Now We Are Animals

An enjoyable narrative that I think secondary students will warm to easily. The protagonist is relatable for teenagers with common traits for most. Very much a YA Brave New World x The Handmaid’s Tale with many literary references that will hopefully encourage the younger generation to pick up a classic. I think they’d look forward to a sequel and to read more about the future of Cara and what survival might look like. A little obvious at times but in a reassuring way.

An engaging, even brisk, dystopian novel. As a fan of this sub-genre of science fiction, I enjoyed what the author did with this story and always enjoy the commentary these kinds of stories afford.

Interesting dystopian premise with relatable characters for the YA audience. A bit stilted to follow at times but a generally good story.

This was such an original and enjoyable read. I liked the writing, the characters and the storyline. I think it was relatable and unique at the same time. I would definitely like more to learn more about the characters. I really enjoyed it.

Dystopian tale from a young woman's writing before she turns 18 years old. An alien invasion & aftermath. Actually, compared to humans the aliens were true to their names given: colonists [settlers] I have tried not to blend too much as many thought but felt better to use passages for the most part. This is a needed book to read & realize actions & inactions all are actions. Vote for people that can actually get in & do better.
"The Day Of Sharing was the most significant day in any colonization and was normally taken as the official starting point of Colonist History in the new world. ‘Difficulties’ might have been encountered in the Colonization, and incidents of resistance from indigenous species would be collectively forgotten from this point on. It would be as though the world had always belonged to the Colonists" You look at live animals torture under the guise of science lab experiments [which really do nothing for humans in the manner they are projected other than get big time cash grants for researchers. The amount of animals [& in some places people] whose organs are harvested for other peoople that are above them. The way we treat animals & farm animals & present & past history including the glossing & attempted changing of such to fit agendas & rationalize what can't be candy coated. "This world is ours now. We had a need for new territories and have claimed this one as we are the first Colonists to discover it. We are not a cruel people. We mean you no intrinsic harm. But because we are intellectually and creatively superior to you and properly sentient, we have the moral right to take what we need. You are a lesser species. You are just animals, and from now on you must get used to that being your status"—This world is ours now. We had a need for new territories and have claimed this one as we are the first Colonists to discover it. We are not a cruel people. We mean you no intrinsic harm. But because we are intellectually and creatively superior to you and properly sentient, we have the moral right to take what we need. You are a lesser species. You are just animals, and from now on you must get used to that being your status.—When we select a world for colonisation, we look at the benefits which will accrue to our race. But we also look to correct mismanagement which currently exists. Here, in your world, you have boundless natural resources, you have minerals and plentiful energy supplies. Yet, you are raising temperatures, provoking extreme weather patterns. You have tainted the oceans with plastic polymers which will persist for thousands of years. You have systematically murdered your subservient animal and plant species. You have even subjugated great swathes of your own species based on colour and gender.—Well, rejoice.—We have freed you and your planet from your own domination.—Think of us as liberators of your world.—Your destructive industries have been stopped. Carbon dioxide and plastic production have ceased. The permafrost and icecaps will be saved. We are now the guardians of this beautiful place that you were not able to be. In time, you will learn your place as the animals have under you; though we will care for you more and treat you with less cruelty. Do not mourn for what you have lost because you clearly were never meant to have it. This Earth is our destiny. And the animals and plants and climate and oceans are at this very moment breathing a sigh of relief that we are here.—You have already been subdued across the entire world. Resistance is in any case pointless since The Second Wave of Colonists will be arriving soon enough. They will swell our numbers tenfold. We are preparing the planet for them. We already strike awe into you but are just The Advance Party. When The Second Wave arrives, you will witness the true majesty of the Colonist race: even more mighty and terrible and intelligent and beautiful. There was outcry at all of this, of course. It’s impossible to believe stuff like that straight out of the box. The notion that anyone could just take over the whole world was frankly ridiculous. Plus, it was the first time they’d even confirmed to us that they weren’t human.The Colonists acknowledged as much, after they’d administered a sonic beating which literally dropped us to our knees before them.—We do not expect you to take all of this in immediately. Humans have been pre-eminent for so long that losing your place at the top will be hard. But we have Colonised many territories and cared for many species. We are experienced in this. Let us assist you." " I was screaming at them like everyone else. In pain but in shock too. Assist us? What were they talking about?—This Mantra will help. You will repeat it in the morning and in the evening. In time it will help you to understand your place."
this is no different that any superpower like Spain/England etc to various whole continents of Indigenous peoples in exploiting them, their resources & land they invaded except maybe kinder & more efficient
Because other Colonists don’t know. Not ordinary ones. Workers and even Administrators in other Offices. They’re not meant to know that we’re as creative as them. That’s how they justify doing all the things they do to us. Because they think we’re inferior.”
“Exactly. It’s what slave owners used to do. They would never let their slaves learn to read or write. To make it harder for them to organize an escape, but also, I reckon, so the owners could feel justified in treating them like animals. It’s what human colonizers did to indigenous peoples: suppress their existing culture. And we used to do it to animals too. We treated them like they were inferior.” Because other Colonists don’t know. Not ordinary ones. Workers and even Administrators in other Offices. They’re not meant to know that we’re as creative as them. That’s how they justify doing all the things they do to us. Because they think we’re inferior ” then the caveat instead of this :
"Colonists are greedy. Colonists are cruel. Just like humans used to be. Animals are intelligent .Animals are resourceful. I’m proud to be an animal too. We’re all animals now. Me and Orlando and Tess and Verinder .And that little bunny I couldn’t kill. I’m so glad I didn’t. We’re all in it together."
The question is if people can coherently get & act on the message. Humans have been the enemy & this book is a projection onto another larger alien power rather than the fact people can't face that. & until they change. I am not vegetarian or vegan & never will be but there has to be more concern & respect for animals & environment. It has been critical mass & the opposing claimed do gooders have been just as bad over going to extremes to get anything changed when it comes to animal welfare. We almost got a couple of good animal welfare laws passed here then this other group comes in & they are so bad they are used as an excuse not to push through the laws that would have helped farm animals & pets immensely same with the wildlife laws [which now feel all should be made federally]

