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A review by andrewspink
You Are Here by David Nicholls
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This must be the most English book ever. Walking across the moors. Difficulty expressing emotions. Grotty pubs. Rain. Nice pubs and B&Bs (though I've never seen one with complimentary shortbread). The North - South divide. All very nostalgic.
The book is very funny in parts. There are lots of great lines like, 'Marnie had not attended an orgy though she had copy-edited many'. It reminded me of One man and his bog by Barry Pilton about walking the Pennine Way in the 80s. It was surprisingly literary, with all sorts of references to famous books, and even some which I didn't have to look up, and also using words like petrichor without feeling the need to explain.
For a lot of the book, they are walking through places that I know (or knew) well, like the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. Northallerton gets several mentions; I lived there until age nine. And I love Wainwright's books. That all certainly added an extra dimension.
There was one rather strange aspect. The central characters are about 40 years old and they are repeatedly referred to as old. I was astonished to see that the author is about my age (born in 1966). Does he feel ancient? I'm sure that when I was 40, I didn't think that I was old. Was this humour?
Bottom line, a great read. A pity it was so short. Recommended.
The book is very funny in parts. There are lots of great lines like, 'Marnie had not attended an orgy though she had copy-edited many'. It reminded me of One man and his bog by Barry Pilton about walking the Pennine Way in the 80s. It was surprisingly literary, with all sorts of references to famous books, and even some which I didn't have to look up, and also using words like petrichor without feeling the need to explain.
For a lot of the book, they are walking through places that I know (or knew) well, like the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. Northallerton gets several mentions; I lived there until age nine. And I love Wainwright's books. That all certainly added an extra dimension.
There was one rather strange aspect. The central characters are about 40 years old and they are repeatedly referred to as old. I was astonished to see that the author is about my age (born in 1966). Does he feel ancient? I'm sure that when I was 40, I didn't think that I was old. Was this humour?
Bottom line, a great read. A pity it was so short. Recommended.