Book review: The Humans

⭐5/5

"Understandably, humans need to know what kind of book they are about to read, because time is money and money costs time and there’s no time like the present and all of that. They need to know if it is a love story. Or a murder story. Or a story about aliens. Perhaps the book they have in their hands is a war story. It wouldn’t be a surprise. And also, of course, there is the ultimate, all-important question: does it have a dog in it?"

We all have those hard days when all we want is to get home, get cozy, and have a comforting cup of our favorite hot drink, right?

Well, I recently finished reading The Humans by Matt Haig and realized this book is just that: a warm, comforting read that would heal a tired mind after a hard day.

The Humans quickly become one of my new favorites because of the lovable characters, unique premise, and the light-hearted comedic narrator's voice.

In spite of loving the book from page one, I took an exceptionally long time to finish this book. I've said before that I'm a slow reader, but two months to finish is a long time. I think it was just impossible not to want to savor the narrative. In its 285 pages, I highlighted 55 lines and bookmarked more than 25 passages. The narrative is so witty and the perfect balance between poetic and dry humor that was impossible not to want to bask on each of those lines.

I think I haven't loved a book quite like this in a very long time. There are so many themes and motifs in this story, but perhaps the biggest influences on the plot are mathematics and poetry. Who knew math and poetry could build a beautiful love story together?

Here's a little bit more about this book:

Professor Martin was a very nice man, or so the alien imposter who now occupies his body will tell you. Sent to Earth to destroy evidence of the professor's discovery, he finds himself surrounded by these curious creatures called "the humans". The more he learns about these humans, the lives they lead, and Professor Martin's wife and son, the alien must choose between completing their mission and returning home or finding a new home right here on Earth.