Sunday 10 July 2022

BLOG TOUR: The Museum of Ordinary People - Mike Gayle


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.

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.

Inspired by a box of mementos found abandoned in a skip following a house clearance, The Museum of Ordinary People is a thought-provoking and poignant story of memory, grief, loss and the things we leave behind.


What did I think?

I love Mike Gayle books and The Museum of Ordinary People is no exception.  You can't help but read it with a smile on your face as it's just the most original idea to have a museum filled with sentimental treasures.

We meet Jess at a difficult point in her life: her mum has just died and Jess is clearing her house.  Many things can be donated to charity but a set of encyclopaedias remind Jess of so many happy memories that she can't bear to part with them.  Her annoying boyfriend Guy is not impressed when she brings them home to his immaculate flat so when Jess' friend tells her about the museum of ordinary people, Jess decides to donate the books.  

Jess should have chosen the encyclopaedias and left Guy right there and then, but then she wouldn't have discovered this fabulous museum that sets her life on to a different path.  Jess always dreamed of being a museum curator and she has never seen anything like this museum so she is excited to have the opportunity to open this museum to the public.  Many of the exhibits are not of high value or historical interest but they each have a wonderful story behind them and they mean something to somebody.

There are many strands to this story and I loved following every single one; I was surprised, delighted, shocked and angered as I experienced a wealth of emotions throughout the novel.  Jess is a lovely character and I really wanted everything to work out well for her; whether it does or not, you will just have to find out for yourself by reading the book.

Charming, uplifting and heartwarming, The Museum of Ordinary People is a beautiful story filled with a colourful cast of characters.  Grab your ticket to the museum and experience the magic for yourself.

I received an ARC to read and review for the blog tour; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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