Melody's Reading Corner: Contemporary Fiction

Showing posts with label Contemporary Fiction. Show all posts

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

Melody

Penguin Books | 8 August 2023 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

57-year-old Iona Iverson works as a magazine therapist and although she enjoys her job, she feels she's racing against time as well as the threat of today's social trends as her (younger) editor feels that they need to concentrate more on digital offering and pull in a younger audience. These days, she enjoys her time more on the train commute to and from work since they're reassuringly predictable and what's more, she could people-watch.

Due to her daily commute routine from Hampton Court to Waterloo Station, Iona sees the same people and she even give some of them a nickname, such as Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader, Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Likewise, those commuters who recognise Iona give her a few nicknames too, like Crazy Dog Woman (because she's often seen accompanied by her dog, Lulu) or Magic Handbag Lady and even The Woman on the Train. Then one morning, Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape and this single event leads to a chain reaction as an eclectic group of people, who sees one another everyday but knows nothing about anyone, begins to connect and gradually become friends as the days go by.

Aside from Iona's narrative, there are four other characters who play a part in Iona's life. They are: Piers, who is Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader. Sanjay, an Indian nurse who saved Piers and a kind-hearted man in general. Emma, who is Sanjay's secret crush and finally, Martha the Terribly-Lonely-Teenager. Iona's commute is no longer the same after she's known these group of people; she's learned more about themselves and give them advice should they need it. And through their friendship, Iona learn more about herself, too.

This is a heartwarming story about humans connection and friendship with a few life topics thrown in for some thoughts and drama. Iona was an interesting character and I enjoyed reading her inner thoughts. This story also shows us that our first perception of others may not always be true and that understanding and communication remain the key to a better relationship in every aspect. Charming and inspiring, I'd recommend this book to anyone and the more you should read it if you commute by public transport.

© 2024 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Contemporary Fiction 9 comments |

The Ever After by Sarah Pekkanen

Melody

Washington Square Press | June 2018 | 272 pgs

Source: Library

If you've read The Wife Between Us, you should be familiar with author Sarah Pekkanen as she wrote that book together with Greer Hendricks and it has received positive reviews from many readers. Sarah has also written several books in the past and this latest domestic drama explores a marriage in crisis and a woman's determination in finding the truth surrounding her husband's infidelity.

Josie and Frank Moore have been married for ten over years and live in the Chicago suburbs with their two young daughters. Although their life are hectic and Josie feels burn down by the girls' attention and the domestic life at times, she thinks she is lucky considering Frank is a great father and husband; and that he still showers her with love throughout the years. Until one Saturday morning she borrows Frank's phone to make a quick call and sees an email that shatters her world.

Frank met Dana at a work conference and they have maintained their "friends" relationship for seven weeks. When Josie confronts him about his infidelity, he says they have only kissed twice and nothing beyond that. Josie doubts it, and thereafter set her plan in uncovering Frank's secret by every means.

The Ever After may seem like a domestic thriller but is actually more of a women's fiction and an account of a woman's determination in finding out about her husband's infidelity. While Josie's findings may seem aggressive at times, there isn't much intensity and the pace is rather slow as it is very much focus on her emotional state, her rants and her "investigations". The first part was interesting but the second part was mostly bogged down by her rants and her reminiscent of their past. She is also indecisive if she should move on or take any actions; and once or twice she left her daughters to stay in a hotel simply because she is too angry and she needs to think. At some point I figured I was tired of reading it with the plot going nowhere but plodded along since I was hoping to see some resolution, which to my relief there was in the end. As a first-time reader of Sarah Pekkanen's book, this is certainly not my favourite mainly because I dived into this book with an impression that this was a domestic thriller but it turns out otherwise (I think I'd have liked this more under different circumstances). Then again, it wasn't a bad read as Sarah's writing was engaging and would probably appeal to readers of the women's fiction genre.

© 2018 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.