The first book I read this year was ‘Us’ by David Nicholls.
Technically it is supposed to be included on 2014’s reading list as I started
Christmas day. However, since the bulk of it was read in 2015 I am counting is
as part of my 52 books for this year.
I received this book as a Christmas present from the ever
wonderful Father Christmas after telling my Mum that I had it among a few other
books on my Christmas wish list. I managed to find a spare 20 minutes on
Christmas day and honestly, it became rather awkward when I was the odd 18 year
old sat in the corner of the room chuckling away to myself at the witty
comments I had read when people began to look at me wanting an explanation….it’s
even worse when having given an explanation you get blank looks as if to say
that it’s really not that funny….
My humour is very dry, and I manage to find wit in every day
comments that wouldn’t usually be found funny, no one else understands my
humour but I am content laughing away when others aren’t….my theory is whether
people are laughing or not, they manage to break into a smile purely at the
fact that I am beside myself with laughter looking like an absolute fool and
they find that amusing. At least it makes others smile, that’s my favourite
part.
Anyway, back to the book. Whilst it’s not chronological in
that it goes between talking about the main characters past and present, the
main plot line that runs through is immense! I am not sure whether that is the
right word and I won’t give any part of the book away however what I will say
is this; The main character is Douglas and he, in attempt to save his marriage,
agrees to go on the long planned ‘Grand tour’ with his wife and son to see if
they decide they want to stay together. However, of course, what could possibly
go wrong?
This book is one of those books where it’s not ‘oh, yeah,
well that was going to happen wasn’t it…’ as if the obstacles were so far-fetched.
Nicholl’s writes it in such a way that the things that go wrong are so subtle,
and in my case at times humorous, you just become so attached to Douglas
wishing things would stop taking a turn for the worst. I found myself saying to my boyfriend on
numerous occasions; ‘It’s just getting to the good bit’ at which point he would
reply that ‘I said that last time he asked.’ I was hooked to the point that
after having to read it in dribs and drabs over the last week of 2014 because
of the busy nature of that time of the year, I took to spending as good as the entire
day on the 2nd of January to finish it. Staying up until 1am was
well worth it I’d say. I went to bed very content with the ending result for
the characters that I had grown to love.
Book number 1 complete J
I strongly recommend!
