4.25 stars

"What do you do if you’ve forgotten all you know?”
“You start again from the beginning.”

TJK books are full of fairy dust and magic; I can never get enough of them.

In The Lives of Puppets has to be TJ Klune's most human book as of yet. While his books always have dealt with how to live fully, Puppets asks what it means to live as a human. The emotions, the nagging thoughts, the anxieties and the head vs heart debates we have so often.

I have always loved how much heart and emotion Klune manages to pack into his books. His books are always so human, and it's part of the reason why they work so well as "cosy feel good stories". They tackle the ugly parts of humanity and tell the reader that it's okay, there are ways you can be better, ways you can still be kind in a world that tries to destroy every good thing ever.

In The Lives of Puppets is an amalgamation of humanity and what it means. It emphasizes the importance of being kind. Just kind. Giving each other the space to grow and make mistakes; acknowledging those mistakes and choosing to do better despite everything. Klune manages to balance the fine line between twee and comfy. The importance of second chances and free will. Having the free will to make choices that help others when it would be easier to hurt them. I also love the continuous-running theme of the importance of art and music that is ever present in his books. Klune's characters will often find themselves really considering their humanity while listening to some blues, or dancing to some jazz. As I write this review, I have Cheek to Cheek playing in the background because reading Klune's books really feels like one is in Heaven.

While Puppets might be darker than The House in the Cerulean Sea and more adult than Under the Whispering Door, it still has its own distinctive voice. Klune has clearly proved that he isn't a one-trick pony, and is capable of building intricate worlds and lovable characters while still retaining that damned humanness that sets his work apart. I do feel like the first half was tighter, and I kind of lost myself in the middle, but it all comes around beautifully by the end. There are a lot of thematic and narrative parallels to Pinocchio, but it's the best kind of "retelling" where it manages to stand on its own two feet without having to rely too much on the source. I loved the resonances with Pinocchio tbh. Gepetto had always been my favourite in the story, and to nobody's surprise, Giovanni was my favourite in this book (though Nurse Ratched) was a close second. You can read more of the author's thoughts on writing this book here.

Emotional and magical, In The Lives of Puppets is a beautiful story of love and kindness. TJ Klune has done it again folks! The book comes out 28/04/2023.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.