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The 392
Set entirely on a London bus travelling from Hoxton to Highbury and taking place over just 36 minutes, the events of The 392 unfold through a cast of charismatic characters coming from very different worlds. On the 392 are all the familiar faces you might expect to see on any bus ride through inner-city London in the grip of gentrification: delinquent school kids, the high-flyers, the weird, the wonderful and the homeless. These Londoners share two things: a bus journey and a threat. A threat which is ready to blow apart everything they know.
184 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 2019
34 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Hickson-Lovence
7 books68 followersAshley Hickson-Lovence was born in London in 1991 and is a former secondary school English teacher with a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of East Anglia. His debut novel, The 392, was released in April 2019 and his second novel, Your Show, was released in April 2022. His third book, a YA-in-verse called Wild East, is released with Penguin in May 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
May 6, 2019
This book really lives and breathes London - told from the perspective of different passengers (and the driver), the author gives rich, colourful and distinct voices to those you sit next to everyday, all with their own stories and complicated problems.
I’m surprised that this was a debut novel as it feels very accomplished, especially considering the interwoven structure. I feel like these are voices which don’t get heard enough and really deserve to be heard so honestly and unfiltered. It’s funny in the most outrageous and unexpected ways and then there’ll be a line that catches you off guard again that’s deeply moving...
Since finishing it, I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I can’t settle on my favourite character. It’s set all on a London bus over 36 minutes so it feels really claustrophobic and tense. Like a lot of things in this book, the ending catches you off guard and stays with you - highly recommended.
I’m surprised that this was a debut novel as it feels very accomplished, especially considering the interwoven structure. I feel like these are voices which don’t get heard enough and really deserve to be heard so honestly and unfiltered. It’s funny in the most outrageous and unexpected ways and then there’ll be a line that catches you off guard again that’s deeply moving...
Since finishing it, I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I can’t settle on my favourite character. It’s set all on a London bus over 36 minutes so it feels really claustrophobic and tense. Like a lot of things in this book, the ending catches you off guard and stays with you - highly recommended.
October 30, 2023
This book is a breath of fresh air! The 392 takes place in London and explores a motley crew of characters that make up a representation of people in London. Told in multiple voices you won’t be able to put it down. The author makes some strong social commentary as we follow each character’s point of view. You’ll want yo talk to someone when you’re done. So, this a fantastic book to discuss for a book club. I highly recommend it!
May 31, 2019
I was initially drawn to this book by its premise, that of being on a bus journey and meeting the various people who get on the bus, people from all walks of life. I live in a village and get the bus into the city, and I often wonder what each passenger would tell me about their life. The stories they have to share. The 392 enters this world, and what we get is individual stories told from first person perspectives that bind them all together. It's a fascinating, thought provoking and consuming read.
We meet many different characters from all different walks of life. Just as you would on any bus in the world. We meet Gloria the grandmother, who I have to admit was my favourite, the professional man, a drug addict, school kids plus many more characters. All sit under one roof on their journey from Hoxton to Highbury.
The writing flows and uses evocative imagery to describe the London streets and the people that can be seen by gazing through the bus windows. I don't really know London, I live up north, but the culture and city steets were brought to life for me, which made the environment and the people fully relatable.
Ultimately, this is a character driven novel. We get to know these characters, who talk to us about their life, their hopes and fears. I got to know them and this is what makes The 392 such a compelling read. Because there is a growing unease as we read, the feeling that something bad is going to happen. It's not until the final pages that we learn the truth, and this is both shocking and emotional, making you question everything.
The 392 is an emotional journey of a bus ride. It makes you think about the people in your community. How we treat and interact with those who may seem different or 'other'. Ultimately, it makes you realise that we have more in common than we think. This is an important book about culture, identity and what it is to be human.
We meet many different characters from all different walks of life. Just as you would on any bus in the world. We meet Gloria the grandmother, who I have to admit was my favourite, the professional man, a drug addict, school kids plus many more characters. All sit under one roof on their journey from Hoxton to Highbury.
