I always knew I’d be a fan of Matt Haig’s writing. Even before I read any of his books, I followed him on Instagram, and I read in interviews where he would openly discuss his mental health journey. So, it was no surprise to me that I absolutely loved his book, The Humans. It’s the first book I’ve read in a while that I wanted to immediately push into the hands of everyone around me.

The novel focuses on an alien who has been sent to Earth to stop a mathematician who has solved an incredibly important math problem. What he learns about the human race and about himself is sometimes funny but always heartbreakingly poignant. One of the biggest compliments I can give this book is that I never felt distracted while reading it. I was deeply invested in these characters and in this world.

Haig’s writing touches on so many issues that matter to me (fitting in, acceptance, finding love, etc.), but using the vehicle of someone who’s never experienced being a human before is a fresh, unique take. It also offers an urgency to the storytelling that made this book fascinating to read. Although this novel came out in 2013, it is every bit as relevant today.

I’m feeling pretty stupid that I haven’t been checking out Haig’s books all along, but now that I have, I can’t wait to read all of his other titles. He’s seriously talented and makes me not only want to be a better writer, but also a better human too.

5 stars

*Free copy provided by Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review*