Review: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
What: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Who: Walker Books
When: August 27th 2015
How: A copy of this novel was provided by Walker Books Australia for review.
What if you aren’t the Chosen One?
The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?
What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.
Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.
Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.
Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.
A lot of fellow bloggers have told me how wonderful Patrick Ness is (I’m lying. They were more like: CHIARA, READ PATRICK NESS OR I WILL SLAY YOUR BRETHREN), and I was all: okay, okay – I’ll read (I’m lying. I was more like: yeah whatever, guys, maybe one day maybe maybe maybe not). And then the lovely Walker Books Australia sent me a beautiful ARC. CHOCOLATE, I cried (literally cried because it was my favourite but now I’m vegan and chocolate is out of the question) before looking a little closer and realising that The Rest of Us Just Live Here is written by the coveted Patrick Ness. I was excited (I’m lying. I was scared because I didn’t want my ‘everyone loves this book/author/movie and lookie here, I don’t’ thing to happen AGAIN).
I’m just going to say it. I’m going to be honest (I always am, except in the above paragraph, but I did come clean). I thought that The Rest of Us Just Live Here was terrible. TERRIBLY GOOD. Seriously! From the moment I started, I was all: now I know where the READ PATRICK NESS OR I WILL DEFRIEND YOU claims came from. Because he’s totally worth it.
The writing style in The Rest of Us Just Live Here is gorgeous. It flows really well, and the prose is simply gorgeous, and everything just felt so real. I love it when books feel real (especially when they’re paranormal-ish) because it’s like: yes, this author knows what they are writing about. These teenagers actually read like real life teenagers. *dancing*
DIVERSITY. EVERYWHERE. Diverse families (a mum that has trouble actually identifying that she cares for her children and often puts her work first + drunken dad, mother and father who are a little overbearing when it comes to pushing their choices on their daughter, and a single dad who cares a whole bunch about his son), and ethnicities, and sexualities, and minds, and just ALL THE YES for the diversity in this book. It is beyond beautiful.
Mikey (I don’t like the name, but I hella liked the boy) is a gorgeous main character. I loved reading about him every single second that I devoured The Rest of Us Just Live Here. I loved how much he cared for his family (seriously! This boy loves his sisters and it’s more than freaking beautiful), and for Jared (I shipped them. I BEYOND shipped them). I also loved the fact that his sexuality is pretty fluid. That’s rarely the case in YA – labels are pretty common – and I just loved the fact that Mikey was like: yeah, I’ve fooled around with Jared, and I love Henna. Just bless. Mikey also has OCD and anxiety, and both are portrayed in an incredibly sensitive and realistic way (and nothing is magically fixed, but Mikey does get help, which I am super grateful for). Just, Mikey, okay? MIKEY.
The other characters are beyond gorgeous. Mel and Meredith were siblings that I felt for so much, for so many reasons. Jared – oh, Jared. His affinity for cats immediately made him a fave in my eyes. Henna who is unsure and wants to explore. Nathan who I seriously side eyed so much throughout the book, but turns out to be pretty okay. JUST EVERYONE, OKAY?
Man, I loved this book. A lot. I could write about it for oodles. But, I’ll just end with: read The Rest of Us Just Live Here if you’re looking for an awesome book that reads like a contemporary, but has incredibly cool paranormal things going on in the background. And if you’re a fan of Ness (which I am now. Excuse me while I go devour his other books ASAP).
© 2015, Chiara @ Books for a Delicate Eternity. All rights reserved.
YES YES YES YES I’m SOO glad you read one of his books and know how amazing he is and why everyone loves him. He’s just . . wonderful! I had the pleasure of meeting him for five seconds at BookCon and had to keep myself from fangirling too much to him!
I am so glad, too! Now I can join in whenever people say how amazing he is, haha :D
Oh, it’s so hard meeting awesome authors and NOT fangirling over them! I think Ness is actually coming to Australia next year, so I will probably be the same when I meet him XD
I was already sold, but your review was only icing on the cake as to why I need this! Luckily it releases tomorrow and that means I can start tracking down a copy, pronto. I’ve never read a Patrick Ness book either, so I’m glad to be changing that as well. Wonderful review, Chiara!
