In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

Happy Tuesday y’all! This is the first time in a while that I’ve been behind on my reviews, but never fear, the review is here! I think I’m hysterical, anyway, this week I thought I’d go back and review one of my favorites (yes, the mystical title reserved for few). I’m talking about In the Lives of Puppets by the fabulous T.J. Klune!

I can’t forget the blurb for this one!

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar 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 and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. 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.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Sounds good, right? This book ya’ll. This book made me so happy yet wrecked me at the same time. There was happy screaming, and there were tears. Now, onto the review! In the Lives of Puppets is a wholesome story with the themes of the true meaning of family and friendship, and the beauty that can come from second chances. In the book, the main character, Victor Lawson, experiences quite a little character arc, along with his new acquaintance (friend?) Hap, who also changes a lot over the course of the book. So you have the sub-plot of the characters’ evolutions, then you also have the dashing adventure tale. As stated in the blurb, there is quite a bit of trekking. In this trekking, you get to know a strange cast of castaways and fugitives, both freaky and endearing, which I loved. I say strange lightly in this case, as this book made me feel like I tripped and fell into an odd mix of the Wizard of Oz, Pinocchio, and a classical fairytale. But then put all of these elements in a whimsy post-apocalyptic world taken over by robots.

There’s my attempt at describing why you should read the book. I don’t think I did it justice, so go read it! Then you’ll understand my chopped-up attempt at regaling the vibe of the book if you do that! I can’t say much else, for fear of spoiling the book, but if you are interested in any of those themes or the vibes stated above, go read this book! I can’t say it enough! I loved it! So either start reading In the Lives of Puppets or add it to your TBR!

Happy Reading!

Renee