The New York Times Book Review - Jen Doll
While Ness packs his pages with wit (this is one of those novels that seem as if they were a joy to write), there's plenty of emotional heft in his turning of the genre tables. He reminds us that it's not a choice to be a chosen one, but it is in everyone's power to be a hero, by caring about others, by fighting to become your own truest self. In real life, of course, none of us are "chosen." As Jared tells Mikey, "Most people just have to live their lives the best they can, doing the things that are great for them, having great friends, trying to make their lives better, loving people properly. All the while knowing that the world makes no sense but trying to find a way to be happy anyway." That's a far more useful power than being able to defeat soul-eating ghosts, and you don't even have to be a chosen one to wield it.
Publishers Weekly
08/03/2015
Having written both exquisite fantasies and heartbreaking contemporary stories, Ness (More Than This) forays into satire, and mostly succeeds, poking fun at the Chosen One trope—imagine a novel about Bella and Edward’s classmates wrestling with exams, college admission, and unrequited love, with all those vampire/werewolf shenanigans as backdrop. Siblings Mikey and Melinda know something sinister is happening when the “indie kids” start dying in mysterious ways. Zombie deer and eerie blue pillars of light suggest apocalypse (again) in their remote town in Washington State, but they are busy trying to survive familial dysfunction (their father is an alcoholic, their mother a power-hungry politician) that has worsened Mikey’s anxiety and given Mel an eating disorder. Their diverse circle of friends includes Henna (Mikey’s crush) and Jared who is (secretly) part god. Each chapter opens with an ominous (and hilarious) synopsis about the imminent showdown between the Immortals and the hipster clique, and while the payoff after all the supernatural and emotional buildup is minimal, this is Mikey’s story to tell and he’s not trying to save the world, just himself. Ages 14–up. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
Fresh, funny, and full of heart: not to be missed.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Ness’ deadpan sci-fi novel pokes fun at far-fetched futuristic fantasies while emphasizing the important victories of merely living. This memorable, moving, and often hilarious read is sure to be a hit.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Fans of madcap humor and satire and those seeking more thought-provoking alternatives to the usual fare will appreciate this unique and clever take on a familiar trope.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Clever and laugh-out-loud funny, the supernatural side notes add tension and humor to the story. This is highly recommended for libraries serving young adults.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)
“The result is a cleverly metafictive, occasionally humorous, occasionally poignant love letter to the kids most likely to get sorted into Hufflepuff or who might occasionally date one of the Scooby gang, but whose real heroism lies in living their daily lives bravely and compassionately.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“This clever sendup of traditional fantasy fare doesn’t have nearly the body count as Ness’s award-winning Chaos Walking trilogy, but it does have all of the heart, and then some.” — Shelf Awareness
“In this often-hilarious (and just as often poignant) parody of fantasy stories from Harry’s to Buffy’s, not everyone is a Chosen One, but “everyone’s got something”; everybody matters.” — Horn Book Magazine
The Rest of Us Just Live Here is the antidote to all things formulaic: it’s meta, playful, wise and true—and clever-as-hell. — emily m. danforth, author of The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Magical, mysterious and breathtakingly suspenseful, The Rest of Us Just Live Here is an absolute marvel of imagination, invention, and heart. I truly couldn’t put it down — proof, once again, that Ness never disappoints. — Michael Cart, author of My Father’s Scar
“Hilarious! And so, so clever. All the characters are beautifully drawn. This is one smart, warm book, both entertaining and thought-provoking.” — Monica Edinger
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)
Clever and laugh-out-loud funny, the supernatural side notes add tension and humor to the story. This is highly recommended for libraries serving young adults.
Shelf Awareness
This clever sendup of traditional fantasy fare doesn’t have nearly the body count as Ness’s award-winning Chaos Walking trilogy, but it does have all of the heart, and then some.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
The result is a cleverly metafictive, occasionally humorous, occasionally poignant love letter to the kids most likely to get sorted into Hufflepuff or who might occasionally date one of the Scooby gang, but whose real heroism lies in living their daily lives bravely and compassionately.