The writing flows and uses evocative imagery to describe the London streets and the people that can be seen by gazing through the bus windows. I don't really know London, I live up north, but the culture and city steets were brought to life for me, which made the environment and the people fully relatable.
Ultimately, this is a character driven novel. We get to know these characters, who talk to us about their life, their hopes and fears. I got to know them and this is what makes The 392 such a compelling read. Because there is a growing unease as we read, the feeling that something bad is going to happen. It's not until the final pages that we learn the truth, and this is both shocking and emotional, making you question everything.
The 392 is an emotional journey of a bus ride. It makes you think about the people in your community. How we treat and interact with those who may seem different or 'other'. Ultimately, it makes you realise that we have more in common than we think. This is an important book about culture, identity and what it is to be human.
October 7, 2020
A kind of modern, urban homage to ‘Exercises in Style’, ‘The 392’ is a brilliant exploration of suburban life, a snapshot into the lives of various passengers, from a glib, grim-loving politician, to two teenage girls consumed by the trappings of social media to a young woman dealing with an unwanted pregnancy. Lovence explores the inner lives of this kaleidoscope of characters with dizzying brevity and brilliance, as their focus becomes increasingly centred on a suspicious looking character lurking at the front of the bus, oblivious to the fact that the real danger lies elsewhere.
There are few novelists who are able to confidently play with the narrative form as Lovence does and successfully combine multiple third person narrators and create a convincing narrative. Lovence is able to explore life in London from multiple perspectives, from the racist football fan who was rendered blind after a violent alteraction, to the elderly former nurse consumed with loneliness, to the young man who has lifted himself from a sense of aimlessness to become a barrister or star crossed teenagers whose fleeting romance is ruptured by an act of violence.
‘The 392’ is a brilliantly original novel, whose outward sense of fun disguises a seriously minded exploration of love, death and alienation in modern London
There are few novelists who are able to confidently play with the narrative form as Lovence does and successfully combine multiple third person narrators and create a convincing narrative. Lovence is able to explore life in London from multiple perspectives, from the racist football fan who was rendered blind after a violent alteraction, to the elderly former nurse consumed with loneliness, to the young man who has lifted himself from a sense of aimlessness to become a barrister or star crossed teenagers whose fleeting romance is ruptured by an act of violence.
‘The 392’ is a brilliantly original novel, whose outward sense of fun disguises a seriously minded exploration of love, death and alienation in modern London
October 9, 2019
This is outside my usual genres. It's a cross-sectional character study of Londoners, from a rich politician to black schoolkids to grandparents and racist football fans. Each chapter jumps into a different passenger's mind - what they are thinking, where they are going. Let's just say it has given my bus rides into work a new perspective!
THE 392 is a very contemporary, clever read. I liked its rawness, and how the passengers were linked by their observations of each other. I also enjoyed seeing east London (my hood!) so well-described and am totally guilty of being a Doc-Marten-owning tortoiseshell-glasses-wearing type as described by one of the passengers. :-)
But it's not a read for the faint of heart as the slang is dense and the POV changes frequently. I struggled with one character: a white man who fetishises a black woman While it's an important issue to raise, the depiction felt too much for me. That said, I'm not a black woman, so it's hard for me to judge.
I'm also not sure how widely this book will appeal. It's very British, very London, very Now. The themes of Brexit, immigration, Islamophobia and buffoon-like blond politicians feels timely, but might not resonate in a few years (one can dream...). I was also a tad disappointed by the ending, even though I can't put my finger on why. THE 392 sends a message about the dangers of stereotyping, but I'm not sure it needed to do so with such force. That could just be me, though.
Read this if you want to try something different from a debut author and get a taste of London living.
THE 392 is a very contemporary, clever read. I liked its rawness, and how the passengers were linked by their observations of each other. I also enjoyed seeing east London (my hood!) so well-described and am totally guilty of being a Doc-Marten-owning tortoiseshell-glasses-wearing type as described by one of the passengers. :-)
But it's not a read for the faint of heart as the slang is dense and the POV changes frequently. I struggled with one character: a white man who fetishises a black woman While it's an important issue to raise, the depiction felt too much for me. That said, I'm not a black woman, so it's hard for me to judge.
