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celia_thebookishhufflepuff 's review for:
The Rest of Us Just Live Here
by Patrick Ness
4/24/2019
When I first started rereading this novel, I didn't have the feeling I always love of getting something new out of it. It was good, but not really anything too special. However, as I finished the book, there was one big difference I did notice. When I read this a year ago, I was still only starting the college process, and I wasn't thinking about anything too seriously. The characters, on the other hand, were making plans for prom and graduation and going through the stress that was all of that, as well as the stuff going on with the indie kids and the Immortals.
My stress echoed a lot more in the novel this time around, and looking back, it may not have been the best choice for this point in time, as I just made my college decision and I am having questions about prom and graduation myself. I had forgotten how much this novel deals with that, and I wouldn't have necessarily picked it up if I had remembered.
I honestly don't know if I'll come back to this one in the future. It's definitely not one of those favorites to read again and again, although to be fair I hardly ever find that at all with standalone novels.
Below is my review from about a year ago, although I hadn't realized it had been that recent since I last read the book. A lot of my review still holds true after a second read, if I'm being honest.
------------------------------------------------
3/2/2018
You know that feeling when you read a book that you're just not sure if you like? That was [b:The Rest of Us Just Live Here|22910900|The Rest of Us Just Live Here|Patrick Ness|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429800081s/22910900.jpg|42475450] for me.
For me, today was one of those days where you just feel totally restless and incoherent. We have to have this book read for book club and I only tried to start a little bit, I swear. Yeah. You all know how that goes.
I feel like [b:The Rest of Us Just Live Here|22910900|The Rest of Us Just Live Here|Patrick Ness|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429800081s/22910900.jpg|42475450] deals with too many conflicting stories. Yes, I understand it's kind of the point that Mike, Mel, and all of their friends are just trying to live a normal life while all this crazy, otherworldly stuff happens around them. Still, though, I feel like the parts about mental illness and the campaign were played up a little too much.
Then again, I've never read a book written in this style before. I mean, sure, there are fantasy fanfictions and spinoffs out there written from the points of view of characters who never see any action, but these still take place in magical lands and are still very focused around the events that happen in the bigger work. With this, there is no companion novel. There is only the little bits at the beginning of each chapter about the "indie kids" who battle the Immortals (and everyone else) and believe in fate.
One thing I think is interesting is how the adults never understand fully what's going on. However, there are references alluding to the same otherworldly things that happened in their time. And this all takes place in a seemingly modern America, with the same politics and family dramas. The adults just live like things are normal, and the kids of every generation end up doing everything.
This is probably the weirdest book I've read in a long time.
When I first started rereading this novel, I didn't have the feeling I always love of getting something new out of it. It was good, but not really anything too special. However, as I finished the book, there was one big difference I did notice. When I read this a year ago, I was still only starting the college process, and I wasn't thinking about anything too seriously. The characters, on the other hand, were making plans for prom and graduation and going through the stress that was all of that, as well as the stuff going on with the indie kids and the Immortals.
My stress echoed a lot more in the novel this time around, and looking back, it may not have been the best choice for this point in time, as I just made my college decision and I am having questions about prom and graduation myself. I had forgotten how much this novel deals with that, and I wouldn't have necessarily picked it up if I had remembered.
I honestly don't know if I'll come back to this one in the future. It's definitely not one of those favorites to read again and again, although to be fair I hardly ever find that at all with standalone novels.
Below is my review from about a year ago, although I hadn't realized it had been that recent since I last read the book. A lot of my review still holds true after a second read, if I'm being honest.
------------------------------------------------
3/2/2018
You know that feeling when you read a book that you're just not sure if you like? That was [b:The Rest of Us Just Live Here|22910900|The Rest of Us Just Live Here|Patrick Ness|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429800081s/22910900.jpg|42475450] for me.
For me, today was one of those days where you just feel totally restless and incoherent. We have to have this book read for book club and I only tried to start a little bit, I swear. Yeah. You all know how that goes.
I feel like [b:The Rest of Us Just Live Here|22910900|The Rest of Us Just Live Here|Patrick Ness|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429800081s/22910900.jpg|42475450] deals with too many conflicting stories. Yes, I understand it's kind of the point that Mike, Mel, and all of their friends are just trying to live a normal life while all this crazy, otherworldly stuff happens around them. Still, though, I feel like the parts about mental illness and the campaign were played up a little too much.
Then again, I've never read a book written in this style before. I mean, sure, there are fantasy fanfictions and spinoffs out there written from the points of view of characters who never see any action, but these still take place in magical lands and are still very focused around the events that happen in the bigger work. With this, there is no companion novel. There is only the little bits at the beginning of each chapter about the "indie kids" who battle the Immortals (and everyone else) and believe in fate.
One thing I think is interesting is how the adults never understand fully what's going on. However, there are references alluding to the same otherworldly things that happened in their time. And this all takes place in a seemingly modern America, with the same politics and family dramas. The adults just live like things are normal, and the kids of every generation end up doing everything.
This is probably the weirdest book I've read in a long time.