Michael Cart
Magical, mysterious and breathtakingly suspenseful, The Rest of Us Just Live Here is an absolute marvel of imagination, invention, and heart. I truly couldn’t put it down — proof, once again, that Ness never disappoints.
emily m. danforth
The Rest of Us Just Live Here is the antidote to all things formulaic: it’s meta, playful, wise and true—and clever-as-hell.
Monica Edinger
Hilarious! And so, so clever. All the characters are beautifully drawn. This is one smart, warm book, both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Horn Book Magazine
In this often-hilarious (and just as often poignant) parody of fantasy stories from Harry’s to Buffy’s, not everyone is a Chosen One, but “everyone’s got something”; everybody matters.
Booklist (starred review)
Ness’ deadpan sci-fi novel pokes fun at far-fetched futuristic fantasies while emphasizing the important victories of merely living. This memorable, moving, and often hilarious read is sure to be a hit.
John Green
“Patrick Ness is an insanely beautiful writer.
School Library Journal
★ 09/01/2015
Gr 9 Up—In this highly satiric exploration of the "chosen one" genre, an incredibly normal group of friends are approaching the end of high school and their parting of ways. Mikey is just trying to get through the year and hopefully ask his longtime crush to the prom. Similarly, each person in Mikey's close-knit circle of friends is battling a myriad of highly relatable issues: jealousy, various insecurities, and dysfunctional family relationships. The beginning of each chapter also contains an update in the concurrent story line centering on the "indie kids." These are Mikey and his pals' extraordinary peers, those from exceptional families who are exclusively chosen whenever there is a supernatural occurrence. They've fought off zombies and fallen in love with vampires, and now they're being targeted by the Immortals, a mysterious group looking for a permanent Vessel. In the end, Mikey and his friends come to grips with the ways in which they are both ordinary and extraordinary. This is a highly ambitious novel with an original concept, and the five main characters are all dealing with issues that will resonate with teens. Though the two plotlines don't always come together and readers used to more linear narratives might feel bombarded by information, the stream-of-consciousness narrative will please fans of Libba Bray's Going Bovine (Delacorte, 2009). VERDICT Fans of madcap humor and satire and those seeking more thought-provoking alternatives to the usual fare will appreciate this unique and clever take on a familiar trope.—Sunnie Lovelace, Wallingford Public Library, CT
NOVEMBER 2015 - AudioFile
James Fouhey emphasizes the sarcasm and humor of this book’s narrator, Mikey, a senior who sneers at the “indie kids” at his school. The indies take on zombies, vampires, and glowing blue lights, while “the rest of us just live here.” Increasing mysterious deaths and paranormal activities merit only summaries at chapter beginnings as they’re only background in Mikey’s “normal” life. He’s concerned with his attraction to Henna, his recurring OCD, shielding his brilliant little sister from his alcoholic father, and his mother’s compelling political aspirations. Fouhey’s reading shines a light on evolving friendships and selfhood. He fully develops the personalities of the main characters, focusing on the humanistic aspects of this story rather than the fantastical. S.W. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2015-07-15
It's not easy being normal when the Chosen One goes to your high school. High school senior Mikey Mitchell knows that he's not one of the "indie kids" in his small Washington town. While they "end up being the Chosen One when the vampires come calling or when the Alien Queen needs the Source of All Light or something," Mikey simply wants to graduate, enjoy his friendships, and maybe, just maybe, kiss his longtime crush. All that's easier said than done, however, thanks to his struggles with anxiety, his dreadful parents, and the latest group of indie kids discovering their "capital-D Destinies." By beginning each chapter with an arch summary of the indie kids' adventures before returning to Mikey's wry first-person narration, Ness offers a hilarious—and perceptive—commentary on the chosen-one stories that are currently so popular in teen fiction. The diverse cast of characters is multidimensional and memorable, and the depiction of teen sexuality is refreshingly matter-of-fact. Magical pillars of light and zombie deer may occasionally drive the action here, but ultimately this novel celebrates the everyday heroism of teens doing the hard work of growing up. Fresh, funny, and full of heart: not to be missed. (Fantasy. 13 & up)
