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ashenlar's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
3.0
A quick, fun read with book club. Probably not something I would've picked up in terms of writing style, but I'm glad to have read it for the hopeful and positive message overall, and very diverse characters.
I do think generally everything things either a bit too easy or obvious for plot progression (eg the first woman Hubert really meets ends up being the love of his life with a pretty blandly perfect relationship) - or twists that come too out of nowhere and don't really feel convincing (Rose's death)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia, Addiction, Mental illness, Racism, Grief, Racial slurs, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death, and Drug use
lhodgson26's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
<spoiler > I adore Mike Gayles books and this one may be my favourite one yet. Like his others the characters are so real and they make their way into your heart. The book helps to make you believe in humanity again and that there are genuinely good people like Hubert and Asheligh out there. Some really important themes of loneliness, drug abuse, racism , alzhimers and grief were all showcased throughout this book. Told between the present day and the past we learn of Huberts life from how he left Jamaica and came to England to start a family and all of the heartbreak he experienced. The plot twist towards the end that Rose wasn't really alive and he'd been talking to a ghost for the last five years was heartbreaking. But I loved the sense of community andall his friends he then made as he tried to rebuild his life from his oldest friend Gus to his new friendship with Joyce. Just when you think he finally got his happy ever after it was then only eighteen months later when he died but no doubt reunited with his beloved wife and his daughter.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia, Racial slurs, Racism, Drug abuse, and Child death
aniglen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Compared to a Man Called Ove, All the Lonely People is about Huburt Byrd, an elderly recluse who finds out his daughter is about to visit and decides to show her how full and fulfilling his life is.
At the heart, this novel is about finding friendships later in life and how we may all more in common than we first think.
There are plenty of twists to keep the plot moving the reader interested, however I felt the author was trying to cover far too many topics that I got a little tired and found that it lacked depth.
At the heart, this novel is about finding friendships later in life and how we may all more in common than we first think.
There are plenty of twists to keep the plot moving the reader interested, however I felt the author was trying to cover far too many topics that I got a little tired and found that it lacked depth.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia, Drug abuse, and Racism
Minor: Dementia, Racial slurs, and Suicide
nordicat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Dementia, Racism, and Racial slurs
bookishnookish's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
I had no idea I would find this book so very relatable. Mike Gayle is a brilliant writer!
Hubert Bird is a recluse for all intents and purposes. Something terrible happened to him 5 years ago and he has become a shut-in, losing contact with all his friends and secluding himself from his neighbors until a new neighbor, Ashleigh and her daughter Layla come knocking.
The chapters alternate between present times and the past and through the various timelines, we see Hubert as he was, fresh off the boat from Jamaica in a very racist backdated London, his falling in love with Joyce and the life they built together, the tragedies that struck his life, and him trying to take back his life in the present day. It's a beautiful book, albeit very sad at times. It deals with many painful topics such as racism, loss, and loneliness and how it isn't just affecting the elderly, but also young people from all walks of life. I picked it up on a whim and I am so very glad I did.
This is quite a relevant book in today's changed world where we are all trying to navigate to the people we were before the world changed so drastically and forced us all into seclusion and made so many of us into introverts.
Hubert Bird is a recluse for all intents and purposes. Something terrible happened to him 5 years ago and he has become a shut-in, losing contact with all his friends and secluding himself from his neighbors until a new neighbor, Ashleigh and her daughter Layla come knocking.
The chapters alternate between present times and the past and through the various timelines, we see Hubert as he was, fresh off the boat from Jamaica in a very racist backdated London, his falling in love with Joyce and the life they built together, the tragedies that struck his life, and him trying to take back his life in the present day. It's a beautiful book, albeit very sad at times. It deals with many painful topics such as racism, loss, and loneliness and how it isn't just affecting the elderly, but also young people from all walks of life. I picked it up on a whim and I am so very glad I did.
