A review by bookswithlydscl
In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Easily my personal favourite TJ Klune. I loved the elements that are classic Klune - humour,, love, queer romance, memorable characters and a found family but I also absolutely adored the more adventurous story. This is a loose retelling of Pinocchio but in a sci-fi setting - usually it's the 'machines' seeking to become 'real' but here its a reversal with the human seeking to save his family and understand what it is to be human.

I only read TJ Klune's books via audiobook because his narrators are fantastic. Daniel Henning (who also did House on the Cerulean Sea) is one of my favourites out there and brings the characters and words to life. I laughed at so many points and fell in love with the characters, especially brave little Rambo.
I know this didn't hit the heights for many other readers but for my tastes was exactly what I love.