Our book group choice for June 2019 is Ordinary People by Diana Evans. South London, 2008. Two couples find themselves at a moment of reckoning, on the brink of acceptance or revolution.
Ordinary People is a novel by Diana Evans that explores the themes of love, loss, identity, and parenthood. The story follows two couples, Melissa and Michael, and Damian and Stephanie, as they navigate the challenges of their relationships and their lives in twenty-first century South London.
The novel opens with a glamorous party celebrating the election of Barack Obama as the first black president of the United States. Melissa and Michael are there, and they are both feeling a sense of hope and possibility. However, their relationship is also starting to show signs of strain. Michael is feeling restless and unfulfilled in his work, and Melissa is struggling to balance her career as a freelance journalist with her role as a mother.
Damian and Stephanie are another couple who are struggling to maintain their relationship. Damian is a frustrated novelist who feels like he is stuck in a rut, and Stephanie is a stay-at-home mother who is feeling increasingly isolated and bored.
As the novel progresses, the two couples’ relationships continue to deteriorate. Melissa and Michael drift apart, and Damian and Stephanie have a brief affair. Both couples are forced to confront their own shortcomings and to decide whether or not they are willing to fight for their relationships.
In addition to the themes of love, loss, identity, and parenthood, Ordinary People also explores the issue of race. The novel is set in a predominantly black and mixed-race neighborhood in South London, and Evans does a nuanced job of exploring the different ways in which race shapes the characters’ lives. For example, Melissa and Michael are both aware of the fact that they are seen as a “golden couple” by their friends, and they both feel pressure to conform to certain expectations. Damian, on the other hand, feels like he is constantly being judged by his race, and he struggles to find his place in the world.
Ordinary People is a beautifully written novel that offers a complex and nuanced look at love, loss, identity, parenthood, and race. Evans’s writing is sharp and insightful, and she creates characters that are both relatable and complex. The novel is a must-read for anyone who is interested in contemporary fiction.
Here are some additional thoughts on the novel:
- The novel’s title is a reference to a John Legend ballad about the struggle to keep a relationship alive once the initial passion has faded. The title is fitting for the novel, as it explores the challenges of maintaining long-term relationships.
- The novel is set in a predominantly black and mixed-race neighborhood in South London. Evans does a nuanced job of exploring the different ways in which race shapes the characters’ lives.
- The novel is a must-read for anyone who is interested in contemporary fiction. Evans’s writing is sharp and insightful, and she creates characters that are both relatable and complex.
Discussion Questions for Ordinary People
- Were the characters believable? And did you think they were ordinary?
- The character of Stephanie seems less developed than the other 3 main characters. Do you think this was deliberate and how does it affect your view of Stephanie?
- The books opens with a party to celebrate Obama’s election victory and closes shortly after the death of Michael Jackson. How were these 2 events significant to the book?
- To varying degrees, all the main characters seem disappointed with how life has turned out for them so far. Are they having midlife crises and is there a difference by gender?
- Damien has recently lost his father. How much do you think this bereavement affects his later actions – or is his behaviour all down to a more general midlife crisis?
- Was there a hero of the book? Who did you most empathize with?
- Would this book be any different if all the characters were white?
- Music features very heavily in this book and there is even a Spotify playlist containing all the featured tracks. Was the soundtrack an important part of the book for you?
- On the face of it Stephanie and Melissa have a very different attitude to motherhood. Compare and Contrast! Do these attitudes affect the behaviour/perceived well-being of their children?
- Does it make a difference that Damien and Stephanie are married and Michael and Melissa are not?
- The book is described as a tragi-comedy. Did you find much humour in it?
Individual Ratings
Sue's Rating 
EmmaT's Rating
Jo's Rating
DKB's Rating 