# Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting

By Clare Pooley

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/iona-iverson-s-rules-for-commuting-bccb88ce/

Magazine advice columnist Iona Iverson has rules for her London commute, including keeping her fellow passengers at a distance. When a man chokes on a grape, the emergency makes the regulars speak. Their growing friendships give Iona other people's troubles to consider while her own job comes under threat.

## What makes it funny?

Iona objects to hot desking because it involves sharing, and considers a 360-degree appraisal far too intimate. Her private judgments make office fashions sound faintly indecent. Readers in book groups enjoy Iona herself and the way Pooley brings the commuters together.

### The comedy at work

Iona gives strangers nicknames before learning their stories. Her sharp inner commentary lets us enjoy the assumptions she makes, then reconsider them as the passengers get to know each other.

### Try this if…

An ensemble of strangers becoming friends is the main appeal, with an older woman's changing working life at its center. Book-group readers emphasize the warmth and gentle humor.

### Good to know

The warmth accompanies serious personal difficulties, including stalking, threatened job loss, and a teenager's intimate photograph being shared without consent.

## What to expect

- Genre: Contemporary & literary
- Kind of humor: Dry wit
- The atmosphere: Warmhearted
- Story ingredients: Found family
- Audience: Adult
- Format: Novel
- Published: 2022

## Questions readers ask

### Is The People on Platform 5 the same book?

Yes. Readers identify The People on Platform 5 as the UK title of Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting.

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [Publisher](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/610576/iona-iversons-rules-for-commuting-by-clare-pooley)
- Reading sample: [Publisher excerpt](https://penguinrandomhousehighereducation.com/book?isbn=9781984878663)
- Reader discussion: [Reader discussion](https://facebook.com/groups/bookrecommendations/permalink/25803156955999107)
- Review: [Publishers Weekly review](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781984878649)