Shortly after finishing You Are Here, I didn't want to leave the bookshop empty-handed. So I picked up another David Nicholls book. It took me a while to get started with Us, though, only managing it on my second or third attempt. I'm not really sure why. Maybe it was Douglas' character that didn't click with me at first.
But given the well-written style of the book, I kept going. Slowly at first, following the family on their 'grand tour' of Europe, which was supposed to solve all their problems. At least in the eyes of Douglas. And then it clicked. The novel brilliantly blends the past and present of Douglas and Connie's relationship, providing a glimpse into their daily lives, with all the ups and downs.
What makes this novel so powerful is the way it captures the shock of a marriage in crisis. When Connie tells Douglas that she thinks their marriage has run its course, his refusal to accept this assessment drives the narrative forward. The contrast between their personalities - he a structured, analytical scientist; she with the true free spirit of an artist. This creates an authentic, heartbreaking tension.
The most surprising element for me was the book's presentation of the different points of view. The book is told from Douglas' point of view, so the reader experiences his struggles first and foremost. However, there is a fatal disconnect between how Albie sees his father and how Douglas sees himself. A gap that leads to Douglas' despair when he is faced with nothing but "contempt, disrespect and ridicule from a son he loves so much".
And while I chose to read the book because of the nitty-gritty reality of a long-term relationship, it was the story of the son and the father that won me over in the end.