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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I enjoyed this alien look at humans on earth, and his increasing desire to live with what humans live with, rather than the abilities he has as an alien - it was a little long and a little “preachy” for me. 2 1/2 stars rounded to 3.
Best book I have3 read in a long, long time. Haig uses the point of view of an alien being sent to earth to explore many of the ludicrous and contradictory things that we as a species do, and in the process builds a beautiful love story of love between spouses, parent and child, and family.
Don't read if you want to read along with SFFBC with no prior assumptions!
I thought this was sweet. It started out hilarious and got a bit syrupy, but I appreciated a refreshingly direct story.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Things to love:
-The gentle humor. Just read the first page. If you laugh, you'll probably enjoy it.
-A good take on an old classic. If you're a fan of "doppelganger is a better person than the original" type stories, this one's fun.
-Very human. I think this story is more a letter of tenderness towards people who've had difficulty--a reminder that this world is so far from typical and easy that just making it through a day is an absolute triumph, and I enjoy that message.
Things that were just okay:
-Romance. Hi, my name is Allison and I think stories about falling in love are, by and large, boring. That's my bag. A lot of people find it sweet or thrilling and I'm here like yes, duh, if you're into sexual romantic love, you fall in lust, and then if you are kind to each other you experience bursts of oxytocin and seratonin and then of course you fall in love. We get it. My brain makes drugs, too. Fist bump.
-Sentiment over story. There are several continuity breaks for humor or compassion. It made sense in the context of what the author was trying to do, but they do stand out as inconsistencies.
-Wanted more on mental health. As this is more or less a story about overcoming the lies our brains tell us, and trusting ourselves as human even if we're not "normal," I'd have liked a bit more there.
I'd recommend it to the right audience and I intend to read more by this author so my 3.5 star rating is rounded up.
I thought this was sweet. It started out hilarious and got a bit syrupy, but I appreciated a refreshingly direct story.
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Spoiler
self harm, torture, loss of family member, adultery, suicide, mental health crises.Things to love:
-The gentle humor. Just read the first page. If you laugh, you'll probably enjoy it.
-A good take on an old classic. If you're a fan of "doppelganger is a better person than the original" type stories, this one's fun.
-Very human. I think this story is more a letter of tenderness towards people who've had difficulty--a reminder that this world is so far from typical and easy that just making it through a day is an absolute triumph, and I enjoy that message.
Things that were just okay:
-Romance. Hi, my name is Allison and I think stories about falling in love are, by and large, boring. That's my bag. A lot of people find it sweet or thrilling and I'm here like yes, duh, if you're into sexual romantic love, you fall in lust, and then if you are kind to each other you experience bursts of oxytocin and seratonin and then of course you fall in love. We get it. My brain makes drugs, too. Fist bump.
-Sentiment over story. There are several continuity breaks for humor or compassion. It made sense in the context of what the author was trying to do, but they do stand out as inconsistencies.
-Wanted more on mental health. As this is more or less a story about overcoming the lies our brains tell us, and trusting ourselves as human even if we're not "normal," I'd have liked a bit more there.
I'd recommend it to the right audience and I intend to read more by this author so my 3.5 star rating is rounded up.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the way Matt Haig writes. I love this story. It was nice to read such a book as 2017 is drawing to a close. I am filled with warm fuzzies and hope for the future.
adventurous
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes