Reviews

“I must be taken as I have been made. The success is not mine, the failure is not mine, but the two together make me.” - Charles Dickens

[b:One Ordinary Day at a Time|57021426|One Ordinary Day at a Time|Sarah J. Harris|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1615627652l/57021426._SX50_.jpg|89222015] by [a:Sarah J. Harris|6175223|Sarah J. Harris|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1526844459p2/6175223.jpg] is a tale of two ordinary people with extraordinary lives, dreams and ambitions. But they don't have the most impressive backgrounds. It's an excellent social commentary on the care system and the obstacles people may have to overcome prejudice. But also the discrimination of mental health and how being honest with ourselves is often the first step towards recovery. There are some severe issues, too, but we'll handle them in this quirky book.

Jodie Brook is a struggling single mum who has a son, seven-year-old Zak. Jodie brought up in a dysfunctional family, is always chasing dreams and applies to study English Literature at Cambridge University. Former child maths genius Simon Sparks also went to Cambridge at 15 but now spends his days working in a fast-food restaurant. He spends his spare time fine-tuning his quizzing skills, among other things. Both have escaped abuse and bear the scars, in Jodie's case, literally. Both have dreams more significant than their current ordinary lifestyles as Jodie battles poverty and Simon battles his inner demons. When Jodie asks Simon to help tutor her to get into Cambridge University, he initially rejects the idea until Jodie persuades him that he needs teaching. Simon's lack of people skills alienates him even more than his unusual lifestyle.

From there, it's just the most beautiful story of friendship, admittedly after a few misunderstandings, between these two most loveable characters. The story is told so that you equally feel happy and sad for them but in different ways. A perfect read, nevertheless, even though I was not absorbed in the developing stories.