Ordinary People

Set in South London in 2008, against the electrifying backdrop of Barack Obama's historic election, Diana Evans's 'Ordinary People' delves into the lives of two couples grappling with the complexities of love, identity, and the quiet erosion of domesticity. Melissa, recently a new mother, feels herself disappearing within the confines of her Victorian terrace, struggling to reconcile her old self with her new role. Her husband, Michael, increasingly detached by his daily commute, finds himself drawn to infidelity, unable to bridge the growing chasm between them. Meanwhile, in the suburbs, Stephanie and Damian navigate their seemingly perfect family life, but the death of Damian's father unravels him, exposing deeper fissures in their relationship. Evans masterfully explores themes of parenthood, grief, friendship, and aging, alongside the fragile architecture of marital love. With lyrical prose and an irresistible soundtrack, the novel asks whether these characters are merely in the wrong place, or if they possess the courage to take a leap and reclaim their lives before they fully unravel.