Here's why this book by Patrick Ness is a must read (Book review)

Do you remember who Roger Davies is? I’ll tell ya. No, you don’t.

Why is he being referred to here? Does anyone even know him? Yes, most of you do. How? Cuz most of you have read the Harry Potter series. Yes, he’s a character from the Harry Potter book series. Then why don’t you remember him? Cuz he isn’t Harry Potter. He’s just a normal guy living a normal life. He isn’t the one who saves Hogwarts or confronts Voldemort. He just… ummm… what can you say… LIVES.

Well, that’s exactly what the truth is. Not all of us are the chosen one. Not all of us are the boy who lived. Not all of us are the one-that-saves-the-school-from-blowing-up. In fact, most of us are just normal people. There’s this only one kid that is usually the protagonist and is focused upon through the whole story. And this is exactly what Patrick Ness is trying to convey through his book

The Rest Of Us Just Live Here

Patrick writes:

I have so much sympathy for all the Unchosen Ones. There are a whole lot more of us than there are Heroes and Heroines with capital Hs. Do we get to be the heroes and heroines of our own lives? Maybe with small Hs? Aren’t the things we do kind of extraordinary, too? Isn’t loving your friends and making your own decisions kind of amazing? I think so.

Yeah, that’s what this book is about. The Unchosen ones. I mean I could tell you the whole story and still not spoil anything. Usually, a story focuses on the main hocus-pocus while the normal kids’ lives are ignored. But this book makes it reverse. It focuses on normal people and their lives while keeping the hocus-pocus in the side-story.

Very sad, but with some really good humour along the lines, nicely narrated (sounding as if really a normal teen is narrating) and deeply touching is how I’d describe the book. The most noteworthy point according to me is the narration. That is what really got me. Like he (Mike) narrates it very nicely, casually, and in a way that somehow tricks us. And humour. Yeah.

The book revolves around four teenagers, living in a small town in the middle of nowhere, named Mike, Jared, Henna, and Mel. Four ordinary kids living their normal life, waiting for their graduation ceremony which is in about 4 weeks, and hoping the indie kids don’t blow up the school before they graduate. Yes, that’s what normal people do. JUST HOPE that their life doesn’t get f*cked up due to the indie kids’ shit.

The kids who generally are in all the trouble and are the chosen ones are referred to as Indie kids in this book.

These four teens are very normal teens and they worry about what you and I do… college, studies, relationships, and stuff. (I don’t worry about relationships, but still).

Jared is a quarter god and three-quarters human (god of cats). Then there’s Mike (Narrator) who is just a normal teen suffering from crippling anxiety and OCD. (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) His sister Mel who suffers from anorexia (A eating disorder). And finally, Henna, who is all normal but her parents are willing to take her to Africa and also on whom Mike has a huge crush on. Which he also refers to as Unrequited love.

This book is definitely a must-read for teenagers. I mean it just feels so relatable and close to reality. Unless you are the chosen one. Wait, are you?

It is very sad though. I mean like really really Sad. I’m not someone who cries easily after a book or a movie, but if someone sensitive reads this, they’re definitely gonna cry. Though it took me a half-hour break to get back to normal and out of the book. There’s nothing very grand or nothing very mysterious. Just a plain narration of everyday life. But still… it feels so good to read that I couldn’t put it down. Also it’s a very short read. Around 180 pages or so. Can be finished within about two-three days. I finished it in two days. I just couldn’t put it down. It doesn’t have a grand plot but still makes sure that you are hooked. I’d really like to appreciate Patrick Ness’s writing for this.

Just go read it. If you've already read it, let me know down in the comments below what you think of the book