fantasy and sci-fi, so it says something that I already know this will be one of my favorites for this year. The writing is filled with heart, humor and hope, the plotting and world-building is fantastic and the characters are so memorable. Nurse Ratched and Rambo alone are worth this read, but I loved Victor and Hap’s dynamic and Gio as well!

If you want a story that includes adventure, romance, diverse representation, fantasy, sci-fi and a little bit of inspiration from the classics, this is perfect. I can’t wait to see what TJ Klune comes up with next!

★★★★★ ❤

Thanks to Tor Books, NetGalley and author TJ Klune for this digital ARC to honestly review. It’s due to be published on April 25, 2023.

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤]

This book is like babysitting the most precocious and obnoxious kids in the neighborhood - cute for a few minutes and then annoying as hell.

[Claudia Lomelí · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m crying everyone’s tears, I’m the King of Sorrow (King of Sorrow - Sade).

Great song, one of my favorites. Also my way of saying this book made me really emotional! A new favorite… again! Hooray! This book is wonderful, and I think at the end of the day, I really did love it. But I think I should start with some of the issues I had, get the nasty business out of the way, you know? First of all, I thought the humor was at points a little childish and a little desperate (especially in the middle portion). Sometimes I wanted to reach into the pages and scream, “yes, you’re very funny, can we move on now!?” I couldn’t help but feel like several chapters could have been shortened by quite a bit. A simple discussion between the characters about the group’s plan of action would often turn into several pages of word salad simply because the narrative saw it fit to add an endless number of inane jokes. There’s a character that we meet in the middle of the story who all of our main characters insult by saying that they're always “saying a lot without saying anything,” but I’d argue that half the main characters have this problem! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. And I don’t know if this makes sense, but this book is incredibly loud. With the constant repetitive nature of the humor… I felt like I couldn’t get a moment of peace. The little robot will say something cute, then something funny. The nurse robot will say something evil, then funny. Rinse and repeat, rinse and repeat, RINSE AND REPEAT! I mean, there’s a reason why C-3PO and R2-D2 suddenly disappear every time Darth Vader shows up; it’s a signal so the audience instinctively knows that now is the time to take things seriously. When exactly are we supposed to take this book seriously?

Now on to the reasons why I still say I loved this book, as I do believe it’s greater than the sum of its parts. While I can’t say it’s perfect, when it wants to be serious, there’s a gorgeous picture painted here. I can honestly say that I teared up several times throughout the story. It must be T.J. Klune’s signature whimsical charm! Any story that’s about fighting fate, I’m there, I’m seated! Anyway, so normally the books I read remind me of a few other things (like a song or a movie), and I know this is a loose retelling of Pinocchio, but I was reminded me of about a million other stories! It constantly had me like, “hey, this is like that thing from that one thing!” So instead of peppering them around evenly like a normal person, I think I’ll just list them all here so I don’t seem like I’m trying to brag as if I’m Mr. Pop Culture or whatever. When reading this, I couldn’t help but see constant shades of: WALL-E, Mass Effect 3, Terminator 2, Blade Runner, Fallout 4, and finally… The Iron Giant! Phew, that’s a lot of things! All of which have similar themes nature vs. nurture, and questions whether or not a machine can move past its programing and become something more, maybe even something human. And like many of those stories, the answer given is a resounding “yes!” ...There are no strings on me. All in all, I just think that this story has a really lovely message that it’s never too late to become a better person, and that any person, human or machine, is never too far gone. What else is there to say? This book is flawed, messy, and sometimes even inconsistent. Yet it remains beautiful and poignant all the same. I think that’s enough.

”Quiet this, a solitary moment in an imperfect world where existence did not need to be proven or earned. It just was, and here, in this place, that counted for something. Perhaps everything.”

[len ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Most unfortunate, in the lives of puppets, there is always a ‘but’ that spoils everything. I won’t pretend to say I understand your humanity. It seems fickle. Loyalty to others brings only … heartache.”

I don’t care what anyone says. There is no better way to start Pride Month than with TJ Klune.

And fortunately, this was a winner!

It’s true when reviewers said this is one of the most humane books despite [most of] the characters being robots, androids, or any other type of machine. At the center of the novels lies the message of family, because in the end, family, although not related by blood but by choice, is what keeps the lives of our characters going.

I personally think TJ Klune is one of the most unique, most creative writers out there. As seen in his authors note, this was inspired by the simple fact that he bought a Roomba vacuum cleaner. Maybe this is where the inspiration for Rambo came? Regardless, I’ve always been fascinated by how authors come up with the ideas for their stories. I’ve always wondered how much space it takes to hold everything in, from the tiniest ideas to the overall plot and execution. And the idea for this novel is quite unique if you ask me. While the main characters all stem from different types of machinery, the message of the story is heartwarming, giving the readers a sense of family love and loyalty.