I'm also not sure how widely this book will appeal. It's very British, very London, very Now. The themes of Brexit, immigration, Islamophobia and buffoon-like blond politicians feels timely, but might not resonate in a few years (one can dream...). I was also a tad disappointed by the ending, even though I can't put my finger on why. THE 392 sends a message about the dangers of stereotyping, but I'm not sure it needed to do so with such force. That could just be me, though.
Read this if you want to try something different from a debut author and get a taste of London living.
July 22, 2019
London is a city where so much of your life is lived in public. People walk, they take transport, they are squished together in close proximity on buses and on the tube. I have seen plenty of grumpiness and bizarreness on London buses, and and as many moments of thoughtfulness and shared humanity. I have often wondered about who people are, and where they are going, even as we all studiously ignore each other. This book sort of answers that. At least for a single bus ride from Hoxton to Highbury. I enjoyed each character vignette (except for one), but I did not like the ending. I am curious why the author chose to end it in such an abrupt way, when all the chapters preceding it were so rooted in the realities of London transport.
I read this while on London buses, which pleases me very much. What a wonderful little novel- and what an achievement for a first piece! Would recommend to any Londoner (or anyone else curious about people!). 4 stars.
I read this while on London buses, which pleases me very much. What a wonderful little novel- and what an achievement for a first piece! Would recommend to any Londoner (or anyone else curious about people!). 4 stars.
January 4, 2025
An interesting character study of modern London but some POVs were a bit too bizarre for me, and I’m undecided about the ending
December 8, 2019
A fantastic exploration into voice and characterization, which I could not put down.
June 28, 2020
Bus 392 ist eine fiktive Buslinie in London mit erfundenen Passagieren und einer schwarzen Busfahrerin. Der Autor beschreibt diese Menschen nicht „selber“, sondern lässt diese jeweils in deren Kapiteln so erzählen, wie sie im Alltag wohl sprechen würden. Dies erzeugt eine unmittelbare Nähe, aber auch ein Herausgerissenwerden aus dem Erzählstrang, wenn das Kapitel wechselt. Ausserdem ist so natürlich auch lange nicht klar, was die Absicht des Autors ist. Diese zeigt sich gegen Ende, wo sich die Ereignisse überschlagen. Der Schluss ist so zwar etwas abrupt (und deshalb natürlich auch überraschend), aber gleichzeitig auch packend und offen. So bleibt das Buch sicher lange in Erinnerung. Fast 5*!
August 14, 2019
A beautifully written novel which tells readers the diverse lives and cultural aspects of what is so great about London, and how often we are so consumed by our own lives that we forget about the people from all walks of life. Incredibly gripping up to the very end, and a very poignant message especially in the current state of affairs around the world.
October 30, 2023
The 392 takes place on a London bus on it's first day on a new route. From start to finish, the novel takes less than 40 minutes. Hickson-Lovence tells the story of the ride through the varying points of view of the different passengers on the bus - from the politician, to the high school kids, to the homeless, and more. As the story progresses, the tension builds as you get the sense that a threat is looming. I was so impressed by the way that the author captured so clearly the voices of the different riders - it was compelling (even when I didn't care for the characters) and it felt like such a realistic picture of the mix of people you encounter in the public sphere. He also highlighted so well how we make assumptions and don't know people's history or backstory. I am going to look for more by this author - this was an excellently crafted, multiple POV novel.
