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The Museum of Ordinary People
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. As she sorts through a lifetime of memories, everything comes to a halt when she comes across something she just can’t part with: an old set of encyclopedias. To the world, the books are outdated and ready to be recycled. To Jess, they represent love and the future that her mother always wanted her to have.
In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum's unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse’s mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.
Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves.
In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum's unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse’s mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.
Inspired by an abandoned box of mementos, The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant novel about memory and loss, the things we leave behind, and the future we create for ourselves.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2022
1037 people are currently reading
23639 people want to read
About the author
Mike Gayle
38 books2,251 followersI was born in the 70s — the 70s were great. I would recommend them to anyone.
I was also born in Birmingham — in my humble opinion the greatest city in the world with the nicest people too.
I used to live in London — a great city too. But a bit on the pricey side.
I also used to live in Manchester — another great city (although technically I lived in Salford which is next door but that’s sort of splitting hairs).
Before I went to university I wanted to be a social worker — I have no idea why. It didn’t last long.
After I left university I wanted to write for the NME — I’ve always loved music but it was only when I went to uni that it started loving me back. I can’t play any instruments or sing so writing about music seemed to make sense.
My first paid writing gig was for a listings magazine in Birmingham — (Actually my first unpaid writing gig was an interview with Kitchens of Distinction for Salford Student Magazine. I can’t begin to tell you how terrible it was.)
I used to write a music fanzine — it was called Incredibly Inedible and I co-edited it with my mate Jackie. We typed up the first issue on my dad’s olde worlde typewriter and then literally cut and paste on to A4 sheets using scissors and glue. Over the three years of its existence we interviewed many bands and artists including: Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Pavement, Bill Hicks and Blur.
I was also born in Birmingham — in my humble opinion the greatest city in the world with the nicest people too.
I used to live in London — a great city too. But a bit on the pricey side.
I also used to live in Manchester — another great city (although technically I lived in Salford which is next door but that’s sort of splitting hairs).
Before I went to university I wanted to be a social worker — I have no idea why. It didn’t last long.
After I left university I wanted to write for the NME — I’ve always loved music but it was only when I went to uni that it started loving me back. I can’t play any instruments or sing so writing about music seemed to make sense.
My first paid writing gig was for a listings magazine in Birmingham — (Actually my first unpaid writing gig was an interview with Kitchens of Distinction for Salford Student Magazine. I can’t begin to tell you how terrible it was.)
I used to write a music fanzine — it was called Incredibly Inedible and I co-edited it with my mate Jackie. We typed up the first issue on my dad’s olde worlde typewriter and then literally cut and paste on to A4 sheets using scissors and glue. Over the three years of its existence we interviewed many bands and artists including: Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, Pavement, Bill Hicks and Blur.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,178 reviews
September 19, 2022
4.5⭐
“How to explain? How to explain to my partner and my best friend that this task, the clearing of Mum’s house, was my last opportunity to say goodbye? How to explain that I needed to show this final kindness to her? How to explain that I needed to sort through each of her belongings alone? That I wanted to make every last decision to do with dismantling her life from the biggest to the smallest without the help or hindrance of others? How to explain that I wanted to put as much love and care into the taking apart of my wonderful mum’s home as had been poured into bringing it all together in the first place?”
Almost a year has passed since Jessica “Jess” Baxter lost her mother to cancer. Jess is in the process of clearing her mother's home before putting it up for sale – a difficult task, emotionally draining, and heartbreaking but Jess manages to clear out most of her belongings selecting a few significant items that hold a special place in her heart. However, there seems to be no place to keep her precious set of encyclopedias in the home she shares with her partner, Guy, which they are also putting on the market with plans to move into a ‘forever home”. Her best friend, Luce, tells her about a place she has heard about - the “Museum of Ordinary People”- a space in the warehouse of a home clearance company where the now deceased owner looked after the belongings of those unable to find space for it – letters, furniture, suitcases and much more - tagged and detailed with how and when it was acquired by the said museum. The new owner, Alex, initially clueless about the existence of said space, allows Jess to explore the space and though initially reluctant grants Jess’s request to open the museum to the public with Jess, who is qualified in Museum Sciences, as Curator, but only for a duration six months after which the property in which the museum is located is to be sold.
As the story progresses and the Museum is opened to the public, Alex and Jess try their hardest to garner public interest in their museum and Jes tries to explore possibilities of finding a new location to keep the museum open. As Jess’s dreams of working in a museum begin to take shape, there are other aspects of her life that she needs to take into account– her friendship with Alex, the cracks in her relationship with Guy, a revelation about her identity of her father that could fracture some of the most important relationships in her life – a lot is going on in Jess’s life and we feel invested in her journey as tries to navigate her way through the changes in her life.
The grief Mike Gayle describes is not unknown to me. At times I had to put the book down because it reminded me of how I’ve avoided stepping foot into my parents' home since I lost my mother to cancer over four years ago. Living halfway across the world and the pandemic (and the international travel restrictions that followed) made for a good excuse to not travel. It broke my heart to have to go through my father’s things after his demise some years earlier and neither my brother nor I have been able to do more than the bare minimum after our mother passed. I can relate to how the most seemingly insignificant and mundane things can evoke sorrow and nostalgia and open a floodgate of memories.
“ And although the objects themselves are no replacement for the people we ache for, they are a reminder of the fact that those people were here, and they mattered and will be missed.”
The Museum of Ordinary Things by Mike Gayle is a beautifully written novel that revolves around themes of loss, grief, memories, kindness, love and friendship. The writing is beautiful as is the concept. The characterizations are on point ( even the unlikable Guy) and realistic. Needless to say, I felt a personal connection to Jess and all she was going through. I could also understand how the loss of her mother triggered Jess to take stock of other aspects of her life – her personal relationships, professional aspirations and dreams. What kept me from giving this book a 5 rating was the unnecessary and forced (in my opinion) subplot revolving around Jess’s father. I felt that adding this complication to Jess’s story distracted from the primary narrative. The pace is on the slower side, but I felt it suited the story.
Overall, The Museum of Ordinary People is a moving story that I would definitely recommend. I believe we could all use a “museum of ordinary people” to keep the memories and the stories alive.
“We give value to the overlooked, to the ordinary, to that which the world thinks of as commonplace. And we do this in the hope that the lives and the stories of the people these seemingly unremarkable things once belonged to will be treasured and remembered long after they’re gone.”
“How to explain? How to explain to my partner and my best friend that this task, the clearing of Mum’s house, was my last opportunity to say goodbye? How to explain that I needed to show this final kindness to her? How to explain that I needed to sort through each of her belongings alone? That I wanted to make every last decision to do with dismantling her life from the biggest to the smallest without the help or hindrance of others? How to explain that I wanted to put as much love and care into the taking apart of my wonderful mum’s home as had been poured into bringing it all together in the first place?”
Almost a year has passed since Jessica “Jess” Baxter lost her mother to cancer. Jess is in the process of clearing her mother's home before putting it up for sale – a difficult task, emotionally draining, and heartbreaking but Jess manages to clear out most of her belongings selecting a few significant items that hold a special place in her heart. However, there seems to be no place to keep her precious set of encyclopedias in the home she shares with her partner, Guy, which they are also putting on the market with plans to move into a ‘forever home”. Her best friend, Luce, tells her about a place she has heard about - the “Museum of Ordinary People”- a space in the warehouse of a home clearance company where the now deceased owner looked after the belongings of those unable to find space for it – letters, furniture, suitcases and much more - tagged and detailed with how and when it was acquired by the said museum. The new owner, Alex, initially clueless about the existence of said space, allows Jess to explore the space and though initially reluctant grants Jess’s request to open the museum to the public with Jess, who is qualified in Museum Sciences, as Curator, but only for a duration six months after which the property in which the museum is located is to be sold.
As the story progresses and the Museum is opened to the public, Alex and Jess try their hardest to garner public interest in their museum and Jes tries to explore possibilities of finding a new location to keep the museum open. As Jess’s dreams of working in a museum begin to take shape, there are other aspects of her life that she needs to take into account– her friendship with Alex, the cracks in her relationship with Guy, a revelation about her identity of her father that could fracture some of the most important relationships in her life – a lot is going on in Jess’s life and we feel invested in her journey as tries to navigate her way through the changes in her life.
The grief Mike Gayle describes is not unknown to me. At times I had to put the book down because it reminded me of how I’ve avoided stepping foot into my parents' home since I lost my mother to cancer over four years ago. Living halfway across the world and the pandemic (and the international travel restrictions that followed) made for a good excuse to not travel. It broke my heart to have to go through my father’s things after his demise some years earlier and neither my brother nor I have been able to do more than the bare minimum after our mother passed. I can relate to how the most seemingly insignificant and mundane things can evoke sorrow and nostalgia and open a floodgate of memories.
