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A review by _onemorechapter_
The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!! WHOLE DAMN CAKE!!
๐ญThis is my first Pooley book and I loveeedddd it! This is my first five-star read of the year!!! I don't give 5 stars ratings easily but Sometimes when you read a book, you instantly fall in love with its characters and you know this is going to be the best read and that's what happened to me in this book.
It is the story of some eclectic people brought together by the common route. Each of the travellers has problems that need to be solved or even a person to hear them. They have been travelling together, but alone, in their own bubble. What happens when an accidently choking brings them together? Well, bonds are formed and an unlikely family takes shape.
The story centers around Iona Iverson, a charismatic magazine advice columnist, and her loyal companion, Lulu the Dog. Iona has a quirky set of rules for her daily commute, where she assigns colorful nicknames to her fellow passengers and observes them from a distance. However, a life-changing event occurs when one of her fellow commuters, the aptly named โSmart-But-Sexist-Manspreader,โ chokes on a grape, and Sanjay, a nurse, comes to his rescue. This event sets off a chain reaction that leads to an unlikely friendship among Iona, Piers, Sanjay, Martha, David, and Emmie. After Piers suffers a near-death experience and Sanjay saves him, these people begin talking and sharing their lives with each other, mainly at Iona's instigation, as she's very good at talking to people and giving advice. The six end up supporting and having a profound impact on each other, and all have happy resolutions to their problems (cyberbullying, panic attacks, finding meaningful work, relationship issues, etc.)
As the story unfolds, it underscores the importance of human connection, empathy, and kindness. It reminds us that we can learn valuable lessons from one another and that even the simplest acts of compassion can make a significant difference in someoneโs life. โThe People on Platform 5โ is a testament to the power of friendship and the impact it can have on our lives.
The writing is fantastic and the characters are written beautifully and are well-developed and relatable, and youโll find a piece of yourself in each of them as they go through an internal journey through this book, which is given all the spotlight and I was deeply invested in all of their stories. What makes this book so engaging is the way it delves into the lives of each character, exploring their personal struggles, fears, and aspirations. Through multiple points of view, the reader gains insight into their backgrounds and the challenges they face, from ageism to bullying, mental health issues to abusive relationships. Pooley skillfully weaves these themes into the narrative, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected lives. There are instances in this book that will make you laugh out loud, smile wider and generally steal your hearts. This is one of those books that are better experienced and I donโt want to give away much of the plot! Itโs unique, itโs refreshing, itโs heartwarming and so much more!
Iona Iverson- She is 50 years old, hates talking to strangers, treats her dog like royalty and loves her wife Bea passionately. She was a magazine agony aunt, although she preferred the title โmagazine therapistโ lol ๐. Truthfully, she was actually so much more than that, she gave so much of herself and her worldly wisdom to the few people she met on the train. Her words of wisdom were always powerful. I really fell in love with Iona. She has to be one of the most amazing characters I've ever read about, everything about her is just iconic. You are one of a kind and the world needs more people like you. Be More Iona! has truly become my life mantra.
Lulu, the bulldog, a feminist, a traditionalist, calls out toxic masculinity wherever she finds it. Growling. Lulu was Iona's daemon, says Martha. A daemon is like your soul outside your body, in animal form.
Sanjay: a nurse in a cancer ward, he can talk to anyone there, providing guidance, care, and sometimes just an empathetic ear. He's single, and his mum is a human rights lawyer, his dad drives a taxi, and Sanjay has near-debilitating anxiety and panic attacks at work. He also is kind, and totally unable to speak to one of the other passengers, Emmie, whom he has a crush on.
Emmie: secretly in awe of Iona, she works in marketing, but feels unfulfilled creating campaigns for toothpaste and the like. She's in a relationship with a man she thinks is perfect.
Piers: a trader whose run of bad luck has been ongoing for way too long. He's got an extravagant life and home thanks to his wife, and bills piling up, and is unwilling to tell his wife that things are looking bad. He is a bit of a blowhard and unsympathetic when we first meet him.
