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A review by mrsbooknerd
Us by David Nicholls
3.0
I've tried to formulate a coherent review of this novel, but even my own mind cannot make sense of the crazy emotions that I had while reading 'Us'. I had the high of loving subtle humour and the wonderfully crafted layered story, and the low of hating the characters and the repetition of plot points.
At first I was Team Douglas. What a bitch his wife was, always undermining him and wanting to leave the poor bloke, but still dragging him along like a beaten donkey along an English beach. How ungrateful was his son! Not appreciating the time and money that Douglas had spent organising this wonderful family trip.
God, Douglas! - I shouted internally - Why are you bothering with these 'people'?! Huff.
But this is all just a terrible trick. Nicholls has packaged this family up in seemingly obvious wrappings. But like a sick game of pass the parcel he begins to strip away the layers to reveal an unpleasant centre.
The characters that we had stereotyped and assumed that we had pegged suddenly had different and unexpected dimensions. Was Douglas the caring father that he portrayed himself? Was Albie a teenager with more attitude than depth? Douglas actually became an anti-hero. He started off as squeaky clean and holier-than-thou, but his flaws became more obvious throughout the novel. Yet he recognised his mistakes and he wanted to rectify them, and I am pleased that by the end of the novel he had improved his relationship with Albie.
I also loved Albie's development. He started the novel as this immature boy and yet the impact that Douglas had on him was enormous and shaped him in ways that even Douglas couldn't have comprehended.
Then there was Connie... God I hated the woman. It was all to clear that Connie had never loved Douglas. She had loved the idea of Douglas. He offered her a safe, stable and domestic life in a time when her life was spiralling. Of course it became clear that Connie was perhaps justified in her desire to break from Douglas, but how can you forgive her when throughout she was a tease? "Douglas, I want to leave you, but not yet... maybe soon.. let's have sex... oh you're infuriating, I'm leaving... I love you! Goodbye." I'm almost pleased at the ending of the novel, though I think it reflects Connie's immaturity.
I enjoyed the constant flip between past and present; the past shedding light on the events of the present and giving me a number of 'Ahhh I seeeee' moments. It also fractured what was actually a fairly dull present day narrative. The same events over and over just in different cities.
It certainly wasn't the novel that I expected when I first started reading, and for that I am pleased. It takes a lot to surprise a seasoned reader. I'm also quite glad that the ending didn't conform to standard conventions either. Though after all that reading I was hoping for something a bit more.
I loved the sense of humour that ran throughout the novel, despite the somewhat heavy topics. I loved that it gave a non-romanticised look at marriage - that the things that once made us fall in love with someone gradually becomes the reason that the love breaks down. I just wished there had been a little more guts to it.
At first I was Team Douglas. What a bitch his wife was, always undermining him and wanting to leave the poor bloke, but still dragging him along like a beaten donkey along an English beach. How ungrateful was his son! Not appreciating the time and money that Douglas had spent organising this wonderful family trip.
God, Douglas! - I shouted internally - Why are you bothering with these 'people'?! Huff.
But this is all just a terrible trick. Nicholls has packaged this family up in seemingly obvious wrappings. But like a sick game of pass the parcel he begins to strip away the layers to reveal an unpleasant centre.
The characters that we had stereotyped and assumed that we had pegged suddenly had different and unexpected dimensions. Was Douglas the caring father that he portrayed himself? Was Albie a teenager with more attitude than depth? Douglas actually became an anti-hero. He started off as squeaky clean and holier-than-thou, but his flaws became more obvious throughout the novel. Yet he recognised his mistakes and he wanted to rectify them, and I am pleased that by the end of the novel he had improved his relationship with Albie.
I also loved Albie's development. He started the novel as this immature boy and yet the impact that Douglas had on him was enormous and shaped him in ways that even Douglas couldn't have comprehended.
Then there was Connie... God I hated the woman. It was all to clear that Connie had never loved Douglas. She had loved the idea of Douglas. He offered her a safe, stable and domestic life in a time when her life was spiralling. Of course it became clear that Connie was perhaps justified in her desire to break from Douglas, but how can you forgive her when throughout she was a tease? "Douglas, I want to leave you, but not yet... maybe soon.. let's have sex... oh you're infuriating, I'm leaving... I love you! Goodbye." I'm almost pleased at the ending of the novel, though I think it reflects Connie's immaturity.
I enjoyed the constant flip between past and present; the past shedding light on the events of the present and giving me a number of 'Ahhh I seeeee' moments. It also fractured what was actually a fairly dull present day narrative. The same events over and over just in different cities.
It certainly wasn't the novel that I expected when I first started reading, and for that I am pleased. It takes a lot to surprise a seasoned reader. I'm also quite glad that the ending didn't conform to standard conventions either. Though after all that reading I was hoping for something a bit more.
I loved the sense of humour that ran throughout the novel, despite the somewhat heavy topics. I loved that it gave a non-romanticised look at marriage - that the things that once made us fall in love with someone gradually becomes the reason that the love breaks down. I just wished there had been a little more guts to it.