Scan barcode
A review by katykelly
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
5.0
Celebrates the 'ordinary' that makes us all 'extra'. The power of grief, friendship and memory.
Every Mike Gayle tends to have its lump-in-throat moment. Or two. Boy does he know how to get you. You don't even see it coming.
I thought I knew mostly where this was going, but I was blindsided (don't worry - no spoilers). A museum-trained secretary, who gave up on her ambitions to take care of her ill mother - this is Jess. She's got a fab best friend in Lucy, a job that pays the bills, a committed boyfriend who likes modern décor and is pushing for them to buy a home together... it could be a lot worse. We open with Jess still grieving for her mum, whose house she has cleared after her death nearly a year ago.
In the process of emptying her childhood home out, Jess finds her much-loved and cherished set of encyclopaedias her mum bought for her, wanting her to learn, to aim high, to follow her dreams. Guy won't want them in his chic apartment... she can't throw them away...
By chance Jess learns of a quirky place that surely can't be real... the Museum of Ordinary People, where treasured possessions are given a home rather than be thrown away. And of course this is where the story real begins.
Readers will straightaway see a few of the upcoming plot points, and there are the usual possible romantic interests, mysterious men, comic relief side characters, adversities and histories and moments of emotion.
There's also, surprisingly, a very unexpected and wonderful love of museums and cherishing the past cultivated throughout. Some wonderful characters are brought to life, grief is well-explored by more than one character.
And like me, I bet you end up getting sentimental about treasured family mementoes you would never throw away but that would never make it to the British Museum - we've all got something that holds precious memories for us. That's what this is all about.
Jess could be any of us: "I'd been lost in thought about my future. Wondering whether I'd left it too late... (to do) something that might give me the sense of purpose I'm looking for, something that might make me feel like I'm not just here on this planet to take up space or make up the numbers." Within her own existential crisis is a relationship one, a professional one, and a personal, death-related one. There's a lot to unpick.
Skilfully bringing characters and plotlines together, Gayle gives us another emotionally-wringing but uplifting book that you'll love. Another winner.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Every Mike Gayle tends to have its lump-in-throat moment. Or two. Boy does he know how to get you. You don't even see it coming.
I thought I knew mostly where this was going, but I was blindsided (don't worry - no spoilers). A museum-trained secretary, who gave up on her ambitions to take care of her ill mother - this is Jess. She's got a fab best friend in Lucy, a job that pays the bills, a committed boyfriend who likes modern décor and is pushing for them to buy a home together... it could be a lot worse. We open with Jess still grieving for her mum, whose house she has cleared after her death nearly a year ago.
In the process of emptying her childhood home out, Jess finds her much-loved and cherished set of encyclopaedias her mum bought for her, wanting her to learn, to aim high, to follow her dreams. Guy won't want them in his chic apartment... she can't throw them away...
By chance Jess learns of a quirky place that surely can't be real... the Museum of Ordinary People, where treasured possessions are given a home rather than be thrown away. And of course this is where the story real begins.
Readers will straightaway see a few of the upcoming plot points, and there are the usual possible romantic interests, mysterious men, comic relief side characters, adversities and histories and moments of emotion.
There's also, surprisingly, a very unexpected and wonderful love of museums and cherishing the past cultivated throughout. Some wonderful characters are brought to life, grief is well-explored by more than one character.
And like me, I bet you end up getting sentimental about treasured family mementoes you would never throw away but that would never make it to the British Museum - we've all got something that holds precious memories for us. That's what this is all about.
Jess could be any of us: "I'd been lost in thought about my future. Wondering whether I'd left it too late... (to do) something that might give me the sense of purpose I'm looking for, something that might make me feel like I'm not just here on this planet to take up space or make up the numbers." Within her own existential crisis is a relationship one, a professional one, and a personal, death-related one. There's a lot to unpick.
Skilfully bringing characters and plotlines together, Gayle gives us another emotionally-wringing but uplifting book that you'll love. Another winner.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.