Author: David Nicholls
Us is another book by my favourite author, David Nicholls, an author of One Day (my favourite) and a recent You Are Here novel. As with other books I wrote about, Us has the author’s distinctive style and a focus on his and her story. In this book, this is done a bit differently because it is he who tells the story so a story may have been different had she written it. But he tells the story in a way that tells a lot about her and the style is unmissable, it is his and her story of which Nicholls is well-known, nonetheless.
Us is a story, written in the first person by a scientist who married an artist that challenged the commonly promoted view that opposites attract each other. Yes, they do, but will it last? Us is a love story (all Nicholls’ books are love stories) but it also has an element of class and upbringing (again, this is to an extent present in all books by this author). He (Douglas) is very rational and well-composed, works hard, looks after her and their son, and tries very hard to please her. He is from the north whereas she is a Londoner. It is not just that he says he loves her when narrating a story. It is visible in everything he says and does. But, right at the story’s start, we learn that she (Connie) is considering leaving him because things are simply not how they used to be, and she needs to move on. The couple, and their son who will be going to the University in October, then embark on a previously planned Grand Tour of Europe visiting all important places for culture, arts and museums. They travel by train to properly enjoy the experience and must force their son (Albie) to go with them despite his protests (he would naturally prefer to go to Ibiza with his mates).
Douglas plans the travel as meticulously as his research. There is a method and very careful planning involved and it is all done remarkably well. The problem comes with the execution because Douglas takes the desire to visit museums and see important paintings too literally. So, there is not just a schedule for travelling but also a schedule for each day on where to go, which walking to do, which museums to visit and when, etc. The trip as such becomes a chore to Connie and Albie who want to visit important places and experience culture but also want to be more spontaneous about it and take it as they go, enjoy cafes, reading, etc. The mother and the son are both artistic and share a common love for reading and art and they also understand each other better due to similarities in character as well as Connie’s more relaxed approach to upbringing.
I am with Connie and Albie on spontaneous travel, reading books, visiting cafes and getting carried away with stuff along the way. I would probably lose my rag if someone so meticulously planned a leisure trip as I generally do not like leisure to turn into a chore. But, as we witness in the book, Douglas’ behaviour causes lots of fighting and the travel turns into a nightmare. This is understandable as I do not know anyone who would enjoy travelling like this, but throughout reading this book, one wonders how Connie did not know this would happen after almost 20 years with Douglas? If she suggested the trip, why not book and organise it herself? I think this is where the problem lies; Douglas provided security and a stable income, as well as organising and leading their lives, sacrificing an academic career for a private sector to provide more, and she coped with differences in character until Albie grew up but then it all became too much. So, when Albie goes to the University, she considers leaving him because there will be nothing for them anymore. It is not that Albie put them together in any way. Differences in character and approach to upbringing put a strain on their marriage and ruined Douglas’ relationship with Albie.
This is a unique book because whilst Douglas tries to fight to save his marriage, as a reader, you cheer that he fails because he would be better off with someone else, such as a Danish dentist he met along the way when things fell apart, and Albie run away so Douglas embarks on travelling around looking for him. At the same time, you do not hate Connie because she is an interesting person and likes reading and art and you wonder whether she is still over her ex-boyfriend who understands her and who, perhaps, would not come from work and flip out at glitter from Christmas cards being spread everywhere and frantically start to clean but would join the party instead. One wonders whether she was on a rebound when she met Douglas and took the direct opposite from what she knew before…
The travelling aspect and portrayal of travel is also something Nicholls continued in his recent You Are Here book where there is a walking trip in England, and also compellingly written. Us was published earlier but it was a precursor to his recent success that You Are Here certainly was.
Us is beautifully and compellingly written. I particularly enjoyed descriptions of places in Europe that the family, or Douglas, on his own, visited and I liked all the art and book talk in the book. The ending is also beautiful and has a hopeful element…
I loved this book! Highly recommended.