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handful_of_frogs's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
A huge disappointment, Klune seems to be regressing as a writer- this is coming from someone who loved Under the Whispering Door and The House in the Cerulean Sea. If he wants to write an asexual character accurately maybe he should find a premise for them that doesn't involve being attracted to androids. This entire book is a mix of material stolen from Spielberg's AI film, Pinocchio (of course), and a bland d&d campaign. The most interesting character is an anxious Roomba but even a quipping vacuum can't make this novel worth the time it took to read it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Police brutality, War, Violence, Bullying, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
schausjk's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Genocide, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent, Body horror, and Medical content
augustar14's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
TJ Klune never disappoints. This book is no exception.
Klune does an incredible job of creating a character (or characters) that have so many unlikable qualities, but that you ultimately can't help but fall in love with. This book truly embodies the concept of loving others for who they are now, not who they used to be, and not letting one's past define them.
This quirky found family goes on an adventure to save one of their own, because when you love someone, you don't leave them behind.
Klune does an incredible job of creating a character (or characters) that have so many unlikable qualities, but that you ultimately can't help but fall in love with. This book truly embodies the concept of loving others for who they are now, not who they used to be, and not letting one's past define them.
This quirky found family goes on an adventure to save one of their own, because when you love someone, you don't leave them behind.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Suicide, Body horror, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Blood, Death, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Animal death, Kidnapping, and Abandonment
Minor: Dementia and Medical content
the_bees_books's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
A really sweet, if slightly tonally and message confused, book about what it is to be human, what it is to forgive, and what makes a family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death of parent, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Torture, Genocide, and Murder
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and War
kenzieburns's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
4.0
As soon as I saw this book was coming out, I reserved a copy from my local library. Normally, Klune is an auto-buy author for me, but I am glad I got this one from the library. I found the characters lovable, for sure, and we definitely got some of Klune's characteristic sass and humor, but overall I wasn't in love with the premise of the plot. I liked the found family and adventurer's guild aspects, but there was a lot about what seemed to be forgiveness for the past. I found it really hard to believe that Victor would forgive both Hap and Gio for their literal crimes against humanity. I enjoyed the intense monologue about it not being his (Victor's) place to forgive them, but he could choose to move on, which was moving, but the aspect of condoning literal genocide was not okay to me. Also, there was just a bit too much borderline robot-porn for my tastes? Don't get me wrong, I found the jokes quite funny, but the whole "in-love-with-a-robot" thing was very weird. Might just be my somewhat PG tastes though. On a separate note, I really loved Nurse Rached and Rambo as the comedic relief and best friends/sidekicks. I grew very attached to them and their relationships with VIc and Gio. I'm knocking off a star mainly because this wasn't "House" level for me, and I really wanted it to be. Also, the title could have been more descriptive/relevant to the plot. Perhaps I'm just a bit dense, but the title didn't draw me in, I was mainly reading this because it's Klune. Fingers crossed for an extension on the Torr deal and a "House" sequel!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Violence, and Dementia
Moderate: Body horror, Animal death, Blood, and Excrement
purplepenning's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
I do love a science fantasy! (Monk and Robot love forever!) And I probably had oversized hopes for this particular one. It ended up being an enjoyable read that was somewhat marred by bouts of oddly ribald humor and the weight of expectations.
The humor, which was admittedly funny in the author's Extraordinaries books (and, to a lesser degree, in some previous humorous fantasies and contemporaries) felt out of place here. Not all of the humor, of course — there's plenty of Klune's other trademark brands of humor, including a very needy and lovable sentient Roomba with ADHD and a kind-hearted and terrifying caretaker robot who issues threats of pain while displaying pithy remarks. Both hilarious.
As for the unmet expectations, that's mostly on me, but I'm also not sure the story manages to communicate the big truths at its core — the ones about humanity, time, forgiveness, loyalty, hope. It felt a little flat — the characters and plot needed to be rounded out, plumped up, given a few more emotional beats and a few less repetitive gags.
Still... any day reading a robot fantasy by T.J. Klune is a good day.
The humor, which was admittedly funny in the author's Extraordinaries books (and, to a lesser degree, in some previous humorous fantasies and contemporaries) felt out of place here. Not all of the humor, of course — there's plenty of Klune's other trademark brands of humor, including a very needy and lovable sentient Roomba with ADHD and a kind-hearted and terrifying caretaker robot who issues threats of pain while displaying pithy remarks. Both hilarious.
As for the unmet expectations, that's mostly on me, but I'm also not sure the story manages to communicate the big truths at its core — the ones about humanity, time, forgiveness, loyalty, hope. It felt a little flat — the characters and plot needed to be rounded out, plumped up, given a few more emotional beats and a few less repetitive gags.
Still... any day reading a robot fantasy by T.J. Klune is a good day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Grief, Murder, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, and Sexual content
crude, sophomoric humor
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