Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
This book had five star potential, I loved the writing and the characters were super realistic and reliable, but I thought that the story seemed rushed during the second section. Aside from that, I enjoyed this book a lot and loved
the friendship between the two main characters.
the friendship between the two main characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Violence, Xenophobia
Moderate: Miscarriage
Oh this book is just wonderful.
It is a slow paced, character driven novel split into three parts.
In Part One we meet 13 year old Stan Gower from Newford, Surrey. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with 16 year old Charlie Wells. Stan is intrigued by this mysterious boy.
Stan is reserved and conscientious and is being bullied at school as he is unlike the others. He doesn't "come from money" and is at the school on a scholarship. Confident Charlie helps him to realise that he is just as worthy as anybody else and helps him stand up for himself.
The relationship between them changes when it becomes common knowledge that Charlie is from the Traveller community (I am using this term as it is the one that is used in the book). His bullies use this as another target for Stan and his mother isn't happy with their friendship. They lose contact.
I really like the polarities between the two boys; Stan only has his mum after his father's death the year before and Charlie with his huge family. But they do have this "common ground" where they aren't accepted.
Part Two is set in 2012 and this time, the story is told from Charlie's point of view. He is now 25 years old and married to Kate. He seems like a shell of his former self, in an unhappy marriage, living in a rented flat in London and disliking his warehouse job. Your heart really does go out to him.
Charlie accidentally reconnects with Stan who is now a journalist. Stan realises that Charlie is the one who needs help now, just like Charlie helped him when he was a teen.
There is a political tone that runs throughout the book, touching on classism, fascism and nationalism and it is very well developed. I have never read a story like this one and I just loved every bit of it.
It is a slow paced, character driven novel split into three parts.
In Part One we meet 13 year old Stan Gower from Newford, Surrey. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with 16 year old Charlie Wells. Stan is intrigued by this mysterious boy.
Stan is reserved and conscientious and is being bullied at school as he is unlike the others. He doesn't "come from money" and is at the school on a scholarship. Confident Charlie helps him to realise that he is just as worthy as anybody else and helps him stand up for himself.
The relationship between them changes when it becomes common knowledge that Charlie is from the Traveller community (I am using this term as it is the one that is used in the book). His bullies use this as another target for Stan and his mother isn't happy with their friendship. They lose contact.
I really like the polarities between the two boys; Stan only has his mum after his father's death the year before and Charlie with his huge family. But they do have this "common ground" where they aren't accepted.
Part Two is set in 2012 and this time, the story is told from Charlie's point of view. He is now 25 years old and married to Kate. He seems like a shell of his former self, in an unhappy marriage, living in a rented flat in London and disliking his warehouse job. Your heart really does go out to him.
Charlie accidentally reconnects with Stan who is now a journalist. Stan realises that Charlie is the one who needs help now, just like Charlie helped him when he was a teen.
There is a political tone that runs throughout the book, touching on classism, fascism and nationalism and it is very well developed. I have never read a story like this one and I just loved every bit of it.
This book it filled with a lot of heart, I really enjoyed reading this.
I think we could all do with seeing the world a little differently and make an attempt to learn about other lives though different perspectives.
I think we could all do with seeing the world a little differently and make an attempt to learn about other lives though different perspectives.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
It's fair to say Naomi Ishiguro has lived up to the literary prowess and popularity of her father, Kazuo Ishiguro, with her absolutely heart-wrenching but hopefully tale of true friendship.
Common Ground is a breath of fresh air, focusing on the friendship between a Gypsy-Roma/Traveller protagonist, Charlie, and his friendship with a young schoolboy, Stanley. The book depicts their friendship between the years 2003-2012, revisiting them 10 years after a dramatic climax and proving that inevitably, true friends will always remain friends no matter how far you drift apart.
I loved that Ishiguro included a character from a background that I have never read about before. It is a beautiful effort to help all readers expand their horizons and compassion into an area of everyday life that we have never experienced before. You come away from Common Ground enlightened and with a much kinder heart than you had before reading it.
Common Ground is a breath of fresh air, focusing on the friendship between a Gypsy-Roma/Traveller protagonist, Charlie, and his friendship with a young schoolboy, Stanley. The book depicts their friendship between the years 2003-2012, revisiting them 10 years after a dramatic climax and proving that inevitably, true friends will always remain friends no matter how far you drift apart.
I loved that Ishiguro included a character from a background that I have never read about before. It is a beautiful effort to help all readers expand their horizons and compassion into an area of everyday life that we have never experienced before. You come away from Common Ground enlightened and with a much kinder heart than you had before reading it.
A thoughtful, intelligent and beautifully written story of friendship, class inequality & the impact we have on those around us. I really enjoyed this.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
I thought I would like this book better than I did. But the plot kinda bored me. I loved the loyalty in the friendship
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes