The Rest of Us Just Live Here

by Patrick Ness

[Amber]

The Rest of Us Just Live Here isn’t my favourite Patrick Ness book (The Ask and the Answer, how I love you), but it certainly had all of the Ness uniqueness and charm about it. For a story about the characters who are not the Chosen Ones, i.e. the fellow pupils at Forks High School and the people living in the same town as the Dursleys, it was gripping and definitely intriguing.

At the beginning of every chapter, there’s a brief summary of what the Chosen Ones have been doing. They’re doing all the normal things that a Chosen One does, like fighting zombies and stopping aliens from blowing up the high school. But the rest of the book is dedicated to the people living in the town, the ones who aren’t part of the battle, and the ones still living incredibly interesting lives. They’re just not marrying vampires or getting whisked away to private islands.

I loved how Ness used an interesting blend of satire to tell this story. It almost mocks other stories and certain tropes, while also telling the story of Mikey and his group of friends. Who kind of are the Chosen Ones of their own lives.

Mikey, the main character, is battling with OCD and he’s an absolute treasure. He’s also a bit unsure of his sexuality, and it was perfect how that wasn’t the main point of the book or his character’s journey. It’s simply another branch of an incredibly complicated hedge that is Mikey. That is everyone.

Patrick Ness delivered again, and I think The Rest of Us Just Live Here is a book you can read again and again to find different things to connect with within the story. I can see why people would think this book is a bit meh, but to be honest they just need to board the Ness Express (Nesspress for short) and be done with it.