Clare PooleyReseñas

You are going to love this book if you enjoy comedic capers with a large cast of characters and the found family trope. We start out with a scene from the end of the book, which cleverly leads us through the rest of the book as we try to figure out a few mysteries. Who is Daphne, really? Why is Art all alone? Will Ziggy make the brave choices to have a better future for himself and his daughter? Who is the neighborhood guerilla knitter? And will Lydia's decision to start the Senior Citizens Social Club be the best decision she ever made for herself? There were great comedic touches and I loved the bits of absurdity that occur throughout the book. The author has a dry comedic style that works very well for this story, I snickered more than once. There was very little I disliked about this book, honestly. There were a lot of characters to keep track of and it can be difficult to have so many main characters with prominent storylines. But the author handled this well and each one was memorable with their own enjoyable quirks, right down to the dog. There's a very nice lesson here that nobody is what they seem, and the found family angle was sweetly and thoughtfully done. This was a new-to-me author and I truly enjoyed this read. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

An absolute delight!

A sweet little story

This was SO good. I had trouble getting into it at first, because I am not a huge fan of POV jumping, that is, each chapter bouncing from character to character. But it worked pretty well, maybe because it was third person limited (I think) and so there was a continuity that played nicely.

And while there was some cancer stuff (one of the characters is an oncology nurse), it was never so grim that I was triggered (and I trigger very easily about cancer).

Such a lovely book deftly weaving together many interesting, even important themes, touching on tense moments, but without ever being heavy-handed or even predictable.
Upbeat goodness indeed.

Desperately trying to catch up on books I've read in 2023, before it turns 2024. Don't think I'll make it. Full review (hopefully) to come later. Liked this more than I expected to. Takes all kinds to build a tribe.

A cute and cozy novel focused around a small circle of people who meet on a commuter train in London. While the obvious rule of commuting is that no one ever speaks to each other, when one man chokes on a grape, it starts a chain of events that leads to a handful of people with no immediately obvious common interests becoming friends. At the centre of the group is Iona, a brilliantly outspoken fifty-something lesbian who takes no nonsense and finds herself caring deeply for this strange group. Perfect for readers who love a good found family novel.

Loved the characters!

Reason read: this is a book club read for my LHBG, I wonder what they'll think.
A contemporary novel looking at relationships and being real, starts with lies. Characters ranged from old to young. The oldest being 85 but most in the middle years. There was single, married, etc. The first character which starts it all off is Julian. Julian flaunts a designer wardrobe and has a collection of old LPs. The book is generally about how connections with people (real connections, not technology connections) make life worth the living. The other characters include; a cafe owner, single 37 y/o woman, an alcoholic drug addict, an Australian tourist, and a social media influencer/new mother. There are several secondary characters as well, such as the Chinese restaurant owner and her son.

Fifty-seven-year-old Iona Iverson, spends her thirty-six-minute morning commute (ten stops to Waterloo), preparing for her day and observing the commuters around her with her dog Lulu by her side. Working as an advice columnist (“magazine therapist” ) for a women’s magazine for the last 30 years and married to her long-time partner Bea, she has a specific set of “rules” to adhere to as far as her commute goes among which are to always pack for any eventuality (which explains her well-stocked bag) and to not talk to anyone (though that does not stop her from giving her fellow commuters interesting names such as Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader based on her observations of their behavior) However when one of her fellow commuters almost chokes on a grape and is saved by another commuter, this is just the beginning of a sequence of events through which a diverse group of people become friends, with Iona in the middle of it all. Initially, Iona, who is on the verge of being pushed out of her job is motivated to interact with the younger crowd to gain some insight into the lives and interests of younger people so that she can make changes in her approach to her job (she is being pressured by her boss who wants to boost readership in that demographic) but gradually she finds herself helping Piers, Sanjay, Emmie, David and Martha as they navigate through their own problems, her thoughtfulness and concern reciprocated when Iona finds herself in need of friends and support, proving first impressions might not always be accurate and it is only through kindness, compassion and communication can we truly understand one another.

The narrative is shared through multiple PoVs which enables us to get to know these characters, their backstories and the challenges they are facing in their present lives. Iona is a very interesting character whose life experiences make for an interesting read. With its engaging, well-paced narrative and a delightful cast of characters, Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley is an entertaining feel-good read full of heart , humor and wisdom that touches upon themes of ageism, loneliness, abusive relationships, cyberbullying and age-related illness among others . I paired my reading with the audio narration by Clare Corbett, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Had I qued up this audio book while still in darkmode, I'd have abandoned it with a cynical dismissal, using words like "treacle" and "obvious." But in my current mental state, and especially having listened to it all the way to the end, I think I might love it. #BookTwitter

Audio Book Libby Nashville
Drive Time
October 3/4 2021

The concept of this book is good......6 strangers become friends through a book being written in and left for the next to find and read and add their story to......problem is this for me.... it stayed stagnate and didnt really have anything climactic in it ....so, even though I read it for a while at a time, once I put it down to do something or go somewhere, it would take me a while to pick it back up......

