A review by shutupiamreading
The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley

hopeful reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I think I liked the concept of this book more than I liked the actual book... This has such a promising premise, but I think the execution lacked a bit. It dragged a lot in the middle and I can't help but wonder if the plot would've been better if one of the characters was left out - especially since there was 1 in particular who barely got any attention and seemed more like a vehicle to progress the plot.

There were a lot of good themes here - mental health in health professionals, ageing, re-inventing yourself during middle age, controlling relationships - but overall I feel like the exploration of these themes lacked depth. Leaving out at least 1-2 of the characters and making it 50 pages shorter would've focused the plot more.
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