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patchworkbunny's Reviews (2.12k)
The world’s greatest mathematical puzzle has been solved by Professor Andrew Martin. The Riemann hypothesis would unlock the secrets of interstellar travel and huge medical advances. He goes missing in the night and the next day turns up wandering naked and appears to have forgotten how to act…well, human. Finding his wife and teenage son repulsive, he manages to bond with the family dog over peanut butter sandwiches and starts the task of obliterating all knowledge of the professor’s discovery.
The Humans had me genuinely laughing out loud. Our alien narrator spends the first few chapters naked (after learning the English language from Cosmopolitan magazine), and not realising that this is why people are giving him funny looks. Clothes are an odd concept; we’re the only species on the planet that wear them after all. This sets the tone for the book, the idea that an alien visiting Earth finds everything here a bit alien. Seeing the human race for the first time through his eyes is both hilarious and moving. We might have a history full of persecution and war, but we also have Emily Dickinson. And peanut butter.
Matt Haig hits the nail on the head repeatedly with many of our odd behaviour traits but he also addresses some of the serious aspects of being human. As our narrator starts to see humans differently, we see the humanity and the heart-ache. The chapter entitled “Advice for a human” (from which the quotes in the trailer come from) is a wonderfully uplifting list; one to read whenever you’re feeling down. Because being human is about ups and downs, and it makes us what we are. This is a book I can see myself returning to again and again. I love it!
The Humans had me genuinely laughing out loud. Our alien narrator spends the first few chapters naked (after learning the English language from Cosmopolitan magazine), and not realising that this is why people are giving him funny looks. Clothes are an odd concept; we’re the only species on the planet that wear them after all. This sets the tone for the book, the idea that an alien visiting Earth finds everything here a bit alien. Seeing the human race for the first time through his eyes is both hilarious and moving. We might have a history full of persecution and war, but we also have Emily Dickinson. And peanut butter.
Matt Haig hits the nail on the head repeatedly with many of our odd behaviour traits but he also addresses some of the serious aspects of being human. As our narrator starts to see humans differently, we see the humanity and the heart-ache. The chapter entitled “Advice for a human” (from which the quotes in the trailer come from) is a wonderfully uplifting list; one to read whenever you’re feeling down. Because being human is about ups and downs, and it makes us what we are. This is a book I can see myself returning to again and again. I love it!
Carey has been living in a camper in the middle of the woods for as long as she can remember; bringing up her little sister, Jenessa, in the shadow of her addict mother. Her mother tells her they had to run from their abusive father and the woods are the only safe place for them. When her mother is gone for longer than her normal trips away, Carey starts to worry but is certain she’ll come back. But then two strangers approach them, strangers who promise to take them away. Promise them a better life.
Written in first person narrative, Carey starts off in a southern accent but makes a conscious decision to improve her speech when she joins the rest of the world. This means that the writing style changes a few chapters in (so don’t make your mind up from a sample, as accented speech can often be a struggle to read). The two girls are well educated, but there are a lot of things that we take for granted that they have only read about and there some wonderful scenes of amazement as they become reintegrated into modern life. Yet there is also an awful lot to be scared of; from surviving high school to hiding the truth. It's also a shocking reminder of the poverty that some families live in, whatever their circumstances.
I know that Carey has had things bad in the past and deserved good to happen to her now, but really, I felt her new life was a little too good to be true. Her new mother doesn’t bat an eyelid at spending hundreds on a new wardrobe, both children score above average in their learning assessments and the whole family is incredibly patient and understanding. It is often a fault of YA that the adult characters aren’t multi-faceted; they’re either without flaws or plain evil. Delaney is a breath of fresh air in this respect, as she might seem mean but her reactions to an intruder in her life are natural.
The dark underbelly of the story is what drives it on. There are enough clues given to work out what happened to them in the woods but it’s about Carey coming to terms with it, getting to the point where she’s willing to admit and accept.
Written in first person narrative, Carey starts off in a southern accent but makes a conscious decision to improve her speech when she joins the rest of the world. This means that the writing style changes a few chapters in (so don’t make your mind up from a sample, as accented speech can often be a struggle to read). The two girls are well educated, but there are a lot of things that we take for granted that they have only read about and there some wonderful scenes of amazement as they become reintegrated into modern life. Yet there is also an awful lot to be scared of; from surviving high school to hiding the truth. It's also a shocking reminder of the poverty that some families live in, whatever their circumstances.