Martha: a thirteen-year-old, who takes a compromising photo of herself after a friend's request. Unfortunately, the photo is spread around (thanks internet) and Martha is mercilessly bullied and shamed consequently. She can't talk to the school authorities, or her parents, and is becoming increasingly unhappy and isolated.
David: his marriage is faltering, as his wife is becoming frustrated with the lack of anything new or different he has done to keep their relationship interesting.
My only complaint is that I wish there was more of it!!
Overall, this story was moving, heartwarming, touching, and hopeful but mostly hilarious and entertaining as hell. And I feel like no matter what I write in my review, it will never do justice to how remarkable the story is but then again it's a spectacular heartfelt book that is better felt than expressed.
๐.๐ Are you in a reading slump youโre struggling to get out of or are you feeling low in general? Then youโre in the right place!
๐.๐.๐ Sanjay's train proposal idea was a chef's kiss!!
๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: 4.2 (46031)
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐: Humorous Fiction
๐ธ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: Yes, Yes and Yes
Do yourself a favour and read it!!
Extremely well-written, fast-paced and beautiful. Just like a warm hug!!
๐ธ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐:
โThey want us to be small, so we have to stand tall. They want us to be invisible, so we have to be seen. They want us to be quiet, so we have to be heard. They want us to surrender, so we have to fight.โ
โNo woman is anyoneโs โother halfโ. We are all entire people. Completely whole, and totally unique. But sometimes when you put two very different whole people together, a kind of magic, an alchemy, occurs. Bea said I was like eggs and sugar, and she was flour and butter, and when you mixed us together, we were more than just the combination of our ingredients, we were the whole damn cake.โ
โThe only way to be guaranteed of failure, dear boy, is not to try,โ said Iona. โLove is the greatest risk of all, but a life without it is meaningless.โ
โmost endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise.โ
โshe just wanted to sit quietly and imagine herself in a world where she still mattered.โ
โDarling, what is the point of being alive if you go through life unnoticed, without standing out and making waves?โ
โrefuse to waste a single day more stressing about something I canโt control.โ
โIf youโre going to get it wrong, Martha, make sure you get it wrong with PANACHE! Surely theyโll give you a mark for style, at least?โ
๐ญThis is my first Pooley book and I loveeedddd it! This is my first five-star read of the year!!! I don't give 5 stars ratings easily but Sometimes when you read a book, you instantly fall in love with its characters and you know this is going to be the best read and that's what happened to me in this book.
It is the story of some eclectic people brought together by the common route. Each of the travellers has problems that need to be solved or even a person to hear them. They have been travelling together, but alone, in their own bubble. What happens when an accidently choking brings them together? Well, bonds are formed and an unlikely family takes shape.
The story centers around Iona Iverson, a charismatic magazine advice columnist, and her loyal companion, Lulu the Dog. Iona has a quirky set of rules for her daily commute, where she assigns colorful nicknames to her fellow passengers and observes them from a distance. However, a life-changing event occurs when one of her fellow commuters, the aptly named โSmart-But-Sexist-Manspreader,โ chokes on a grape, and Sanjay, a nurse, comes to his rescue. This event sets off a chain reaction that leads to an unlikely friendship among Iona, Piers, Sanjay, Martha, David, and Emmie. After Piers suffers a near-death experience and Sanjay saves him, these people begin talking and sharing their lives with each other, mainly at Iona's instigation, as she's very good at talking to people and giving advice. The six end up supporting and having a profound impact on each other, and all have happy resolutions to their problems (cyberbullying, panic attacks, finding meaningful work, relationship issues, etc.)
As the story unfolds, it underscores the importance of human connection, empathy, and kindness. It reminds us that we can learn valuable lessons from one another and that even the simplest acts of compassion can make a significant difference in someoneโs life. โThe People on Platform 5โ is a testament to the power of friendship and the impact it can have on our lives.
The writing is fantastic and the characters are written beautifully and are well-developed and relatable, and youโll find a piece of yourself in each of them as they go through an internal journey through this book, which is given all the spotlight and I was deeply invested in all of their stories. What makes this book so engaging is the way it delves into the lives of each character, exploring their personal struggles, fears, and aspirations. Through multiple points of view, the reader gains insight into their backgrounds and the challenges they face, from ageism to bullying, mental health issues to abusive relationships. Pooley skillfully weaves these themes into the narrative, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected lives. There are instances in this book that will make you laugh out loud, smile wider and generally steal your hearts. This is one of those books that are better experienced and I donโt want to give away much of the plot! Itโs unique, itโs refreshing, itโs heartwarming and so much more!
