The Rest Of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

The Rest Of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Release Date - October 6, 2015
Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 336 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received for an honest review from publisher**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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.

Imagine Buffy The Vampire Slayer told not from the perspective of the 'Chosen One', but instead told from the point of view of the random kid in the cafeteria. The one who just wants to pass Math, maybe ask the cute guy or girl who sits behind them to prom, and not have the school blow up before graduation. The one just trying to survive and live their life. That is the premise of The Rest Of Us Just Live Here. Patrick Ness celebrates the notion that everyone is the hero of their own story, and sometimes living takes as much courage and conviction as being the 'Chosen One'.

This is my first Patrick Ness novel, and it absolutely will not by my last. His writing is filled with charm, intelligence and whit. His sharp sense of humour is displayed through the entire novel, and every moment is infused with an insightfulness that makes everything a little more poignant.

This is a novel about life, and the ups, downs, and everything in between that comes with it. Mikey and his friends are just focused on living their lives, and Patrick Ness celebrates the beauty in that. They are flawed, wonderful, caring, hurtful, and everything else that a human being can be. They feel so achingly real because the struggles they face are real and that is perhaps the most compelling aspect of their journey. They could be us, our friends, or the kid across the street. Their story is universal, and one that many will relate to.

This novel takes place during the build up to graduation. A time fraught with anxiety, goodbyes and change. Ness captures all of the excitement and bittersweetness of leaving friends behind, of going off in different directions perfectly. They fiercely hang on to the moments they have left together, and just as fiercely make the most of them. They support each other through all of these lasts, and that is most beautiful part of their story.

One of the elements that truly stands out is the lead in to each chapter. A glimpse at what the 'Chosen Ones' (in this case the indie kids) are doing. The tropes he highlights are done so with a love of the genre, and will immediately resonate with fans of the young adult genre. It's clever and is used to highlight the sheer 'everyday-ness' of Mikey's life. He also uses it to contrast their journeys. Neither journey is more or less important and that is a vital part of the story and message.

Patrick Ness tells a heartfelt, memorable story about friendship and the strength there is in living life. How each of us matter, even if we're not saving the world from the apocalypse. There is incredible beauty in the every day moments and we should embrace those. This is a book for everyone who sometimes feels a little lost, a little confused, and a little unwanted. We may not all be destined to be Buffy, but we all deserve to be the chosen one in our own lives.