I know that Carey has had things bad in the past and deserved good to happen to her now, but really, I felt her new life was a little too good to be true. Her new mother doesn’t bat an eyelid at spending hundreds on a new wardrobe, both children score above average in their learning assessments and the whole family is incredibly patient and understanding. It is often a fault of YA that the adult characters aren’t multi-faceted; they’re either without flaws or plain evil. Delaney is a breath of fresh air in this respect, as she might seem mean but her reactions to an intruder in her life are natural.
The dark underbelly of the story is what drives it on. There are enough clues given to work out what happened to them in the woods but it’s about Carey coming to terms with it, getting to the point where she’s willing to admit and accept.
Zenn Scarlett lives in a cloister on Mars and she’s training to be an exovet. That’s a vet who treats alien creatures. She has three practical exams approaching when weird things start happening. She starts to feel what the creatures are feeling but it’s not helping her concentration. In fact, she seems to be making more mistakes than ever and the timing couldn’t be worse. It’s not just her education on the line, but the future of the cloister. Unrest is brewing in the local town and the aliens aren’t wanted any more.
I loved some of the concepts of how to treat alien creatures; especially when they are the size of spaceships! The in-soma pods made me think of Inner Space, even if they did only go down the digestive tract… I am a little sad that we didn’t get a fully described treatment but maybe I’m a little weird in that respect. The tensest part of the book was a 36 hour operation on a cat, and I mean that in a good way. It’s perfect for kids who might be starting to grow out of those animal rescue style books but still secretly love reading about animals and looking out for them.
For me, it was a little bit young for my tastes, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to kids. The Martian politics were a little too obvious but a good introduction to the pointlessness of racism and how segregation starts. It’s easier to deal with these issues for a young audience using aliens as the outcasts; historically blamed for disease and destruction on earth and therefore they become the perfect scape goat for human problems. From Zenn’s point of view, we see how silly the people of Mars are being. In fact, they are the aliens. They have no more place on Mars than the creatures they treat.
It was refreshing to see a young adult character working towards an actual profession, instead of saving the world or mindlessly going to school. If you know of anyone with ambitions to be a vet, or even already in training, I think this would be a great gift.
Christian talks about the inspiration behind the exovets.
I loved some of the concepts of how to treat alien creatures; especially when they are the size of spaceships! The in-soma pods made me think of Inner Space, even if they did only go down the digestive tract… I am a little sad that we didn’t get a fully described treatment but maybe I’m a little weird in that respect. The tensest part of the book was a 36 hour operation on a cat, and I mean that in a good way. It’s perfect for kids who might be starting to grow out of those animal rescue style books but still secretly love reading about animals and looking out for them.
For me, it was a little bit young for my tastes, but I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to kids. The Martian politics were a little too obvious but a good introduction to the pointlessness of racism and how segregation starts. It’s easier to deal with these issues for a young audience using aliens as the outcasts; historically blamed for disease and destruction on earth and therefore they become the perfect scape goat for human problems. From Zenn’s point of view, we see how silly the people of Mars are being. In fact, they are the aliens. They have no more place on Mars than the creatures they treat.
It was refreshing to see a young adult character working towards an actual profession, instead of saving the world or mindlessly going to school. If you know of anyone with ambitions to be a vet, or even already in training, I think this would be a great gift.
Christian talks about the inspiration behind the exovets.
America Singer is still in the running to win the hand of the prince of Illea. Six girls remain; they are the Elite. Life in the palace may revolve around dinners and dresses but the rebels are growing in strength and attacks on the Royal family are increasing. Against a backdrop of political turmoil, America must come to terms with her own conflicting feelings. Does she really want to be a princess and the future Queen of Illea?
I’m not convinced there’s enough mileage in this find the prince a wife reality show scenario for a whole trilogy. America manages to dither between the two love interests for the majority of the story. One minute she’s falling for Maxon, the next it’s all about Aspen, then the prince does something she likes, then she doubts him, back to Aspen, oh but she just can’t make her mind up! It started to get irritating, not helped by the fact I really didn’t like Aspen from the first book. America seems to have forgotten how much the caste differences meant to him.
What I was grateful for was the introduction of politics. With The Selection I challenged its need to be set in a dystopian society but here some of those political elements are woven in between all America’s yo-yoing. We learn a lot more about Illea's history and how the current system came to be. America comes across as immature not realising the position Maxon is in as well as the potential for her to do something meaningful if she became Queen one day. I rather like Maxon but I can imagine younger readers being horrified by him keeping his options open. Yet America’s behaviour towards him justifies it.
