In the Lives of Puppets

Where UNDER THE WHISPERING DOOR felt very much the same type of story as THE HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA, this book felt different from the beginning. Perhaps it's the sci-fi setting as opposed to the magical realist feel. Perhaps it's the prevalence of (very middle school-feeling) humor mixed with the very adult themes and language. I don't know. Something felt off from the beginning, and though it won me over enough to keep reading eventually, it never fully persuaded me.

If Cerulean Sea was a Pixar film, this is more a Spielberg—delightful, yes, but a bit overly sentimental and obviously trying to win the hearts of the Academy. Big themes sometimes very clunkily handled but you don't mind it because of the charming characters. It creates a whimsical, Portal-esque vibe, but sometimes it felt like the tone didn't match the story.

I think, in the end, I was most bothered by the plot. It felt like Klune focused so much on the characters and their banter that he forgot to actually develop the world and give the plot enough breathing room to develop in a natural way. It makes for a mixed bag of a book; fun yet a little grating at times, a heavy-handedness creeping in and only getting worse throughout. I actually believe it would've worked much better as a middle grade animated tv show. It certainly felt written that way.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

DNF - PG 173

Why?

Honestly, I'm starting to think this new set of Klune books just aren't for me. I tried The House in the Cerulean Sea and have about the same feels for this one. I don't hate it or anything, I just fail to connect to it and feel board.

Look, if anything, it feels like a chore to read it and I'd rather do something else because I just don't care about the main characters and I genuinely hate the budding romance. Also, look, it's been six days and I am making excuses to not read any more. I also do not like the constant reliance on bodily function jokes and... Look, I'd usually be laughing my head off at the sex jokes. (Those are always fun for me.) But I don't like making jokes of things that makes someone (Vic) so obviously uncomfortable.

Also, my own fault. I did not know this was inspired by/a retelling of Pinocchio. If I had...I likely would have passed even though my library had literally none of the books I was looking for. (Which netted me two DNF's.)

Side note: I love Nurse Ratched and kind of adore Rambo. I wish the other three had worked for me as well as those two did.

Abandoned, p.65: another it-doesn't-work-that-way mess and I can't handle another one so soon after [b:Station Eleven 20170404 Station Eleven Emily St. John Mandel https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680459872l/20170404.SX50.jpg 28098716]. It's obviously YA, and clearly intended as a fable, but even in those there should be some way to figure out the rules. None of the logistics make any sense: not the building complex, its power generation, plumbing, life support; nor the technological marvels built from “scrapped circuit boards,” nor the too-human emotions in all the robots (one of which is a cowardly-lion Roomba named Rambo—get it?—another, a sadistic medical-caretaker named Nurse R.A.T.C.H.E.D.—get it?); and not the fleeing-parents setup nor the child being raised and coming out well-adjusted despite zero human company.Maybe I could chill, accept magical handwaving as the explanation for it all, not try to ask questions. Or maybe everything is explained satisfactorily on page 66 (if so, someone trustworthy please let me know, and I'll give it another try). But it's also heavyhanded, another form of sloppiness that irks me. So many glowing reviews, such high hopes, but life is short.

In the Lives of Puppets skillfully navigates tough philosophical questions, with only a few uneven spots, along with the strong characters Klune is known for.

This review is just to help me remember key points about the book. If you find it helpful or relatable that's cool too.Pride Month Edition

Absolutely wonderful up until maybe two thirds of the book, maybe one of my favorite reading experiences ever, and then it just... kinda completely falls off on the last third. Repeats the same dramatic sequence twice (and it feels ineffective on BOTH occasions) and has a really lackluster ending that feels like it completely negates all the previous worldbuilding the book had. It doesn't help that the main relationship wasn't very compelling at all to me. I felt like whatever chemistry they might've had was negated by the fact that HAP's entire purpose was to protect Vic. If his arc was about living beyond his orders and becoming his own person that idea ends up falling a bit flat by having him just do everything he was supposed to and get insanely attached to Vic the exact way he was supposed to. That isn't to say that the book doesn't have its positives; Ace representation is always welcome and I appreciate the comedy in being the only human alive and still also asexual lol (though I don't think that every single segment about Vic's sexuality was written in the best ways possible, but for the most part it was great to see); I absolutely adore the characterization of all the side characters (with Nurse Ratched being a personal favorite. Go crazy robot women! And I feel the need to shoutout Coachman as well) and I think their chemistry with each other and with Vic is great, which makes me all the sadder that all their impacts on his life just felt like they were completely cast aside on the last third to make room for the awkward stretches of Vic/Hap hurt/comfort that feel, for the most part, like they came out of plotless fanfiction. Still! There is a lot to love here, and I genuinely believe that it'd be a strong 9 for me if it didn't fall off so much on the last third. It's a great motivator as someone who also wants to write my own grand adventure about gay robots going to Wherever to do Whatever one day. To more books of the kind! It only gets better from here.

4.5 rounded up; I feel like the end was a little anticlimactic but I enjoyed all the characters so much! Such an endearing book. Props to the narrator for making it so fun!

