Fiction: Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

8.25/10

Dear Readers, 

There’s some poetic language in this loving tale of a band of misfits on a train. As the novel says, “Trains are wonderful. To travel by train is to see nature and human beings, towns and churches and rivers, in fact, to see life.” And it very much is that, a moving sightseeing adventure. 

I adore Iona’s flare for the grander things in life. It makes her endearing, and easy to love. Because it’s so rare to see a woman living life and embracing every aspect of it, despite her age too. Iona’s struggle in her career is a real fear that women face in life, when we eventually become irrelevant with our age. But Iona is proof that it’s possible to build something of yourself no matter where you are, you can always do great things. 

I love the random pieces of solid advice in the story, honestly, I do. Such as, “In her experience, most endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise.” This reminder of the ever better things waiting for you comes to be a stronger message when we get to know Piers, one of our misfits. A man who once had literally everything, and stood on top of the social hierarchy. Everything in Piers' life comes crashing down after some bad luck and a grape. However, it takes some words of wisdom from Iona to pull him through, “Your past experiences, she’d explained, are the foundations on which you build your future. Build them on pride, not shame. Denying your history leaves your house standing on stand, always in danger of collapsing.” This seems to be a theme throughout all of the characters, not only their relationship with Iona but with her advice and words. 

Martha’s…photo, to put it nicely, is talk of the town. Or school really. I love to see her overcome something that teens face today, peer pressure and naked pictures. 

Emmie, my girl. Toby? No. Sanjay? Yes. Easy. 

David….I think that’s your name? 

Let’s finish this off with words from the great Iona, “The only way to be guaranteed of failure, dear boy, is not to try,’ said Iona. ‘Love is the greatest risk of all, but a life without it is meaningless.” 

-Grace Sofia