The authors writing never fails to impress me. I usually think my sense of humor is either dry or too low, but then I compare Klune’s humor to other ‘humor’ authors and realize that maybe I’m a fan of his humor and not others. To me, it doesn’t come off as OTT or like it’s trying too hard. The dialogue may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but having been familiar with some of this authors other works, specifically the Tales of Verania series, I have an idea of what to expect. Ranging different styles, from sexual to realistic, there’s always some form of entertainment Klune includes in his dialogue. It doesn’t stay in one form only and doesn’t try to be what it isn’t. The characterization of each character has its individual styles. There’s always some sort of hidden message in each segment. I can see why and how Klune’s jokes won’t be for everyone, but again, this was nothing compared to the Tales from Verania, and since I loved that series, I loved this too. Humorous and original, it was a breath of fresh air. All characters have their own sense of humor that makes the story stand out.

“What are the rules?”
“Stick together!” Rambo said.
“Run if we have to.”
“No dallying!”
“No drilling, though I will amend that proclamation should the need arise.”
“And a-above all else, b-be brave,” Hap said.

The story is creative. While humanity isn’t the norm in this story, and it has creative elements inspired by Pinocchio, almost like a retelling. I can see the elements through, but I think this story is its own unique take of a story about the lives of puppets. At it’s core, it’s a story about being who you are and not someone others want you to be; about living life for yourself and not others; about choosing your own life and freedom and not letting others dictate your choices. There’s friendship, courage, loyalty, and most importantly, love, romantic and platonic. There’s a sense of found family. Klune’s characters are always amusing. We have a sociopathic nurse machine known as Nurse Ratched; a vacuum cleaner named Rambo who needs validation; Vic, the only human of the group, an inventor and tinker; and HAP, a hysterically angry puppet who was given a second chance at life. These four tredge along on a journey to bring back Gio Lawson, Vic’s father, all while testing out their bounds and faults. The authors ability to keep the readers attention at every page is brilliant. From the dialogue and banter, to the small but ever growing relationship between Hap and Vic, to the loyalty between everyone.

There’s mystery and intrigue here too. The science fiction elements present a new world of machines and no humans. We get a good enough balance of information given to understand how and where everything came to be. I personally thought it was enough to get an understanding and idea of the world, but sometimes it felt like there could’ve been more; more to understand how and why everything came to be in the beginning. While we do learn how, it isn’t more till after the middle of the story. However, if you take it to be something that the author slowly unfolds as the timeline progresses, you’ll appreciate the story a little more, which is really what I did. There’s a reason we don’t learn everything from the beginning and instead follow along. Klune’s way of storytelling isn’t fast paced in any way. While there is always something happening, whether slow or not, the slow pace of the plot coming along is unfolded to show the reader bits and pieces of the world little by little.

Of course I loved the asexual rep. Not only is Klune himself a gay, asexual man, but I love how strong the representation is without being a big deal. There’s little bits of pieces of knowledge for anyone who may not know the sexuality, but it’s also vague enough to give Vic some characterization without making it his entire being. It’s always refreshing to see this type of representation done without it needing more attention. Vic’s asexuality is a part of him but doesn’t make up who he is, which is just how any sexuality should be represented as.

It wasn’t until Nurse Ratched explained that sexuality was on a spectrum that it started to make more sense. She said it wasn’t unheard of for people to identify as asexual, meaning those who were “ace” didn’t experience attraction in the same way others did. Sex-positive or sex-repulsed, there was no wrong way to be.

Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. The ending feels accurate for TJ’s usual format, although it doesn’t make the sadness less difficult. It’s hopeful, although not exactly HEA. And I’m saying this because I don’t want to give anyone a false impression or hope.

[NILTON TEIXEIRA · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to say how disappointed I was with this work.
The concept was good, taking ideas from The Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio, Robots (the movie) Frankenstein (it’s alive! It’s alive! There is even a Victor!) and perhaps from some other stories.
I was engaged during the first 20% but I lost interest after that. I became totally disconnected.
There are some funny moments but things became very repetitive (especially the jokes).
I didn’t understand the obsession about sex and bodily functions and fluids and I found most of the characters extremely annoying.
This is not a work that I should be rating, as it is clear that I’m not the right audience for it.

Hardcover (Tor Books): 420 pages
e-book (Kobo): 399 pages (default), 123k words
Audiobook, narrated by Daniel Henning: 15.4 hours (the narrator did a great job, but some characterization was quite annoying)

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Klune's writing is so full of nuance, yet also compulsively readable. And the narrator for this audiobook is AMAZING. I adore found family stories and this one is touching and totally believable--a family consisting of an inventor robot, a human, a sadistic nurse robot, a Roomba, and a new addition of HAP (Hysterically Angry Puppet).

This is a story that defies genre. I found shades of Pinocchio, The Wizard of Oz, Swiss Family Robinson, and a touch of the movie Robots. Klune is a master of queer representation in stories. Rather than feeling like a tacked on element, it's organic and an essential element of the overall tale.

I don't want to rehash the plot because I think this is a story best discovered as it unfolds. It's the story of a journey, of invention and discovery, of finding who you are and what you are made of. The fact that most of these characters are robots seemed quite intentional and gives the reader the ability to see that there are so many characteristics that can be nurtured and developed in each of us, regardless of background or situation.

I again want to call out the phenomenal narrator Daniel Henning (who also narrated The House in the Cerulean Sea). His voices for each of the characters truly bring them to life in ways that both entertained and enthralled. I believe that the audiobook is the best way to experience this tale, because it is so immersive.