4.5 stars!
This was very good. The ending broke me. But throughout the whole book I was so happy that Victor was ace. And that's it. No long ass discussions, no nothing, no changing his mind.
Rambo reminded me of Chauncey from Cerulean Sea ✨ Nurse Ratched was sooo cool

I was not expecting to like this book much but this was truly such a beautiful story about not just the fragility but also the strength of humanity and being human. The duality between the strength of the machines and the weaknesses that lie in the limitations of their programming versus the inherent weakness of being human and the strength that comes from free will. 

And I got all of that without actually thinking about it while I was reading. The story itself gripped me from
the beginning, Gio and Victor and their relationship with each other and the other machines. And Hap. Oh Hap. I fell for all of them so hard and so fast, Nurse Ratched being my favourite. Obviously. 

I even loved how it was not so much a ‘romance' subplot as it was just an overarching plot about love and I am nothing if not a sucker for love (and stories about it), in all its many forms. I kid you not when I say this book made me tear up a little, and I'm not a crier. I don't even cry watching movies but this story made my heart ache in just the right way. 

If you're looking for something that is humorous and warm while still being compelling and thought-provoking then this is definitely the book for you. If you're here for the emotions, the feeling of belonging, the going against all odds. then read this. I will never forget someone describing TJ Klune's House in the Cerulean Sea as a warm hug and I promise this book is the same. There is just something about his writing that makes you feel welcome and at home in his world. 

I enjoyed this thoroughly and my only gripe is that there isn't more for me to sink my teeth into. 

this is allegedly a book for adults but if you told me this is YA I'd believe you.

My least favorite of Klune's books. This one seemed to be tied a little too closely to Pinocchio.

It took a long time to get into and the action seemed a bit forced.

This was a very sweet book with great friendships/family, mixed with some dumb/crass/lewd humor, and I just adored it. I highly recommend the audiobook. For fans of his Lightening-Struck Heart (re: dumb/crass/lewd humor) I think you'll like this one too. It does have the same level of heart that House in the Cerulean Sea (I loved this book) or Under the Whispering Door (I did not like) have.

3.5

I loved this very interesting fantasy fiction. I love the way this author always engages me from the beginning of the story. This one was fun and the author has a nice way of adding lgbt subjects to the story. I also must add that I like the narrator too. I'd recommend.

Loved the heart and emotion. Not so much the sex jokes, though I suspect the excellent audio narration smoothed that over somewhat.

A little weird that robots were given sexual vices identical to humans, but okay. The Pinnochio elements were fun Easter eggs, even for someone like me who's only seen the movie a couple times almost 20 years ago.

This is a masterpiece.

Very sweet. I didn't appreciate this one as much as the authors other work, but it was a lovely, sweet, sentimental book.

Never have I laughed so much in the first chapter of a book.

This book started off in the best way. Rambo! Oh how I love him to death. The cutest character ever. All the characters were so well written with each complimenting the others. They all fit this story perfectly.

There was humor throughout this book but it's underlying message was of love and friendship. Something cosy.
T J Klune always writes some of the cosiest stories with a bit of a heavy conflict to them and do love them. I love all the oddities of the characters, how each have their quirks and fears and they all feel so real, even if they are robots.

The world building lost me for a moment. I wasn't completely sold on how Victor was made but I didn't come to this book for excessive world building, I came for a good time, a story where I didn't have to think too much and In The Lives Of Puppets delivered.

The romance side was a bit strange to me. in its essence it's sweet and wholesome but one party is a robot and I couldn't get passed that. Its just not my thing.

There is little at fault with this book. it achieved what it set out to do and I had a good time reading.

I highly recommend the audiobook the narrator really brings this book to life

Me, rocking back and forth under tears: “That was nice.”

I just couldn't enjoy this

This lived up to all of my expectations. I loved the small elements of Pinocchio that were added in. The Fox and the Cat, the donkey ears, the blue fairy being in the Luxor because of the light coming out of the top, and of course, the whale. My favorite part about TJ Klune's writing is his ability to jump between humorous and endearing moments so well. I loved every character, at least, every side character. Like with his other two books I have read, I found the “hero” to be the most boring and uninspired character in the cast. Outside of being human, Vic didn't really add a whole lot to the story for me. That being said, I loved all of the inappropriate jokes Nurse Rached and Rambo made at the expense of Vic. I'm a sucker for dick jokes. lol I loved this book.

