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412th out of 1,752 books
—
6,337 voters
The Understudy
Recently divorced actor Stephen C. McQueen (no relation, unfortunately) seems to have a knack for bad luck. But a failed marriage, a stalled career, a judgmental ex-wife, a distant daughter, a horrid little studio apartment in the far reaches of the London suburbs–all these pathetic elements seem to pale in the chiseled face of his newest tormentor: the Twelfth Sexiest Man...more
Paperback, 368 pages
Published
January 30th 2007
by Villard
(first published January 28th 2005)
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This was realistic and well-written, but I found it rather grim and depressing. Stephen was so hopeless that I found him hard to like or relate to, and Nora was fairly unpleasant also. I like my main characters to have a few redeeming features as well as a few realistic faults and foibles.
Stephen was repeatedly described as ‘unlucky’, but I can’t get on board with that concept. I think we make our own luck in life. It’s true that some people are born with natural advantages, like talent or good...more
Stephen was repeatedly described as ‘unlucky’, but I can’t get on board with that concept. I think we make our own luck in life. It’s true that some people are born with natural advantages, like talent or good...more
If you are a fan of "One Day" or pretty much any film with Hugh Grant in it, then you are going to like this book. It's a rom-com and like "One Day", it's easy to read, has some really funny one-liners in it, and is very enjoyable. It's (slightly) let down by the characters who, I have to be honest, I couldn't really identify with and sometimes, they just didn't seem very nice. There's Stephen C McQueen, the lead character, who, paradoxically, is "the understudy" of the title. The jury's out on...more
Da www.sognipensieriparole.com
"Il sostituto" è il secondo capolavoro nato dalla penna dell'apprezzatissimo autore inglese David Nicholls e pubblicato lo scorso maggio dalla Casa Editrice Beat.
Quanti di voi hanno letto almeno uno dei suoi romanzi?
Oggi vi parlerò de Il sostituto (la sua seconda opera), ma se siete tra quelli che ancora non hanno letto il suo primo lavoro Le domande di Brian e il recente Un giorno, vi consiglio di procurarveli per regalarvi delle belle e rilassanti letture estive.
I...more
"Il sostituto" è il secondo capolavoro nato dalla penna dell'apprezzatissimo autore inglese David Nicholls e pubblicato lo scorso maggio dalla Casa Editrice Beat.
Quanti di voi hanno letto almeno uno dei suoi romanzi?
Oggi vi parlerò de Il sostituto (la sua seconda opera), ma se siete tra quelli che ancora non hanno letto il suo primo lavoro Le domande di Brian e il recente Un giorno, vi consiglio di procurarveli per regalarvi delle belle e rilassanti letture estive.
I...more
I was recommended this book by a user on youtube who I happened to watch talk about her personal opinions on this book. She gave it good marks and said it was a light read despite its page thickness, so I picked it up at my local bookshop.
Overall, I liked this book. It was funny yet sophisticated in a good way and during most of it I felt rather sorry and sympathetic towards Stephen "with a PH", as I wanted him to get his big break.
I would liken this story to the book Mr Commitment by Mike Gayl...more
Overall, I liked this book. It was funny yet sophisticated in a good way and during most of it I felt rather sorry and sympathetic towards Stephen "with a PH", as I wanted him to get his big break.
I would liken this story to the book Mr Commitment by Mike Gayl...more
Recently divorced actor Stephen C. McQueen (no relation, unfortunately) seems to have a knack for bad luck.
Josh is the star of Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know, a biographical play about Lord Byron – and Stephen is his understudy. Not only is Josh fantastically, infuriatingly good-looking, internationally renowned, and remarkably talented, he’s also frustratingly healthy. Stephen doubts he’ll ever get his chance to slip on the puffy shirt and tight breeches of Byron and tread the boards in the ro...more
Josh is the star of Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know, a biographical play about Lord Byron – and Stephen is his understudy. Not only is Josh fantastically, infuriatingly good-looking, internationally renowned, and remarkably talented, he’s also frustratingly healthy. Stephen doubts he’ll ever get his chance to slip on the puffy shirt and tight breeches of Byron and tread the boards in the ro...more
Sorry, Daily Mail, but The Understudy was not “laugh-out-loud.” Or at least, in my case it wasn’t. But I knew it wouldn’t be. Because Starter For Ten made me, quite literally, laugh out loud like a little mad woman,thus allowing me to believe that David Nicholls’s second book would be a minor disappointment for yours truly. And indeed…
The Understudy is Steve McQueen. Not the famous one, but a British lesser version of him. While Josh Harper, a handsome 29-year-old, has become a superstar adored...more
The Understudy is Steve McQueen. Not the famous one, but a British lesser version of him. While Josh Harper, a handsome 29-year-old, has become a superstar adored...more
You can trust David Nicholls to show a girl a good time. I have now read all of his three novels and I enjoyed all of them. I was surprised to read in an interview in "Metro" that this one didn´t do as well as "Starter for Ten".
