In the Lives of Puppets
By T.J Klune
4 stars
“No civilization can survive indifference. It spread like a poison, turning fire into apathy, a dire infection whose cure requires more than most are willing to give”
I discovered the wonder of an author that is T.J Klune in 2022 and ever since then I can´t wait to read his newest release. I am not usually a fantasy / science fiction reader but I don’t know what it is that I always end up loving this authors books. T.J Klune has become an auto buy author so I didn’t even hesitate when this book came out.
This book tells the story of Victor Lawson, a human raised by a trio of eccentric robots in a secluded treehouse home, including his fatherly android guardian, Giovanni. Their peaceful life is disrupted when Victor repairs a mysterious android named HAP, inadvertently revealing their location to dangerous robots from Gio’s past as a hunter of humans. With Gio captured and taken to the City of Electric Dreams, Victor and his quirky robot family must embark on a perilous journey to save him. Along the way, Victor struggles with conflicting emotions of betrayal and affection for Hap and must confront the complexities of love, trust, and acceptance amidst a quest filled with danger and profound self-discovery.
The characters are what truly brought this book to life for me. Nurse Ratched and Rambo stood out as two of the most charming, endearing, and hilarious characters I've read in a while. Nurse Ratched, with her sharp, sardonic wit, was a perfect mix of protective and unhinged, making every interaction with her unpredictable and delightful. Rambo, the anxious and overly eager vacuum, was a burst of comedic relief whose innocence added a touch of heart to even the tensest moments. Klune's ability to make these mechanical beings feel so relatable and lovable is nothing short of brilliant.
The writing style, as with all of Klune’s works, felt like a warm embrace. There’s something almost magical in the way he crafts sentences—simple yet profound, whimsical yet grounded—that always manages to make me smile. His unique blend of humor, empathy, and tenderness weaves seamlessly into the narrative, and reading his work is like being wrapped in a cozy blanket.
That said, while I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was swept up in its unique world and heartfelt storytelling, it didn’t quite reach the heights of The House in the Cerulean Sea for me. The latter had an almost intangible “it” factor that this book, despite all its merits, slightly lacked. It didn't resonate on the same deep emotional level that left me awestruck as some of his previous works did.
Overall, In the Lives of Puppets is a touching tale of love, acceptance, and adventure with unforgettable characters that will make you laugh, sigh, and reflect on what it means to belong. It’s a story that showcases Klune’s signature warmth and originality, even if it doesn’t deliver that final gut-punch impact that makes a book a 5-star read for me. Still, this book is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf and a testament to why Klune remains an auto-buy author for me.
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