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thetejana_bookshelf 's review for:

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

 
TJ Klune's take on Pinocchio drops us into a world where robots have taken over and nearly wiped out humanity. Our main character Victor might be the last human left, but he's far from alone – he's surrounded by his loyal robot family in this story about love, trust, and what it means to be alive. 

The characters really make this book special, especially Nurse Ratchet, who steals every scene she's in with her biting humor and sass. You wouldn't want her as your actual nurse, but she'll make you laugh out loud. The heart of the story is how Victor and his robot friends create their own kind of found family, though sometimes the book sends mixed messages about whether robots have the capacity to feel without their initial programing. 

The story moves at a good clip.  Klune is great at writing witty dialogue and exciting action. While there aren't many shocking twists, a few things did raise my eyebrows,
like how the blue fairy keeps working when it shouldn't, or why HAP makes the final sacrifice instead of Nurse Ratchet.
 

The ending wraps things up but left me wondering –
what if Victor found another human? Or even frozen embryos to restart humanity? These questions stayed with me after finishing the book.

"In The Lives of Puppets" is an enjoyable read, but if you're new to TJ Klune, I'd suggest starting with his other books first. This one has plenty to like, but it's not his strongest work.