Review : Team Human
Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan
Pages : 344
Genre : YA, Urban Fantasy
Stand Alone
My Rating : 4/5
What it’s about :
Mel never thought her best friend would make such a stupid mistake as falling in love with a vampire; yet when a vampire joins their high school, this is exactly what happens.
Even though she grew up in a town founded by vampires, it’s the first time Mel is confronted with the idea of a close one forming a relationship with a vampire. At the same time, she is trying to investigate the disappearance of a friend’s father, and everything points to crazy-vampire-woman.
All Mel wants is for her friends to be safe and happy. Is it too much too ask that the vampires stay out of her life?
My thoughts :
I had read both Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan only once before reading Team Human, and that was enough for me to know that I had to read this one, even though the summary made it sound just like any other vampire books. Good on me for following my instincts, as Team Human turned out to be one of the most fun books I read this year!
I’ve always loved vampire stories, and though I prefer them with a little more bite, I am not opposed to having them portrayed as mostly pacific creatures. This is the case here: vampires are out in the open, and you can become one if you find yourself a mentor and go through some governmental procedures. Chances are you’ll be alright, but there is still 10% chances (if I remember correctly) that you’ll either die or become a zombie – which is only another word for death, really.
If you add to this a narrator like Mel, who is loyal to her friends and tells her story with great humor, it’s a win! It wasn’t a hysterical, laugh-out-lout kind of funny, but it kept a smile on my face pretty much from start to finish. Mel had just the right witty tone, not trying too hard, not too sarcastic. She was funny, and her humor was an important part of the book in more ways than once.
Not only did I get a fun story about vampires, I also got a very human story about friendship, loyalty and respect. The book is not preachy at all, but the feelings Mel has towards the vampires once they get too close to the ones she loves are extremely realistic and easy to relate too. Her questions are those most of us would have in a similar situation I believe, and the fact that she was so determined to protect her friends was admirable.
With a charming romance, a great cast of characters and an interesting story, Team Human is a satire I absolutely adored. To quote Maureen Johnson’s blurb on the cover :
[…] if you love vampire books, this is the book for you – if you hate vampire books, this is also the book for you.
What a fabulous team these two authors made together! If you are looking for something paranormal and light, with charm and mystery, I can confirm that Team Human has all of that and even a little more!
This sounds like a fun, refreshing read! I recently finished a book by Sarah Rees Brennan that I didn’t particularly love but I’m willing to give this one a try. I like the fun premise and the addition of humor which is always a plus! Great review!
I’ve heard such great things about this book. Your review just adds to it. I love humorous books and when you combine humor with vampires I feel like it’s a huge win. Awesome review 🙂