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aoifsdarcy's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
wayward_sara's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
5.0
It really was a journey, a beautiful and moving one. Maybe because I had some difficult moments lately, but this book was comforting without being too optimistic. There was pain and sadness in this story but there was also love and happiness. As for the writing style, I liked it, I especially liked the short chapters, to me it felt like reading a short letter from a friend, a little moment of calm before going on with my day.
It's definetely become one of my favorite stories.
It's definetely become one of my favorite stories.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Infidelity
liz_ann's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I was looking for something to read and since I liked the Midnight Library by Matt Haig so much, I gave this a read! I am quite impressed by Haig's creativity in this novel and just like with the Midnight Library, he's able to so wonderfully capture the beauty of human life and it just makes me feel a little more alive inside. I enjoyed the themes of this book and his writing, but the overall plot of it was not my usual cup of tea, which is why I gave it 4 stars and not more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, and Mental illness
alekz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
I am not a fan of sci fi at all. But Haig's 'The Humans' is a realistic fiction book about the complexities and beauties of humanity, with the sci fi as an undercurrent that even vehemently anti sci fi folks can love. I have reread this book many many times and cry every time. Haig has such a way with words, writing this lighthearted, funny and heart breaking story with such a gentle prose that you cant look away. His chapter Advice for Humans is a handful of pages i've reread over and over and over again. It is life changing it rearranged my molecules I have suggested this book more than once to everyone I have met.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Body horror
eitakbackwards's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Bleurgh. Listened as audiobook. Decided to read based on the aliens concept. I was kind of enjoying the alien at the start thinking humans re fucking weird and then thought to myself 'ugh hope this guy doesn't start to enjoy humans, empathise with them, become one and never want to go back...'
I won't spoil it *eyeroll*
I think I'm done with this guy's books now, I read midnight library and one other and it's all the same empty pseudophilosophical bs for me. It's mildly interesting for about 40% and then it's like the author just got bored an purchased a 'Live, laugh love' plaque from Wilko and called it a day. The cringiest part for me was the extremely long list of fly-away bullet points at the end.
The way female characters were written or referred to sometimes seemed a bit infantilising. Didn't like the way he made the alien guy the 'hero', wasn't at all touched by the story and chuckled once in total. And don't tell me the alien read a whole Cosmo magazine and, despite it's alledgedly far superior intelligence and memory, didn't have a clue that infidelity was an issue for humans.
The mathematical proof was just a construct to get the characters into place only to be basically dropped for the remainder of the plot when that was the most interesting part!
I'd have liked an interrogation of gender to give it more substance. Alien pops to planet, is puzzled by basic human anatomy/interactions/expressions but has no issues with 'this is a man?', 'this is a woman?' anatomically and how gender is presented? As if aliens have the same gender constructs....
not a vibe for me. soz.
I won't spoil it *eyeroll*
I think I'm done with this guy's books now, I read midnight library and one other and it's all the same empty pseudophilosophical bs for me. It's mildly interesting for about 40% and then it's like the author just got bored an purchased a 'Live, laugh love' plaque from Wilko and called it a day. The cringiest part for me was the extremely long list of fly-away bullet points at the end.
The way female characters were written or referred to sometimes seemed a bit infantilising. Didn't like the way he made the alien guy the 'hero', wasn't at all touched by the story and chuckled once in total. And don't tell me the alien read a whole Cosmo magazine and, despite it's alledgedly far superior intelligence and memory, didn't have a clue that infidelity was an issue for humans.
The mathematical proof was just a construct to get the characters into place only to be basically dropped for the remainder of the plot when that was the most interesting part!
I'd have liked an interrogation of gender to give it more substance. Alien pops to planet, is puzzled by basic human anatomy/interactions/expressions but has no issues with 'this is a man?', 'this is a woman?' anatomically and how gender is presented? As if aliens have the same gender constructs....
not a vibe for me. soz.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Bullying, and Death
whirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
4.0
This book has a bit of everything: funny and lighthearted, but also sad and emotional. I think the way you read it might depend a bit on your own state of mind at the time
Very enjoyable
Very enjoyable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death of parent, Death, Bullying, and Alcohol
Minor: Forced institutionalization
book_addict's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Death, Mental illness, Murder, and Infidelity
adriana1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Bullying and Death
robyn_quick's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Much like Craig Raine's poem 'Martian Sends A Postcard Home', 'The Humans' is from the point of view of an alien on earth. The human experience is always front and centre of Haig's work, and this novel finds a unique way for an alien to discover what human really means. A hilarious read that makes you want to achieve all that you have meant to.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
paintedthree's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Very much enjoyed this. I might be seeking out more of Matt Haig's books
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Death
Minor: Self harm and Bullying