Even though this is fantasy/sci-fi, it is a very approachable book so don't let the genre scare you away. If you're looking for a heartwarming found family story with diverse characters, action, and a huge amount of heart (in many ways both literal and figurative), then do not hesitate to pick this one up.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[MiaReadsMMBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The privilege of being TJs beta reader means I know what you're all in for, and you all have no idea at all 🙂

[Rosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: I am on a book high!!! A lovely found-family fantasy based on ‘Pinocchio.’ This is in the classic storytelling style, so expect meanderings and adventures on the way to the destination.

Story Synopsis:

In an old forest is a strange little tree house, but even stranger are its denizens: an inventor – Giovanni Lawson, his twenty-one-year-old son Victor, and their two assistants Nurse Ratched and Rambo. What’s so strange about this, you ask? Well, except for Victor, the rest are all robots. But they are a family and they live happily.
Their situation changes when Victor discovers a faulty android in a scrap yard and restores it. Labelled ‘HAP’ for being a ‘Hysterically Angry Puppet’, this new member of the unusual family opens up strange feelings in Victor. But when Hap inadvertently alerts robots about Gio’s past, Gio is captured and taken to the City of Electric Dreams. Now it is upto the remaining four to get their beloved father-figure back.
The story comes to us mostly in the limited third-person perspective of Victor.

Bookish Yays:
😍 Carlo Collodi's ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ serves as the foundation of this retelling, so if you know this classic children’s fairy tale, you will be able to understand just how faithful and innovative this retelling is. I love it when retellings retain the essence of the original without copying it entirely in format but giving it an innovative twist. As a retelling, this gets full marks.

😍 At the same time, the story shows influence from many other works. From classic tales such as ‘Swiss Family Robinson’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, and ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’ to even modern movies such as ‘Real Steel’ and ‘Wall-E’, the content is a treasure trove of Easter Eggs for fiction fans.

😍 A story is nothing without its characters, and in this story, the characters deserve most of the credit for the book’s impact. Giovanni and Vic have a loving parent-child bond. I quite enjoyed the role reversal from Pinocchio, in that a “puppet” (or a robot in this case) is the parent to a human. Vic’s conflict over his identity and his need for friends also comes out well. Hap and his internal conflict are powerfully depicted. But where the book truly shines is with Nurse Ratched and Rambo. Picture Nurse Ratched from ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest’, and you will understand how “she” is in this book. A sociopathic nursing robot who will win you over despite her sadistic tendencies. And then there’s Rambo. Sweet, adorable, hyperactive, silly Rambo who is way more than a roomba, though he does love cleaning with all his heart.

😍 Surprisingly for a book with just one human character, the primary theme is emotions. Be it love or envy or anxiety or hope or anger or empathy, every human emotion comes alive in the story. One of the oft-repeated ones is that of forgiveness – not just of others but also of oneself. Many characters struggle with their guilt, and the journey through the pages also becomes that of acceptance and absolution. It also highlights how easy it is to forgive the ones we love but we need to be open about our mistakes and forgive ourselves too.

😍 The imagery is amazing. The entire world and its residents are easy to picture because of the descriptive scene writing.

😍 Can’t expect an #OwnVoices work to go wrong with the rep! The Queer rep in this book is spot on, with one asexual character and one gay relationship.

😍 This could have been quite a dark fantasy being set in the apocalyptic world and dealing with tough topics. But the humour, the found-family theme, and the “raconteur-ial” storytelling style makes this quite a cozy fantasy. This might work negatively for a few, but I prefer light fantasy over dark ones.

😍 The ending. Not fully tied-up. Just hopeful. Not open. Just at the right point. Not incomplete. Just perfect! (I am quite biased towards books that leave me with a big teary grin at the end!)


Bookish Nays:
😔 A tad too many sexual jokes, maybe? The story’s main vibe was ‘cutesy’, so the corny references felt like too much, and even too juvenile at times. The humour in these felt forced.

😔 As this is a character-oriented work, I knew it would have a slower pacing. But the pacing is not consistent, though this didn’t bother me much in the audio version. The middle gets especially repetitive. The book could have easily lost at least a few pages without reducing its impact.


The audiobook experience:
Oh. My. God! If you are an audiobook lover, please read this on audio. I have a new favourite narrator, and his name is Daniel Henning. Referring to him as a mere narrator seems like an insult after the way he voiced every single character to perfection. What a performance! *Chef’s kiss!* Though quite a long audiobook clocking at 15 hrs 22 minutes, I never felt bored.
I must also mention the soulful music at the start and the end of the audiobook! It was perfect. A part of me wanted it to play throughout in the background of Henning’s performance – it was so stirring! 😍😍😍😍😍


To sum up, just like Rambo, I too was singing “I’m in heaven” as I completed this book. It was not perfect, but it was true to its purpose. As a story about kindness, family, love, loyalty, determination, hope and forgiveness, the novel will stir up all the right emotions if you pick it up with the right mind-set, prepared for the adventurous and roundabout way to the destination. Being human is so much more than being made of flesh and blood, and this story is a great way of knowing what humaneness is all about.

