Set in 1990s London, this searing novel from the acclaimed author of Acts of Desperation follows a reporter who begins to investigate an Irish family implicated in an atrocious crime.
'An understated, well observed, beautifully written novel' - Gem, Bookseller

What’s not to like? I went out right away when the book was published and got a signed author’s edition. I enjoyed Nolan’s first book and enjoyed this one too. If she ever writes another I’ll most likely enjoy that also

I loved Nolan’s first book and this is, I think, even better. She is so original in her language, her dissection of the modern world, the dark sides of our personalities. More please!

Ordinary HUman Failings is a great second novel from Meg Nolan, whose debut I found to be a bit grating. Here she explores an Irish family in London and their possible involvement in a girls' disappearance. This is an ambitious and compulsive read and cements Nolan's reputation as a talent to watch.

Ordinary Human Failings has a great premise but fails in the execution. The promise at the heart of it - the dramatic interplay between a troubled family and a tabloid hack holed up in a hotel while a terrible crime incites public anger - is unfulfilled. Instead the family members each reflect on their pasts (they could have done that at home) and the event that turns the story happens elsewhere. I'm also not convinced by the changes that ensue, either on a legal or a human level.

There are some interesting insights into the characters but they all seem to share the same voice, even the child, Lucy (a voice that largely consists of analytical, multi-clause sentences and a lot of conveniently interpretable dreams).

I understand why Nolan wouldn't have wanted to follow the predictable path which a crime writer might have taken with the same material, but this story seems to end before it has even got going.

"Ordinary Human Failings" by Megan Nolan navigates ordinary life with a neutral tone. The narrative is introspective, exploring mundane human experiences. While the prose is competent, it may lack the spark to resonate universally. Nolan's novel is a contemplative read, fitting for those seeking a subdued exploration of everyday existence.

I went in blind with this one as i haven't read Acts of Desperation and I didnt really know much about the book but I had heard others praise her writing so I went in ...
Set in 1990 London we follow the Green family who are irish immigrants on the estate where they are living . They aren't really welcomes and when a young child dies all fingers are pointed towards them .
It could be classed as a crime drama or mystery but I felt is came across as more of a family drama of which i became truly immersed . It's an exploration of how ordinary lives can change so quickly and how failings can have far reaching consequences .
I loved it and will definitely be reaching for her first novel now !

A searing novel with unforgettable characters - it has Nolan's trademark interrogation of our darkest fears and motivations but this marks a confident evolution in her writing.

Fast paced and unpredictable this book was so so so good. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want too.

A Fast paced, exciting story about an ordinary family which gets caught up in the death of a child. I found it compelling and engrossing.

The London of the early 90s is accurately and interestingly described and provides insight into tabloid newspapers and their voracious need for a story.

A truly harrowing but fantastic read here, I couldn’t put it down. Stunningly written hooked me from page one and didn’t let up, I loved it.

Was super eager to read this after loving Megan's first novel a few years ago.
I thought this was a brilliant yet harrowing read. It's an extremely bleak story. I really enjoyed the ending when you can see the effects and trauma on the young girl and found this super interesting - would've liked it to explore that aspect a bit more.

After absolutely loving Acts of desperation I could not wait to get my hands on this one and whilst this book was completely different I still found myself blown away with the book … I was utterly hooked! Such a compelling read, so much so that I zipped through it in a day.
Megan Nolan does characterisation so so well … an expert at writing the complex.
Ordinary human feelings was such a brilliant exploration of poverty, class, alcoholism, trauma throughout generations and shame.

Overall, highly recommend.

4.5

I adored Megan Nolan's first book - so much so, I read it twice. I was so excited to read her new offering and was delighted to receive an early copy.

Ordinary Human Feelings is a mature and considered sophomore novel, brimming with the same rich and insightful language as Nolan's debut. While Acts of Desperation felt quite interior (which I loved), this book really broadens its perspective, focusing on a number of well-realised characters.