“ And although the objects themselves are no replacement for the people we ache for, they are a reminder of the fact that those people were here, and they mattered and will be missed.”
The Museum of Ordinary Things by Mike Gayle is a beautifully written novel that revolves around themes of loss, grief, memories, kindness, love and friendship. The writing is beautiful as is the concept. The characterizations are on point ( even the unlikable Guy) and realistic. Needless to say, I felt a personal connection to Jess and all she was going through. I could also understand how the loss of her mother triggered Jess to take stock of other aspects of her life – her personal relationships, professional aspirations and dreams. What kept me from giving this book a 5 rating was the unnecessary and forced (in my opinion) subplot revolving around Jess’s father. I felt that adding this complication to Jess’s story distracted from the primary narrative. The pace is on the slower side, but I felt it suited the story.
Overall, The Museum of Ordinary People is a moving story that I would definitely recommend. I believe we could all use a “museum of ordinary people” to keep the memories and the stories alive.
“We give value to the overlooked, to the ordinary, to that which the world thinks of as commonplace. And we do this in the hope that the lives and the stories of the people these seemingly unremarkable things once belonged to will be treasured and remembered long after they’re gone.”
July 15, 2022
In a Nutshell: Outlier opinion, sorry. I think my expectations were too high. The book met some of them, but disappointed in other ways. It's still a nice story, but could have been a memorable work with some tweaks.
Story Synopsis:
While the museum angle is one of the key story arcs, the book actually contains a mesh of interconnected tracks.
1. All things related to the Museum of Ordinary People.
2. Jess's relationship with her long-term boyfriend Guy.
3. Jess's struggle accepting the death of her mother. (This track begins a year back and moves ahead to join the contemporary timeline.)
There are also two relatively minor tracks that aren't elaborated upon until the final quarter of the book: the identity of Jess's father, and the mysterious reason the old owner of the museum Mr. Barclay willed his entire belongings to a complete stranger and current owner, Alex Brody.
Of all of these, my favourite by far was the one about the museum. It was almost flawless! Had the entire story been set only around this track, this book would have been a five star read for me. I loved the idea of the museum and the intention of the owners. I also relished seeing Jess and Alex give their best to the restoration. The geek in me was mighty pleased.
Jess's grief over her mother's passing comes a close second. These sections were very heavy on the emotions and some of the content got to me. I ended up taking unplanned breaks whenever these sections came up because my mind constantly wandered into thoughts of what I would do when I inevitably have to handle the same situation in the future for my parents. I loved the writing but hated the way it stirred up sad musings.
The remaining tracks generated mixed feelings. Jess's lack of communication and openness with Guy was frustrating, and the issues with their relationship were too repetitive and dragged. The secret behind Alex receiving the bounty from Mr. Barclay was worth waiting for but came too late. I wish it had been explored more. The mystery behind Jess's dad's identity was my least favourite part of the story. It was too neat.
The secondary character development is quite good. Alex, Jess's best friend Luce, Jess's old neighbours Dougie and Maggie, the museum helpers Dec, Paul and Angel - all had interesting and distinct personalities. But Jess somehow didn't win my heart despite the outstanding opportunity she had. Her personality wavers between underconfident to overconfident and it was difficult to see both aspects at work simultaneously.
One thing that bugged me was the shoddy detailing of Jess's character. Her age isn't mentioned till the 68% mark. Her race is mentioned once in passing as Black but it isn't used anywhere in the story. (By "used", I mean that she is written like every other stock white character – there is nothing to make her stand out as Black. If you missed that one reference, you wouldn’t even think of her as Black.) It felt like the mention of 'Black' was a token gesture just to ensure racial diversity. There's nothing about her hair, height, looks,... I've always seen male authors go to the extreme when it comes to describing female characters (rather, their physical attributes.) This book was on the other end of the spectrum. I simply couldn't visualise Jess because of this, and this probably increased my level of disconnect.
The book could also have been better in its plot development. There are too many convenient coincidences, some of which were tough to digest. The last 20% in particular goes over the top in making supposedly shocking revelations and tying up the loose ends. Until the 75-80% mark, I was hovering between 3.5-3.75 stars. The finale crashed the rating.
All in all, there are many enjoyable attributes to the book, and if you avoid using your inner critic too much, you'll certainly like it a lot more. My inner critic unfortunately refuses to die. As such, I liked it but didn't love it. The slow pace didn't help.
I haven’t read a Mike Gayle book before, though I have heard a lot of his writing. So it’s disappointing to have such a flat first experience of his work. Nevertheless, I shall definitely try out more of his books to see if they match me better.
3.25 stars. Mine is a strong outlier review, so do check other positive reviews before you take a call about this book.
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Museum of Ordinary People”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
Jess has recently lost her mother and is struggling to cope with her grief. Her most precious possession from among her mother's belongings is a set of old encyclopaedias, but she has no place to keep them in the apartment she shares with her partner Guy. A friend tells her of an odd place named "The Museum of Ordinary People" that accepts donations of such old, valued things that people love but can't keep. When Jess visits the museum, her life changes, both personally as well as professionally.
The story comes to us in the first person pov of Jess.
While the museum angle is one of the key story arcs, the book actually contains a mesh of interconnected tracks.
1. All things related to the Museum of Ordinary People.
2. Jess's relationship with her long-term boyfriend Guy.
3. Jess's struggle accepting the death of her mother. (This track begins a year back and moves ahead to join the contemporary timeline.)
There are also two relatively minor tracks that aren't elaborated upon until the final quarter of the book: the identity of Jess's father, and the mysterious reason the old owner of the museum Mr. Barclay willed his entire belongings to a complete stranger and current owner, Alex Brody.
Of all of these, my favourite by far was the one about the museum. It was almost flawless! Had the entire story been set only around this track, this book would have been a five star read for me. I loved the idea of the museum and the intention of the owners. I also relished seeing Jess and Alex give their best to the restoration. The geek in me was mighty pleased.
Jess's grief over her mother's passing comes a close second. These sections were very heavy on the emotions and some of the content got to me. I ended up taking unplanned breaks whenever these sections came up because my mind constantly wandered into thoughts of what I would do when I inevitably have to handle the same situation in the future for my parents. I loved the writing but hated the way it stirred up sad musings.
The remaining tracks generated mixed feelings. Jess's lack of communication and openness with Guy was frustrating, and the issues with their relationship were too repetitive and dragged. The secret behind Alex receiving the bounty from Mr. Barclay was worth waiting for but came too late. I wish it had been explored more. The mystery behind Jess's dad's identity was my least favourite part of the story. It was too neat.
The secondary character development is quite good. Alex, Jess's best friend Luce, Jess's old neighbours Dougie and Maggie, the museum helpers Dec, Paul and Angel - all had interesting and distinct personalities. But Jess somehow didn't win my heart despite the outstanding opportunity she had. Her personality wavers between underconfident to overconfident and it was difficult to see both aspects at work simultaneously.
One thing that bugged me was the shoddy detailing of Jess's character. Her age isn't mentioned till the 68% mark. Her race is mentioned once in passing as Black but it isn't used anywhere in the story. (By "used", I mean that she is written like every other stock white character – there is nothing to make her stand out as Black. If you missed that one reference, you wouldn’t even think of her as Black.) It felt like the mention of 'Black' was a token gesture just to ensure racial diversity. There's nothing about her hair, height, looks,... I've always seen male authors go to the extreme when it comes to describing female characters (rather, their physical attributes.) This book was on the other end of the spectrum. I simply couldn't visualise Jess because of this, and this probably increased my level of disconnect.
The book could also have been better in its plot development. There are too many convenient coincidences, some of which were tough to digest. The last 20% in particular goes over the top in making supposedly shocking revelations and tying up the loose ends. Until the 75-80% mark, I was hovering between 3.5-3.75 stars. The finale crashed the rating.
All in all, there are many enjoyable attributes to the book, and if you avoid using your inner critic too much, you'll certainly like it a lot more. My inner critic unfortunately refuses to die. As such, I liked it but didn't love it. The slow pace didn't help.
I haven’t read a Mike Gayle book before, though I have heard a lot of his writing. So it’s disappointing to have such a flat first experience of his work. Nevertheless, I shall definitely try out more of his books to see if they match me better.
3.25 stars. Mine is a strong outlier review, so do check other positive reviews before you take a call about this book.
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Museum of Ordinary People”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
June 1, 2023
Lovely story! 4.5 stars
"While it might be true that some things are thrown away for good reason, it's equally true that some things are saved for a purpose."