August 25, 2021
3.75 ⭐ a 36 minute bus journey, a window into the life of its passengers
“even though it's raining harder now, the world outside has a different colour, like London is being washed clean (...) I can see a ray of light coming through the grey skies, a glimmer of hope. ”
“even though it's raining harder now, the world outside has a different colour, like London is being washed clean (...) I can see a ray of light coming through the grey skies, a glimmer of hope. ”
January 28, 2023
Not my usual type of reading. The premise sounded interesting and it is included in my Audible subscriptions. So here we are. Narrated by a British cast, we are riding on a bus through London, listening to the bus passengers narrating their life, their past, their wishes for their future, their prejudices, fears and wants… Hipsters, racism, soccer, gentrification, low brow, high brow, drugs, a pregnant girl, a barrister, a blind man, an elderly lady, unknown buildings, weird smells, school children, a camera man, a politician…. A bomb?
“On the 392 are all the familiar faces you might expect to see on any bus ride through inner-city London in the grip of gentrification: delinquent school kids, the high-flyers, the weird, the wonderful and the homeless. These Londoners share two things: a bus journey and a threat. A threat which is ready to blow apart everything they know.“
Great narrators, great characters talking about their own experiences and perceptions. Very well written and the narration by different voice actors makes it very lively.
Barney makes me think of Boris Johnson. Is he supposed to be?
Slightly gross at times, for a mature audience.
Bottom line, not bad, getting a glimpse at Londoners from various backgrounds. Ultimately not really my thing.
“On the 392 are all the familiar faces you might expect to see on any bus ride through inner-city London in the grip of gentrification: delinquent school kids, the high-flyers, the weird, the wonderful and the homeless. These Londoners share two things: a bus journey and a threat. A threat which is ready to blow apart everything they know.“
Great narrators, great characters talking about their own experiences and perceptions. Very well written and the narration by different voice actors makes it very lively.
Barney makes me think of Boris Johnson. Is he supposed to be?
Slightly gross at times, for a mature audience.
Bottom line, not bad, getting a glimpse at Londoners from various backgrounds. Ultimately not really my thing.
September 28, 2019
Anybody who's ever lived in an urban area will love the precision this novel - it fully captures the cross-sections of life that find themselves thrown together on a single bus journey. The characters span from all walks of life, but it's the often disenfranchised figures that speak so powerfully. The pacy romp through the characters' back stories is both gritty and celebratory: you can't help but love each character, despite (perhaps because of?) their flaws. A punchy and moving story of gentrification, love, crime, vulnerability and aspiration.
November 24, 2024
Ashley Hickson-Lovence's "The 392" is a debut that offers a snapshot of London life through the lens of a single bus ride. Taking place over just 36 minutes, the novel unfolds as a diverse cast of passengers wrestle with their own thoughts and judgements while unknowingly bound together by an ominous undercurrent.
The multi-perspective narrative allows the author to deftly slip into the inner lives of his characters, revealing their prejudices, hopes, and vulnerabilities in brief fragments. The technique fosters empathy even for those who act or think in ways that make you squirm (although a couple remain quite vile individuals). This is no small feat and points to the author's promise as a chronicler of human complexity.
Where the book stumbles is in its tonal balance. There's a thinly veiled caricature of Boris Johnson as a grime and drill enthusiast, which - while perhaps amusing in a separate context - feels absurdly misplaced here. I found it undercut the gravity of the novel's broader themes, like race, class and the psychological toll of austerity. These are weighty, pressing issues, and Hickson-Lovence handles them with sensitivity elsewhere, making the Boris interlude puerile and jarring.
The book is undeniably London-centric, Brexit-tinged, and shaped by the pervasive anxieties of immigration, Islamophobia and the rise of populist politics. Hickson-Lovence captures the pulse of the city with a sharp ear for vernacular and an eye for the unspoken tensions that hum through public spaces with a restless energy that mirrors the fleeting nature of the ride itself, though this occasionally leads to an uneven pace.
The narrative tension builds steadily, as the passengers' focus shifts to a bearded Muslim passenger at the front of the bus, but the eventual payoff feels muted. The real danger lurking in the background - a metaphorical and literal commentary on societal divide - doesn't quite land.