America has to come to terms with some of the hard truths of her potential life. Yes, she comes across as immature but I think by the end, she does seem to have grown up a bit. If you didn’t enjoy The Selection I don’t think The Elite brings anything new to bring you round but it is an enjoyable read. Just as before, the story is full of faults but the pages whizz by. And at least this time, the ending is in the right place, but with enough of a hook to make you want to read the final instalment.
I’m not convinced there’s enough mileage in this find the prince a wife reality show scenario for a whole trilogy. America manages to dither between the two love interests for the majority of the story. One minute she’s falling for Maxon, the next it’s all about Aspen, then the prince does something she likes, then she doubts him, back to Aspen, oh but she just can’t make her mind up! It started to get irritating, not helped by the fact I really didn’t like Aspen from the first book. America seems to have forgotten how much the caste differences meant to him.
What I was grateful for was the introduction of politics. With The Selection I challenged its need to be set in a dystopian society but here some of those political elements are woven in between all America’s yo-yoing. We learn a lot more about Illea's history and how the current system came to be. America comes across as immature not realising the position Maxon is in as well as the potential for her to do something meaningful if she became Queen one day. I rather like Maxon but I can imagine younger readers being horrified by him keeping his options open. Yet America’s behaviour towards him justifies it.
America has to come to terms with some of the hard truths of her potential life. Yes, she comes across as immature but I think by the end, she does seem to have grown up a bit. If you didn’t enjoy The Selection I don’t think The Elite brings anything new to bring you round but it is an enjoyable read. Just as before, the story is full of faults but the pages whizz by. And at least this time, the ending is in the right place, but with enough of a hook to make you want to read the final instalment.
It’s 1994 on Guernsey and the girls of Tudor Falls are returning to school. Flo’s father has just moved out and she’s left holding the baby; well her 4 year-old sister, Abi, who her mother refuses to look after. At school, she lives in the shadow of her controlling best friend, never making any choices for herself or holding her own. Outgoing Renée lost her mother when she was seven but still misses her. Struggling to live under her grandparents’ roof she is also concerned about her sister Nell, who refuses to eat and wants to go live with their father in Spain. The two girls live their lives apart until one drunken night brings them together, and the friendship starts to blossom with the help of notes folded into paper aeroplanes.
If you were at high school in the 90’s you should read this. It not only transported me back through time but also felt completely believable. There are no romantic liaisons or incredibly beautiful yet modest and kind girls in this story. Partly based on Dawn’s own diary entries from her teens, Flo and Renée act like real teenagers, right down to getting ridiculously drunk and being completely embarrassing. If you can remember any of yourself in them, you will laugh but their story is also a sad one.
Both girls are struggling with the loss of parents and a lack of support from their existing guardians. Flo is “best friends” with Sally but doesn’t like her all that much and certainly can’t talk to her about her problems. Sally is controlling and verging on a bully but Flo prefers that fake friendship to being alone. Renée on the other hand is outgoing, flirts with boys and has plenty of friends but no real, meaningful relationships with any of them. The other girls are nice enough but they have their own bonds. I think both girls’ scenarios are ones that are common in schools, even today. So many children don’t have anyone they can talk to about the things that matter. In addition to their broken families, you really feel for them, egging them on to close the gap.
How refreshing is it to not have dreamy love interests? Yes the girls are interested in boys but they are not romanticised in the slightest. Sexual encounters are fumbling. Feelings are not always mutual. Sometimes teenagers settle for one person just because they’re there.
I can see the 90’s becoming a more popular setting, especially for young adult fiction. It’s hard to write about growing up now without the internet and mobile phones being involved. Whilst we had the internet in the 90’s it was pretty basic and much more about finding out information. It’s the last time you can set something where a paper aeroplane is a viable form of communication.
The only downside was that I often found myself getting confused between Flo and Renée. The first person narrative alternates between the two girls and their voices are pretty much the same. With them both having problems at home, it took me a long time to be able to differentiate between them. But this is minor issue in an otherwise fabulous book about being a teenager. It’s tough but we get through it the best we can.
If you were at high school in the 90’s you should read this. It not only transported me back through time but also felt completely believable. There are no romantic liaisons or incredibly beautiful yet modest and kind girls in this story. Partly based on Dawn’s own diary entries from her teens, Flo and Renée act like real teenagers, right down to getting ridiculously drunk and being completely embarrassing. If you can remember any of yourself in them, you will laugh but their story is also a sad one.
