imstephtacular's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Sexism, Lesbophobia, Dementia, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Bullying, Vomit, and Alcoholism
Minor: Mental illness, Racism, Sexual harassment, Drug use, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Stalking, Body shaming, Misogyny, Cursing, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Grief, Terminal illness, Ableism, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
jaja_1212's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
While I really enjoyed the characters and following their bonds forming, I would have preferred Bea's character to be more fleshed out than having a supporting character role. It seemed/felt like she was used as a bit of a device to make the Ionas character look good and to have more struggles for her character to work with.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Lesbophobia, Emotional abuse, Cancer, Stalking, Gaslighting, Medical content, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, and Hate crime
atamano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Classism, Body shaming, Bullying, Misogyny, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Stalking, Cancer, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Infidelity
mbs76's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Suicidal thoughts
okiecozyreader's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Trains are wonderful. To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life. AGATHA CHRISTIE
“Second Rule of Commuting: you may nod to someone if you’ve seen them on a significant number of occasions, even—in extremis—exchange a wry smile or an eye roll at one of the guard’s announcements over the loudspeaker, but you never, ever talk. Unless you were a nutter.” Ch 1
“Nothing really bad could happen to a man in Gucci loafers, could it?” Piers, Ch 9
“…keeping his feet trapped in the life he was no longer sure he wanted while the waters rose slowly around him.” Piers, Ch 9
“…Fourth Rule of Commuting.”
“What’s that?” said Sanjay, wondering if there was a pamphlet he should have read.
“Never surrender a seat once occupied.” Ch 16
“ She’d spotted Iona straightaway—how could you not? She was exactly the sort of woman Emmie wanted to be when she was old. She was totally individual—iconic, even—and obviously didn’t care at all what anyone thought of her.” Ch 21 Emmie
“Then Sanjay thought about Iona, and what she would have done if she’d been on the train that morning. She’d never have let someone suffer that humiliation, and there was no way she’d let this one lie, either.
Be more Iona, he said to himself. “ Ch 22
“Why had it taken her so long to see her train carriage as a fascinating portal into other people’s stories, rather than just a way of getting from A to B? Ch 24
“It’s the Fifth Rule of Commuting,” said Iona. “Always come prepared for any eventuality.” Ch 24
“Did they not know that the Third Rule of Commuting was never to eat hot food on the train?” Ch 28
“Because she’s elegant but fierce. You know, Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” Ch 30
“First Rule of Commuting,” she said. “What’s that?” he said. “You need to have a job to go to,…” Ch 42
“And, as Iona told her constantly, in life confidence was everything. If you’re going to get it wrong, Martha, make sure you get it wrong with PANACHE…” Ch 46 Martha
“When the thing you’ve feared for so long actually happens, you have nothing left to be scared of anymore. “ Ch 47, Piers
“Why was it that men with gray hair and wrinkles achieved gravitas, whereas well-preserved women like herself became invisible?” Ch 48
“Do you remember Tina Turner’s Private Dancer album?” said Iona. Louisa nodded. “It was her most successful ever. Her comeback after years of commercial purgatory. You know how old she was when she released it? Forty-five! And she was only getting started. She did her last world tour aged seventy.”Ch 59
“But then the pandemic hit, and I found myself looking back on those days with an incredible sense of nostalgia. I also started to wonder what would have happened if I’d ignored the unwritten rule of commuting and had been brave enough to talk to my fellow commuters. What adventures might those conversations have taken me on?” Authors Note
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
laheath's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Apparently, there's an author's note at the end of the book. I wish it had been included in the audiobook.
Moderate: Bullying, Gaslighting, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Dementia
Minor: Stalking, Infidelity, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, and Homophobia
caitlinjadams's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Dementia, Bullying, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Stalking, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Blood, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
loganjana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Bullying
isabell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
sleeson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Dementia, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Bullying
Minor: Stalking, Cancer, and Cursing