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booksillremember's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Well written character study, rich with images and reflections that are down to earth and understated like a lot of great Irish writing.
I didn’t connect with Tom’s chapters, him being a one-dimensional arsehole 99% of the time when everyone else was so much more complex. There are glimpses of complexity, but I’d either have liked more about his background or a lot less about him overall. Make him a function without POV or a fleshed out character, not something in between.
I didn’t connect with Tom’s chapters, him being a one-dimensional arsehole 99% of the time when everyone else was so much more complex. There are glimpses of complexity, but I’d either have liked more about his background or a lot less about him overall. Make him a function without POV or a fleshed out character, not something in between.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Alcoholism, and Abortion
Moderate: Child death
rcy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Abortion
_inge's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a pageturner! And not necessarily because of the crime - this is the catalyst for uncovering the family’s story, the act itself doesn’t take center stage. I was invested in all the members of the Green’s family ánd Tom, so I was keen to keep reading to figure out how everyone related to each other.
This book doesn’t use quotation marks, and the numbered chapters usually indicate a shift in perspective. This does make it a bit confusing to follow sometimes. You could be reading multiple chapters from Carmel’s perspective, only to find a chapter from Ritchie’s point of view following those up without a prior warning. There’s quite a few characters to keep up with too, initially. I had to backtrack sometimes, either to figure out who’s who, but also to see who’s perspective I’m reading from. It doesn’t help that certain segments are paragraphs filled with a character’s thoughts, either.
In the interview on the last pages of my paperback copy, the author states they’d decided to remove major parts featuring Tom’s perspective as the focus should be on the family, not on him. I do get where this is coming from, but at the same time I thought Tom was always meant to be the one tying the story together. He’s the only character completely outside of the family, and he’s pretty one-sided most times (which the family isn’t either). He’s downright awful! But that’s what made his perspectives a nice change. He’s the only character who’s this full of himself, thinks this lowly of others and who has ulterior motives. I found his character fascinating and would’ve liked to see more of him. Once again during my Women’s Prize For Fiction 2024 reading I’m also noticing the blurb doesn’t really do this justice. The blurb made it out to be like Tom is the main focus here, so going into this I thought we’d get a deep delve into how the press works and what they’re capable of to get to a story first. These elements were there, but they never felt that important now.
Similarly, Lucy’s perspective wasn’t needed, in my opinion. In the interview Nolan says she wrote from her perspective when Lucy becomes a teen, to avoid having to write for a kid. But because the writing style doesn’t change from any of the (adult) characters in this book whatsoever, Lucy’s perspective felt a bit off. I knew she wouldn’t be thinking in the way she’s described to be doing here, which is lengthy sentences and an expansive vocabulary for how she really feels.
This is a really captivating read, every character felt alive to me. I would’ve liked less of Lucy and more of Tom, but that’s all personal preferences and I get why the author chose to go in this direction instead.
This book doesn’t use quotation marks, and the numbered chapters usually indicate a shift in perspective. This does make it a bit confusing to follow sometimes. You could be reading multiple chapters from Carmel’s perspective, only to find a chapter from Ritchie’s point of view following those up without a prior warning. There’s quite a few characters to keep up with too, initially. I had to backtrack sometimes, either to figure out who’s who, but also to see who’s perspective I’m reading from. It doesn’t help that certain segments are paragraphs filled with a character’s thoughts, either.
In the interview on the last pages of my paperback copy, the author states they’d decided to remove major parts featuring Tom’s perspective as the focus should be on the family, not on him. I do get where this is coming from, but at the same time I thought Tom was always meant to be the one tying the story together. He’s the only character completely outside of the family, and he’s pretty one-sided most times (which the family isn’t either). He’s downright awful! But that’s what made his perspectives a nice change. He’s the only character who’s this full of himself, thinks this lowly of others and who has ulterior motives. I found his character fascinating and would’ve liked to see more of him. Once again during my Women’s Prize For Fiction 2024 reading I’m also noticing the blurb doesn’t really do this justice. The blurb made it out to be like Tom is the main focus here, so going into this I thought we’d get a deep delve into how the press works and what they’re capable of to get to a story first. These elements were there, but they never felt that important now.
Similarly, Lucy’s perspective wasn’t needed, in my opinion. In the interview Nolan says she wrote from her perspective when Lucy becomes a teen, to avoid having to write for a kid. But because the writing style doesn’t change from any of the (adult) characters in this book whatsoever, Lucy’s perspective felt a bit off. I knew she wouldn’t be thinking in the way she’s described to be doing here, which is lengthy sentences and an expansive vocabulary for how she really feels.
This is a really captivating read, every character felt alive to me. I would’ve liked less of Lucy and more of Tom, but that’s all personal preferences and I get why the author chose to go in this direction instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Mental illness, Death, Abortion, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Drug use, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Physical abuse, Self harm, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Vomit, Death of parent, Drug use, and Violence
amy_park's review
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.5
Short book depicting the lives of ordinary people. This book was readable and gripping. Although there is not alot of plot (all of it is in the blurb), it was a real character study of one family and a journalist. With it being popular on booktube and longlisted for the Women's prize, I picked it up.
I did really enjoy this book, for the majority of this book I rated it 5 stars, however as we got more towards the end and explored the two male characters in the family I wasn't as interested, hence the not "perfect" rating. I will definetly pick up Megan's debut novel in the future and wish this book is shortlisted for the 2024 prize!
I did really enjoy this book, for the majority of this book I rated it 5 stars, however as we got more towards the end and explored the two male characters in the family I wasn't as interested, hence the not "perfect" rating. I will definetly pick up Megan's debut novel in the future and wish this book is shortlisted for the 2024 prize!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Abortion, and Child death
maggiemcfly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Classism, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Child death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Cancer and Death of parent
theunfinishedbookshelf's review
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Death of parent
wordsofclover's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Abortion
Minor: Violence, Child death, and Death of parent
kirstym25's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Abortion, Death of parent, and Death
terrimisu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Ordinary Human Failings follows the aftermath in which a ten-year-old little girl is killed and suspicions point towards little Lucy Green. Amidst the investigation led by Tom Hargreaves and from the investigation, we slowly uncover the generational traumas that have occurred amongst the Green family.
I can already say this is one of my top reads of 2024. I enjoyed every second reading Ordinary Human Failings and was more than just impressed by how far this surpassed Megan Nolan’s Acts of Desperation. I loved Acts of Desperation but I think I can confidently say that I love Ordinary Human Failings even more for a myriad of reasons. I truly appreciated the frequent POV and time jumps, the gruesomeness, and the authenticity in which individual faults can lead up to such a catastrophic set of events. I got to learn more about each Green member and how their life took a turn for the worst, which ultimately changed the trajectory of their lives in their own way (whether it be a minor or major fault). It was quite fascinating how the life of Lucy Green was greatly affected prior to her own conception merely from the ordinary human failings of her family. Somehow all very separate traumatic experiences meet one another and manifest into something greater than it is which gravely leads to Lucy’s own ordinary human failing; an unthinkable act that was least expected. Ordinary Human Failings is something everyone needs to experience once in life and it's a beautiful piece of work that must be acknowledged for what it is; a masterpiece.
I want to thank Little Brown for allowing me the opportunity to read a galley of Ordinary Human Failing (and Megan Nolan for creating a beautiful novel)! I am so so excited to see what's in the future of Megan Nolan’s literature. Everyone go pick up Ordinary Human Failings in your nearest bookstores ASAP, this is a novel everyone must read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Infidelity, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Alcoholism
katiemoonshep's review
dark
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, and Abortion