The Museum of Ordinary People: The uplifting new novel from the bestselling author of Half a World Away

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Am I going to think too hard on that and try to figure out if the book actually deserves a lower rating? Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. I also used to live in Manchester — another great city (although technically I lived in Salford which is next door but that’s sort of splitting hairs). In this “pure, unadulterated feel-good” and warmhearted novel, an old set of encyclopedias leads a young woman to a curious museum and one profoundly moving lesson: that every life is an extraordinary life ( Kirkus ).

As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heartbreaking stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. But when in the process Jess stumbles across the mysterious Alex, together they become custodians of a strange archive of letters, photographs, curios and collections known as The Museum of Ordinary People. My thanks to Jenny of Hodder & Stoughton for the tour invitation and for the proof copy to review. This one sang out to me as soon as I read the blurb and I’m so glad that I said yes please.

Before I went to university I wanted to be a social worker — I have no idea why. It didn’t last long. I have heard so many readers talk fondly of Mike Gayle’s writing, and despite having at least two of his books in my towering tbr, The Museum of Ordinary People is his first read for me. Having just finished, I wish it hadn’t taken me so long. Overall, this is an author whose books I’ll always want to read. He writes about ordinary people in such a way that makes them feel extraordinary. As with all Mike Gayle's books, I found myself relating to parts of different characters. My own family came to this country in the 50s and 60s from the Caribbean and they too settled in and around the Northampton area, so I found myself loving Jess immediately. We have all kept things from our dearly departed loved ones that make no sense to anyone else, but mean the world to us - I feel that everyone can relate to that. Narrated by Witney White - beautiful narration that brought this story and especially Jess to life.Overall, The Museum of Ordinary People is a moving story that I would definitely recommend. I believe we could all use a “museum of ordinary people” to keep the memories and the stories alive. Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves. Mike has an uncanny ability to create characters that are immediately familiar and relatable and to draw the reader into their world, ever eager to follow where they lead. The Museum of Ordinary People is a keenly observed and warm-hearted tale of how people cope with loss and keep their dreams alive against the odds. It is a delightful read." - Ruth Hogan All the mysteries are solved in rather speedy fashion towards the end of the book which made it feel rushed. I can’t say I liked the characters all that much and they weren’t very well fleshed out.

The master of unique stories, that have you engaged from the beginning. This one does not let it down. I’ve been thinking about what I would add to the Museum’s collection. For me, it would be the wheelbarrow that my Grandad used to wheel me around the garden, when I was little. I used to squeal with delight as I held on tight over the bumpy pathways, heading for the rhubarb patch. It evokes beautiful, treasured Summer memories. An object that to most would be meaningless, but to me, a priceless object, full of emotion. Surprises: Jess never knew her father and is reading her mother’s recently discovered dairy when she realizes that everything she thought she knew was completely wrong. Mystery - who was her father? I was also born in Birmingham — in my humble opinion the greatest city in the world with the nicest people too.Jess's grief over her mother's passing comes a close second. These sections were very heavy on the emotions and some of the content got to me. I ended up taking unplanned breaks whenever these sections came up because my mind constantly wandered into thoughts of what I would do when I inevitably have to handle the same situation in the future for my parents. I loved the writing but hated the way it stirred up sad musings. Despite the book being centred around a museum, an unspoken secret gave a good fight to become the centre of attention. I was flabbergasted to be totally honest. I didn't know who I felt sorry for the most in the situation, yet I could also see it from the side of a mother, what with being one myself. I know this sounds like I'm speaking nonsense, however those who have read the book will understand where I am coming from. However, if you haven't read the book yet, I highly suggest you nab one as soon as you can. We build museums for Royals and presidents and other famous people. What about the objects that pass through the lives of "ordinary" people? Are these items all destined to end up in the dump? Jess Baxter discovers an eclectic collection of things that have been saved from the trash. Little notes are attached noting date and location of recovery and a note about the original owner. Jess commits to using her museum curating knowledge to improve and expand the collection. If you have helped an older relative move out of their home or done some downsizing of your own, you can relate to the dilemma of wanting to save a special item you have no room for. Mike Gayle gives us some really good surprises at the end and it felt a bit rushed. I do think this would make a fabulous book for group discussion. Encouraged by the popularity and praise for Mike Gayle’s work I decided to read The Museum of Ordinary People despite the fact that the premise has more than a few similarities to Ruth Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things.

Hear the story behind the ethos and development of this activist museum, and the nature of collection interpretation, museums’ roles in the culture(s) we’re a part of, and the extraordinary stories we have the power to tell.In addition to the characters being problematic, the writing was also repetitive in places (for example - the word “anyway” was repeated at so many points in the story that I lost count after the first couple chapters), there was way too much “telling” rather than “showing” (the writing actually came off awkward in places), and the plot was a bit too contrived for my liking (there were some “twists” added near the end that were convenient but unnecessary in my opinion). The story moves between Now and Then, told in Jess’ voice. Along with an excellent cast of supporting characters, Jess was engaging and likeable, as was Alex. Both had damaged histories, the full extent of which came out as the story progressed.