For all its flaws, "The 392" is an engaging and thought-provoking debut. Hickson-Lovence's voice feels vital, and his ability to render the inner workings of his characters with such immediacy bodes well for his future work. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for what he does next.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The multi-perspective narrative allows the author to deftly slip into the inner lives of his characters, revealing their prejudices, hopes, and vulnerabilities in brief fragments. The technique fosters empathy even for those who act or think in ways that make you squirm (although a couple remain quite vile individuals). This is no small feat and points to the author's promise as a chronicler of human complexity.
Where the book stumbles is in its tonal balance. There's a thinly veiled caricature of Boris Johnson as a grime and drill enthusiast, which - while perhaps amusing in a separate context - feels absurdly misplaced here. I found it undercut the gravity of the novel's broader themes, like race, class and the psychological toll of austerity. These are weighty, pressing issues, and Hickson-Lovence handles them with sensitivity elsewhere, making the Boris interlude puerile and jarring.
The book is undeniably London-centric, Brexit-tinged, and shaped by the pervasive anxieties of immigration, Islamophobia and the rise of populist politics. Hickson-Lovence captures the pulse of the city with a sharp ear for vernacular and an eye for the unspoken tensions that hum through public spaces with a restless energy that mirrors the fleeting nature of the ride itself, though this occasionally leads to an uneven pace.
The narrative tension builds steadily, as the passengers' focus shifts to a bearded Muslim passenger at the front of the bus, but the eventual payoff feels muted. The real danger lurking in the background - a metaphorical and literal commentary on societal divide - doesn't quite land.
For all its flaws, "The 392" is an engaging and thought-provoking debut. Hickson-Lovence's voice feels vital, and his ability to render the inner workings of his characters with such immediacy bodes well for his future work. I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for what he does next.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
September 11, 2023
Another great book from Ashley Hickson-Lovence. As I read the first chapter, it seemed very familiar and, now that I look at it, I have a feeling this first chapter was part of my set reading in the first year of my undergrad at UEA.
I love how this book is more or less a microcosm of London. It devotes at least a chapter of internal monologue for each character on the bus and its heart-warming/humorous/sad to see the interactions between them all which are often steeped in prejudice or judgement. The writing in this book is exceptional with Hickson-Lovence being able to give each character their own unique voice while creating this tension that drives the bus to its catastrophic destination.
Towards the end of the book I did wonder just how everything could be tied up and finished by the end and while all story lines are ended, I did still feel left wanting something more or in general some answers to what the character's lives could have become. Throughout the story, there is a shared prejudice to the "muslim" or "terrorist" at the front of the bus that everyone is worried about. It would have been satisfying for the last chapter to be from his perspective rather than Toni's. However, I feel like there is a deeper importance to this choice that I need to mull over.
Altogether, this is a really enjoyable book that I'll definitely be recommending. Looking forward to the next novel after how great Your Show was too!
I love how this book is more or less a microcosm of London. It devotes at least a chapter of internal monologue for each character on the bus and its heart-warming/humorous/sad to see the interactions between them all which are often steeped in prejudice or judgement. The writing in this book is exceptional with Hickson-Lovence being able to give each character their own unique voice while creating this tension that drives the bus to its catastrophic destination.
Towards the end of the book I did wonder just how everything could be tied up and finished by the end and while all story lines are ended, I did still feel left wanting something more or in general some answers to what the character's lives could have become. Throughout the story, there is a shared prejudice to the "muslim" or "terrorist" at the front of the bus that everyone is worried about. It would have been satisfying for the last chapter to be from his perspective rather than Toni's. However, I feel like there is a deeper importance to this choice that I need to mull over.
Altogether, this is a really enjoyable book that I'll definitely be recommending. Looking forward to the next novel after how great Your Show was too!
September 11, 2019
This book is a total ride.
Set over the course of one bus journey from the perspective of multiple passengers on a new route from Hoxton to Highbury, The 392 is a story about life in East London, the cross-section of society that get on a new Routemaster, and the ways their lives intersect, whether they appear to know each other or not.
It's a raw, stark, and at times uncomfortable read. Hickson-Lovence has managed to encapsulate the voices of Londoners so well it's like you're right there on the bus, eavesdropping.