This is my first T.J. Klune work, and I assure you – it won’t be the last!

4.5 stars.


My thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC of “In the Lives of Puppets”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the audiobook.



EDITING TO ADD: If you enjoyed this book, don't miss the free precursor to this story available on the Reactor Mag site. Link to the free story in my review of 'Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!': https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...



———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: —> 5 Stars
🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟

I… have no words. My heart is so full right now, it feels like it’s bursting (it totally is due to ALL THE FEELS). My eyes are filled with tears & I…this... just was…

An absolute wholesome masterpiece, full of heart, adventure, found family, & love.

This is one of the most charming stories I’ve ever read in my entire life 🥺, full of whimsy & fantastical, & full of whimsy world building, characters, & one incredible quest!

While this is being pitched as Pinocchio meets Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, and I saw all of those stories within this one, the story that kept popping into *MY* mind was The Wizard of Oz ! Which of course means though it was filled with trickery & bittersweet moments, yet it was also filled with endless amounts of adventure & our found family of MCs—
[ Vic — A curious, loving, & asexual (wooooot for the asexual rep!) human;
Nurse Ratched — a slightly sociopathic, sarcastic, yet well-meaning nurse bot;
Rambo — a charismatic, excitable, little vacuum robot; and last but certainly not least,
HAP — (Aka Hysterically Angry Puppet 😂) a recently rescued from the scrap yard, & then given a heart made by Vic, amazing, sweet, very attractive (*waggles eyebrows*), ex-killer robot— who has an attachment to Victor practically as soon as he awakens! Also, js, I probably loved HAP the most! ]—
experience many, many, strange, wonderful, & frightening new things as they travel to the City of Electric Dreams to save Vic’s tinkerer robot father, GIO ! Boy was this a ride! Truly, this was so filled to the brim with heart, bravery, & love, I can’t say that enough…

Klune always creates works of ART, that tug on your heartstrings, & this was no different— it was absolutely life changing! I hold it in extremely high regard & it’s right up there with The House in the Cerulean Sea for me.

I can’t even count how many times this book made me laugh, made me smile, made me cry… it certainly packs a wonderful punch!

You know a book is exceptional when it’s capable of making your heart hurt in the most wonderful way, all the way through!

A million times over recommend!

A massive thank you to Tor/ Forge for the e-arc via netgalley. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

[Melissa ~ Bantering Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leave it to TJ Klune to teach the world about true humanity by writing a story about robots. All while making it a Pinocchio retelling and giving it a splash of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, to boot.

In the Lives of Puppets is about a family. A family that lives deep in the woods, hidden away from prying eyes. There’s Gio, a fatherly inventor droid, Nurse Ratched and Rambo, a sociopathic nurse machine and a lovable robot vacuum (respectively), and Victor, a human. Together, they spend their days inventing and salvaging machinery.

Until one day, Victor repairs an android named Hap, and Gio is captured and taken to the City of Electric Dreams, forcing Victor and the robots to embark on a dangerous journey to save Gio. But not only is the journey about rescuing Gio – Victor must also learn to love and forgive, even when there are strings attached.

My heart. My soul. My humanity. Klune has done it again. He has written a story that has touched my very core.

And I’ll just go ahead and throw this out there: In the Lives of Puppets is better than Under the Whispering Door and as good as (if not a teensy bit better than) The House in the Cerulean Sea.

Higher praise won’t come from me. But Puppets delivers and deserves it. The story is so well told and features an unforgettable cast of characters, with the robots being hilarious in their robotic-ness and far more human than a lot of humans I know. And the story does all the things that only the best stories do – you’ll smile, cry, laugh, get goosebumps, and feel your heart flip-flop.

I loved it. I loved it. I loved it.

I’ve said enough, I think.


My sincerest appreciation to TJ Klune and Tor Books for the physical advanced reading copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

[Char · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first read The House in the Cerulean Sea, I was gobsmacked. I fell in love with the author's style and began tracking down his back-list. Then I discovered IN THE LIVES OF PUPPETS was due out soon, so I quickly requested it from NetGalley and here we are. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the others I've read.

We join Gio in his strange little home in the woods. A couple runs through, acting as if they're being chased, and they leave their infant with Gio to keep him safe. Then they never came back. What follows is the charming story of Gio and his brood, which consists of robots. That's right, robots. We have Nurse Ratched, (a robot designed to care for humans), Rambo, (originally a vacuum), Gio and his new "son", Vic. Soon their serenity is darkened by a discovery at their local scrap yard, and life is never the same for them again.

This is an imaginative and creative tale, filled with humor and a bit of darkness as well. I loved the humor and laughed out loud more than a few times. Why is it then, that I was a somewhat disappointed? For a few reasons.

About halfway through the story, it changed from the peaceful, yet intriguing house in the woods to a quest. While this was just fine with me at first, I soon began finding myself reluctant to return to the story. Somewhere during that quest I lost my interest. It took me forever to finish because I just kept putting it off. Another reason was because I felt that this tale, (in certain ways), was almost exactly like the previous books of his I've read. Before I even got there, I knew how the story would end and I don't enjoy that when it happens. I like to be surprised. Formulaic stories can be good, but predictable, and that's how I felt about this one.