Does it have some of the second-novel faults? Perhaps, in a way. It builds up on Nicholls´experience as a minor professional actor, and it gives us a very interesting glimpse into the world of acting and show business. It is obvious that the author has some first hand kno...more
Does it have some of the second-novel faults? Perhaps, in a way. It builds up on Nicholls´experience as a minor professional actor, and it gives us a very interesting glimpse into the world of acting and show business. It is obvious that the author has some first hand kno...more
Right now I'm into believable stories, which includes characters, plots, events and outcomes.
The first 90% of The Understudy met these criteria. I couldn't put it down. I was fully engaged as the characters and events unfolded and I was continually telling myself "just one more page". Many of the scenes are exceptionally well written, humorous and cringe-worthy (where called for).
The last fifteen or so pages ("or so" meaning I was using an e-reader and am estimating the number of paper pages) we...more
The first 90% of The Understudy met these criteria. I couldn't put it down. I was fully engaged as the characters and events unfolded and I was continually telling myself "just one more page". Many of the scenes are exceptionally well written, humorous and cringe-worthy (where called for).
The last fifteen or so pages ("or so" meaning I was using an e-reader and am estimating the number of paper pages) we...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
For Josh Harper, being an actor means fame and fortune. Not so much for the quite unfortunately named Stephen C. McQueen. He's ready and waiting to jump on his 'Big Break', but the opportunity just never seems to come around.
This book was incredibly easy to read, and I really enjoyed it. I'd tell myself I'd only read a couple chapters before going and doing x, but find myself still there half an hour later. The characters are funny and I particularly like Steve's sense of humour. He, like so man...more
This book was incredibly easy to read, and I really enjoyed it. I'd tell myself I'd only read a couple chapters before going and doing x, but find myself still there half an hour later. The characters are funny and I particularly like Steve's sense of humour. He, like so man...more
This was a pretty good read for the first 300 pages or so - spoiled by a completely unbelievable ending.
Lots of fairly heavy themes are explored as we see the world through the eyes of a bit of a love triangle - our main protagonist, Stephen (The Understudy), the "star", Josh and Josh's American wife Nora. These revolve around stardom and what it can do to people, and the relationships between men and women, men and men, married and unmarried, and married and married (not necessarily to one anot...more
Lots of fairly heavy themes are explored as we see the world through the eyes of a bit of a love triangle - our main protagonist, Stephen (The Understudy), the "star", Josh and Josh's American wife Nora. These revolve around stardom and what it can do to people, and the relationships between men and women, men and men, married and unmarried, and married and married (not necessarily to one anot...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
So this book was a little holiday read that I took with high expectations as a friend said it was good...and it was on the whole!
I applause Nicholls for his writing ability. Despite not overly identifying with the lead character I felt nothing but 'get a grip, u sad sack!' i did think well everyone knows a Stephen, someone just trying to make it but being outshone by another...and hasn't everyone been there. If stephen was Ted from scrubs, Josh was definietly cast as Ashton Kutcher a lovable ro...more
I applause Nicholls for his writing ability. Despite not overly identifying with the lead character I felt nothing but 'get a grip, u sad sack!' i did think well everyone knows a Stephen, someone just trying to make it but being outshone by another...and hasn't everyone been there. If stephen was Ted from scrubs, Josh was definietly cast as Ashton Kutcher a lovable ro...more
After devouring David Nicholl's latest hit, One Day, I decided to risk backtracking through his catalog and being too familiar with his debut "Starter for Ten" (a great movie if anyone is looking for a hidden gem on Netflix) I went for his sophomore effort, The Understudy.
While the Understudy has its charms I see it as the book Nicholl's needed to write to hone his skills, sharpen his wit and play with various levels of character depth and likability. The lead is a struggling actor who, on the...more
Enjoyed this nearly as much as I enjoy everything - anything - else by David Nicholls, including Cold Feet. I found it hard to warm to Steve McQueen at first but from the moment he was mistaken for a waiter, my heart bled for him. Nicholls can always make me laugh out loud and this is no exception. Probably not as strong as One Day or Starter for Ten, but a darn good read even so.
I did wonder about the character being called Steve McQueen, when there's also Louise Wener's books Goodnight Steve...more
I did wonder about the character being called Steve McQueen, when there's also Louise Wener's books Goodnight Steve...more
As before, I needed something amusing after a heavy book and again, you cant go wrong with David Nicholls.
Everything is so nice in his world. The central character (Stephen McQueen!) is an out of work actor, whose wife has left with their child for security reasons. But they all get on so well.
