Humans: An A-Z

(⅘ Stars) „The Humans follows an extraterrestrial being sent to Earth to stop humanity from advancing technologically after mathematician Andrew Martin solves the Riemann Hypothesis. The alien takes on Martin’s identity and is forced to navigate human life — language, social norms, emotions, relationships — all while struggling with the moral implications of its mission.“ This book was such a vibe. It’s genuinely funny — to the point where I’d almost warn people not to read it in public, because I definitely laughed out loud a few times. While the book is by no means perfect, and there were moments where the explanations of certain “human things” felt a bit too on-the-nose or repetitive, it was still incredibly entertaining overall. I had a really good time reading this. The writing style is very simple and accessible, nothing complicated or heavy, which makes it an easy and enjoyable read. Because of that, I can easily imagine The Humans being a perfect palate cleanser for many readers — especially between heavier or more emotionally demanding books. Funny, thoughtful, and surprisingly warm, this is a book that doesn’t try to be overly complex, but still manages to say something meaningful about what it actually means to be human.

If you’ve ever felt like humans are a bizarre species, congratulations—you’re not alone. In The Humans, an unnamed alien arrives on Earth, takes over a mathematician’s life, and immediately comes to the logical conclusion that humans are disgusting, irrational, and honestly? Kind of embarrassing. (Fair point, honestly.) But as he spends more time among them—learning their flaws, their kindness, their heartbreak—he starts to realize that maybe humanity is worth all its messiness after all. This book is funny in that dry, sarcastic way that cuts deep. It makes you laugh at how ridiculous humans are—our obsession with money, our fear of the unknown, our tendency to hurt the ones we love. But then, out of nowhere, it hits you with these soul-crushingly beautiful truths about life. Like how pain and love are two sides of the same coin. How music can explain things words never could. How sometimes, the most irrational thing—love, connection, hope—is actually what makes life worth it. Matt Haig has this magical way of making you feel seen, like he’s taken all the weird, lonely thoughts in your head and turned them into a book. The Humans is hilarious, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful. If you’ve ever questioned life (so, basically, if you’re human), this book will break you and put you back together again.

Dnf @47 I was excited to read this book, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The first chapter was captivating, and I eagerly anticipated delving deeper into the story. However, the book took an awkward turn when the alien began constantly making rude comments about humanity. While some of these comments were amusing, they became repetitive, like an endless stream of trivial observations about human actions. Ironically, the alien arrived on Earth with no knowledge of human civilization. When the alien species had been monitoring Earth and its inhabitants, he came to our planet without understanding our language or the concept of clothing. Also he was running around naked, which initially provided some humor but soon became awkward and exposed a plot hole. The writing style in the book was jarring and disjointed. The sentences were described in an unusual manner, lacking a smooth flow and creating a choppy reading experience. The book would have benefited greatly if the narrator had been in third person, allowing us to access his thoughts and experiences occasionally rather than being constantly confined to the alien’s perspective. This change would have made the story more engaging and easier to comprehend.