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Take Piers, for instance, a hedge fund trader who initially comes across as a man in full control of his bombastically expressed and rather overblown life as a hardcore, take-no-prisoners denizen of London’s financial district but who, over the course of The People on Platform 5 is revealed as someone struggling with a slew of issues that do not match the impressions others have of him. It’s this wondrously uplifting sense of love and unconditional support that makes The People on Platform 5 such a poignantly touching and funny book to read. It might all seem a bit fairytale-ish but is there really a bad thing? Not even a little bit; frankly I love the idea that you can find just the right people to help you, that they all end up overcoming any reluctance they have to form bonds with people they’ve only ever cursorily nodded at, and that they form the kind of supportive grouping capable of turning lives around.
The People on Platform 5 - Penguin Books UK
Pooley delivers not only acerbic, enchanting Iona but a compelling, tangled cast of quirky, complicated characters so engaging, it’s enough to make you miss crowded commuter trains The fantastic cast of eclectic characters will steal your heart & have you rooting for their happy endings' A feel-good read, with great characters to care about, it takes current issues seriously but adds plenty of humour * Choice * This was such a heartfelt novel. I loved the idea of all these different strangers and their lives/plotlines merging together because of a commute. The story centers around Iona (the glue that holds this train gang together), but we also get to meet so many other characters that bring laughter, sadness, a few surprises, and hope to the story. I was not expecting there to be so many POV's, but they all meshed together to create this wonderfully quirky and hodgepodge quilt of human experience. Not every plotline is wrapped up in a bow, but they're left in a satisfying and hopeful place. The book was magnificently narrated by Clare Corbett and I was so impressed by her ability to voice such a variety of characters regardless of age. Truly a wonderful novel and listen!
Summary
At first Iona seemed like she would be an Eleanor Oliphant type which initially raised hope. But as the story plays out we come to realize she's little more than an aging lesbian who enjoys counseling strangers she sees regularly on the train. A magnificent, heart-warming novel celebrating the power of human connection - it's an absolute joy * Freya Sampson, author of The Last Library * The audiobook narrator, Clare Corbett, does a fabulous job delivering the one-liner comments creatively written by the author. With ageism, bullying, anxiety, dementia, and sensitive relationship issues to cover it's easier to digest these hard topics when served with a happy dose of humor on the side. As they all confront their failures and their fears, they must rely increasingly on their new train friends. But can their newfound friendship solve even the most heartbreaking of problems? Clare Pooley is the queen of feel-good fiction. She takes relatable situations and characters and somehow makes them magical. The People of Platform 5 is funny, tender and true-to-life while also being thought-provoking. It was magnificent and a joy to read
People on Platform 5 | Clare Pooley | 9781787631809 The People on Platform 5 | Clare Pooley | 9781787631809
Heartwarming, funny, a delicious dive into the profound and ridiculous modern world in which we live. Clare Pooley reminds us why we need each other Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author A feel-good read, with great characters to care about, it takes current issues seriously but adds plenty of humour Pooley delivers not only acerbic, enchanting Iona but a compelling, tangled cast of quirky, complicated characters so engaging, it's enough to make you miss crowded commuter trains * Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author * While we wait for real life to cooperate with our vaulting, idealistic daydreams, we have gloriously uplifting, warmhearted and grounded novels like The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley ( The Authenticity Project) which is honest about how challenging life can be but which offers the very real hope that maybe the ending doesn’t have to be as disappointing as life often seems to serve up.The People on Platform 5 is nothing short of sheer and utter delight. It presents the best of humanity - the sweet and bashful kindness and generosity that lives in all of us. I can't think of a more joyful book! Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A For Aunties Heartwarming, funny, a delicious dive into the profound and ridiculous modern world in which we live. Clare Pooley reminds us why we need each other * Tara Conklin, New York Times bestselling author *
The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley - Audiobook
This beautifully-written story, which rather audaciously dares to imagine what might happen if regular commuters on the same train line in London dared to actually speak to each other, is like a tonic for the soul because not only does it bring a number of lost big city souls into the kind of nurturing found family they all desperately need, but it does so in a way that helps them answer some big questions in their life and take some pretty positive steps forward. Filled with delightful characters…this heart-warming book explores relationships and the dilemmas of everyday life Generally, our closest friends tend to be around the same age as us and share similar views and life experiences, which means that the help and advice they give you in tough times is probably advice you’d give yourself,” author Clare Pooley said in an interview with The Nerd Daily . You can always rely on Pooley to deliver not just wonderful, lively characters but a story that leaves you feeling uplifted and hopeful CultureFlyA feel good read, with great characters to care about, it takes current issues seriously but adds plenty of humour * Choice * I love this story! The author creates a diverse group of characters who are in dire need of the ear and shoulder of a friend. Riding at the same time on the same trains together is, hands-down, the best thing that happens to all of them. The wondrously good thing about The People on Platform 5 is that for all the magic of the narrative, it also feels really down to earth and quite real. Filled with delightful characters... this heart-warming book explores relationships and the dilemmas of everyday life * Candis * I loved meeting the people on platform 5 - a delightful story about connection and friendship in a disconnected world Marianne Cronin, author of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot
People on Platform 5’: Much-needed take on diversity and ‘The People on Platform 5’: Much-needed take on diversity and
It leaves] the reader with that fuzzy feeling you want from a feel-good book. Fans of her previous hit, The Authenticity Project, will not be disappointed But there is a way, and The People on Platform 5 shines a heartening light on it, reassuring us that no matter how trenchant a problem might be or how far off a solution might be, that it is there somewhere and we can often find it and live it out if we only have the love and support of people around us. This utterly joyful novel takes you on an unforgettable journey with characters you wish you could meet in real life… I loved The People on Platform 5 even more than The Authenticity Project– it’s glorious A magnificent, heart-warming novel celebrating the power of human connection - it's an absolute joy Freya Sampson, author of The Last Library A joyous and uplifting story about unexpected friendships, and the chance connections that can change our lives Debbie JohnsonThis book is bursting with the kindness of strangers, and I was bursting with hope by the end of it Jenny Bayliss
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