The plot is coarse and tense, twanged tight and let slack with confidence. This man knows how to write and his is a voice that readers need to hear.
I doubt I'll shake The 392 from my head for a long time yet.
Set over the course of one bus journey from the perspective of multiple passengers on a new route from Hoxton to Highbury, The 392 is a story about life in East London, the cross-section of society that get on a new Routemaster, and the ways their lives intersect, whether they appear to know each other or not.
It's a raw, stark, and at times uncomfortable read. Hickson-Lovence has managed to encapsulate the voices of Londoners so well it's like you're right there on the bus, eavesdropping.
The plot is coarse and tense, twanged tight and let slack with confidence. This man knows how to write and his is a voice that readers need to hear.
I doubt I'll shake The 392 from my head for a long time yet.
February 13, 2025
Not my book.
October 12, 2025
Ooof... brutal, captivating, realistic (sadly). A slice of harsh London life crammed into a single half-hour bus journey. Hard to believe this compelling read is a debut novel.
4.5 💫
4.5 💫
September 14, 2019
Loved it. Fast paced, insightful and sophisticated. Can't think of any contemporary texts which achieve achieved the degree of nuance and in such a concise novel.
August 26, 2019
“Look around, you got businessmen in posh suits and pissheads in rags and cheeky kids, the rich, the poor, the black, the white, the sober, the drunk - all squashed in on this tiny little red bus.”
This sentence perfectly describes the eclectic mix of people who find themselves on this bus journey and whose voices make up this novel. Throughout the bus ride, you follow these different characters - each with lives as complex as the other - while they interact with one another, and this grants you access to their interiority. The narration jumps from one passenger to another, guiding you through the novel as you view different things from different lenses. The voices are so distinct and memorable in a way that makes this a compelling read. The tension is present even when the characters choose to ignore it and dwell on the mundane. Issues of race, gentrification, sex and sexuality, governance, political hegemony, justice, love, and prejudice/bias among others are addressed in this novel that draws you in and keeps you in like you are one of the passengers on the 392.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this. Would recommend for anyone looking to read more contemporary London/Black British literature.
This sentence perfectly describes the eclectic mix of people who find themselves on this bus journey and whose voices make up this novel. Throughout the bus ride, you follow these different characters - each with lives as complex as the other - while they interact with one another, and this grants you access to their interiority. The narration jumps from one passenger to another, guiding you through the novel as you view different things from different lenses. The voices are so distinct and memorable in a way that makes this a compelling read. The tension is present even when the characters choose to ignore it and dwell on the mundane. Issues of race, gentrification, sex and sexuality, governance, political hegemony, justice, love, and prejudice/bias among others are addressed in this novel that draws you in and keeps you in like you are one of the passengers on the 392.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this. Would recommend for anyone looking to read more contemporary London/Black British literature.
August 18, 2021
Have you ever taken a London bus?
Yes…
Read this book. It’s superb. Funny, rude, sad, intrusive, brash, racist, homophobic…
It stirs your emotions just by describing - what could be - an ‘everyday, normal’ bus trip.
I really enjoyed this book and I don’t get the bus. So worth picking up and reading.
Would definitely recommend.
A sad yet hopeful look into the psyche of the British public?
Yes…
Read this book. It’s superb. Funny, rude, sad, intrusive, brash, racist, homophobic…
It stirs your emotions just by describing - what could be - an ‘everyday, normal’ bus trip.
I really enjoyed this book and I don’t get the bus. So worth picking up and reading.
Would definitely recommend.
A sad yet hopeful look into the psyche of the British public?
September 4, 2019
An insight into the life's of some of the many different personalities that represent a modern London town. A good read for anyone getting back into reading or a weekend bindge to past the time.
