The Humans

Warm, Witty, and Surprisingly Insightful

Mind on the Page (Mitglied der Book Circle Community) am 08.01.2026
Bewertungsnummer: 2696166
Bewertet: Buch (Taschenbuch)

(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.

Disappointed

Moumita aus Hennef, NRW, Germany am 13.04.2025
Bewertungsnummer: 2465007
Bewertet: Buch (Taschenbuch)

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.