Cara has plans to go with her girlfriends to go shopping after school. Cara and her friends don’t make it, they are prisoners of aliens from outer space. The boys and the girls are separated in two groups. The boys appeared to be killed as they have all fallen and are not getting up. The girls are told to keep walking. The girls are separated and put in buildings to sleep in. There is no furniture, only wooden pens awith straw on the floor to sleep on. They are told that they are to use their pens as their quarters including their “toilets.” As time slowly passes, individual girls are taken and don’t come back. What has happened to them? Cara has an opportunity to escape which she does but doesn’t know where to go. She is then found by an alien girl and her parents. They take her to their home due to their daughter’s pleading. They let their daughter keep Cara as a pet. Cara can’t believe that she is a pet. What will Cara do? Will she survive as a pet? Will she escape?

In this science fiction novel, I was amazed to see such an easily invasion of aliens unknown by earth’s population. It was amazing how the aliens treated the humans. Cara keeps a secret diary with her dangerous thoughts. The aliens have complete control over the nation under a totalitarian state. The world falls under the control of the aliens. Cara’s life has become a twisted, cruel world where every movement, word and breath is scrutinised by an omnipotent, omnipresent power that no one can stop, or even oppose without the fear of death. I think the book highlights the importance of resisting mass control and oppression.

Thank you to @NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Cassiopeia Contemporary for this review copy
Lucy Nield PhD Candidate, University of Liverpool.
Twitter: @lucy_nield1 Instagram: @lucy_dogs_books

‘The Mantra is:
Colonists are intelligent,
Colonists are creative,
I am not a Colonist.
Animals are not intelligent,
Animals are not creative,
I am just an animal.’

P. R. Nathan is known for writing a variety of genres, from historical mystery thrillers to romantic comedy, Nathan dips his pen into different realms with some evident success. His latest novel, Now We Are Animals, is a dystopian Young Adult Fiction novel, exploring concepts of humanism and constructed social hierarchies whilst confronting human treatment of animals in a disturbing, unique, and creative way. Nathan’s writing is comfortable and familiar, to help the reader connect with the narrative voice and get into the mindset of the protagonist, Carabel Caffarelli. Appropriately written in a casual voice, suiting the novels status as Young Adult Fiction. Promptly you find yourself submerged in Cara’s day to day life, seeing what she sees and feeling how she feels about They.

‘But that was me safely in the apartment with my new family. With my new owners.’

Cara is a seventeen-year-old Italian girl who lives in London. The story begins with her writing in her journal. At first this feels like an ordinary and perhaps stereotypical trope of Young Adult Fiction, until your expectations are promptly disrupted as you realise Cara is captive to someone who is described in human terms… but we quickly realise They might not be.

