Us

by David Nicholls

David Nicholls brings to bear all the wit and intelligence that graced ONE DAY in this brilliant, bittersweet novel about love and family, husbands and wives, parents and children. Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2014.

'I was looking forward to us growing old together. Me and you, growing old and dying together.'

'Douglas, who in their right mind would look forward to that?'

Douglas Petersen understands his wife's need to 'rediscover herself' now that their son is leaving home.

He just thought they'd be doing their rediscovering together.

So when Connie announces that she will be leaving, too, he resolves to make their last family holiday into the trip of a lifetime: one that will draw the three of them closer, and win the respect of his son. One that will make Connie fall in love with him all over again.

The hotels are booked, the tickets bought, the itinerary planned and printed.

What could possibly go wrong?

• ISBN10: 034089699X
• ISBN13: 9780340896990
• Publish Date: 30 September 2014
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[meowstina]

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I had never read anything by Nicholls until this book, but heard great things about him. I was afraid this might be a little too sappy for my liking, but it’s not at all. I actually really like this book! From the first page I was enthralled with Nicholls’s voice and Douglas’s personality. This is an entertaining read, but it’s also kind of heartbreaking. First you get a sense of all that is good and really root for Douglas to turn things around, and then Connie’s flaws and his flaws are revealed, which makes the story so much more realistic and deep. I love how this makes the book so layered. There’s always more to the story and his present situation, which kept me eager to read on. This is a really great book, I think I’ll look into One Day now as well.