The story follows an Irish family in early 90s London who become tabloid scapegoats after tragedy strikes in their neighbourhood. The Greens fled Ireland in the wake of daughter Carmel’s teenage pregnancy and her brother Ritchie’s escalating alcoholism. When a young child is mysteriously murdered, their London neighbours point the blame at them, while an ambitious journalist tries to get his big break.

What follows is a quiet portrait of a family in despair and the repercussions of intergenerational trauma. It's wonderfully astute, examining the forces that form a family: the habits, the sadness, the resentment, the resignation. Despite the emotional and melancholy tone, the overall effect is dazzling. Nolan's writing is powerful and nuanced, full of light and shade, and incredible insight.

Nolan is an expert at writing the complicated and tender feelings of people. She writes with such humanity and empathy, that it's impossible not to surrender to the utter beauty of her words. Ordinary Human Failings has cemented Megan Nolan as one of my favourite authors, and I can't wait to read what she comes up with next. All of the stars!

‘When we look beyond the headlines, everyone has a story to tell…’

The long awaited second novel from the mega talent Megan Nolan has arrived! Nolan has such a compelling way of writing, skilfully teasing you with tantalising nuggets and drawing you into the story until you are completely immersed.

This is quite a departure from her first novel Acts of Desperation and Nolan has grown in both confidence and skill as she dextrously handles multiple characters and narrative threads, weaving them together into a satisfying conclusion.

Sad and moving, this captures a certain time in the history of Ireland and particularly what it meant to come of age as a girl at a time where there were so few options available to young women. Claustrophobic small town life is juxtaposed with the loneliness and anonymity of life in London.

I think where Nolan excels is in delving into the interior lives of women - both Carmel and Rose were exceptionally well rounded characters and I thought Nolan handled their stories beautifully. The same for the brother Richie, which I found poignant and moving. The crime element seemed more of a hook than anything else to develop the inner lives of this working class Irish family in London and wasn’t the main driving narrative force in itself.

Nolan has a knack for picking great titles and I absolutely adore the cover too. I’ll be looking forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

Set in the 90’s, Ordinary Human Failings is the story of a disfunctional Irish family living on an estate in England, When a young girl on their estate goes missing and is later found dead, suspicion falls on the family, who are subsequently taken to a safe house by a young journalist, with the hope that this story will propel him to greatness! A brilliantly told and compelling but really dark and sad read.

What seems to be a simple story is lifted by compelling, artful writing and the author's genuine sympathy for her characters. A moving , memorable read

When a young girl is found dead on an estate in 1990, the prime suspect is 10-year-old Lucy Green. Journalist Tom Hargreaves decides to investigate the family and find out what happened.

The Green’s are an Irish family living in London and through flashbacks and current day snippets we discover more about the family. Daughter Carmel, son Richie and John their dad.

This book is seriously bleak, it looks at classism in the UK and how Irish people were treated in England back in the 90s. Megan Nolan is a brilliant writer and she completely brings you into the world of the Green family and each of their struggles.

Such a good read. A short novel at less than 250 pages, telling the story of the aftermath of a young child's death in London. Another child is arrested on suspicion of murder - a child from an Irish family who have a bad reputation on the estate where the incident occurs. A junior newspaper report gets wind of this and sets out to be the first to scoop the headlines. His newspaper puts the family of the accused into a small hotel, and he stays with them, plying them with drink and a "shoulder to cry on" in the hope of getting the juicy backstory.
And he does extract the backstory - but it isn't the tabloid fodder he wants - instead it is - as the title of the novel suggests - Ordinary human failings.
A brilliantly told and pretty heart-breaking at times. The impact that a childhood can have on the rest of your lives. Highly recommend this one.

London, 1990. Mia Enright, three years old, vanishes without a trace in the Skyler Square housing estate. Her body is discovered sixteen hours later, not far from where she was last seen playing the day before.

Tom Hargreaves, a Daily Herald reporter, comes across the story by chance when he goes home with Ruth, a waitress he met a few weeks earlier. As luck would have it Ruth lived in Skyler Square, so Tom sees an opportunity to get his scoop.

Full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2023/07/24/ordinary-human-failings-megan-nolan/