A review by nincrony1
Doctor Who: Human Nature by Paul Cornell

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

My first Doctor Who novel in nearly 20 years (…) and also the first of the (in)famous VNA series I’ve read. Most know this was adapted into a rather good two-parter for 10 and the source novel is also equally good (though I might prefer the TV adaptation, sure me). That said, Human Nature stars 7, who is easily one of my favourite takes on the character and Paul Cornell completely nails the voice of the character, even with the majority of the novel spent with the John Smith persona. I’m aware of Bernice Summerfield but this is my first encounter with her. I liked the character ok enough and I’m curious about how she fits into the wider series. I also knew to expect darker, more graphic content (the VNAs appealed to a more adult audience during the Wilderness Years) and it more or less works here. In particular, I liked its portrayal of Britain sleep-walking into WWI. The concept of The Doctor as Human is explored very well and his relationship with Joan is sweet and heartbreaking. I can completely understand why they wanted to adapt this for the modern series, which the more personable romantic take on the Doctor. The plot at times got a little muddled for me though and (whilst not the fault of the book), the new Cornell introduction does warn new readers not to understand all the references to the wider VNAs series. Still, this was an enjoyable breezy read even if I felt liked I’d stepped in mid-season (again, not the book’s fault).