My (extra)Ordinary Life

LoveReading Says

Rebecca Ryan’s coming-of-age story goes straight for the jugular with Emily Turner watching a documentary that describes the average human: and it’s her. ‘No one wants their one meaningless life to be entirely average, do they?’ she tells herself – especially when she is crippled with guilt that her identical twin sister, Claire, would have lived a much more extraordinary life if she had been granted the chance. The book includes flashback chapters to seeing Emily and Claire growing up (when Claire, the older twin, is poignantly described as being alive for seven minutes longer than Emily).

Surely relatable to all of us at this New Year, New Me time in our annual self-flagellation ritual, I enjoyed Emily listing out on new stationary all the ways she is going to change herself. You’ll find yourself wondering whether you would set the same 8 targets for an interesting life that she has on her The Life List: to be Spontaneous, Successful, Brave, Compassionate, Inspirational, Helpful, an Explorer, and Authentic. As the average timeline would dictate she meets her spouse soon, I enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek ‘Do Not’ list item of: ‘Do not meet future husband’ (bang on schedule). And, can you believe it, by the end of My (extra)Ordinary Life, you'll have solved the literal meaning of life!

Billy Lindon

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