Nathan uses the guise of an Alien invasion, occupation and inevitable colonisation of Earth (including killing or capturing all of the inhabitants) to bring to light issues in human treatment of the natural world in a nuanced and poignant manner. He displaces humans at the top of the hierarchy of the animal kingdom, to highlight humanity’s treatment of animals and the consequences of our actions. Successfully forcing a recognition with nonhuman animals, that we might not have fully appreciated or noticed before. The Aliens treat humans in the same way we treat cattle; herding female humans into barns filled with straw. Killing most of the male humans, only keeping a handful available for mating and for fighting or racing. Whilst these practises of ‘farming’ humans and treating them as ‘owned’ might feel problematic and uncomfortable, the Aliens point out why they treat humans in this way. They acknowledge that humans have treated nonhuman animals in this manner, so humans must be happy to be treated in this way as well (surely, we treat animals as we would like to be treated… right?).

‘-We have freed you and your planet from your own domination’

FULL REVIEW COMING SOON on The Fantasy Hive, https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/author/lucy-nield/

thank you again!

This isn't quite my usual cup of tea but the blurb on Netgalley intrigued me so I decided to give it a go. I have to say, it was touch and go for a while - at the start a few things didn't add up and it put me off a bit, but I persevered and in the end it became clear that those things didn't add up for a very good reason. This is a book that makes you think - about humanity, about the possibility of aliens, about how we treat our world. I'd be interested to read the next in the series to find out what happens.

This seems to be a nice straightforward dystopian story but the more you get into it you realise that it's not quite as simple as that. The book appears to be an allegory of humans treatment of the other species sharing the planet with us. It also seems to be a stinging criticism on out own colonial past (and current political machinations). That said, it was a very entertaining and immersive story. Read it for entertainment or emotional cultural self examination, it works both ways.

Ten stars out of five! Excellent take on the alien invasion turning the tide of human elitism. Nice job having humans treated as they treat "lower" species since we joined them in their status. As an animal lover, yes, what a message and a good read. Can't wait for the follow on.

I was just a typical sixteen-year-old from North London, when The Colonists arrived and turned our world upside down. They were so beautiful to look at, but They killed all the adults and most of the boys, and farmed us girls like cattle. A year on, I’m being kept as a pet by my teenage Colonist owner, Aggie. I’m safe for the moment, but I’ve been torn from my friends and family and had horrific experiences along the way…

It’s enough to get anyone down. But even though I’m locked in a cage and treated like an animal, They haven’t broken me. Somehow, I’ll escape and turn this around: not just for me, but for all of us.

My name’s Carabel Caffarelli from Highbury in England. And I’m about to show The Colonists what being human is all about.

I fricking loved this!!!! Now… I am not one for dystopian/sci-fi novels, but this one was done in such a unique and imaginative way that I couldn’t put it down.

Told from the perspective of Carabel (a colonised human) the story unfolds in an almost epistolary style jumping between the timelines of Carabel’s current life and ‘before’ all the while unfolding the mystery of the ‘Colonists’ and the horror of their enslavement of the human race on Earth.

The story is filled with danger and emotion and touches on topics of the meat industry, friendship, colonisation, slavery and the environment not only making this story a great read but also topical and educational as throughout its narrative it challenges its readers to contemplate and rethink their world views.

I really enjoyed this book and I am glad it’s the start of a series because I am hungry for more!

This was a really cool concept for the book and the way the story was told through 2 different journals of the main character, Cara. It gave a really interesting perspective and the contrast between the 2 journals really peaked my interest. I really liked how quickly it read as well. It did take me a little bit to get into the book and interested in what was going to happen, but once I was hooked I read it really quickly. Aggie was also written in a way that me as a reader would go back and forth feeling sorry for the character and then angry with what the character is doing. I will definitely be reading other books this author puts out as I found the book easy to read and and interesting structure.

"We have modelled our husbandry of humans on how you treated farm animals. We assumed that you had chosen conditions for them that you yourselves would have enjoyed." - Colonist

Thought provoking. Soul-breaking. Brutally honest.

Like a mirror onto ourselves.

"Keep something human.”

We are animals 💚

"Who’s to say what’s inferior or superior. When we used to treat a bunch of animals like a crop, like food, that’s when we chose to see them as inferior. Or chose not to see them at all."

P.s. Orlando (and maybe the author?) has never loved a dog! (or any other "pet")

Pulling inspiration from a number of sci-fi/ dystopian books that have gone before it; this is an easy read for a YA audience that leans heavily on comparisons with real world animal rearing practices. Likely to provoke discussion on the humaneness of mass reared meat.