Us humans are funny creatures. We really don't know how goofy we are, how strange we act, and how pompous we sound until we look at it from an independent lens. In The Humans by Matt Haig, that lens is owned by an alien and what he sees disgusts him....at first.
Andrew Martin, a math professor from the very prestigious Cambridge University, has proven something called the Riemann Hypothesis. This hypothesis in the wrong hands could be catastrophic to the universe and guess what- humans are "the wrong hands." Martin must die, for he knows too much. He is replaced (so to speak) by an alien whose objective is to blend in and destroy those who know about the hypothesis. Blending in is a little difficult at first...sure, he's found wandering naked along a road, but how hard could it be to be human?
The alien, whom I'll refer to as Martin now, is mortified by our mannerisms, food, and our obsession with violence. As he talks to people and finds those with knowledge of the Riemann Hypothesis, he begins to learn about us...and like us. Moreover, he begins to learn about belonging and love.
The Humans is slightly philosophical with a touch of humor and runs the gamut of emotion. There's a sense of loss in Martin's voice and Haig does a wonderful job of looking at humans from a different perspective. I loved this book and it's a quick read for sure. It's not your traditional science fiction novel so those that don't tend to hit that genre will be happy they picked it up. It's a beautiful, heartwarming story!