This book was fun and cute. If you have ever commuted via public transportation you can relate to seeing the same people over and over again. I loved the characters! The book really started to drag near the end and probably could have been shorter.

I really enjoyed this book about a group of strangers who form a community. There are a group of commuters who always take the same train at the same time. No one ever speaks to anyone until one day something happens that causes them to interact. I really like this author's style of writing. Each chapter changes between different peoples points of view. I loved how Iona draws people in and after awhile everyone wants to be on her train car and everyone is eavesdropping on her conversations. I think it is such a picture of how much people crave that interaction with others and wanting to be a part of something.
The whole book is a great lesson in not judging others by appearances. Everyone has made assumptions about each other and most of them are wrong.
There are quite a few content warnings. Emotional abuse, talk about teen pornography, details about a picture of a naked girl being sent out, some strong language including the F-word a few times, suicidal ideation, LGBTQ character.
Overall a very enjoyable feel good read.
This book was reviewed on the Literary Club Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984185/episodes/11834517

This book was a joy to read. Like Lizzie, peeping into the lives of so many strangers was invigorating. The characters were all complex and as the reader, we get to learn about them as they learn about themselves and each other.

What would happen if you shared the truth instead? Joy, pain, hurt, healing. It's a scary mixed bag!

“Never talk to strangers on a train” - rule 2 from Iona Iverson’s rules for commuting.
And so begins this awesome tale of a 50-something women’s magazine agony aunt, Iona iverson. Thank God she didn’t listen to her own rule number two or we wouldn’t have this wonderful book. The book is all about meeting, interacting and listening to strangers in our walk through life. In this case it is a commuter train in London, but this could be anywhere in the world and anywhere at all. This book falls into a little special place in my “read books” file. It fits right in with Britt-Marie Was Here, Miss Benson’s Beetle. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Ragged Company and Anxious People. I love books with quirky characters living and doing their quirky things in the world of we ordinary and somewhat boring people. I love Iona Iverson. She is brash, loud, warm and down to earth, and she is openly and engagingly gay who has been living with the love of her life for 30 years. The people in Iona’s orbit are as quirky and funny in their own way, as she is and each of them has their own special problems and anxieties. They all meet on the same commuter train both morning and night—Hampton Court to Waterloo, Waterloo to Surbiton and then again back Hampton Court. I was enjoying myself so much with this book and its wonderful people, that it was hard to put it down. Iona finds that talking to strangers has opened up a whole new world for her, and never again will she follow her own rules of commuting. I highly recommend this book to readers who love quirky and eclectic characters. The human race is not a cookie cutter version of humanity. We are all different and we each can learn from others all the time, even without an Iona to direct us. Although, I do admit that I would love to meet an Iona, and am glad that since she is in this book, I can come back anytime to renew my acquaintance. Highly recommended.

Like The Authenticity Project, all the characters in this book are just lovely! It is book of everyday stories of ordinary people - everyone has their own problems and worries but lives become more colourful and warm when other people care. Perhaps unlikely to happen in real life... but Pooley simply gave us hope and smiles!½

Elderly artist Julian writes in a notebook labeled The Authenticity Project and leaves it in Monica's cafe. Monica picks it up, reads it, adds to it, and leaves it for someone else to find. Hazard picks it up, and takes it with him across the world, only to return it to the cafe with Australian Riley. People's lives are woven together as they share pieces of their story in the notebook and pass it along, and they change each other's lives - mainly for the better, though there are bumps along the way.

*Spoiler alert*

In a revelation near the end, it turns out that Julian wasn't entirely authentic in his original entry - but he faces this, and his project outlives him.

An enjoyable read.

Quotes

Preparation is the key to to effective spontaneity. (Monica, 69)

It was like being partway through a novel, becoming invested in the characters, then leaving it on a train before you reached the end. (Riley, 80)

It took a lot of planning and hard work for Monica to be this relaxed. (91)

Until Riley had come across The Authenticity Project, he'd been totally authentic. Now he was a sham. (101)

If you told a story enough times, it became the truth - or near enough. (Julian, 207)

He had a rather uncomfortable sensation that he only really existed in the eye of the beholder, that when he stopped being noticed, he actually stopped being. (Julian, 233)

[Lizzie] never did anything with the information she collected. She prided herself on being honorable and decent. She just found other people fascinating, is all. (253)

1980s-1990s "It Girl" Iona Iverson ("Iona Yacht") writes a magazine advice column (but don't call her an agony aunt), and enjoys her commute into the office, even as the new young manager attempts to edge her out. One her commute, Iona adheres to the social conventions of never speaking with other passengers - until one day when a man, Piers, chokes on a grape, and a nurse, Sanjay, saves his life. Their three lives become entwined, along with Emmie (marketing, late 20s), Martha (high school student), and David (lawyer). Iona is the center, and the others are the spokes; each have their own problems (financial, relationship, bullying, etc.), and ultimately, they are all able to help each other.

