Nice oneshot! I couldn't stop reading it until I had finished. I really like the characters (except Becky and Vera), they're really likeable!

I really enjoyed reading this! The idea of grey skin is interesting, to say the least. You did a great job with it!

~YukinoKara

ha ha...he's gay Candide. Sort of abrupt, and not really realistic, but if you were going for allegory that's okay. 's cute.

Cute story! The best part was when Becky got chlamydia. lol Your summery is misleading though 'cause Renee wasn't an ACTUAL alien. I was looking forward to that. I thought it would be funny. But a human that's grey, that is different. I'm not sure I got the political point to this story, but I have a feeling that that not getting it was the point. At least by what your notes at the top said. As ever I am always looking forward to your future stories. Keep it up. Your stories are so unique, I'm starting to think that YOU might be the alien. o.0

“…he wasn’t entirely sure how his mother would react to his dragging an ill homeless boy through the door and asking to keep him (after all, when he did that with a perfectly healthy puppy a few years ago, his mother had flipped out).” Aw~ so cute!! =^-^= I don’t know why…maybe because Malin’s being compared to a puppy, but…I just have the immense urge to coo like the fangirl that I am >.< Oh, great character names by the way. Their names are so cool…I’m jealous…hm Malin and Miranda…hmm, doesn’t sound too bad! :D Heheh, too bad we’re batting for the same team (never mind that he’s fictional).

Your characters are always so loveable ~.^
~Miranda

I printed this story to read it in the morning on my way to work, but I found myself cutting lunch break short to find a quiet place to finish reading it.
I assume it doesn't have many reviews because it's an oneshot and most go for multi-chapter stories, but it definitely deserves more attention. You're an awesome writer. The characters are fascinating, the storyline is simple, yet deep and complex. Love it.

HI! I really loved it!Its so refreshing...Ah...Renee...I love that see no evil-hear no evil-speak no evil attitude of his!

I read 'The history of Southbrook Academy'-just never reviewed it-and loved it,of course.
But,I might like this even better.For now,at least.Wait till I read 'Mascara'

OK,I'm off to read it...The tab with it is waiting patiently :)

I read this a long time ago (and many times since then) but I never reviewed.

This is very possibly my favorite one-shot on fictionpress, if not my favorite piece of writing. It was cute. It was angsty. It had a realist named Mr. Thrifty. And political agenda (which was? You should tell me, I'm apparently not able to figure it out. Or if not unable, just unmotivated.)

Either way, you're my hero.

That was really good! Lots of drama and fluffiness...I wasn't sure if it was going to be a happy or sad ending, so that kept things interesting. I really liked the characters, too, plus their contrasting philosophies. It was a lot of fun to read!

so, so beautyful!

Omg that was so amazing, and cute and just wow. It was really sad at first, but I was glad to read that it ended happy. I love how you write your characters, to me they seem really real. Another awesome story.

Much love.

It was so sad, but then it had a happy ending. I love Renee. This was just amazing. :D

My only nitpick is that psychiatrists are doctors of the MD and not PhD variety. But, um, yes. I did indeed enjoy this. I'm not so great with the eloquent lovely praise or even the constructive criticism, so you'll just have to trust that I think very highly of this story and your writing style.

This story is just... I don't know how to describe it! It's really different and special. I adore it!!

That was sad, I almost started crying at Renee's ostraciation (sp? or is that even the right word?) from the rest of the world. I know how that feels, putting on a smile and living a fantasy world for the benefit of those around you. My lame attempt at interpretation is that, the world tells you to hide the bad behind your own happiness, and not take any of it into full truthness... Yes. Lame. Sad, sad, sad story. Good, but sad.

This left me feeling a bit unsatisfied, the ending was so typical, it felt empty. There was a lot of talk about happiness, like Thrifty's 'chemical happiness' and the happiness Renee got from his Mother Nature religion which was only a matter of perspective. Another theme I felt throughout the story, Renee and the alien motif. Renee wasn't only physically 'alien', but mentally too. His outlook was so optimistic, too optimistic. I guess that could be a good thing but from his situation, it just seemed pathetic. He enchanted himself with his own illusions to blind himself from human pain. To protect himself he isolated himself with 'happiness' which I guess is what the title refers to. Also, Renee could only join the human race, as you said, when he becomes a realist. But was Renee finally seeing the truth, or was he creating his own pain? Being a realist seemed pretty miserable, like how Mr.Thrift had to use opium to get his shot of happy.

And that leads to another thing that irks me, Malin was the one who introduced this dark world to him, but he is also the one who will love Renee. I'm also not too sure if Malin can really change, just as Mr.Thrift said. Things like the past, they can't be ignored.