Ordinary People by Diana Evans is a novel that follows the lives of two black couples during a year of marital struggles in London, starting on the eve of the Obama presidency. One couple lives in a crooked, drafty, possibly haunted house which becomes a character all its own; the other couple has moved outside the city to get away from crime and to raise their kids. The four are friends and their lives intersect in ways that are both supportive and destructive.

The beauty of the novel is in the title, taken from a John Legend song, they are Ordinary People dealing with everyday life. Evans examines their hopes and fears, desires and longings, searches for identity, individual needs vs family needs etc. I didn’t love this book, but I enjoyed it. Well written.