Title: The Book of Ordinary People
Expected publication: out now
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Book Description:
Three things different. Three things the same.
Meet Evangelia, a grieving souvlaki shop owner; Rik, a news hack haunted by his past; Nell, a lawyer who worries over her soul; and Ben, a young father desperate to measure up - four people who have everything and nothing to do with one another.
But each of their lives is about to be changed forever by Aida, a woman who never wanted their help, nor their sympathy. A woman with her own tale to tell...
Meet Evangelia, a grieving souvlaki shop owner; Rik, a news hack haunted by his past; Nell, a lawyer who worries over her soul; and Ben, a young father desperate to measure up - four people who have everything and nothing to do with one another.
But each of their lives is about to be changed forever by Aida, a woman who never wanted their help, nor their sympathy. A woman with her own tale to tell...
My musings:
One of the best things about books are the glimpses into
other people’s lives, and the more vivid the characters, the better the
experience. The Book of Ordinary People is just that – a glimpse into the lives
of five ordinary city dwellers living in Melbourne. Except, ask yourself this:
what is ordinary? Doesn’t everyone have a unique story to tell, their own
trials and tribulations, triumphs and failures, joy and pain?
Here we have Aida, an asylum seeker from Iran, anxiously
waiting for her visa to come through; Evangelina, a Greek-Australian, who is
still grieving the recent death of her mother; DB and Nell, who are both
working for the same law firm but whose lives are just about as different as
they can get; and Patrick, an unemployed ex-journalist who is still reeling
from a traumatic experience on his last deployment. All five people are
connected in some way, even though they are not aware that their paths have
crossed, their lives intersected. Each of them is beautifully drawn, the
glimpses into their lives so well chosen that we get a feel not only for their
current predicament, but also their rich pasts that have led them to this very
point in time. Five ordinary people, going about their ordinary lives. But, as
Evangelina discovers when digging into her mother’s ordinary past, even the
most unassuming person has a unique story to tell and their life will touch
that of others and change it in some unfathomable way.
One only has to read Varley’s own history to see that her
life has been far from ordinary, and that she brings with her a rich background
of travel and working in different industries that have shaped her understanding
of what makes people tick. That, combined with an eye for detail and the
ability to create a rich, moving tale out of five ordinary lives, makes for a
wonderful reading experience. It was like walking down Melbourne streets and
peeking through windows (not that I recommend doing that), watching people go
about their day. For me, a reader who usually prefers intricate plots and
killer twists, it provided a palate cleanser from a fare of dark mysteries,
like a breath of fresh air. Out of the five main characters, Aida most stole my
heart. However, there are also many wonderful supporting characters who touched
me deeply, like Madeline, who may feature only briefly but whose message
lingered – not only for Nell and DB, but also for me. And of course little “naughty Nikki”, who puts
the ongoing issue of the treatment of refugees in Australia into a whole new
light. Varley’s work with refugees and asylum seekers, and her advocacy for
victims of domestic violence offers a background here that makes this story not
only richer, but also very relevant.
Summary:
In summary, The Book of Ordinary people is an
extra-ordinarily beautiful and touching book, offering glimpses into the lives
of five random strangers. Incorporating many topics relevant in Australian
society today, the story gave rare insights into the plights of the people
around you, that stranger on the train, the girl serving you coffee in a shop,
the woman dropping her kids off at the school gates. I found it both
interesting and thought provoking, and thoroughly enjoyed the journey into the
hearts and minds of these characters.
Thank
you to the publisher Pan Macmillan Australia for the free copy of this novel and
for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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