The Girl on the 88 Bus 88번 버스의 기적 by Freya Sampson

" The Girl on the 88 Bus is a wonderful, heartfelt and original novel, with an interesting history at it’s core. The prologue begins in April 1962 and then we are taken to April 2022. The context of the original meeting really drew me in from the start and I enjoyed witnessing it ‘first hand’. I immediately found myself really rooting for the premise of the book to be realised, for the girl to be found. Both Frank and Libby are central characters, their separate lives & their joined meeting combining. I loved both of them and, singularly and collectively, they added so much. The story is effectively based around each of their lives and I just found them both fascinating and truly lovely characters. The chapters following Peggy in her first person perspective are both interesting and different. Her chatty persona and friendly way with words really makes you feel as though you’re in the narrative. This drew me in, and I found the true nature of her words to be truly unexpected......"

한국판의 제목에는 '기적'이라는 단어가 들어가지만 내가 생각했던 기적은 일어나지 않았다. 하지만 주인공을 둘러싼 사람들의 서로에 대한 배려나 따뜻함이 작품의 매력인 거 같다. 다양한 사연을 안고 살아가는 사람들, 선천적인 장애가 있지만 긍정적인 사람, 과거에 버스에서 만난 여성을 잊지 못하는 치매노인, 불량해 보이지만 마음이 따뜻한 남자, 불안한 미래에 갈등하는 임산부, 간섭하기 좋아하는 할머니 등이 등장한다. 문장이나 표현은 난해하지 않아서 비교적 진도가 잘 나가는 편이고  'Don't judge a book by its cover'라는 문장이 생각나는 작품이었다.