4/5
The Rest of Us Just Live Here is a sweet, nostalgic, sad coming-of-age story. Ness does a good job of capturing the storm of emotions that come with high school graduation: the fear of leaving the ones you love and the place you know behind, the sadness of endings, but also the hopefulness and accomplishment of possibility.
Ness mocks the sometimes (usually) ridiculous plot lines of standard YA fantasy novels and the weird way the teenagers seem to live in those novels. These kids are referred to as "indie kids" and have hipster names like "Satchel." I enjoyed the way Ness included snapshots of the indie kids' plot lines at the beginning of each chapter; they were concise, relevant, and hilariously accurate. I started the novel thinking it would be more focused on how the shenanigans of the indie kids affected those around them, but in reality the shenanigans play a background roll to the lives of the main characters. But really, that's how it should be, as the point of the novel is that there are people who aren't indie kids, that are also leading meaningful lives in the indie kid world.
Ness writes beautifully and consistently, maintaining a steady, honest, and bittersweet tone. Our protagonist Mikey has problems, as do all the characters, and no one escapes from Ness's scrutinizing eye. We get an honest look at each character, who they are, and what they're dealing with. Each character's flaws feel portrayed honestly. I personally am a little wary of coming-of-age books about teenagers with illness because their illnesses tend to be portrayed poorly or unrealistically, and the protagonist ends up whining, but The Rest of Us Just Live Here could not be farther from that. I never tired of what Mikey had to say and loved every minute of his journey. I would recommend Ness's novel for those who like the bittersweet, and especially for soon-to-be high school graduates.
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