I really enjoyed this book, it is filled with heart, humor, love, and learning how to find inner strength after loss and change.
I think this book really resonated with me because we have recently moved my never married aunt with no children into memory care. She's my dad's (who passed away in 2012) only sibling, so my mom and my sister and I are pretty much it for dealing with her home and her possessions. She is still fairly with it (although she has ups and downs and is totally unsafe to live alone) so she was able to label many of her possessions with their origins over the years. Yesterday, in going through the house in order to have an estate sale, my mom and I came across object after object with little notes as to where they came from and it was kind of a fun treasure hunt. So despite it being a very overwhelmingly huge undertaking, the notes inserted some laughs and nostalgia into the process.
All that being said, this process reminded me so much of this book and filled me with an intimate sense of knowing why people would want sentimental items to have a place somewhere instead of donating them to a charity shop or tossing them in the dumpster.
This book is about Jess, who grew up the beloved daughter of a single mother. When her mother dies suddenly, Jess is tasked with clearing out her house. She keeps very few items, but one of those items she does keep is a set of 1970s encyclopedias that she used to pore over as a child. Although Jess's dream and education is to be a curator of a museum, life circumstances have stood in the way and she is currently working as a receptionist. When Jess and her boyfriend Guy decide to sell the home they are living in, she reluctantly needs to part ways with the encyclopedias. Jess hears of an odd museum called The Museum of Ordinary People, and what and who she discovers when she goes looking for it is exciting and comforting at the same time.
I enjoyed getting to know Jess and everyone else in the story, she is thoroughly likable and I was rooting for her success throughout. Although it's pretty obvious from the beginning what will happen romance-wise in the book, it's still fun to watch unfold as you read.
If you like stories filled with relatable characters, humor, and heart, and you are as intensely curious about the items that other people are sentimentally attached to, then definitely pick this book up, you won't be disappointed.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
"While it might be true that some things are thrown away for good reason, it's equally true that some things are saved for a purpose."
I really enjoyed this book, it is filled with heart, humor, love, and learning how to find inner strength after loss and change.
I think this book really resonated with me because we have recently moved my never married aunt with no children into memory care. She's my dad's (who passed away in 2012) only sibling, so my mom and my sister and I are pretty much it for dealing with her home and her possessions. She is still fairly with it (although she has ups and downs and is totally unsafe to live alone) so she was able to label many of her possessions with their origins over the years. Yesterday, in going through the house in order to have an estate sale, my mom and I came across object after object with little notes as to where they came from and it was kind of a fun treasure hunt. So despite it being a very overwhelmingly huge undertaking, the notes inserted some laughs and nostalgia into the process.
All that being said, this process reminded me so much of this book and filled me with an intimate sense of knowing why people would want sentimental items to have a place somewhere instead of donating them to a charity shop or tossing them in the dumpster.
This book is about Jess, who grew up the beloved daughter of a single mother. When her mother dies suddenly, Jess is tasked with clearing out her house. She keeps very few items, but one of those items she does keep is a set of 1970s encyclopedias that she used to pore over as a child. Although Jess's dream and education is to be a curator of a museum, life circumstances have stood in the way and she is currently working as a receptionist. When Jess and her boyfriend Guy decide to sell the home they are living in, she reluctantly needs to part ways with the encyclopedias. Jess hears of an odd museum called The Museum of Ordinary People, and what and who she discovers when she goes looking for it is exciting and comforting at the same time.
I enjoyed getting to know Jess and everyone else in the story, she is thoroughly likable and I was rooting for her success throughout. Although it's pretty obvious from the beginning what will happen romance-wise in the book, it's still fun to watch unfold as you read.
If you like stories filled with relatable characters, humor, and heart, and you are as intensely curious about the items that other people are sentimentally attached to, then definitely pick this book up, you won't be disappointed.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
May 18, 2022
Mike Gayle's latest is a heart tugging novel, simultaneously full of hope and the heartbreak of grief, Jess Baxter grew up in Northampton, close to her single mother, with her best friend, Lucy 'Luce' Smith living across the road. Jess is plunged into the harrowing abyss of grief when out of the blue her beloved mum dies. She turns down every offer of help when it comes to clearing out her mum's house, she wants to do it on her own over the period of a week. The house and every possession in it is steeped in precious memories of her mum, it had been just the two of them against the world. It is not easy to clear the house, it tests her to her emotional limits, but it has to be done, and there is little she can save, she has nowhere to store anything. She returns home to London where she is living with her boyfriend, Guy, with a set of well used and tatty encyclopaedias, the 1974 edition, symbolising the hopes and dreams that her mother had for her future. Jess struggles through the year, feeling exhausted laden down by her grief.
With the imminent sale of her mother's house, Guy suggests they buy a large family house together to secure their future together. With his exclusive apartment put on the market and people coming to view the property, Jess has no choice but get rid of the encyclopaedias, and by chance she hears of The Museum of Ordinary People where people have been able to donate beloved items that they are no longer in a position to keep. Jess's dream had alway been to become a museum curator, and although she was well qualified, her plans went up in smoke when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She meets Alex who has just inherited the late Thomas Barclay's house clearing business and his quirky 'museum' with a warehouse full of items representing the lives of ordinary people, rather than those of the privileged and powerful elites in society.
Jess spots an opportunity to realise her lost dreams of becoming a museum curator, a challenge into which she pours her heart and soul, as she is helped by a growing group of wonderful people, including Alex and Luce. In a narrative that goes back and forth in time, Gayle depicts how lives and families can be messy, complicated and chaotic in the real world, with unexpected secrets, lies and hidden deceptions, all which Jess has to find a way to handle. This is a captivating story of love, loss, grief, memories, friends, family, community and forgiveness that I adored, and I think many readers will love this novel too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
With the imminent sale of her mother's house, Guy suggests they buy a large family house together to secure their future together. With his exclusive apartment put on the market and people coming to view the property, Jess has no choice but get rid of the encyclopaedias, and by chance she hears of The Museum of Ordinary People where people have been able to donate beloved items that they are no longer in a position to keep. Jess's dream had alway been to become a museum curator, and although she was well qualified, her plans went up in smoke when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She meets Alex who has just inherited the late Thomas Barclay's house clearing business and his quirky 'museum' with a warehouse full of items representing the lives of ordinary people, rather than those of the privileged and powerful elites in society.
Jess spots an opportunity to realise her lost dreams of becoming a museum curator, a challenge into which she pours her heart and soul, as she is helped by a growing group of wonderful people, including Alex and Luce. In a narrative that goes back and forth in time, Gayle depicts how lives and families can be messy, complicated and chaotic in the real world, with unexpected secrets, lies and hidden deceptions, all which Jess has to find a way to handle. This is a captivating story of love, loss, grief, memories, friends, family, community and forgiveness that I adored, and I think many readers will love this novel too. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
April 12, 2022
4.5 rounded up
Jess Baxter is grieving for the sudden loss of her much loved mother, she clears her house and keeps some mementos including a set of encyclopedias which became an aim high symbol of her mothers hopes and dreams for Jess. One year on, her boyfriend Guy wants her clutter gone (one mans clutter…) so they can sell the apartment, she needs to find a new home for her precious goods. Has her best friend Luce found somewhere in the “Museum of Ordinary People “ in Peckham (Derek Trotter country!). The museum is amazing, full of every day things that are special to someone for a variety of reasons. Jess persuades new owner Alex to let her curate and rebrand this Aladdin‘s Cave and reopen to the public.
Mike Gayle has such a wonderful way of turning the every day into something special and tugging at your heartstrings in the process. There’s a lot here that is emotional, clearing your parents home for a start and often putting their precious possessions into a bin bag or onto a skip as your heart breaks with guilt and love. How the author conveys this is spot-on.
The premise and the concept of the museum resonates, who doesn’t have a little treasure that is priceless to us so the museum is much more than a symbol of kindness and understanding and we need more of that. I wonder if they’ll take my battered copy of Wind the Willows, a seventh birthday present from and signed by my father and a well worn one eyed teddy bear??? Some of the items have a superb backstory which just goes to prove the need for a museum like this. I love how the author writes about how the museum takes shape and then takes off.
The characters are lovely some have been through a lot, most of so likeable, there’s humour, love and affection between them. The friendship shown to Jess just when she needs it most warms your heart. The storyline evolves well, there are ups and downs, some convolutions, some deceptions and the impact of it but it’s the warmth that shines through. In places it’s sad but it’s also uplifting, it’s poignant, grief is put to a good purpose and it’s thought-provoking and a lot of it resonates.
Overall, this is an author whose books I’ll always want to read. He writes about ordinary people in such a way that makes them feel extraordinary.
This is another little gem of a book.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Jess Baxter is grieving for the sudden loss of her much loved mother, she clears her house and keeps some mementos including a set of encyclopedias which became an aim high symbol of her mothers hopes and dreams for Jess. One year on, her boyfriend Guy wants her clutter gone (one mans clutter…) so they can sell the apartment, she needs to find a new home for her precious goods. Has her best friend Luce found somewhere in the “Museum of Ordinary People “ in Peckham (Derek Trotter country!). The museum is amazing, full of every day things that are special to someone for a variety of reasons. Jess persuades new owner Alex to let her curate and rebrand this Aladdin‘s Cave and reopen to the public.
Mike Gayle has such a wonderful way of turning the every day into something special and tugging at your heartstrings in the process. There’s a lot here that is emotional, clearing your parents home for a start and often putting their precious possessions into a bin bag or onto a skip as your heart breaks with guilt and love. How the author conveys this is spot-on.
The premise and the concept of the museum resonates, who doesn’t have a little treasure that is priceless to us so the museum is much more than a symbol of kindness and understanding and we need more of that. I wonder if they’ll take my battered copy of Wind the Willows, a seventh birthday present from and signed by my father and a well worn one eyed teddy bear??? Some of the items have a superb backstory which just goes to prove the need for a museum like this. I love how the author writes about how the museum takes shape and then takes off.
The characters are lovely some have been through a lot, most of so likeable, there’s humour, love and affection between them. The friendship shown to Jess just when she needs it most warms your heart. The storyline evolves well, there are ups and downs, some convolutions, some deceptions and the impact of it but it’s the warmth that shines through. In places it’s sad but it’s also uplifting, it’s poignant, grief is put to a good purpose and it’s thought-provoking and a lot of it resonates.
Overall, this is an author whose books I’ll always want to read. He writes about ordinary people in such a way that makes them feel extraordinary.
This is another little gem of a book.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for that much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
June 12, 2023
We build museums for Royals and presidents and other famous people. What about the objects that pass through the lives of "ordinary" people? Are these items all destined to end up in the dump? Jess Baxter discovers an eclectic collection of things that have been saved from the trash. Little notes are attached noting date and location of recovery and a note about the original owner. Jess commits to using her museum curating knowledge to improve and expand the collection. If you have helped an older relative move out of their home or done some downsizing of your own, you can relate to the dilemma of wanting to save a special item you have no room for. Mike Gayle gives us some really good surprises at the end and it felt a bit rushed. I do think this would make a fabulous book for group discussion.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
August 17, 2023
Oh, this was wonderful!!!!
June 12, 2023
the setup…
It’s been a year since Jess Baxter’s mother died and she’s decided now is the time to finally tackle her childhood home to empty its contents. Despite offers from her friends and boyfriend Guy, Jess knows this is something she must do on her own. It was much more difficult than she’d anticipated, having to make tough decisions because she didn’t have room in their apartment to keep all the things she wanted. But it’s a dated set of encyclopedias that she can’t part with as they were one of the most treasured gifts she received as a child. When she and Guy prepared to sell their apartment, Jess finally has to part with the books as there’s no room to continue keeping them. She gets a reprieve when her best friend Luce tells her about and unusual alternative, a museum for keepsakes and treasures belonging to ordinary people.
the heart of the story…
I fell for Gayle’s writing style with his last book and was highly anticipating this one. The whole idea of a museum that features ordinary items from ordinary people with sentimental value for them alone was touching and appealing. When Jess first visits the place, she meets the new owner, Alex Brody, who didn’t even yet know of its existence. The Barclay & Sons warehouse was previously owned by the late Thomas Barclay, leaving it to Alex who didn’t even know the man. The two employees, Dec and Paul, were trying to find a way to tell him about the special area. Jess has a masters degree in art curation but has held a series of temporary jobs as she assisted with her mother’s care. The idea of bringing this museum to life lifted her out of her darkness, giving her a lifeline to a future she hadn’t imagined. Some of the most endearing moments were when she was sifting through all of the items and reading what the original owners had written about them. On a mission, she engages Alex, Paul and Dec in her vision, inspiring them to help bring it to fruition.
the narration…
I really liked the narrator who made me hear her as Jess, who has the sole point of view in the story, but also gave strong voice to the supporting characters. I enjoyed her storytelling skills, too.
the bottom line…
I had no idea I’d have such a strong personal connection to this story as it brought back memories of me having to do the same thing to my own mother’s home following her death. I, too, managed it alone and relived those same feelings that Jess experienced, recalling how gut wrenching it was to say goodbye to things that were impractical to keep. Gayle was masterful in establishing those connections and taking ordinary people, ordinary things and making them feel extraordinary. There’s a lot more to Jess’s journey, including the mystery of why Alex inherited the property, but that’s best left for others to discover as I did. And, of course, whenever you endeavor to sift through someone’s life like this, you’re bound to unearth secrets, not all needing to see the light of day. This was a lovely story that moved me deeply.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
It’s been a year since Jess Baxter’s mother died and she’s decided now is the time to finally tackle her childhood home to empty its contents. Despite offers from her friends and boyfriend Guy, Jess knows this is something she must do on her own. It was much more difficult than she’d anticipated, having to make tough decisions because she didn’t have room in their apartment to keep all the things she wanted. But it’s a dated set of encyclopedias that she can’t part with as they were one of the most treasured gifts she received as a child. When she and Guy prepared to sell their apartment, Jess finally has to part with the books as there’s no room to continue keeping them. She gets a reprieve when her best friend Luce tells her about and unusual alternative, a museum for keepsakes and treasures belonging to ordinary people.
the heart of the story…
I fell for Gayle’s writing style with his last book and was highly anticipating this one. The whole idea of a museum that features ordinary items from ordinary people with sentimental value for them alone was touching and appealing. When Jess first visits the place, she meets the new owner, Alex Brody, who didn’t even yet know of its existence. The Barclay & Sons warehouse was previously owned by the late Thomas Barclay, leaving it to Alex who didn’t even know the man. The two employees, Dec and Paul, were trying to find a way to tell him about the special area. Jess has a masters degree in art curation but has held a series of temporary jobs as she assisted with her mother’s care. The idea of bringing this museum to life lifted her out of her darkness, giving her a lifeline to a future she hadn’t imagined. Some of the most endearing moments were when she was sifting through all of the items and reading what the original owners had written about them. On a mission, she engages Alex, Paul and Dec in her vision, inspiring them to help bring it to fruition.
the narration…
I really liked the narrator who made me hear her as Jess, who has the sole point of view in the story, but also gave strong voice to the supporting characters. I enjoyed her storytelling skills, too.
the bottom line…
I had no idea I’d have such a strong personal connection to this story as it brought back memories of me having to do the same thing to my own mother’s home following her death. I, too, managed it alone and relived those same feelings that Jess experienced, recalling how gut wrenching it was to say goodbye to things that were impractical to keep. Gayle was masterful in establishing those connections and taking ordinary people, ordinary things and making them feel extraordinary. There’s a lot more to Jess’s journey, including the mystery of why Alex inherited the property, but that’s best left for others to discover as I did. And, of course, whenever you endeavor to sift through someone’s life like this, you’re bound to unearth secrets, not all needing to see the light of day. This was a lovely story that moved me deeply.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
May 27, 2023
2.5 stars
When I first read the premise of Mike Gayle’s latest novel The Museum of Ordinary People , I was quite intrigued by the idea of a museum that collected keepsakes and mementos — things that people didn’t want to throw away, but also weren’t able to keep either. This story arc was definitely an interesting one and indeed, the chapters that talked about the museum — how it came about, the history behind some of the items, the backstories of the people who donated the items, etc. — were the strongest. Unfortunately though, much of the rest of the story was bogged down by various threads that I felt were irrelevant, unnecessary and distracted from the main arc — for example, all of the chapters devoted to the main protagonist Jess Baxter clearing out her mum’s house, room by room — which had the effect of dragging out the already slow-paced story to the point of being nearly unbearable.
I also was annoyed by the thread involving Jess’s relationship with her boyfriend Guy. Right from the start, the dynamics of their relationship felt off and it was already pretty obvious the direction that the relationship was headed (that they wouldn’t be together in the end) — which was why, as the story progressed, I got increasingly frustrated with how their relationship continued to drag on, with both Jess and Guy coming up with one “justification” after another for why they should remain together. And then when the split finally happened, it was done in a way that honestly made no sense (not to mention it ticked me off how Jess was portrayed throughout that entire scene — specifically having her grovel and take all the blame with no mention of the role that Guy’s atrocious behavior played in the whole mess).