While definitely worth the read, I just felt that this tale did not measure up to what I've come to expect from T. J. Klune. I've rated it 3 stars: I liked it. The humor and characterization were top notch, but the story itself: predictable and a bit slow.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heaven, I'm in heaven
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find the happiness I seek
When we're out together dancing cheek to cheek - lyrics by Irvin Berlin

Oh, my heart!

I had both the kindle and audio version of this book and I have to say that the narrator of the audiobook knocked it out of the ballpark with his narration! So well done!

This book was full of heart and soul. In a grove of trees lives a family made up of fatherly inventor android Giovanni (Gio) Lawson, Nurse Rached, a sadistic nurse machine, Rambo, and a small vacuum desperate for love. A human, Victor (VIC) Lawson, lives there as well. They live in safety until the day Vic salvages HAP, an unfamiliar android. Unfortunately, HAP and Gio share a history of hunting humans.

The family is in danger when HAP alerts robots of Gio's whereabouts and he is taken to a factory in the City of Electric Dreams. Gio's small family decides to risk all and go looking for him to save him from decommissioning and/or reprogramming. What ensues is a journey full of risk, sacrifice, heart, and family.

They may be robots, but they are a family who want to stay together, they care and show their humanity. This book and the audio version were simply brilliant. I loved the characters, their distinct personalities, their struggles, their discussions, and their journey.

T.J. Klune has such a creative mind. This book had me thinking of The wizard of Oz and Pinocchio. The characters were off on a journey, one who is timid gains courage, there is a father/son relationship, and there is one who is tough but has a heart.

The banter was adorable and had me smiling. This book evoked emotions and was thought provoking. It's about family, community, humanity, and love. I am not a big fantasy or Science fiction reader, but I love T.J. Klune's writing. I enjoyed being on this adventure with his characters. I also loved the diverse representation in this book. For me Nurse Ratched and sweet Rambo stole the show!

Thank you to Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Snjez]

dnf @75%

I enjoyed what I've read by this author so far and I usually like stories with robots and androids, but this one didn't click with me.

I liked Part 1 when we got introduced to the characters and the world. I found the characters endearing and funny at first, if not a bit OTT, but at some point their conversations started to feel repetitive and the story started dragging. I wasn't invested in the storyline in Parts 2 and 3, nor the characters they met along the way. There was one scene, a flashback to what Hap did in the past, that finally put me off finishing this book.

One thing that bothered me from the beginning: We have one human character in the story, who is described as asexual, and the rest of the characters are machines, so I don't understand the need for all the unnecessary sexual innuendos and references, nor the obsession with certain bodily functions. I found it icky. Especially since most of the characters sound very juvenile.

P.S. Has anyone noticed Rambo mentioning pinecones - epic and awesome? 😉

The audiobook was really good. Daniel Henning managed to give each character a very unique and recognizable voice, though I did find some voices a bit annoying.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Alright, I admit it, this was pretty cute.
Initially I refused to read this book because I disliked The House in the Cerulean Sea. Controversy aside, what I absolutely couldn't stand about THITCS was its saccharine sweetness, which we get some of here as well, but wayyy toned down.

Some darker themes are explored, unlike Linus from THITCS, Victor actually faces some in- and external challenges.
Sadly, he's the least developed character, so his inner turmoil isn't as impactful as it could've been.

But aside from that, way more up my alley than THITCS.

[Mai H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

UPDATE 6/3/25: I will no longer be reading/reviewing/requesting TJ Klune books post-controvery

--

This is a queer PINOCCHIO retelling featuring robots. All things I love, and yet I don't seem to have enjoyed it as much as the rest of you. It took many quite some time for the story to begin to sink in. But then I was invested. What is human emotion? Can it be applied to non-humans? And then is it just emotion?

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

[Ceecee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Android inventor Giovanni Lawson finds an abandoned building in a remote, old forest and transforms it into somewhere to live but being so isolated he’s lonely. One day a distraught couple appear, the woman clutches a bundle of rags which proves to be a swaddled child. They beg him to keep the child safe which he gladly does and Gio grows to love him. He names the human boy Victor and there they live in safety with a somewhat sadistic and well named robot Nurse Ratched (Nurse Registered Automaton to Care, Heal, Educate and Drill) and a fearful and anxious vacuum cleaner glorying in the name Rambo. One day, Vic, Nurse Ratched and Rambo visit a graveyard/scrapyard of robots and find a decommissioned android that seems awake. This is Hap (Hysterically Angry Puppet) and Vic soon realises that Gio and Hap are connected in some way. Unfortunately, shortly after Hap’s arrival at their home their safety is compromised. Victor, Rambo, Nurse Ratched and Hap are forced to undertake a perilous journey that will decide their future.

This is a very twisty tale that is loosely (very loosely) based on the story of Pinocchio and there are some clever allusions to it which pays tribute to the inspiration. The premise is good as the ‘heart’ of it examines what being human and humanity means. Love and friendship are also central themes. At times it is very funny, the source of it is usually the androids and there is some excellent banter. The dynamics between this disparate group are really intriguing and they are strangely endearing especially Rambo! There are some vivid descriptions which brings some fantastical, weird scenes alive with a smidgen of the macabre from time to time which is definitely in keeping with the original story.