March 15, 2025
love that you can tell this book is written by a londoner. it feels very authentic.
that said the pages about that weirdo fetishising the bus driver felt a bit toooo authentic
also i feel like with all of the negative perceptions about racialised minorities, id want a sufficient counterweight to that and we miss out on it
actual rating 3.5 stars
that said the pages about that weirdo fetishising the bus driver felt a bit toooo authentic
also i feel like with all of the negative perceptions about racialised minorities, id want a sufficient counterweight to that and we miss out on it
actual rating 3.5 stars
January 4, 2023
This was a phenomenal snapshot of life in London. Everyone’s prejudices and assumptions about one another were an eye opening reflection of the diversity in Britain’s cultural landscape
November 12, 2024
2.5*
The book flitted between the perspectives of different characters as they predominantly either think racist thoughts or think about how racism has impacted them (or often both as e.g. all of the Black characters still think that the one south Asian character is probably a terrorist). But its social and racial commentary felt fairly two-dimensional. Also hated the ending.
The book flitted between the perspectives of different characters as they predominantly either think racist thoughts or think about how racism has impacted them (or often both as e.g. all of the Black characters still think that the one south Asian character is probably a terrorist). But its social and racial commentary felt fairly two-dimensional. Also hated the ending.
May 31, 2020
Just brilliant. As someone who moved away from England this book was a great taste of home! Ashley is really on the pulse with London life. It was hilarious and I saw myself in one of the characters (not sure if that’s a good thing). Great debut from Ashley and looking forward to his next novel.
August 26, 2019
Microcosm of contemporary London
Loved the vigour of this novel and way it captures the voice s of contemporary Londoners. funny, thought provoking, hesrtwrenching by turns. Highly recommend.
Loved the vigour of this novel and way it captures the voice s of contemporary Londoners. funny, thought provoking, hesrtwrenching by turns. Highly recommend.
October 3, 2024
This story is set on a London bus, giving you a front-row seat to the lives of diverse passengers on a journey that’s about to change everything. As the ride goes on, a threat emerges that turns their everyday trip into something much more intense. The different voices in the audiobook really bring the characters to life, making you feel like you’re right there on the bus with them.
Some of the characters had me laughing out loud – From Barney (the politician) with his music taste. He had me shook! I mean, can you even imagine Boris Johnson vibing to grime/UK rap?! That was literally Barney.
Then there’s Stu… oh gosh, this guy had me rolling! His obsession with the bus driver was both hilarious and unexpected, making him one of the most interesting characters on that bus. You never knew what wild thing he’d say next, and his energy kept everything fun and unpredictable.
But it’s not all jokes… The book also touches on some serious social issues, but in a way that still feels light and super engaging. Honestly, the audiobook added so much, layering in extra humor and emotion.
Whether you read it or listen to it, The 392 is a fun, quick read with memorable characters and a unique storytelling style. Highly recommend!
Some of the characters had me laughing out loud – From Barney (the politician) with his music taste. He had me shook! I mean, can you even imagine Boris Johnson vibing to grime/UK rap?! That was literally Barney.
Then there’s Stu… oh gosh, this guy had me rolling! His obsession with the bus driver was both hilarious and unexpected, making him one of the most interesting characters on that bus. You never knew what wild thing he’d say next, and his energy kept everything fun and unpredictable.
But it’s not all jokes… The book also touches on some serious social issues, but in a way that still feels light and super engaging. Honestly, the audiobook added so much, layering in extra humor and emotion.
Whether you read it or listen to it, The 392 is a fun, quick read with memorable characters and a unique storytelling style. Highly recommend!
October 24, 2023
Set in the streets of North London over the length of a bus ride, we read the thoughts and words of several characters. Teenage students who are late for school, a pregnant teenager, a blind former black cab driver, elderly Irish woman, a politician, banker, a creepy white man, a Muslim man and their Black female bus driver.
The diversity of London is celebrated in this book. Along with the prejudices that people rarely voice out but surely feel.
The 392 is short and sweet, fast paced, funny in parts and suspenseful in others.
I read the paperback and listened to the audiobook. Audible has a cast of ten (yes 10!) narrators, a different one for each character. That really brought the book to life, from the cockney accent to the slangs spoken by the teenagers and the ‘Boris Johnson’ sounding politician, the audiobook was an excellent performance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews