Mike Gayle’s ‘The Museum of Ordinary People’ is the kind of museum I wish existed for real. It’s a place where pre-loved family items we’re sentimentally attached to, and hate to part with, can be carefully displayed and appreciated by the general public.

Alex, the new owner, has plans to sell up and move on but soon gets stopped in his tracks by meeting Jess. While clearing out the house as she grieves the recent death of her mother, she finds a set of encyclopaedias she cherished as a child.

Jess takes them to the museum and is stunned and excited to discover a vast array of pre-loved items stored out of sight. As a qualified curator, she begs for the opportunity to investigate, label, and carefully exhibit these precious possessions.

Alex accepts and soon finds himself enthusiastically engaged in the project. It eats into all their spare time and causes friction in the already frayed personal relationship Jess has with her boyfriend Guy.

They face a mountain of hard work to meet deadlines, unexpected pressure and stumbling blocks from the council, and apparent disinterest when the museum initially goes public. Undeterred, they fight on, united in the struggle to make it a viable concern.

Despite all the setbacks, they’re awed by the response and amount of support that finally comes. Jess and Alex also experience breakthrough and healing in their own lives as they seek to honour the lives of others. A heartwarming, uplifting, tender tale. Grateful thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the eARC.

I really liked the premise of this book and think that a Museum of Ordinary People would be a fascinating place, the telling of people’s life stories or the broader stories of a generation through their possessions would be so interesting.
The story is nicely written, as you would expect from this author if you have read any of his previous novels.
The characters are sketched out with his words so that they easily take form in your mind as you read and then become more and more invested in them.
A very enjoyable read that I highly recommend.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

When Jess's mum dies she is reluctant to get rid of her belongings
.Jess is ruthless but sentimentally hangs onto a set of encyclopedia her father bought her..
Taking them back to her boyfriends London flat there is no where to store them.
Someone tells her about a warehouse that collects items people do not want to throw away as they are attached to, but do not have room for.
The warehouse is about to be sold but Jess cannot stop thinking about it and talks the owner into letting her keep it open for a short time and sets about redesigning and opening the Museum of ordinary people.
Another lovey uplifting story by Mike Gayle.

Jess has just finished packing up her mother's house. Sadly her mother has died and Jess is the only remaining member of the family having never known her father.
She drives back from Northampton to the flat she shares with Guy and all of the things she brings back are stuffed away in a cupboard as Guy's flat is show home tidy. In fact it is an ex show home. Guy persuades her that they should buy a house together and decides on a 5 bedroom house in Greenwich. He asks Jess to move the bags of encyclopaedias that she brought back with her as they are making the flat look untidy for potential buyers. She is heartbroken that she will have to get rid of them as her Mum brought them for her. When her best friend, Luce, finds a solution she is delighted and intrigued. There is a place in Peckham unofficially called the Museum of Ordinary Things and all of the items have either been donated for safekeeping or rescued by Thomas Barclay, the man who created the museum.
However, when she gets there she finds that Mr Barclay has died and left the museum to Alex who is in the process of selling it.
He does however, after thinking about it, give Jess the museum for six months to see if she can make a go of it.
This is a dream come true for Jess as her ambition when she was a child was to be a museum curator. That was before life got in the way.
With the help of friends old and new, the museum is opened, but not everyone appreciates it and Jess faces more obstacles in bot her professional and private lives.

This is a really nice book and I found myself rooting for Jess.

I'm not going to rate this book as I couldn't complete it.

I really love Mike Gayle books. I especially love how delicately he handles sensitive subjects (The Man I Think I Know being my favourite). So I was really disappointed with this one and couldn't actually finish it. People with disabilities and disfigurements are not learning opportunities for the "normal" people around them. This kind of inspiration p*rn isn't appropriate in this day and age - in 2022 we know better and can do better than this.

I am positive this wasn't Mike Gayle's intention, and the book does handle the topic of grief beautifully, but I just couldn't get past this part of the story. If this review does put you off, I highly recommend All the Lonely People or The Man I Think I Know - two books by this author that are similar in tone, without the ableism. He is a brilliant writer and creator of characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-arc. All opinions are clearly my own.

The whole idea behind the book intrigued me hugely! I would absolutely love to be able to visit the museum that is created in this story. I loved so many of the characters in this book, the main character Jess seemed so genuine and so relatable in many ways. I really enjoyed reading about a strong female character who worked so hard to achieve her dream. It was such a beautiful story that had so many emotional and touching moments included and I loved that there was a few little side stories added in there that explored more of the characters histories. One of the things I love most about Mike Gayles books is that you always think you know exactly what direction the story is heading in and then suddenly out of nowhere, In comes a twist! And this absolutely did not disappoint with the twist, It was written into the story so well and it just confirmed why I love Mike Gayles books so much.
A beautiful, warming, thought provoking story with some amazing relatable characters that explores peoples lives and how important and sentimental the smallest of things can mean to people, I would recommend this to everybody

The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
I give this book 4.5 stars

Jess is about to do the hardest thing she's ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold after the death of her mother..
But when in the process she meets Alex Andy together they become custodians of The Museum of Ordinary People.
As they begin to delve into the history of the objects in their care, Alex and Jess not only unravel heartbreaking stories, but also unearth long buried secrets that lie much closer to home.

Mike Gayle is an amazing storyteller, and lm always excited to delve into a new book by him. l found this a moving but heart warming read about life, love, loss, memories, secrets and most importantly people. He has created a cast of endearing human characters that l immediately connected with and an interconnected touching storyline that captured my heart. I totally love the whole idea of this museum and what it stands for and think there should be one in every town! l didn’t want to put this one down but l didn’t want it to end either.
With thanks to Netgalley,Mike Gayle and Hodder & Stoughton for my chance to read and review this book

When Jess' mother dies she finds a set of encyclopaedias she gave to her when she was a child. Although Jess is desperate to keep them, they do not fit with the decor of the ultra modern apartment she shares with her partner. When a friend tells her about the Museum of Ordinary People Jess thinks she might have found the perfect home for them. However, when Jess visits the place it is not what she imagined at all.

This is a charming story about those items people discard because they no longer have space for them or their owner has passed away. They can be anything from furniture to photo albums. This is a novel replete with endearing and relatable characters. It is laced with humour, poignancy, sorrow and joy. It shares themes of loss, grief, dreams and ambitions. The prose is gentle and completely engaging. The Museum of Ordinary People is heart warming and uplifting. I recommend it very highly.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A moving story of loss and recovery. Jess and her husband Guy are about to move house, more Guy's idea than hers. Jess need stability in her life. As her story unfolds, you understand why. When she discovers a tiny museum is about to be closed, she makes it her mission to prevent this happening. She also gets to know enigmatic Alex. A book that will make you keep reading.

A sweet, solid read. The characters were lovely but I found myself wanting to rather know more about the museum pieces and their history. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a heartwarming, thought provoking book and the subject matter is totally refreshing. How wonderful it would be to actually have a museum where one could take special, much loved items that carry beautiful memories when those who owned them have passed away or are no longer able to keep them. It poses the questions of what treasured items we would personally hand over to the Museum of Ordinary People. Once again, Mike Gayle writes with compassion, understanding and empathy about loss, grief, the pursuit of one's dreams and the kindness of people who can change heartache to heart warming. I loved all the characters and especially Alex whose own story really touched me. I'd love there to be a sequel to follow up the ongoing story of him and Jess.. This tender and lovely book will stay with me for a very long time. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC which it has been my pleasure to read and review.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the story of Jess. Jess is in a relationship with Guy. When Jess’s mum dies she is determined to clear the house out in her own. Guy wants her to sell her mum’s house so they can buy a place together.

The only thing that Jess wants to keep from the house is a set of encyclopaedias that her mum bought her to help with her study when she was younger. It soon transpires that Guy doesn’t want the encyclopaedias in his apartment. She is told about The Museum Of Ordinary People that takes in items of sentimental value. Jess takes her encyclopaedias there and it is there she meets the mysterious Adam.

I enjoyed the book on the whole but I thought that it was very predictable but there were a couple of surprises. I really liked Jess as a character but had a problem with Jess’s boyfriend because he didn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities. I don’t think we were meant to like him but I could not understand why she was with him at all. I really enjoyed reading about the museum and found myself wishing that The Museum Of Ordinary People was a real museum. I found myself thinking about all the things I would have loved to have kept from my relatives but didn’t have the room for. Although I enjoyed the story of who Jess’s father was I didn’t do much enjoy the focus on her romantic relationships. It would have been great if the story had more focus on the museum.

An easy and uplifting read. Jess suffers from a common problem of what do with her deceased Mother’s items. She ends up at a clearance business site which leads her into the setting up the museum. It is an interesting concept as many of us are so limited on space. This is my first book by this author but I shall be seeking out more as the style of reading allows one to empathise and become attached to the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

In 'The Museum of Ordinary People' by Mike Gayle, Jess tries to cope with the death of her mother as best she can. She clears her house alone so that she has the space to say goodbye without feeling constrained by others. She coasts along in life, following the path that is in front of her rather than actively seeking what she needs. She works hard to move on and be happy with what is on offer. However, when encouraged by her boyfriend to part with the pile of encyclopaedia's she's brought back from her mum's, Jess finds she can't do it. A chance discussion her best friend has on a night out, leads Jess to the Museum of Ordinary People and her path significantly changes direction.

I really enjoyed this novel. Whilst it is written in a light and enjoyable tone, the themes of loss and death are strong and at times led to me becoming quite emotional. Jess is a very likeable character, but there remains some complexity there. Some of the ending was predictable, but I liked finding out how Gayle would get me there. I also thought his writing of a character who has extensive scarring to his face was well done and researched. All in all this was a book that got under my skin and I would recommend.

4*. The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle is a wonder of a book. Beautifully told, with wonderful characters and a mesmerising plot.

Jess is dealing the loss of her mother and, when she goes to clear her house out, she cannot bear to part with the encyclopaedias her mother bought when she started secondary school. Returning to London she struggles to squeeze the encyclopaedias into the pristine flat she shares with her boyfriend. As Jess deals with her loss, an unexpected but utterly bonkers opportunity presents itself, launching Jess into a journey which will change every aspect of her life.

I adore Mike Gayle’s writing and this is no exception. Mildly reminiscent of Ruth Hogan’s fantastic Keeper of Lost Things, you will get lost among the fantastic cast of characters and the many back and side stories to unravel. I loved it.

Thanks to Hodder and Netgalley for an ARC.

Jess’s mum has passed away and as an only child it’s her responsibility to clear the family home. During this process she comes across a set of encyclopaedias that she remembers being given as a child. At the time, these books were her part of prized possessions, but what can she do with them now?

Jess comes across a museum, set up a number of years ago and recently inherited by the mysterious Alex, and decides to donate her precious encyclopaedias there. Alex doesn’t know why he was left the museum or the full extent of the secrets it holds. As Alex and Jess begin to set the museum up for public viewing, they unearth the stories behind the museum’s objects and how they came to be gifted there.

Meanwhile Jess’s boyfriend Guy is house hunting and hopes that Jess will use the proceeds from the sale of her mum’s home, for them to buy a house together. As Jess and Alex spend more time together undertaking their research, they grow closer and uncover secrets relating directly to them, which have devastating consequences.

Unfortunately, I feel that this authors recent books sometimes falls short of his much earlier work, which I found to be more entertaining. None the less, a nice story, with a good ending.

There are plenty of people who will empathise with Jess as she goes through the pain of clearing her mother’s house for sale. So many things in this book are so ordinary, that so many of us go through. Yet the author presents them in such a way to give us fresh eyes and engage us with the process.

The plot is not really anything out of the ordinary. But the way Mike Gayle has presented it, and embellished it with the wondrous collection of ordinary objects that someone loved, but couldn’t keep, makes it a stand-out novel for me.

Throughout the opening few chapters I wondered when Jess was going to stop fooling herself. But that is the nature of this type of book. We get ourselves thoroughly involved in what she should do, and then things fall apart in even more ways than we’d imagined. Then it gets worse. We almost think it will all come to nothing. In many ways this could be a rom-com with Hugh Grant, or a Bridget Jones for a new generation. It is a really enjoyable take on modern life in London and all that goes with it. Deliver-ins and Ubers abound. But tracking down the mysteries within the museum, both human and and inanimate, lead us to some surprising secrets.

It was engrossing and enjoyable, and a breath of fresh air. Loved it – and gave it five stars.

Mike Gayle is one of my favourite authors and I was excited to read this book. I was not disappointed.

Mike Gayle writes beautifully and his characters are normal, day to day people that I would want to be friends with myself.

This book is about ordinary people and their memories. It is a heartwarming, uplifting story that is sensitive and touching.

I loved this book

Mike Gayle is fast becoming one of my favourite authors whose books I would read without even looking at the blurb. Yet again he has delivered a well written, beautiful and emotional story. A definite hit for 2022. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was so excited to read this book and I absolutely loved every page.
The story explores relationships, grief, moving forward and dealing with items left by the deceased. It truly is a brilliant story which is well written and provides food for thought!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. It was an absolute pleasure and delight.