It is...Brilliant...!

I definitely took my time with this one, and I’m glad I did. What a tender, layered, and utterly brilliant story this turned out to be. At first, it quietly lures you into the complexities of a family-run cow farm and slowly, almost unnoticeably, cracks open much deeper themes: identity, acceptance, love withheld, and the long shadows of generational trauma.

It doesn’t shout—rather, it speaks with aching honesty, making space for every character’s pain, confusion, and silent yearning. The emotional weight builds so naturally that when the final 20% hits, it becomes absolutely unputdownable. The storytelling evolves from personal to generational in such a graceful way that I still can’t quite believe it’s a debut.

The tenderness in the writing, especially around the father-son dynamics and the loneliness of being different within your own family, hit me hard—something specific and deeply personal surfaced, and yes, it made me cry. It might not do that to every reader, but it will certainly make you feel. Thought-provoking in the best sense, this is the kind of book that lingers, that asks you to pause and sit with its truths.

This is easily one of the most unforgettable books I’ve read this year. It’s going to stay with me for a very long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Independent Publishers Group and Verve Books for the advanced readers copy.

Human, Animal started with a chapter that screamed 5-star, but the narrative lost its oomph. There’s an exploration of identity, of figuring out who you are and how to exist in the world, paired with a storyline about a family farm and the ethics around that business. I really liked both angles on their own, but the scope felt a bit too wide at times, especially since there’s a third POV that didn’t feel necessary to me. Altogether, it made it harder for me to stay fully connected.

As a debut, it’s super readable. The nature writing and the animal-focused reflections are full of beautiful lines. I found myself struggling to connect with the characters, and felt that the dialogue didn’t help much.

Still, there’s tension, discomfort, and learning (and yearning!). It’s not the knockout I was hoping for, but I would still recommend it to some of my friends, and I’m definitely curious to see what Seth Insua does next.

The story in Human, Animal is one that I think anyone who's ever had to confront the difficult situation of having a set of values that doesn't align with their family's and yet still deeply loving them will find very relatable.

One thing that I find really beautiful about this book is how well it captures the presence of this dynamic of conflict throughout every topic. Not only is it about Tam and their veganism against the purpose of the farm, it's also about how their father is faced with an ever-evolving practice of farming compared to their traditional methods. I think the author did so well in characterizing everyone in the book through their thoughts but also through these dilemmas.

It's also a book about intergenerational trauma and specifically the relation of that trauma with toxic masculinity. I found that really interesting because I'll admit it's not a perspective I purposely read about often, but this book definitely succeeds in making me care a lot about the characters, despite having completely different views from some of them.

Tam's journey into finding a new family that accepts them and being openly themself was also so endearing. Had I found this book earlier, I think it would've meant a lot to me because so many of Tam's thoughts regarding their queerness and their place in their family are ones that I've had in the past... But I think that as time goes, I'll find myself coming back to this book because there is so much about Tam's story that deeply resonates with me, the scary parts as much as the hopeful ones.

As for writing, that is one aspect of the book I didn't quite click with. At times it felt a bit flat but I think this really comes down my personal tastes so I'd recommend that you give it a try first, if the book sounds like something you'd be interested in. One thing I also really appreciate about it is the book club question at the end, which I think are really good.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

Human, Animal piqued my interest from the get-go but unfortunately was not my cup of tea. I wanted to love this, or at the very least understand this, but sadly this didn’t hit the same for me as it did for other readers.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I want to start by saying this book ended up being a dnf for me but not because I wasn’t having a wonderful time! I struggled with the lack of clarity of who was speaking … to be frank I need a “ “ to identify what’s happening clearly…and I found myself getting frustrated.

But the actual story and the actual content of the writing great. I personally was most entrapped by the storyline of what happens when a child and parent don’t agree on something that feels fundamentally correct to both of them….and adding the very real experience of sexuality.

Human, Animal by Seth Insua literally reminded me what it is to be human. What a debut!!!

At first, I thought it would be more environmentally focused, but this book is so so so much more than that. Themes of masculinity, identity and sexuality, family and following your parents' steps are woven throughout the book, along with themes of animal cruelty and animal rights.

A beautiful debut that doesn't whisper, but screams (!) that you can be and can act differently from what you grew up doing and knowing that you can be more and can be enough for yourself and for this world.

Thank you NetGalley and Independent Publishers Group | Verve Books for this ARC.

Human, Animal by Seth Insua follows two different timelines at the same family farm. We follow the current day family- primarily father and youngest son, and then we follow a 1940’s timeline from a german prisoner of war’s point of view. I was so enthralled with the historical timeline, and simultaneously touched by the contemporary one.

This novel is a love letter to the human condition. There are no villains, but everyone in this book is flawed and therefore feels so real. The family dynamics are complex and beautiful, and I found myself unexpectedly moved by the themes of acceptance and forgiveness in this novel. it is not often i have read a novel like this one, where an older father set in his ways is one of the main protagonists, and being inside of his head was an experience I am not likely to forget. This book is the definition of stepping into other people’s shoes, and because of this the lines between opposing sides are blurred. Human, Animal sees every perspective while also advocating for compassion, and for that I dearly loved it

3.75⭐️
"Human, Animal" focuses primarily on two stories: a struggling farmer father, looking to get by, and his young adult child, coming-to-terms with their own identity. When extremist animal activists bring scandal to their farm, it sets off a chain of events that upends everyone's world, and makes them question all their believed truths.

This is an extremely ambitious debut, and one that deserves a great amount of respect. This topic is off the beaten path for me, but not only did this story pack a punch, but the content educated me and had thought-provoking topics. This novel has layers upon layers of critical questions of family, identity, morality and ethics, engaging the reader with a subtle suggestion: "What would you do in this situation?"

I can't deny, there were some rough points for me - sometimes the writing didn't really feel that engaging and the plot seemed stagnant. However, there were some major revelations that made me perk up and had me aghast at the drama. Seth Insua philosophizes on the human condition and makes you wonder what it truly means to take space in this crazy world of ours.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novel!