Reviewed by Robert A. Groves for Readers' Favorite

As Human of the Year by Beka Wueste begins, it’s been 20 years since Matt Keegan has seen the outside world. It is now time for him to come home from prison, and his sister, Jenny, is eagerly awaiting his release. Jenny was a young child when her brother was convicted and incarcerated for drug trafficking. In the purest sense of the word, the siblings are strangers. It will be a period of adjustment for Matt’s sister, brother-in-law, and niece to accommodate him in their home. In the meantime, Matt is also trying to plan for his future with the guidance of his parole officer, Dinah. But the world has dramatically changed. He struggles with technology and social interactions as he reenters the workforce. And to add to it, there is a strained relationship between him and his parents. But the real problem facing Matt is Kenneth Hoskins. It takes a village for Matt to rejoin society and successfully face his demons. How all these components come together makes for an intriguing story.

I was drawn to Beka Wueste’s Human of the Year by its title. What must someone be like to deserve such an honor? This is a marvelously written story with complex themes that answer the question. Matt is not the sort of person society would normally celebrate. He's a formerly incarcerated man whose crime caused enormous harm. Many people, including his parents and the victim's family, see him primarily through the lens of his worst mistake. Yet the novel spends most of its time showing Matt doing something exactly human: struggling, failing, learning, feeling guilty, trying to connect, and trying to become better. The title may also point to a central idea that being human is not about being perfect. Nearly every major character is flawed. But their collective care for Matt eventually brings out the best in all of them. This story will linger in your mind for days after reading the last page. I give it my highest recommendation.