The Book of Ordinary People

Does the cover of a book ever say "read me"? This was one of those books for me. It was actually the title on the spine that caught my attention first and then I pulled the book out of our New Releases section at the public library I work at and just knew I had to read it. So I ended up buying it!

The Book of Ordinary People by Australian author Claire Varley would be a favourite read for me so far for 2018.

I don't like thrillers, fantasy or too much romance but I love books about ordinary people so I knew this book was going to get to me. It did.

The book features several characters. They're all ordinary people trying to make a go of life in Melbourne. There's  a woman trying to make sense of the loss of her mother and trying to write her mother's biography. She can't find anything to write, thinking her mother's existence was too ordinary She heads off to a biography writing course or does she? 

There's a lawyer who just wants a promotion, thinking then the grass will be greener but will it?

There's a young lawyer trying to make a go of her career.

There's a journalist wondering if he's past it.

And then there's an asylum seeker waiting, waiting, waiting and waiting... for refugee status.

The writing in this book is powerful. At the end of each chapter I found myself stopping for a minute and thinking about the characters. I also got a glimpse into life as an asylum seeker. I really had no idea until reading this book and I'm grateful to Varley for opening my eyes just a wee bit.

As for the feathers on the front of the book, you will find out their significance when you read it.