Speaking of Jess, I felt like the way her character was written was very inconsistent throughout the story, to the point that it was hard for me to connect with her at all. It seemed like one minute, she would exude confidence and stand up for herself but then the next minute she would become a doormat and second guess herself at every turn. Basically, she came across as being all over the place due to her behavior and actions being contradictory throughout various parts of the story.
In addition to the characters being problematic, the writing was also repetitive in places (for example - the word “anyway” was repeated at so many points in the story that I lost count after the first couple chapters), there was way too much “telling” rather than “showing” (the writing actually came off awkward in places), and the plot was a bit too contrived for my liking (there were some “twists” added near the end that were convenient but unnecessary in my opinion).
Overall, I would say that this was an okay read that I think would’ve been a more effective story if it had focused on the original premise of the museum rather than branching off into other tangents. The narrative meandered too much and there were too many instances where I felt like I had to skim through tedious bits in order to get back to the parts that mattered (the scenes involving the museum). As I seem to be an outlier on this one though, I would recommend checking out other reviews as well, just in case.
Received ARC from Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 19, 2023
3-Stars - "I Liked It"
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
Audiobook: 10:30 Hours - Narrator: Witney White
I need to ponder for a while and I will produce a coherent review shortly.😊
Update:
I've given up pondering, and procrastinating, and will simply add that if you liked Mike Gayle's previous books, you will probably enjoy this one too!
From my Reading Activity:
April 18 @ 60.0% "Purchased last night, downloaded and commenced immediately. A pleasant listen so far @60%."
April 19 @ 99.0% "An interesting and enjoyable listen, but..."
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
Audiobook: 10:30 Hours - Narrator: Witney White
I need to ponder for a while and I will produce a coherent review shortly.😊
Update:
I've given up pondering, and procrastinating, and will simply add that if you liked Mike Gayle's previous books, you will probably enjoy this one too!
From my Reading Activity:
April 18 @ 60.0% "Purchased last night, downloaded and commenced immediately. A pleasant listen so far @60%."
April 19 @ 99.0% "An interesting and enjoyable listen, but..."
May 25, 2023
The Museum of Ordinary People is a unique, honest portrayal of love and loss. Jess Baxter lost her mother to cancer and must assume the difficult (often gut-wrenching task) of going through her belongings.
And although the objects they are no replacement for the people we ache for, they are a reminder of the fact that those people were here, and they mattered and will be missed
Jess clears up everything, but holds on to a few things close to her heart. A set of encyclopedias lingers, and she doesn't know where to put it in the place she shares with her boyfriend, Guy.
Her friend, Luce tells her about a place called ''Museum of Ordinary People.' A warehouse where people leave things of their decent, unsure what else to do--not wanting to give it away or continue to hold on. Alex, the man who's currently running the place after the original owner died, doesn't know what to do. Jess has always been drawn to museums and wanted to work in one before her mother got sick--she decides to take over running the museum.
The story has a few big surprises and interesting characters with their own dilemmas. I was drawn to Jess's desire to keep her mother's memory alive. It felt relatable.
Many parts of the story were predictable, like Jess's relationship with her boyfriend and the new owner of the Museum, but what made the predictably tolerable was Jess'' dialogue and how she chooses to navigate those moments.
Overall, a heartwarming.
3.75/5
**Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy in return for my honest opinion
And although the objects they are no replacement for the people we ache for, they are a reminder of the fact that those people were here, and they mattered and will be missed
Jess clears up everything, but holds on to a few things close to her heart. A set of encyclopedias lingers, and she doesn't know where to put it in the place she shares with her boyfriend, Guy.
Her friend, Luce tells her about a place called ''Museum of Ordinary People.' A warehouse where people leave things of their decent, unsure what else to do--not wanting to give it away or continue to hold on. Alex, the man who's currently running the place after the original owner died, doesn't know what to do. Jess has always been drawn to museums and wanted to work in one before her mother got sick--she decides to take over running the museum.
The story has a few big surprises and interesting characters with their own dilemmas. I was drawn to Jess's desire to keep her mother's memory alive. It felt relatable.
Many parts of the story were predictable, like Jess's relationship with her boyfriend and the new owner of the Museum, but what made the predictably tolerable was Jess'' dialogue and how she chooses to navigate those moments.
Overall, a heartwarming.
3.75/5
**Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy in return for my honest opinion
June 8, 2023
Mike Gayle has become an author I recommend to all readers in search of an uplifting read with plenty of heart, substance, and grit.
Most of us have found ourselves having to donate or throw out an object with sentimental value. It's a hard thing to do. We attach memories to certain things, and getting rid of them can evoke feelings of guilt and sadness.
Imagine being able to donate these special items to a museum! What a wonderfully affirming concept. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the characters (though I wish Jess apologized less and defended herself more) and the epilogue was a treat.
Most of us have found ourselves having to donate or throw out an object with sentimental value. It's a hard thing to do. We attach memories to certain things, and getting rid of them can evoke feelings of guilt and sadness.
Imagine being able to donate these special items to a museum! What a wonderfully affirming concept. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the characters (though I wish Jess apologized less and defended herself more) and the epilogue was a treat.
September 18, 2023
The Museum of Ordinary People is a heartwarming, addictive, charming story about a young museum curator and her discovery of everyday items that carry great meaning for people. Her efforts to start her museum and wade through her personal loss have the reader cheering her every move. The story also raises the interesting question about whether some truths are better left uncovered. I loved this! Highly recommend for all lovers of life.
My thanks to the author, Mike Gayle, and to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for my copy of this wonderful book. It is a keeper. #Goodreads Giveaway
My thanks to the author, Mike Gayle, and to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for my copy of this wonderful book. It is a keeper. #Goodreads Giveaway
March 30, 2023
The Museum of Ordinary People is a charming concept: a Museum that archives items with sentimental value that regular people can’t keep - but can’t fathom throwing away. Unfortunately, I felt the characters (and the book overall) were missing a lot of that charm.
I read All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle and LOVED it. I thought the characters were so dimensional and real and my heart ached for them. In contrast, I was surprised to find that the characters in this book felt lifeless, unimaginative, and unrealistic.
- I think this book suffered a lot (especially in the beginning) from what I call “and then” syndrome. Exposition is SO important to me in a story, but instead of being naturally introduced to the characters and the plot, I felt like I was reading a list of : this happened and then this happened and then this happened. The author didn’t actually use those exact words “and then” over and over, but it had the same effect.
- I hated the relationship drama. 3/4 of the book is about the main character giving up everything she loves for a man who is annoying and not even kind. It is so confusing when it seems like he has zero redeeming qualities. Where’s all this hesitancy to breaking up coming from??? At least make it believable if the MC is gonna be stuck in a shitty relationship, this just felt pointless.
- There is a main character with a large scar on his face. The entire characterization of this person is that he is so kind and selfless and perfect.. but can’t have confidence/relationships/go in public because of this scar. It just felt icky that he was constantly treated poorly because of it.. and his character had no other substance. I guess that’s not saying much though since most of the characters didn’t have much substance.
- Whatttt was the ending? Completely out of left field and didn’t fit.
The characters in this one fell flat for me, the charming concept ended up being far less heartwarming than i’d hoped, the middle was long and repetitive, and random storylines were thrown into the ending purely for shock/entertainment value. It’s safe to say I didn’t like this book, but I have hope that whatever Gayle comes out with in the future I will love as much as All The Lonely People!
*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read All The Lonely People by Mike Gayle and LOVED it. I thought the characters were so dimensional and real and my heart ached for them. In contrast, I was surprised to find that the characters in this book felt lifeless, unimaginative, and unrealistic.
- I think this book suffered a lot (especially in the beginning) from what I call “and then” syndrome. Exposition is SO important to me in a story, but instead of being naturally introduced to the characters and the plot, I felt like I was reading a list of : this happened and then this happened and then this happened. The author didn’t actually use those exact words “and then” over and over, but it had the same effect.
- I hated the relationship drama. 3/4 of the book is about the main character giving up everything she loves for a man who is annoying and not even kind. It is so confusing when it seems like he has zero redeeming qualities. Where’s all this hesitancy to breaking up coming from??? At least make it believable if the MC is gonna be stuck in a shitty relationship, this just felt pointless.
- There is a main character with a large scar on his face. The entire characterization of this person is that he is so kind and selfless and perfect.. but can’t have confidence/relationships/go in public because of this scar. It just felt icky that he was constantly treated poorly because of it.. and his character had no other substance. I guess that’s not saying much though since most of the characters didn’t have much substance.
- Whatttt was the ending? Completely out of left field and didn’t fit.
