If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, by Jon McGregor (on CD)

Retrieved from: my library
1402588658, 2003 (orig. pub. 2002)
Suggested by: I needed something to listen to in the car, so I scrounged
My Ratings: 10 Merit, 8 Interest, 10 Fun

Right. This is A Literary Book. I'm glad I listened to it rather than trying to read it; I'm afraid my patience would have worn thin and I'd've quit. That would have been a shame, because it's a lovely book.

The vortex of this book is one day three years ago, and how one moment of that day is absolutely time-stoppingly memorable to every single person on the street. Each household is explored from early morning up to the moment when Everything Changes. We get to know each of the individuals living on that block as they never actually do; part of the attraction here is that as close as all these people are living (and it is a very British street, with all attached houses, what we'd call townhouses...kind of), most of them don't really know anyone else outside their own house at all.

We are also invited into the life of one of those residents today. She has just been to the doctor and found out something...terrible? Life-changing, for sure. And then she meets someone, someone who could change her life again, if he chooses, someone who is linked to That Day three years ago.

We don't find out until the last few minutes exactly what happens, although we are given clues at the beginning. We do find out quite early on that today's life-changing event is very much linked.

It's all about life, and our connections (or not) with people, and how every single person is living her (or his) own life, a life that is tremendously important to her (or him), even if no one else cares, or notices, until something happens to forces us to notice, or care.

I really think I'll have to go get the paper copy of this and read it. The amazing thing I realized at the very end is that by the end, we've only been told two people's names. And they are not "the main characters'" names, either. Or, well, yes, really, they are.

This story will stick in my head. I will think about these characters on this street at odd times for quite awhile.