Although I do admire what TJ Klune has done here, somehow it doesn’t hook me in as his other books do. It’s too long, the plot is distinctly on the thin side and there’s way too much dialogue for my taste. From time to time some of Nurse Ratched’s references make me cringe, I’m sure that’s the authors intention! The ending is a bit of a let down too.

Overall, yes, it’s an original, creative, clever story which many other readers rightly love but I don’t fully connect with it.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[Sheyla ✎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hit for T. J. Klune!

In The Lives of Puppets, we are taken to a world in the future where robots run free.

At the beginning of the story, we get to know the hero Victor, a young human living in a secluded home with his adopted father Gio, and two robots, Nurse Ratched and Rambo.

Victor was the one who fixed Nurse Ratched and Rambo and he is always on the lookout for another machine he can reactivate. So when he finds an android who for a minute was still "alive" before his battery stops, he knows he will do anything to fix the android who he names HAP (Hysterically Angry Puppet). At first, he hides him from GIO until HAP is fully operational. Without realizing by saving HAP, Victor has put his life in danger. Next thing he knows, androids are surrounding his home and GIO is taken prisoner to the City of Electric Dreams. Gio has left a message not to try to find him but Victor can't stop himself but embark on a trip to save the only father he has ever known.

In regards to the characters, even though I care about Victor and root for his success and love HAP's evolution, my heart was stolen by Nurse Ratched and Rambo. Who doesn't love a nurse who can engage in an empathy protocol but truly has a murderous streak with the sole goal of drilling? And Rambo with his sweet disposition, innocence, ferocious loyalty, and the need to be brave?

Worth mentioning is the narrator Danny Henning who does a marvelous job with these wonderful characters just like he did with Cerulean which is still my favorite of Klune's novels.

Adorable characters that make you feel are the recipe for Klune's success. I can't wait for any of his books to become a movie.

Cliffhanger: No

4.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Tor Books, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

[Ghoul Von Horror · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked that this is a retelling of Pinocchio but what really bothered me was just because it's a queer story does it have to be overly sexual. There were moments where things were said that they made me very uncomfortable like they're talking about penis sizes but they're machines. Why? I've enjoyed other stories from this author where the story didn't just focus on sex. It's confusing to me that machines would be programmed to say sexual things if the person programming them isn't overly sexual.

I started listening to the audiobook first since I did get an arc of it but I had to stop 12% in. Rambo's voice was just too annoying. The upspeak was giving me a headache. I switched to the ebook and that seemed to go better, though I did find all the characters got on my nerves.

Ended up dnfing this book at 30%. I can not handle the overly sexual things happening in this book. It's so out of place. I feel like I'm hanging out with a bunch of 13 year old boys and to everything I say they reply back "That's what she said." It's a shame because I loved the authors other book; Under the Whispering Door. Sadly this one wasn't for me. I wanted to get the feels but just too many immature sexual jokes killed all vibes for me.

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tricky one to write because I enjoyed it but nowhere near as much as so many other people did! It was a good story with romance, and a lot of humour, set in a very imaginative world. Somehow though the characters never really totally grabbed me.

Vic is the main character and the only human in the story. His 'father' and his love interest are both machines whose past purpose was to hunt down humans. The rest of the family consisted of Nurse Ratched, a restored medical machine, and Rambo, a vacuum cleaner. The only one I really liked was Nurse Ratched as she provoked most of the humorous dialogue.

There is a very Wizard of Oz feel to the story as Vic and his friends progress through the countryside on their way to the City of Electric Dreams. The characters they meet went a bit beyond my imaginative capabilities, especially the Blue Fairy. Eventually though the little band of travelers reach their destination and achieve a satisfactory conclusion.

For me this was a 3.5 star read rounded up to 4 stars.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 4.5 stars ✰

“What do you do if you’ve forgotten all you know?”

“You start again from the beginning.”



I can now say with the utmost confidence that T.J. Klune has the gift of making me feel too many feels with his heart-wrenching and moving prose - In the Lives of Puppets is no exception and the certified proof of that. An homage to Pinocchio, a testament to humanity and all the possibilities that we have yet to overcome and achieve - this book was so very gripping, so lush with detail, so intimate in its character development, so very profound in making me think.

I feel that there is such a sadness, an almost innate pitiful loss Mr.Klune has against the world - how he tries to evoke that feeling in his writing - as if he's upset, almost admonishing us that we're not doing all that we can do with our limitless potential. Which, in turn, he did cite it in his Author's Note - the story, itself, is very reminiscent to Pinocchio - the little quotes from the original story and Disney cartoon was such a beautiful touch, and the plot flowed so perfectly.

There were such subtle nods to the original details, yet with a creative albeit scientific twist that made me smile - made me cry - made me hurt - the vividness of urgency for all that transpired on their journey to save his father - the desperation that clung to Victor as he attempted to make sense of everything that was happening, all the lies that he had been told about his life - it was so achingly raw and I breathed those words with such intense longing.