The characters in this one fell flat for me, the charming concept ended up being far less heartwarming than i’d hoped, the middle was long and repetitive, and random storylines were thrown into the ending purely for shock/entertainment value. It’s safe to say I didn’t like this book, but I have hope that whatever Gayle comes out with in the future I will love as much as All The Lonely People!
*Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2023
THE MUSEUM OF ORDINARY PEOPLE
Mike Gayle
I LOVED the idea that others suffer the same idea that there are things their loved ones have that are so special they cannot part with them. I have so much of my mother's stuff in my attic that I cannot bear to part with it. Sitting right here in my living room, I can see 8 things on top of my hutch that are from my parent's house.... maybe I do have a problem as my sister said.
I really enjoyed this story because it touched my heart. It was about family, both real and made up, it was a love story in so many ways, it was a coming of age story, about endings and how to deal with them. OH goodness, let's face it, it was a soft and gentle book about life.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
Mike Gayle
I LOVED the idea that others suffer the same idea that there are things their loved ones have that are so special they cannot part with them. I have so much of my mother's stuff in my attic that I cannot bear to part with it. Sitting right here in my living room, I can see 8 things on top of my hutch that are from my parent's house.... maybe I do have a problem as my sister said.
I really enjoyed this story because it touched my heart. It was about family, both real and made up, it was a love story in so many ways, it was a coming of age story, about endings and how to deal with them. OH goodness, let's face it, it was a soft and gentle book about life.
5 stars
Happy Reading!
June 4, 2023
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
Narrated by Witney White - beautiful narration that brought this story and especially Jess to life.
An old set of encyclopedias leads a young woman to a curious museum and one profoundly moving lesson: that every life is an extraordinary life.
And although the objects themselves are no replacement for the people we ache for, they are a reminder of the fact that those people were here, and they mattered and will be missed.
This is such a heartwarming and feel good story despite centering on grief and loss. It makes you think about the items loved ones leave behind but also following your path. While your life may be ordinary it’s still extraordinary. Mike Gayle writes in a beautiful and comforting style that tugs at your heart but is also thought provoking. Highly recommended.
The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
Narrated by Witney White - beautiful narration that brought this story and especially Jess to life.
An old set of encyclopedias leads a young woman to a curious museum and one profoundly moving lesson: that every life is an extraordinary life.
And although the objects themselves are no replacement for the people we ache for, they are a reminder of the fact that those people were here, and they mattered and will be missed.
This is such a heartwarming and feel good story despite centering on grief and loss. It makes you think about the items loved ones leave behind but also following your path. While your life may be ordinary it’s still extraordinary. Mike Gayle writes in a beautiful and comforting style that tugs at your heart but is also thought provoking. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2025
This is another novel that I read primarily for research related to Novel #4 that I'm writing.
It's a charming beach read whose plot lines are sometimes predictable, sometimes not, with a lot of practical advice about how to repair old pieces of furniture, restore a building in disrepair, and start an oddball museum.
Quick plot summary: Jess Baxter gave up her childhood dream of being a museum curator, despite a stellar record in museum-studies grad school, to care for her dying mother. Now, still mourning her mother's death a year ago, she plods along as a receptionist, following the lead of her boyfriend, Guy, who is pushing her into buying a house together that they can't afford, and then onward toward marriage and kids.
Abruptly, Jess stumbles into a jumbled warehouse jammed full of old stuff whose owners didn't want to throw away completely, that has been grandly dubbed the Museum of Ordinary People. Her dream rekindled, she launches into a project to turn this into a real museum. Gus reluctantly watches her devote her weekends to the impossible project, essentially waiting for her to fail.
There are some basic problems with this plot, in addition to the predictability, coincidences, and a convenient diary (which, fine, are inherent in the genre). It's hard to believe that Jess is still mourning her mother so deeply, or that she's so oblivious to Guy's controlling behavior. Jess herself is a chick lit stereotype, flummoxed in an adorable and perky way. Also, way too much is piled on at the end.
On the positive side, Guy turned out to be more interesting and complicated than I'd first expected, and many of the side characters are fully drawn and interesting people, not just side characters. I enjoyed the oddball museum, which is not a typical setting for a novel. And I have to give credit to the author, as a man writing from a woman's POV: It's not easy, and I do think he succeeds. (I wouldn't even try to write my novels from a man's POV.)
In short: An average book. But I'm glad I read it, because it was more useful-- and in that sense, inspiring-- than most of the "research" fiction I've been reading.
It's a charming beach read whose plot lines are sometimes predictable, sometimes not, with a lot of practical advice about how to repair old pieces of furniture, restore a building in disrepair, and start an oddball museum.
Quick plot summary: Jess Baxter gave up her childhood dream of being a museum curator, despite a stellar record in museum-studies grad school, to care for her dying mother. Now, still mourning her mother's death a year ago, she plods along as a receptionist, following the lead of her boyfriend, Guy, who is pushing her into buying a house together that they can't afford, and then onward toward marriage and kids.
Abruptly, Jess stumbles into a jumbled warehouse jammed full of old stuff whose owners didn't want to throw away completely, that has been grandly dubbed the Museum of Ordinary People. Her dream rekindled, she launches into a project to turn this into a real museum. Gus reluctantly watches her devote her weekends to the impossible project, essentially waiting for her to fail.
There are some basic problems with this plot, in addition to the predictability, coincidences, and a convenient diary (which, fine, are inherent in the genre). It's hard to believe that Jess is still mourning her mother so deeply, or that she's so oblivious to Guy's controlling behavior. Jess herself is a chick lit stereotype, flummoxed in an adorable and perky way. Also, way too much is piled on at the end.
On the positive side, Guy turned out to be more interesting and complicated than I'd first expected, and many of the side characters are fully drawn and interesting people, not just side characters. I enjoyed the oddball museum, which is not a typical setting for a novel. And I have to give credit to the author, as a man writing from a woman's POV: It's not easy, and I do think he succeeds. (I wouldn't even try to write my novels from a man's POV.)
In short: An average book. But I'm glad I read it, because it was more useful-- and in that sense, inspiring-- than most of the "research" fiction I've been reading.
October 9, 2023
Very sweet and heartwarming!
July 1, 2022
Encouraged by the popularity and praise for Mike Gayle’s work I decided to read The Museum of Ordinary People despite the fact that the premise has more than a few similarities to Ruth Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things.
Thirty-one-year-old Jess Baxter was sent reeling by the sudden death of her mother and the woman who single-handedly raised her a year ago. In order to put the family home up for sale Jess needs to tackle the unenviable task of going through her mother’s possessions and in doing so unearths an array of objects and is reminded of the previous memories attached to them. Chief amongst these cherished items are a complete set of encyclopaedias that Jess’s mum gave her at age eleven to encourage her passion for learning. It is these volumes that Jess can’t bring herself to say goodbye to and hauls back to the minimalist London flat of financier boyfriend, Guy. When Guy decides to put his home up for sale and find a new forever home for him and Jess, it also means time is up for the old encyclopaedias blocking the hallway. Jess is on a quest to rehome them when best-friend Luce hears about a museum that is the saviour of items that are precious to ordinary people but, for a variety of reasons, are unable to be kept or stored and in need of a new home.
Travelling to the quirky museum located in the back of a clearance firm in South London, Jess is greeted by the bemused new owner, Alex, who has no idea why he has just inherited the business or the bizarre collection of items, all saved by the former owner. Seeing the collection, all carefully labelled, reignites Jess’s dreams of a career in museum curatorship that she spent years studying for but failed to achieve. Hoping to organise the collection and officially open the museum to the general public means not only convincing Alex to change his mind about selling up, but also appeasing jealous boyfriend Guy who can’t understand why Jess’s project means so much to her.
Overall I was hugely disappointed in my first Mike Gayle novel. Although the premise was a little too sentimental for my usual taste by rights this should have been an easy feel-good read. The pace throughout is beyond sluggish, the plot telegraphed right from the off and a late plot twist felt destabilising. The prose in functional at best and the entire novel is bogged down by the fact that it features a dual narrative with the component from a year ago (seeing Jess clear her mother’s house) adding little to the novel bar introducing a contrived plot point that illustrates some memories really are better off staying buried. Alongside this two glaringly convenient and unbelievable coincidences underpin the plot and the novel is ridiculously drawn-out. Derivative up-lit that adds nothing memorable to the growing canon of life-affirming novels with empathy at their core.