Format read: hardcoverReading time: 7+ hoursTags: found family, scifi, fantasy, robots, dystopia, post-apocalyptic, quest, lgbt (ace, m/m)Own a copy: yesReread likelihood: 2/10SummaryIn a luscious forest, deep in Oregon, lives Giovanni Lawson, an inventor, father, and android. His son, Victor, is human; an aberration in the world since humans were completely wiped out by the robots they created. Victor is an inventor, like his father, but he is also enjoys tinkering and fixing up old, broken machines. Victor's robot friends, Rambo and Nurse Ratchet, work together to collect scrap metal to help with Victor's and Giovanni's inventions. One day, Vic happens upon a conscious android in a heap of metal and decides to fix him and add him to his family. When Giovanni is kidnapped right before his eyes, Vic has no choice but to travel crosscountry with his friends and the new android to save his father from a fate worse than death.ReviewBefore I jump into it, let me just put out a disclaimer that I love Klune's books. [b:The House in the Cerulean Sea 45047384 The House in the Cerulean Sea T.J. Klune https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569514209l/45047384.SY75.jpg 62945242] was my favourite book last year, and I still think about it because it was just that good. [b:Under the Whispering Door 53205888 Under the Whispering Door T.J. Klune https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1652374208l/53205888.SY75.jpg 67745728] was super imaginative, and while I didn't like it as much as Cerulean, it still holds a special place in my heart. By contrast, In the Lives of Puppets just didn't hit the mark this time, and here's why:I'm no stranger to sci-fi and android narratives. In fact, it's something I quite enjoy. My favourite book in this genre is [b:Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? 36402034 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507838927l/36402034.SY75.jpg 830939], which I can't help but think its title inspired Klune when he named his android city the City of Electric Dreams. This book was a mishmash of literary influences, starting with [b:Adventures of Pinnochio 568989 Adventures of Pinnochio Carlo Collodi https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png 2685281] as per the author's own avowal. However, what no one said is how much this book relies on Mary Shelley's masterpiece [b:Frankenstein: The 1818 Text 35031085 Frankenstein The 1818 Text Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1631088473l/35031085.SY75.jpg 4836639] and Baum's [b:The Wonderful Wizard of Oz 236093 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1) L. Frank Baum https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398003737l/236093.SY75.jpg 1993810]. Of course, the most glaring of all is [b:I, Robot 41804 I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) Isaac Asimov https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1609035271l/41804.SY75.jpg 1796026] in how the world is constructed. Other reviewers have mentioned how there are also similarities with Terminator. All of these influences aren't a bad thing, only that they overshadow Klune's own brand of originality and whimsy. After reading his two other “cozy fantasy” books, I've come to be used to his distinctive form of weaving and storytelling. Puppets didn't have much of that because all I could think of was all the other books in the background that are, as sad as it is to say, infinitely better than Puppets.Puppets falls flat with its characters. Apart for early-book Giovanni and Nurse Ratchet, every one else was either incredibly annoying or just flat and lacking any defining characteristics. In the first category, I place Rambo, and in the latter, Hap. Rambo almost single-handedly made me DNF the book with his constant annoying, nagging chatter. I've seen that many reviewers here really love the vacuum, but I really fail to understand why. As for Hap, he is so one-dimensional that half the time I forgot about him entirely. If it weren't for the mildly creepy “imprinting” on Vic, Hap could have been just any other piece of metal in the book and there wouldn't have been much of a difference.Speaking of creepy, the ‘romance' this time was just weird, honestly. I've read other examples of human/android romances that worked and made sense in the universe they were set in, but Vic and Hap just didn't. To me, they had absolutely nothing in common, and Hap only liked Vic because he saw him as his saviour/creator. The ending kind of shows that again when Vic manages to bring Hap back. Even though he has forgotten almost everything about Vic, we are meant to believe that it's a HEA for this strange duo. Also, the fact that Vic's mortality is never addressed is a huge plot hole. There is no mention of what will happen to Gio, Ratchet, Rambo, and Hap once Vic dies–and he will eventually, obviously. Also, there's no mention of what this will do in terms of humanity. Will earth never be repopulated? Will it forever be a wasteland of rusting robots, devoid of feelings? Who knows.Finally, as many have mentioned, the book is rife with juvenile sex jokes that are really off putting and break the immersion. Whenever the characters face something serious, one of them (usually Ratchet) will randomly drop a sexual innuendo or ‘joke' that does nothing to break the tension (in fact, it ruins it). I don't know why a bunch of robots are so obsessed with sex, genitals, and bodily fluids, but every other page featured a poop joke or a sex joke. It was all very unnecessary and annoying to read after the first handful of times.Overall, it's not so much that I hate the book, but I'm just really disappointed because I expected more. I still maintain that Cerulean is one of the best cozy SFF out there, but Puppets doesn't match up in the slightest. Hopefully, Klune's next novel will be back on track with his signature style.

My heart hurts so much, this gd book. So friggin' good. I wish I had been in the mood for it, I think I would have liked and appreciated it more, but still I hurt from the questions posed and just all the emotions.

Feelings so subtle that you don't notice they are gently wrapping around your heart getting tighter and tighter until you are crying and can't stop crying. The happiness is also sadness. Just at or slightly below the surface, rarely overwhelming you but never gone. Not sad enough to die but not happy enough to live. Just waiting for the clouds to part for a bit so you can feel the fleeting warmth of the sun on your face before it is gone again. I'm angry at the sadness.

Finishing books like this, that touch my soul, is a sort of death. T.J.'s stories always touch my soul, but this one especially. Especially.

It was also very funny but right now I'm just feeling sad.

read for the tarot readathon 2023: seven of wands

this is my least fav from t.j. klune but it's still a good books. i feel like the forumla is just becoming a bit repetitive but i liked the characters and the writing still ate down. this also had an adventous aspect to it which was not my fav because that's not why i read a tj klune.