But, what about the plot, Amina? What about the characters? Aren't you going to talk about those? Well, if you've grown up watching Disney's Pinocchio, if you're familiar enough with the characters - then this will be a treat for you, and honestly needs no explanation - save that it is all that the original story was - but with a unique futuristic spin to it.

And with the light references to a few key points that stood out for me and my memory - 'the fox and the cat' made me chuckle, the Coachman was a clever idea, the floating whale was a chilling touch, the Blue Fairy was gifted with such a haunting yet chilling sadness and the other characters - I just don't know how to tell you about them. 💕💕 The gift Mr.Klune has - to present his readers with such a limited cast and make them come alive with their pure essence of 'found family' thriving within their interactions - how many iterations, or as best described -

“In all my days, in all my travels, I’ve never come across a more foolish bunch. And I think it fits. Humans were foolish. Careless. Cruel. But only a few. Most were full of light.”

How many deadpan jokes of Nurse Ratched - a true Queen in every aspect - can I share with you for you to appreciate the protectiveness, the guidance, the resilience she mastered in supporting her team, and in her own way, loving and nurturing Victor? How can I explain Rambo the vacuum - oh, so innocent, oh so true, oh so determined and friendly and just so full of feelings despite not having any feelings at all? How can I describe Gio - that android who wanted redemption for his actions - who wanted forgiveness for his decisions - who searched for a way out with the Blue Fairy, who “trusted him with my greatest treasure” - who found love and acceptance with his creation, his son - “My great love. My joy. My light”- Victor? 😥😥

How will you understand HAP - not HARP, never HARP, who fell into Victor's life - who centered his world around him - who grew to love him - more human than machine, more than science fiction, but so very real - so very fresh in discovering and loving the world, but still not made for that very purpose.

When he got his memory back - that scene - I teared up - it wasn't a great scene, but the wording - the imagery - that feeling of being found - of seeing it through his eyes... I'm tearing up writing it - because it's not cheesy, it's not corny - it's love - and if I'm anything, it's I'm a romantic at heart. 😭😭😭 And to see HAP as he is, discarded and thrown away and yet still discovered and saved, one who retained all the mechanical parts, but grew to have a human heart gifted to him in such a manner

“It’s yours.”

“Yes.”

“And you want to keep it.”

The compartment slid shut. “You can’t h-have it. It’s mine. V-victor gave it to me.”

It shouldn’t have affected Vic as much as it did, hearing Hap say his name. In the grand scheme of things, it was nothing. But there was something to it. It made him feel big. It made him feel small.

“He did,” Dad agreed. “And I won’t take it from you. It is yours for as long as you want it. But be warned, a heart is not like the battery you used to have. It’s strong, but fragile.”

💔💔💔💔

And how can I forget Victor - that sweet precious lonely boy, the last of his kind, the answer to saving humanity, who Gio described with such fondness --

“You were made to bring happiness. You are alive in ways we are not. You are soft and fragile. But you are complex and disturbing and sometimes foolishly brilliant.”

And yet still be described in the cruelest of forms by the Coachman

“He looks as if someone married robotics and humanity without any clue as to what they were doing.”

Is this a way of saying of how much we should appreciate ourselves as humans? That we are more than what we look at ourselves at and it takes only for machines, our very own creations, to overpower us and take over the world, to understand our importance and significance. Victor was - he was such a human protagonist- having the story told through his eyes - his explorations, his determination, his devotion, his afflictions - from his embarrassment to discussing his sexual nature with his overly-zealous family, or from his desperation to save his father from returning to his own evil ways.

Or from his unexpected feelings that he started to nurture for HAP - drawn to him, for comfort, for understanding, for that one connection of semblance he had to human features. Their love was so organic - so very honest - full of hope and desire to just be accepted as you were - as you are - no matter who you are - man or machine. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 I felt it all - I lived it all - and how my heart ached, when all is said and done, when worldwide catastrophe has been averted, but the wound to the heart is the freshest of all ---

“And it meant he did not remember Victor.

That night, when sleep was elusive, Vic told his father, “I’ve never been more human.”

“Why?” Dad asked.

“Because I breathe, but I can’t catch my breath.”

🥺🥺🥺🥺

This review probably makes no sense - but, I suppose that is to be expected, when it comes to my reviews for a T.J. Klune novel. 🌟Complete with his usual charm of humor that perfectly balances the rawness of intense emotion that is prevalent at the scene, often times a lot more lewd than before (but in a cheeky and respectable way!), and incredibly spot-on banter but still feel their heart-warming love and genuine care for each other.

Laced with the touch of so many beautiful quotes - quotes galore that I would have highlighted so much more than I wanted, because it resonated so very much with me. 🩷🩷 Much like his previous novels, there is that prevalent sense of longing, of this ache of what lies beyond this life and what we are in the moment -

“Death … has its usefulness to the living. The moment you were born, you began to die.” He sighed. “What a lovely thought.”

“Lovely,” Vic repeated with no small amount of scorn.

“Yes, lovely. Think about it, Victor. You are finite. Your time is already slipping through your fingers. It creates an urgency within you. To do all that you can. To make things right. I wonder what that must feel like, to have a sense of true motivation.”

