The People on Platform Five

By Prakriti Prakash

Book name: The People on Platform Five

Author: Clare Pooley

Number of Pages: 400

Rating: 3.5/ 5

"The People on Platform Five" can be best described as a feel good book that one can pick up anytime. The book deals with a range of characters with their own sub-plots with only one thing in common - the commute route. They all have presuppositions about each other just like we all have about strangers on metro journeys. But it all begins to shatter when one of the characters chokes during the journey and needs urgent medical help.

Clare Pooley has been successful in ensuring that all characters come from diverse backgrounds without making it seem forced. Be it sexual orientation or national identity, the readers will find a different set of people at the center of the story. But since the story is wrapped around multiple characters, it can sometimes get overwhelming. The background story of each character could have been given more attention by Pooley. At times, the mingling of different characters seems forced.

This book also deals with many sensitive issues like ageism, highschool bullying, relationship issues and mental health. It gives good insights on life. Everybody around us seems to have the 'perfect' but in reality, we are all messed up. Everyone has their fair share of problems to deal with. Clare, through this book, successfully puts this message across.

All in all, The People on Platform Five is a light hearted book that is perfect for a short flight journey. It is definitely a book that you will not regret picking up.