Deeply enjoyable, with a satisfying ending for everyone.

Quotes

In her experience, most endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise. (Iona, 3)

They were able to compartmentalize....How did they do that? Sanjay's compartments all appeared to be linked together. (27)

"Emmie, why on earth did you decide to go into advertising if you have such an inflexible conscience?" (61)

"Why not focus on 'rich' for now, and then you do 'happy' later on? How about that?" (Candida to Piers, 81)

"Darling, what is the point of being alive if you go through life unnoticed, without standing out and making waves?" (Bea to Iona, 127)

Why had it taken her so long to see her train carriage as a fascinating portal into other people's stories, rather than just a way of getting from A to B? (Iona, 127)

"Since when have you wanted to fit in?" said Iona. "I can't think of anything worse. My wife, Bea, says the whole point of life is to stand out, not to fit in." (Iona to Martha, 130)

"No woman is anyone's 'other half.' We are all entire people. Completely whole, and totally unique. But sometimes when you put two very different people together, a kind of magic, an alchemy, occurs. Bea said I was like eggs and sugar, and she was flour and butter, and when you mixed us together, we were the whole damn cake." (Iona, 225)

"Your anxiety is the other side of the coin of your empathy." (Iona to Sanjay, 227)

When the thing you've feared for so long actually happens, you have nothing left to be scared of anymore. (Piers, 241)

Your past experiences...are the foundations on which you build your future. Build them on pride, not shame. Denying your history leaves your house standing on sand, always in danger of collapsing. (Iona to Piers, 248)

How can you tell the difference between concern and control? (Emmie, 259)

"If you give up, they win."
... "They want us to be small, so we have to stand tall." (Bea/Iona, 303)

"The only way to be guaranteed of failure, dear boy, is not to try," said Iona. "Love is the greatest risk of all, but a life without is meaningless." (319)

"Why didn't you tell us any of this, Iona? How can you make a career out of helping people and not be prepared to ask for help yourself?" (Sanjay, 225)

Cute, easy to read escape.

DNF

3.5 stars. I love a story of strangers coming together and becoming friends. However unlikely, this was a sweet story.

I loved loved loved this book. Interesting characters and a great storyline too. A great book to actually read while on a train in my eyes

Conceptually this seemed like a story that would hold water as long as the characters were unique and the plot filled with the unexpected. Unfortunately neither were the case.

We begin in the London area by meeting Julian, a late 70s gent who was known for years as a talented artist. When he loses his wife Mary, he visits her grave on a regular basis. Sitting in a favorite café called Monica's he contemplates the loss and scribbles notes in a small diary he calls the Authenticity Project. Then he absent mindedly leaves it behind and it's discovered by a coke addict named Hazard. Upon reading the scribbles he adds his own and like Julian leaves it on the table.

A message in a bottle concept that becomes a soap opera in countless ways leaving me completely disappointed. Characters and plot are mundane, the only saving grace is the pacing.

Put simply, if you enjoy the ordinary, I'd recommend it but don't expect surprises.

Rating 2.75

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.

Based in the outskirts of London, Iona commutes with Lulu her pug, which draws attention from the other commuters. Regimented, she sits at the same table on her regular route and it's here she meets Piers, Sanjay, Martha, David and Emmie. Like most, each have issues they're coping with and as they connect with Iona, she offers advice for each and as its adopted, they realize what a gift it was to meet her.

Working for a woman's magazine, Iona grew popular over the years due to advice given to those struggling with life. In her 50s, she'd lived with her long time partner, Bea, who began to suffer with early Alzheimer symptoms and was eventually placed in a home. Her editor decides the magazine needs to attract a younger demographic and soon she's put on notice.

The author uses a standard approach toggling chapters focused on each of the characters. And while it's relatively well written and paced, the predictability of characters and plot are disappointing. It's difficult not to like Iona, whose back story is rife with the unusual. That said, the other characters are mundane which doesn't help with engagement.

Woven into the story fabric are themes of loss, romance and redemption which in my opinion failed to save it. I realize most may disagree with this summary, but like all arts, we're each drawn to something different.

Very fun book. Lot’s of real problems