This is quite a relevant book in today's changed world where we are all trying to navigate to the people we were before the world changed so drastically and forced us all into seclusion and made so many of us into introverts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Minor: Drug abuse and Death
withlivjones's review
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
What I was expecting: a cute heartwarming little book about an old man getting strangers to pose as his friends so he doesn’t disappoint his daughter
What I got: an absolutely gutpunchingly sad (but still heartwarming) book that deals with themes of grief, life as an immigrant in the 20th century and today, racism, isolation, and both blood and found family.
The diverse range of colourful characters clearly demonstrates the book’s message that anyone of any age, race, or background can experience loneliness, and all it takes is a little effort to discover that we aren’t so different from each other after all. Although the “present day” in this book is set in 2018, this message is particularly poignant after the pandemic, which left so many people literally isolated from a community. Hubert is an extremely likeable protagonist, and his journey throughout the book, both in the present day and in the flashbacks to his younger years, is told in a genuine and heartfelt way that makes the reader sympathise with him even though he has his flaws. I’d be interested in what people who live or have lived in Bromley might say about the setting, and whether it is as much of a love letter to the area (both the good and bad parts of it) as it appears to be to someone who has only ever been there once.
I felt that the pacing of the second half of the book could have been drawn out more as so many major events happen in such a short space of time that it is quite overwhelming. The speed at which the campaign grows, in particular, could have definitely been slower for it to have been more realistic. The twist fully came out of left field for me, and I’m still slightly conflicted as to whether or not I liked it, but I think it would have been great to have had a little more space to process it before moving on.
Overall, this was not the book I was expecting but I am nonetheless very glad I read it.
What I got: an absolutely gutpunchingly sad (but still heartwarming) book that deals with themes of grief, life as an immigrant in the 20th century and today, racism, isolation, and both blood and found family.
The diverse range of colourful characters clearly demonstrates the book’s message that anyone of any age, race, or background can experience loneliness, and all it takes is a little effort to discover that we aren’t so different from each other after all. Although the “present day” in this book is set in 2018, this message is particularly poignant after the pandemic, which left so many people literally isolated from a community. Hubert is an extremely likeable protagonist, and his journey throughout the book, both in the present day and in the flashbacks to his younger years, is told in a genuine and heartfelt way that makes the reader sympathise with him even though he has his flaws. I’d be interested in what people who live or have lived in Bromley might say about the setting, and whether it is as much of a love letter to the area (both the good and bad parts of it) as it appears to be to someone who has only ever been there once.
I felt that the pacing of the second half of the book could have been drawn out more as so many major events happen in such a short space of time that it is quite overwhelming. The speed at which the campaign grows, in particular, could have definitely been slower for it to have been more realistic. The twist fully came out of left field for me, and I’m still slightly conflicted as to whether or not I liked it, but I think it would have been great to have had a little more space to process it before moving on.
Overall, this was not the book I was expecting but I am nonetheless very glad I read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Racism
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Mental illness, Xenophobia, Addiction, Dementia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Suicide, Infidelity, and Vomit
kerenza98's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
mikarala's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Picked this up because it was on sale on Kindle and I've been in the mood for more heart-warming, feel-good stories lately. This is certainly that, and I got emotional at the book's conclusion. However, I docked it points because I think this novel was way too long for the story it was telling. In general, I'm not a fan of splitting a narrative into past and present, and it was especially true for this book. Every time I finished an interesting chapter set in the present day and wanted to continue reading that story, the book pivoted to the past. It made this book a lot more frustrating to read, and I honestly think that it wouldn't have been difficult to impart the same information about Hubert's past through the present-day narrative with some careful writing. I would have found that book a lot more entertaining.
But you know what, still overall a really nice read if you want to feel some renewed faith in humanity.
But you know what, still overall a really nice read if you want to feel some renewed faith in humanity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
abominablesnowaro's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Terminal illness, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide, Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, and Violence
enneirda07's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
Loved this book. First time reading this author but definitely not my last. Made my cry ( and books never make me cry). Excellent narrator
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Terminal illness, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent and Death