Thirty-one-year-old Jess Baxter was sent reeling by the sudden death of her mother and the woman who single-handedly raised her a year ago. In order to put the family home up for sale Jess needs to tackle the unenviable task of going through her mother’s possessions and in doing so unearths an array of objects and is reminded of the previous memories attached to them. Chief amongst these cherished items are a complete set of encyclopaedias that Jess’s mum gave her at age eleven to encourage her passion for learning. It is these volumes that Jess can’t bring herself to say goodbye to and hauls back to the minimalist London flat of financier boyfriend, Guy. When Guy decides to put his home up for sale and find a new forever home for him and Jess, it also means time is up for the old encyclopaedias blocking the hallway. Jess is on a quest to rehome them when best-friend Luce hears about a museum that is the saviour of items that are precious to ordinary people but, for a variety of reasons, are unable to be kept or stored and in need of a new home.
Travelling to the quirky museum located in the back of a clearance firm in South London, Jess is greeted by the bemused new owner, Alex, who has no idea why he has just inherited the business or the bizarre collection of items, all saved by the former owner. Seeing the collection, all carefully labelled, reignites Jess’s dreams of a career in museum curatorship that she spent years studying for but failed to achieve. Hoping to organise the collection and officially open the museum to the general public means not only convincing Alex to change his mind about selling up, but also appeasing jealous boyfriend Guy who can’t understand why Jess’s project means so much to her.
Overall I was hugely disappointed in my first Mike Gayle novel. Although the premise was a little too sentimental for my usual taste by rights this should have been an easy feel-good read. The pace throughout is beyond sluggish, the plot telegraphed right from the off and a late plot twist felt destabilising. The prose in functional at best and the entire novel is bogged down by the fact that it features a dual narrative with the component from a year ago (seeing Jess clear her mother’s house) adding little to the novel bar introducing a contrived plot point that illustrates some memories really are better off staying buried. Alongside this two glaringly convenient and unbelievable coincidences underpin the plot and the novel is ridiculously drawn-out. Derivative up-lit that adds nothing memorable to the growing canon of life-affirming novels with empathy at their core.
July 7, 2022
Set in both Northampton and London, the story begins with Jess at her childhood home clearing her mother’s property for sale following her death. Something which resonated hugely with me since I had to do this for my own parents after their deaths some years ago. Within a space of a few weeks, each went to routine hospital appointments and never returned to their home of 50 years, and my childhood home where there were so many memories. Much like Jess’ experience, there were many items that I didn’t want to dispose of but I couldn’t keep everything because of space. If only there had been a Museum of Ordinary People available at that time.
As Jess discovers in Mike Gayle’s compassionate and heartfelt writing, coming face to face with the minutae of our parent’s lives, little things, which have no value to anyone else but hold a lifetime of memories is just overwhelming. To say that that The Museum of Ordinary People is just about loss and grief and loneliness would be doing it a disservice – there is actually much more to the story – I can’t say more – spoilers!
The Museum is almost a character in itself. It’s creation grew from something quite simple but it is giving its current owner somewhat of a headache and it faces an uncertain future. Jess has always wanted to be a museum curator but life got in the way however she has big ambitions for the museum and wants to ensure that its motley collection of letters, photographs, wheelbarrows and other miscellaneous items rescued from skips or donated, all with detailed labels are given greater public access. She initially discovered it by wanting to make a donation of her own. As Jess and Alex discover though, not all memories are happy ones and some are best left alone.
The story moves between Now and Then, told in Jess’ voice. Along with an excellent cast of supporting characters, Jess was engaging and likeable, as was Alex. Both had damaged histories, the full extent of which came out as the story progressed.
The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant and thoughtful read but also an uplifting one, it has heart and depth, I loved it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. I don’t know whether or not Gayle was writing from personal experience but there were many times in the book when I was nodding in agreement at some of the emotions that Jess was experiencing.
Finally, which item would I have donated to the Museum? It would most probably have been my dad’s drill. He was fantastic at DIY (I’m not!) and this drill whilst old and tatty was very much part of him. I couldn’t bear to put it into a skip so it’s currently in a crate with some others of their belongings in my loft. Memories indeed.
As Jess discovers in Mike Gayle’s compassionate and heartfelt writing, coming face to face with the minutae of our parent’s lives, little things, which have no value to anyone else but hold a lifetime of memories is just overwhelming. To say that that The Museum of Ordinary People is just about loss and grief and loneliness would be doing it a disservice – there is actually much more to the story – I can’t say more – spoilers!
The Museum is almost a character in itself. It’s creation grew from something quite simple but it is giving its current owner somewhat of a headache and it faces an uncertain future. Jess has always wanted to be a museum curator but life got in the way however she has big ambitions for the museum and wants to ensure that its motley collection of letters, photographs, wheelbarrows and other miscellaneous items rescued from skips or donated, all with detailed labels are given greater public access. She initially discovered it by wanting to make a donation of her own. As Jess and Alex discover though, not all memories are happy ones and some are best left alone.
The story moves between Now and Then, told in Jess’ voice. Along with an excellent cast of supporting characters, Jess was engaging and likeable, as was Alex. Both had damaged histories, the full extent of which came out as the story progressed.
The Museum of Ordinary People is a poignant and thoughtful read but also an uplifting one, it has heart and depth, I loved it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. I don’t know whether or not Gayle was writing from personal experience but there were many times in the book when I was nodding in agreement at some of the emotions that Jess was experiencing.
Finally, which item would I have donated to the Museum? It would most probably have been my dad’s drill. He was fantastic at DIY (I’m not!) and this drill whilst old and tatty was very much part of him. I couldn’t bear to put it into a skip so it’s currently in a crate with some others of their belongings in my loft. Memories indeed.
August 16, 2023
Coming from someone who considers herself more of a collector and not at all a hoarder, I very much enjoyed this book! Hehehe! Do museums like this exist? I really think Mike Gayle is on to something here! This is the type of place I would love to spend an afternoon in. Having spent many hours of my life in antique stores, people have some really cool and also very bizarre things!
I really enjoyed The Museum Of Ordinary People. There is so much nostalgia filling these pages. When I was a preteen, my dad and I used to visit abandoned houses. So many discarded items! Suitcases, clothing, shoes, letters and cards, the list goes on and on. Always decades old. I still have letters and old stamps in my possession. So much of what was in the Ordinary Museum had me remembering the good old days.
Yes! Back to my review! This was such an interesting and often entertaining read. It even came with a twist or two that were very unexpected. I enjoyed the characters, well, maybe not Guy. The jury is still out on that one. There are many layers to this story with the main themes being family and friendship, loss and healing. Overall, I recommend it!
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for this gifted copy.
I really enjoyed The Museum Of Ordinary People. There is so much nostalgia filling these pages. When I was a preteen, my dad and I used to visit abandoned houses. So many discarded items! Suitcases, clothing, shoes, letters and cards, the list goes on and on. Always decades old. I still have letters and old stamps in my possession. So much of what was in the Ordinary Museum had me remembering the good old days.
Yes! Back to my review! This was such an interesting and often entertaining read. It even came with a twist or two that were very unexpected. I enjoyed the characters, well, maybe not Guy. The jury is still out on that one. There are many layers to this story with the main themes being family and friendship, loss and healing. Overall, I recommend it!
My thanks to Grand Central Publishing for this gifted copy.
July 18, 2023
Wow, wow, wow. How are more people not talking about this book yet?!? I went into the book blind not knowing what to expect. This story was appearing to be such a unique and heartfelt story about how people can’t store all of the stuff they want to keep in their lives but they can’t seem to toss out. It turned into so much more than I was expecting. I have never cried while reading a book that I can remember. This book had me sobbing at one point — not in sadness but in joy and shock.
July 22, 2022
Around this time last year, I was first introduced to Mike Gayle and I immediately fell in love with his writing and his characters, who were all dealing with such incredibly relatable issues. What started as a break from the gore and gruesomeness I tend to read quickly turned into a newly discovered author finding his way onto my go-to list, which surprised me as this isn’t normally a genre I tend to go for. But boy, Mike Gayle is really something else.
Jess Baxter has just lost her mum and has had to clear out her childhood home, which is by far one of the hardest things any of us will ever have to do. Bits and bobs are given away via Facebook, furniture goes out the door, clothes are donated to a charity shop but what about things that come attached with a multitude of memories? What about this set of encyclopaedias Jess was gifted by her mum, for instance? You can’t just throw something like that away, can you? But Jess doesn’t have any space for it anywhere.