Iona Iverson- She is 50 years old, hates talking to strangers, treats her dog like royalty and loves her wife Bea passionately. She was a magazine agony aunt, although she preferred the title โmagazine therapistโ lol ๐. Truthfully, she was actually so much more than that, she gave so much of herself and her worldly wisdom to the few people she met on the train. Her words of wisdom were always powerful. I really fell in love with Iona. She has to be one of the most amazing characters I've ever read about, everything about her is just iconic. You are one of a kind and the world needs more people like you. Be More Iona! has truly become my life mantra.
Lulu, the bulldog, a feminist, a traditionalist, calls out toxic masculinity wherever she finds it. Growling. Lulu was Iona's daemon, says Martha. A daemon is like your soul outside your body, in animal form.
Sanjay: a nurse in a cancer ward, he can talk to anyone there, providing guidance, care, and sometimes just an empathetic ear. He's single, and his mum is a human rights lawyer, his dad drives a taxi, and Sanjay has near-debilitating anxiety and panic attacks at work. He also is kind, and totally unable to speak to one of the other passengers, Emmie, whom he has a crush on.
Emmie: secretly in awe of Iona, she works in marketing, but feels unfulfilled creating campaigns for toothpaste and the like. She's in a relationship with a man she thinks is perfect.
Piers: a trader whose run of bad luck has been ongoing for way too long. He's got an extravagant life and home thanks to his wife, and bills piling up, and is unwilling to tell his wife that things are looking bad. He is a bit of a blowhard and unsympathetic when we first meet him.
Martha: a thirteen-year-old, who takes a compromising photo of herself after a friend's request. Unfortunately, the photo is spread around (thanks internet) and Martha is mercilessly bullied and shamed consequently. She can't talk to the school authorities, or her parents, and is becoming increasingly unhappy and isolated.
David: his marriage is faltering, as his wife is becoming frustrated with the lack of anything new or different he has done to keep their relationship interesting.
My only complaint is that I wish there was more of it!!
Overall, this story was moving, heartwarming, touching, and hopeful but mostly hilarious and entertaining as hell. And I feel like no matter what I write in my review, it will never do justice to how remarkable the story is but then again it's a spectacular heartfelt book that is better felt than expressed.
๐.๐ Are you in a reading slump youโre struggling to get out of or are you feeling low in general? Then youโre in the right place!
๐.๐.๐ Sanjay's train proposal idea was a chef's kiss!!
๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: โญโญโญโญโญ
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐: 4.2 (46031)
๐ธ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐: Humorous Fiction
๐ธ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐: Yes, Yes and Yes
Do yourself a favour and read it!!
Extremely well-written, fast-paced and beautiful. Just like a warm hug!!
๐ธ ๐ญ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐:
โThey want us to be small, so we have to stand tall. They want us to be invisible, so we have to be seen. They want us to be quiet, so we have to be heard. They want us to surrender, so we have to fight.โ
โNo woman is anyoneโs โother halfโ. We are all entire people. Completely whole, and totally unique. But sometimes when you put two very different whole people together, a kind of magic, an alchemy, occurs. Bea said I was like eggs and sugar, and she was flour and butter, and when you mixed us together, we were more than just the combination of our ingredients, we were the whole damn cake.โ
โThe only way to be guaranteed of failure, dear boy, is not to try,โ said Iona. โLove is the greatest risk of all, but a life without it is meaningless.โ
โmost endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise.โ
โshe just wanted to sit quietly and imagine herself in a world where she still mattered.โ
โDarling, what is the point of being alive if you go through life unnoticed, without standing out and making waves?โ
โrefuse to waste a single day more stressing about something I canโt control.โ
โIf youโre going to get it wrong, Martha, make sure you get it wrong with PANACHE! Surely theyโll give you a mark for style, at least?โ