“Why? It’s a flaw in the design.”

As I neared the end of the story, I felt such a profound ache in my heart - as much as it was hopeful, it made me sad to think - which character was the 'puppet' that really eluded to Pinocchio in this story - that fictional puppet in a world of humans? Was it Victor - the lone human in a world of machines created by a lonely android who just wanted redemption - someone to love after he grew a conscience over the atrocities he had committed? Or was it HAP - the machine who one pure-hearted boy was lucky enough to find - a boy who was lonely in his own way, who grew up watching his father's films of love and marveling at the sights of --

“People smiling and blushing when they saw each other, doing things they might not normally do, all in the name of love. He’d never had anyone to flirt with before. It sounded extraordinarily complicated.”

-- and was able to breathe life into a contraption - to finally have a chance for human contact and affection that he had unknowingly been yearning for? I don't know - maybe, as always, I'm reading too much into it. All I can say is that this was, without question, a beautiful and engrossing read. I loved every minute of it - science fiction may not be my favorite genre, but the heart of the story - the characters' personalities - the wonderful and moving story - gripped me till the very end. 🩵 🩵 🩵 🩵

“Be it man or machine, Victor thought, 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. Perhaps Victor would too, one day, a final lesson in what it meant to exist.

But that day was not today.”

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

thoughts about this TK - maybe for real this time! very heartbursty!

[Vini · Rating 1 out of 5]

i just think that if i read another long paragraph about what makes humanity and the importance of humanity i will snap

also maybe i'm heartless but i do not want more tj klune books about kindness please and thank you very much (tj klune write a different book challenge!!)

"We have a purpose, beyond our original programming. Perhaps it could be the same for him, though I highly doubt it."

In a strange home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a vacuum desperate for attention. Victor, a human, lives there too. The day Vic salvages and repairs an android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

*sighs* Fine I guess let's talk about In the Lives of Puppets.

Have you ever read a book that is so mixed? That you have just as many good things to say about it as bad things, so you never really know how you feel about it because it was good!! But also it wasn't!! But also I enjoyed it!! But also it was annoying!! But still fun?? This is that book for me.

First of all, and maybe this is a me thing, but I don't think a post-apocalyptic book with evils robots ruling the world is ✨cozy✨

I enjoy post-apocalyptic stories and stories that question what it means to be human. What is humanity, and what makes someone human or not? But I guess I like them darker and more intense. Because this book was so filled with hopefulness and optimism that it bothered me.

I think I like T.J. Klune's writing more when it's filled with angst. Green Creek continues to be one of my favorite series of all time, and to this day, I haven't finished rereading it because it makes me sob every book.

To that point, and I feel like this is a very unpopular opinion, but I'm getting tired of these soft, SFF books that TJ is writing. Under the Whispering Door was my favorite of the "trilogy" but they all have such similar themes, characters, and romances that three books in, it just gets a little tiring instead of new and exciting.

Oh, and also, this did not hit for me emotionally. At all. I could tell from the writing that I probably should be sad and cry. But I didn't 🫣 In fact, I was annoyed. I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my brain.

That being said!! I still liked some of the book!

In typical Klune fashion, the found family and the humor were top-tier. The characters are all super charming. I don't think it's possible to read this book and not fall in love with Rambo, the vacuum cleaner with anxiety who loves hugs, and Nurse Ratched, the slightly psychopathic nurse that is secretly a softie.

I loved the way this retold Pinocchio. I'm not the biggest fan of the original story and its many versions, but I think this worked so well as a retelling!! It's familiar enough so you can recognize some of the points of the story, but it's different enough that it feels completely new and not just 'Pinocchio but Sci-Fi'. Also, I really enjoyed some of the Wizard of Oz elements which I didn't expect.

The queer rep was fantastic. We have an asexual main character who doesn't fall into the "ace robot" stereotype that Sci-Fi stories tend to have.

I'm excited for it to come out bc I'm desperately hoping that it's not only me that feels this way about it 🧍‍♂️

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This didn't end up being the kind of story I thought it might be - think a sci-fi adventure quest inspired by Pinocchio, not cozy fantasy romance. There are definitely some loveable characters (Rambo was my fav) & a romantic element, but I think if you're expecting cozy, this may not give you what you want. For the most part, I was entertained & swept through the story, but it did feel way too long and I thought the themes, while interesting, were too on the nose for my tastes

[Teru · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I must not be as sociopathic as I believed, because I am filled with sorrow."

Same, Nurse Ratched, same. I can't believe I put off reading this for such a long time. A found family trope, painfully endearing non-human characters with more heart than most humans possess, a lovely ace rep that's not a plot point but simply a cherry on the top... AND it made me cry like a baby. Of course, I loved it.

I don't know what's wrong with me, because Into This River I Drown by TJ was objectively more sad and grief-filled and it didn't make me shed a tear. Here, a sentient vacuum beeps sadly and I tear up. Of course my Empathy Protocol gets engaged by robots and machines and not human beings, of fucking course 🙄🙈

Basically, I liked all of it, even though it left me a bit sad, a bit hopeful, and wanting to know more.