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victoria_catherine_shaw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Death of parent, Child death, Death, and Abandonment
_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
happyknitter2020's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Read as was listed for Women's Prize longlist 2024.
Intergenerational story of challenging lived experiences, which led a 10 year old to take the life of a toddler.
Reflects on the impact of trauma attachments throughout a whole family & the media culture too.
A tragic story, hopefully will be shortlisted.
Intergenerational story of challenging lived experiences, which led a 10 year old to take the life of a toddler.
Reflects on the impact of trauma attachments throughout a whole family & the media culture too.
A tragic story, hopefully will be shortlisted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Alcohol, and Grief
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
lindsaylhunter's review
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Irish fiction is on a roll at the moment. Nolan has written a compelling little novel, one that is short and bingeable but full of depth. It's impressive how much feeling she's been able to sprinkle into the small number of pages this book has.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Alcoholism
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
serendipitysbooks'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
4.5
On a housing estate in London in 1990 a toddler goes missing and is later discovered dead. The last person to be seen with her was 10 year old Lucy. This book is not sensationalised and it is not a thriller. Rather it is a thoughtful character study looking at members of Lucy’s family and the reasons they came to be outcasts on the estate in which they lived, and the circumstances which led to 10 year old Lucy being questioned by police on suspicion of murder. It’s a thoughtful exploration of issues like teen pregnancy, addiction, depression, grief, infidelity, workplace accidents, xenophobia, loneliness, classism, prejudice and more. Ordinary Human Failings is a portrait of a family brought low by a series of events, disappointments, and some bad choices; nothing outlandish, just things that could happen in any family, the result of ordinary weaknesses and human failings. It’s also a commentary on journalistic ethics, or the lack thereof. I found the storytelling engaging, the prose measured and thoughtful, the tone compassionate. The more I read, the more impressed I was with this novel. It manages to be impactful without being showy or sensational, while the ending mixes hope with reality. Definitely deserving of its place on the Women’s Prize longlist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Child death
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
grunbean's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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
5.0
I read this with a book club, and this is a firm first five star of the year. It is deeply emotional. I have never read the ‘ordinary human failings’ of life like this.
Though centred around a tragic event, this story isn’t focused on this and the answer to it. It explores the stories of the family members and what made them who they are. I wanted to cry when I read the paths the characters were taking. I think it’s very much a book to be read than explained. I will be looking into the others books from this author.
My final thought is a sincere f@!# you to Tom Hargreaves.
Though centred around a tragic event, this story isn’t focused on this and the answer to it. It explores the stories of the family members and what made them who they are. I wanted to cry when I read the paths the characters were taking. I think it’s very much a book to be read than explained. I will be looking into the others books from this author.
My final thought is a sincere f@!# you to Tom Hargreaves.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Alcoholism, and Child death