Both girls are struggling with the loss of parents and a lack of support from their existing guardians. Flo is “best friends” with Sally but doesn’t like her all that much and certainly can’t talk to her about her problems. Sally is controlling and verging on a bully but Flo prefers that fake friendship to being alone. Renée on the other hand is outgoing, flirts with boys and has plenty of friends but no real, meaningful relationships with any of them. The other girls are nice enough but they have their own bonds. I think both girls’ scenarios are ones that are common in schools, even today. So many children don’t have anyone they can talk to about the things that matter. In addition to their broken families, you really feel for them, egging them on to close the gap.
How refreshing is it to not have dreamy love interests? Yes the girls are interested in boys but they are not romanticised in the slightest. Sexual encounters are fumbling. Feelings are not always mutual. Sometimes teenagers settle for one person just because they’re there.
I can see the 90’s becoming a more popular setting, especially for young adult fiction. It’s hard to write about growing up now without the internet and mobile phones being involved. Whilst we had the internet in the 90’s it was pretty basic and much more about finding out information. It’s the last time you can set something where a paper aeroplane is a viable form of communication.
The only downside was that I often found myself getting confused between Flo and Renée. The first person narrative alternates between the two girls and their voices are pretty much the same. With them both having problems at home, it took me a long time to be able to differentiate between them. But this is minor issue in an otherwise fabulous book about being a teenager. It’s tough but we get through it the best we can.
Thea has been sent away. It’s a punishment, removed from her family she loves so much and made to live amongst strangers. She has never known people outside her family, but she knows she deserves her punishment. She must leave her beloved Sasi behind but at least she will be riding, for she has been sent to Yonahlosse: A summer equestrian respite, educating young ladies since 1902.
Set in 1920s America, the novel spans a time of in-betweens. Not only is Thea at that awkward age between child and adult, but it is also a time where women’s roles and rights were changing, social rules were shifting and of course the start of the Great Depression; where the once rich have to deal with being the new poor. Thea has lived a very sheltered life and somehow that manages to continue despite the rest of the world falling into chaos. She comes across as a bit distant. She’s one of those characters who you won’t exactly like as a person but it all fits with everything you learn about her and her upbringing.
I have never quite grown out of horse books and being a pony-mad girl growing up, I would have killed to have been sent away to riding camp long term! Anton is careful to explain some things that would seem obvious to those who know horses so a lack of knowledge wouldn’t get in the way of enjoying Yonahlossee. However, I do know some people just don’t like horses and well, they do play a big enough role to get annoying if you’re that way inclined. It’s not really about the horses though; it’s about a girl who is cushioned throughout life and the resulting consequences.
I did think at the start that I knew what her secret was and whilst I may have been partly right, each dip into the past reveals something new and my prediction changed repeatedly. It’s fairly slow-paced but enough information is drip-fed at the right moments to keep the intrigue going. I loved the setting, both in time and the secluded ranch in North Carolina. I have seen some people recommending this for fans of The Great Gatsby, but in all honestly, I enjoyed Yonahlossee a whole lot more.
Set in 1920s America, the novel spans a time of in-betweens. Not only is Thea at that awkward age between child and adult, but it is also a time where women’s roles and rights were changing, social rules were shifting and of course the start of the Great Depression; where the once rich have to deal with being the new poor. Thea has lived a very sheltered life and somehow that manages to continue despite the rest of the world falling into chaos. She comes across as a bit distant. She’s one of those characters who you won’t exactly like as a person but it all fits with everything you learn about her and her upbringing.
I have never quite grown out of horse books and being a pony-mad girl growing up, I would have killed to have been sent away to riding camp long term! Anton is careful to explain some things that would seem obvious to those who know horses so a lack of knowledge wouldn’t get in the way of enjoying Yonahlossee. However, I do know some people just don’t like horses and well, they do play a big enough role to get annoying if you’re that way inclined. It’s not really about the horses though; it’s about a girl who is cushioned throughout life and the resulting consequences.
I did think at the start that I knew what her secret was and whilst I may have been partly right, each dip into the past reveals something new and my prediction changed repeatedly. It’s fairly slow-paced but enough information is drip-fed at the right moments to keep the intrigue going. I loved the setting, both in time and the secluded ranch in North Carolina. I have seen some people recommending this for fans of The Great Gatsby, but in all honestly, I enjoyed Yonahlossee a whole lot more.