This is how she comes across the Museum of Ordinary People. Set up years ago by a man called Thomas Barley, it features a huge collection of the most varied objects that used to mean something to someone who is no longer here. Why should it only be the things from kings and queens, or artists and movie stars, of famous people in history that have to be displayed so they will never be forgotten? Why not the sewing machine your grandmother spent so many hours on creating clothes for the entire family? Why not the chessboard your grandfather used to teach you how to play the game? Sure, their names won’t be in the history books but their lives meant something too. I bet you’re sitting reading this right now, thinking of an item you would gladly have given to the museum for it to be preserved. Things that wouldn’t mean a thing to anyone, but mean the world to you. And just like that, the relatable and believable every day issues Jess is having to deal with pull you into this story and don’t let go. There is so much to identify with here.
Coming across this museum will change Jess’s life in more ways than one. It will force her to take a good look at her life, to figure out where her priorities lie and to create a whole new circle of friends. Each and every one of these characters is just delightful. Warm and engaging, and I quite would have liked to have spent time with them for real. But not everyone understands her passion for this project. And maybe some things shouldn’t be preserved either. Maybe some things are thrown away for a good reason.
Then there is the underlying mystery of Alex, the current owner of the museum. He inherited the lot from the previous owner but he has no idea who Thomas Barley was or why he’d leave Alex all these things. I thought I knew why but I while I may have been slightly on the right path, I wandered off into a different direction and ended up getting it wrong. I adored Alex and rooted for him from the get-go.
‘The Museum of Ordinary People‘ is full of compassion and beautiful writing that just hits you right there in the feels. Heartwarming and uplifting, yet also heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I fully expected it to leave me with a lump in my throat. It did but luckily I avoided the ugly crying because that’s always so hard to explain when you’re not home alone. I absolutely loved the entire concept of the museum and couldn’t help but wish it was a real thing. Sure, yes, some of it is maybe slightly predictable but look at my face not caring one iota because it’s just the most delightful novel.
So, it’s official. This crime fiction lover is completely enamoured with the novels of Mike Gayle and I can’t wait for his next one.
Jess Baxter has just lost her mum and has had to clear out her childhood home, which is by far one of the hardest things any of us will ever have to do. Bits and bobs are given away via Facebook, furniture goes out the door, clothes are donated to a charity shop but what about things that come attached with a multitude of memories? What about this set of encyclopaedias Jess was gifted by her mum, for instance? You can’t just throw something like that away, can you? But Jess doesn’t have any space for it anywhere.
This is how she comes across the Museum of Ordinary People. Set up years ago by a man called Thomas Barley, it features a huge collection of the most varied objects that used to mean something to someone who is no longer here. Why should it only be the things from kings and queens, or artists and movie stars, of famous people in history that have to be displayed so they will never be forgotten? Why not the sewing machine your grandmother spent so many hours on creating clothes for the entire family? Why not the chessboard your grandfather used to teach you how to play the game? Sure, their names won’t be in the history books but their lives meant something too. I bet you’re sitting reading this right now, thinking of an item you would gladly have given to the museum for it to be preserved. Things that wouldn’t mean a thing to anyone, but mean the world to you. And just like that, the relatable and believable every day issues Jess is having to deal with pull you into this story and don’t let go. There is so much to identify with here.
Coming across this museum will change Jess’s life in more ways than one. It will force her to take a good look at her life, to figure out where her priorities lie and to create a whole new circle of friends. Each and every one of these characters is just delightful. Warm and engaging, and I quite would have liked to have spent time with them for real. But not everyone understands her passion for this project. And maybe some things shouldn’t be preserved either. Maybe some things are thrown away for a good reason.
Then there is the underlying mystery of Alex, the current owner of the museum. He inherited the lot from the previous owner but he has no idea who Thomas Barley was or why he’d leave Alex all these things. I thought I knew why but I while I may have been slightly on the right path, I wandered off into a different direction and ended up getting it wrong. I adored Alex and rooted for him from the get-go.
‘The Museum of Ordinary People‘ is full of compassion and beautiful writing that just hits you right there in the feels. Heartwarming and uplifting, yet also heartbreaking and thought-provoking. I fully expected it to leave me with a lump in my throat. It did but luckily I avoided the ugly crying because that’s always so hard to explain when you’re not home alone. I absolutely loved the entire concept of the museum and couldn’t help but wish it was a real thing. Sure, yes, some of it is maybe slightly predictable but look at my face not caring one iota because it’s just the most delightful novel.
So, it’s official. This crime fiction lover is completely enamoured with the novels of Mike Gayle and I can’t wait for his next one.
August 7, 2023
Almost DNF’d this. The museum concept was the most interesting among all the odd plot lines and the only reason I skimmed to the end. If you’re a writer, read your dialogue out loud. Would you talk like that?
May 8, 2023
If a book was a warm hug, this would be the book.
Perfect comfort read.
Be prepared to feel a range of emotions but most of all this book will make you smile and hopeful.
Lots of unexpected twists.
You'll be rooting for the characters for days to come.
Perfect comfort read.
Be prepared to feel a range of emotions but most of all this book will make you smile and hopeful.
Lots of unexpected twists.
You'll be rooting for the characters for days to come.
November 15, 2022
3.5 stars. Enjoyable read, but you could see the ending coming from miles away.
2023
June 7, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing
May 29, 2022
Jess is grieving over her mother who recently passed away. They were very close. So, when she is sorting out her mother’s things to clear the house ready to sell it. Some of her belongings she has, she hasn’t got the heart to throw them away. Her first thought is to bring them to the charity shop but then she discovers the Museum of Ordinary things. Where there are items that have meaning to someone, but they have no room in their lives to keep it. So, they bring it to the museum for them to look after.
She decides to help out at the museum and become Curator of it and with the help of the owner Alex and another volunteer Angel to show the outside world what a special place this is.
The Museum of ordinary things by Mike Gayle is a beautifully written and thought-provoking book from the author. I can’t believe that I have not ready a book from this author before. I loved this book, which is about grief, relationships and changing your life for the better. It one of them books that will resonate with you for a long time. I can't wait to read the other books this author has written. 5 stars from me.
She decides to help out at the museum and become Curator of it and with the help of the owner Alex and another volunteer Angel to show the outside world what a special place this is.
The Museum of ordinary things by Mike Gayle is a beautifully written and thought-provoking book from the author. I can’t believe that I have not ready a book from this author before. I loved this book, which is about grief, relationships and changing your life for the better. It one of them books that will resonate with you for a long time. I can't wait to read the other books this author has written. 5 stars from me.
September 30, 2024
I really loved this book. Though it’s one of those books I struggle to assign stars, as it’s between 4 & 5. In some ways it’s a simply understated book about life’s ups and downs, but in other ways, it’s such a sweetly beautiful book. A wonderful read/listen.
April 29, 2023
After loving "All the Lonely People" by Mike Gayle I was excited to receive an early review copy of The Museum of Ordinary People.
This book is about a woman named Jess who is inspired to curate a museum of ordinary objects that hold sentimental value to people. The first 80% of this book is about Jess opening the museum while her relationship with her boyfriend deteriorates. This isn't a spoiler as the reader knows these two don't make a good pair pretty much as soon as he is introduced. In between those two plot points we have random flashbacks of Jess emptying her late mother's home after she passed one year before. These chapters do little for the storyline unless you like grief ridden descriptions of mundane home items.
In the last 20% of the book Mike Gayle reveals some past secrets about both Jess and the museum owner, Alex. These plot twists have enough action to get readers to stop skimming. The book would have been way more interesting if these facts were revealed 20% in and the story built from there.
My last issue with the book is that without the epilogue the book does not have a true ending. The epilogue gives the reader some resolution but also adds back in a plot point that hadn't been mentioned since the very beginning of the book. I had completely forgotten about it and then it was randomly thrust into the forefront only to have the book end.
If you like reading books with lengthy descriptions of antique items this book could be for you but unfortunately for me reading it felt like a true chore.
This book is about a woman named Jess who is inspired to curate a museum of ordinary objects that hold sentimental value to people. The first 80% of this book is about Jess opening the museum while her relationship with her boyfriend deteriorates. This isn't a spoiler as the reader knows these two don't make a good pair pretty much as soon as he is introduced. In between those two plot points we have random flashbacks of Jess emptying her late mother's home after she passed one year before. These chapters do little for the storyline unless you like grief ridden descriptions of mundane home items.
In the last 20% of the book Mike Gayle reveals some past secrets about both Jess and the museum owner, Alex. These plot twists have enough action to get readers to stop skimming. The book would have been way more interesting if these facts were revealed 20% in and the story built from there.
My last issue with the book is that without the epilogue the book does not have a true ending. The epilogue gives the reader some resolution but also adds back in a plot point that hadn't been mentioned since the very beginning of the book. I had completely forgotten about it and then it was randomly thrust into the forefront only to have the book end.
If you like reading books with lengthy descriptions of antique items this book could be for you but unfortunately for me reading it felt like a true chore.
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