Us David Nicholls

** spoiler alert ** A lot of shoulder shrugging in this book

This is the much anticipated return of David Nicholls to the literary world (it's been four years since his last novel, One Day), and I was looking forward to digging into this book as soon as I could. One Day, for me, was iconic. I read the novel while living and teaching in London, so I felt, in a certain sense, that I was Emma Morely. To be completely honest, One Day did me in. I was an emotional wreck after finishing it and when I heard Nicholls new novel was to be published this fall, I couldn't wait to put down my hard earned money so he could shatter my heart once again. While Us was a very strong novel, I didn't cling to it like I did One Day. It's narrator, the middle aged Douglas Petersen, tells the story of his disintegrating marriage in chapters that alternate between present (as he, his wife and teenage son travel around Europe on "The Grand Tour" viewing paintings) and past tense (from the moment he meets his wife and as they build they're life together). However, I found myself trudging through the sections of Douglas and Connie's past. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Grand Tour" and all the emotional upheaval the family endures during their trip, but the more I read of the history of their marriage and the treatment of the wife and son towards Douglas, the more I wanted to smack both characters in the head and tell them to appreciate the man more. Is that a normal response to literature, being driven to whims of corporal punishment? Maybe I was just channelling the disgust I felt for Connie's constant dismissal of her husband's parenting techniques, and struggles to bond with his son (who so obviously needed an major attitude adjustment). So, despite the fact that I had serious issues with the protagonists' marriage, I have to credit Nicholls with evoking my deep seated anxieties of parenthood. Though I'm not a parent, that lack of a bond between one parent and their child really worries me. And I believe he captures that anxiety, that gut wrenching feeling that a parent must feel when they believe that their child doesn't love them, with great ease.

David Nicholls is brilliant at creating living and breathing characters. The story of Us follows Doug, a scientist with a quirky sense of humour; his wife, Connie, the artiste; and their son Albie, a grumpy and surly teenager. One day in their twenty year relationship, Connie wakes up and out of the blue asks Doug for a divorce. They decide as a family to continue with their summer trip around Europe. Nicholls describes Paris and Amsterdam with poetic detail. It's a great advertisement for inter-railing and makes me want to pack my bag and jet off for a city break. Doug is the perfect protagonist. He's got a 'dad' sense of humour and completely adores Connie. Connie, unfortunately, was a character I could not warm too. I'm not sure if Nicholls intended for the reader to like her, but she came across as pretentious and 'above' Doug. Albie, is the character who develops most over the course of the novel. He transforms from the introverted teen to realising he has responsibility. The events that unfold in the story left me angry, in love and moved. But I was always on Doug's side. Connie's decisions seemed selfish and ungrateful. She always took Albie's side even when his behaviour was unreasonable. I've never been more emotionally invested in a book, particularly the anger I felt at Connie and the way she treated Doug. But it was a compelling read and I felt like the characters could walk out the book. I'll definitely read more David Nicholls in the future!!

a little slow but a good realistic depiction of a 25 yr marriage and parenthood

David Nicholls strikes again. Us is the tale of Douglas, Connie and Albie. Man, wife and son. It's about love, loss, family, Europe. It's beautiful and insightful and so cleverly written - I absolute adore the structure of this novel. I finished this book wanting to know all about Douglas's life after the novel, I want to know what happens to Connie and Albie. There's no better sign of a book than when it leave you wanting more, and Us is that and so much more. It's also full of the most beautiful quotes. I found myself writing them down on my phone to read again later. Nicholls' way with words never fails to amaze me. This is a truly great book and I highly recommend it.

I was expecting more fluff. But Douglas narration lets me see that despite his nerdiness, how Connie could fall for him and stick with him for so long. Yes, he is a predictable sort and a bit set in his ways, but he was shocked to find out that Connie says the marriage is over. So they go on this big trip and his son, Albie wants to use it to break away from his family, and Douglas decides if he can't save his marriage, maybe he can at least save his relationship with this son. I'm afraid that son would probably have caused me to pack the family up and go home and inform Albie he would have to do his self awakening on his own quarter. But maybe poor Albie was just written that way. Anyway this is another example of a book group selection I was dreading, and instead found delightful.

This book is closer to 3.5 stars for me. I really enjoy Nicholls' writing style. Douglas and Claudia's relationship and its ups and downs felt real and not forced. I found parts of this book to be very funny and other parts to be painful and sad. His characters are flawed and not particularly likable, but I never doubted that such characters could exist and fall for each other in the real world. The book did drag in parts, but the movement through Europe kept the story moving and provided an interesting background for events to play out.

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | “I had always been led to believe that aging was a slow and gradual process, the creep of a glacier. Now I realize that it happens in a rush, like snow falling off a roof.” As a note, a printed galley of this novel was sent to me via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way. Please proceed to BOOKEDJ for my full review. David Nicholls knows how to tug on your heartstrings; this much we already know based on his bestselling novel One Day. When I received my copy of Us, I knew only one promise of the general plot: rediscovery in a last ditch effort to save one marriage and bring a family closer together. What our leading man doesn’t understand is that sometimes marriages fall apart and you have to let go. Which is both a curse and seemingly admirable. His optimism in rekindling his marriages romance is something that everyone can relate to because it’s something that often comes up in everyone’s life; whether that be romance or friendship there’s always something in us that wants to save a connection. And while it makes some of his efforts cringe worthy, and at times messy, it also makes him real and shows readers how easy it is to feel for him as he plans for the trip. Douglas is thoughtful and filled with humor in his narration that it makes the novel that much more likable.