Yaaay! I really hope you were able to nab a copy, Rebecca! And we can be Ness twins ;D
Thanks, lovely *hug*
I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this! I thoroughly loved it too and yes, the book had so much diversity, showed that it was important and yet didn’t scream, “look at me, I’m packed with diversity” which I appreciated a lot. It was important and not gimmicky.
Ness definitely knows how to write judging from The Rest of Us Just Live Here and More than This, the other book of his that I have read. I’m infinitely nervous about starting the Chaos Walking trilogy. Heh.
I loved the diversity in this book SO MUCH, and yes, like you said, it was very natural and not at all “quota filling”.
I have heard so many great things about More Than This, and I hope I love it as much as I loved The Rest of Us Just Live Here. Oh, I hope you love the trilogy, Jo! <3
HOW GOOD IS IT? I absolutely loved Patrick Ness, and this is even more my thing than the others I’ve read. The characters and MIKEY and family and I just aldjsldkjslkdjs loved it so much :)
SO FREAKING GOOD, I CANNOT EVEN. I really need to read his other books, because if they are anything like this, I will love them :D
MIKEY IS TOO PRECIOUS FOR THIS WORLD
YOU READ A BOOK BY PATRICK NESS?! Okay, now we can be friends ~officially~. (Because obviously, I cannot stoop to the level of friendship with someone who has not experienced the wonder that is Ness’ writing. ;)) Now you must read More than This and the Chaos Walking series – no, seriously, you MUST. Stop procrastinating and go check them both out from the library; it is vitally important for your well being.
I KNOW! And I’m so happy for it. I’m glad we can be ~official~ friends now, haha XD <3
I actually own the entire Chaos Walking trilogy, so I have literally NO excuse for not having read them yet *hides* I may or may not binge them over the Christmas holidays!
I haven’t read anything by Patrick Ness yet… but I really want/NEED to read The Rest of Us Just Live Here now! I appreciate when authors make teenagers act realistically. For example, teenagers and young adults swear their heads off, at least all the ones I know (I certainly do), so when contemporary books totally leave out the bombs it honestly bums me out a little. Hooray for diversity, too! And hooray for no strict “labels” and “roles”. I also think I like Jared already because he likes cats. This book sounds awesome. Wonderful review, Chiara! You’ve convinced me to read this! (Don’t know when, BUT I WILL.)
Yay! I am so glad I have convinced you to read this one, Mallory! I don’t know what his other books are like, but I can 100% recommend this to you :D
Oh yeah, I am always side eyeing books that don’t have any swears in them because I find it HIGHLY unrealistic.
Jared is a doll, and his cat loving is so precious <3
YOUR FIRST NESS BOOK! THAT’S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE! Sorry, a little over excited there :D
You’re so lucky you got an arc. Mine is currently in the post on its way to me. So glad you loved it! :)
I KNOW! I AM SO EXCITED! I am super happy that I loved it, too, because it makes me super keen to read his other books :D
I hope you loved it, Chantelle!
Told ya. :)
Now I hope you read the Chaos Walking Trilogy, and A Monster Calls, and everything else. The man has a golden pen!
I own the Chaos Walking trilogy, so I think those will be my next Ness books! Although I have heard a lot of good things about More Than This, so I am super keen on reading that one, too :D
I WANT TO READ THIS BOOK SO BADLY! I am one of those readers who still haven’t read anything by Patrick Ness, and I love the sound of The Rest of Us Just Live Here! I really wish I can get a copy of this book somehow.
Wonderful review Chiara!
I HOPE YOU DO! This was my first Ness book, and I adored it. Other people have said that it’s not even his best, so that means his other books must be absolutely amazing :O
Thank you, lovely <3
This just sounds so darn great. I love the idea of the characters behind the scenes, the ones who don’t have to save the world, having their story told- the ones who watch the Hero/ine dance around and fight to work out who in the love hexagon they love. I feel sure that it’ll be hilarious, amidst the honesty of the characters. Who sound genuine and awesome. It’s basically something I didn’t know I wanted (see: Logan and V.) until I knew I could have it, and now I want nothing else.
Fantastic review! It makes me want to read it all the more and all the faster. I’m really happy to see you enjoyed it!
It was so good! :D And very funny (especially the parts that just completely poked shit at the paranormal YA romances that are out there).
Thank you, lovely <3 I don't know if you've read this one yet, but I hope you love/d it! :D