In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

 

So, this was a book that I almost stopped reading a couple-three times. It's not *bad*, exactly, but it's a weird dissonant tonal mix of whimsical and grim, romantic and hopeless (and not hopelessly romantic) that basically makes for a bit of a jarring read. Also, it feels slightly over-elongated in the denouement: Your story's done, wrap it up, will you.