He is currently the understudy in a theatre production for a Colin Farrell type actor and get invited (he thinks as a guest but as a waiter) to a party at his place. Its here where he meets and slowly fall...more
Everything is so nice in his world. The central character (Stephen McQueen!) is an out of work actor, whose wife has left with their child for security reasons. But they all get on so well.
He is currently the understudy in a theatre production for a Colin Farrell type actor and get invited (he thinks as a guest but as a waiter) to a party at his place. Its here where he meets and slowly fall...more
This is by the same author as One Day - it even has a similarish kind of cover. This is more or less how I wound up buying it ... that and it was marked one third off. David Nicholls can be a bit of a tricky writer for me because I always seem to end up reading his books at the wrong time. I read Starter for Ten just when I was starting university and it made me feel really down because the whole experience sounded a bit grim and then I read One Day just as I was graduating and it made me feel r...more
The Understudy is the story of actor, Stephen C McQueen (no relation), whose career highlight so far is playing Sammy the Squirrel in an educational show aimed at preschoolers. We meet Steve as he is understudying for Josh Harper, the hottest new British actor in Hollywood, currently holding the title of The 12th Sexiest Man in the World. Unfortunately for Steve, not only is Josh playing "his" role, he is also married to Nora, the woman Steve has fallen in love with.
This is the second time I've...more
This is the second time I've...more
An entertaining and zippy read with scenes that make you wince with you're-not-going-to-do-what-I-think-you're-going-to-do, hand slapping forehead moments.
Stephen C. McQueen is an understudy to the prince of theatre and the king of charm, Josh Harper. Stephen is portrayed as a middle-aged loser in life: divorced, out of shape, living alone in a dingy London flat with milk chilling on the windowsill, a failed actor, unless playing a dead thing or a masked door-opener counts and in love with someb...more
Stephen C. McQueen is an understudy to the prince of theatre and the king of charm, Josh Harper. Stephen is portrayed as a middle-aged loser in life: divorced, out of shape, living alone in a dingy London flat with milk chilling on the windowsill, a failed actor, unless playing a dead thing or a masked door-opener counts and in love with someb...more
Although Stephen is older than Brian, the main character in Nicholls’ previous book Starter for ten, the theme is the same: not really knowing yourself and what you want out of life, then going through a rough and deciding time and coming out a better person.
And that is precisely what I didn’t like about the book: a typical coming of age novel shouldn’t be about a man in his thirties. You know how it is — the intoxicating aphrodisiac that is failure.’ ‘It’s not failure. It’s...more
And that is precisely what I didn’t like about the book: a typical coming of age novel shouldn’t be about a man in his thirties. You know how it is — the intoxicating aphrodisiac that is failure.’ ‘It’s not failure. It’s...more
Stephen C. McQueen is the understudy to Josh Harper, the 12th Sexist Man in the world. Each evening he waits backstage at the West End theatre knowing every line and dreaming about his big break through.
One day he meets Nora, the clever and funny wife of Josh Harper, and the inevitable is bound to happen, Stephen C. McQueen falls in love.
I loved One Day by David Nicholls and was hoping The Understudy would be as funny, but it wasn’t. The story is still enjoyable, but too bitter and cynical for m...more
One day he meets Nora, the clever and funny wife of Josh Harper, and the inevitable is bound to happen, Stephen C. McQueen falls in love.
I loved One Day by David Nicholls and was hoping The Understudy would be as funny, but it wasn’t. The story is still enjoyable, but too bitter and cynical for m...more
Good solid story-telling. Problem was, I had a hard time feeling sympathy for the narrator, who has a habit of lying whenever he thinks the truth will put him in an unflattering light. Worse, he blames "bad luck" for why he's such a sad sack, and has few redeeming characteristics otherwise. Some of the jokes and set-pieces were entirely too commonplace to be truly funny, and I thought it awfully convenient that he should walk into Number Twelve's dressing room that one scene, thereby finding a r...more
My wife ordered this, as she enjoyed One Day and Starter for Ten, which I've read, and they were ok.
Perhaps I've got Nicholls fatigue, or it's a backlash to the mainly 4 and 5 stars I've been giving recently, but I found this a chore to read.
The characters are all unsympathetic and the story weak. It's easy to read but instantly forgettable.
The story seemed to run out of steam and even the humour began to pall way before the end of the book.
The ending was meant to be a tenterhook, but I found my...more
Perhaps I've got Nicholls fatigue, or it's a backlash to the mainly 4 and 5 stars I've been giving recently, but I found this a chore to read.
The characters are all unsympathetic and the story weak. It's easy to read but instantly forgettable.
The story seemed to run out of steam and even the humour began to pall way before the end of the book.
The ending was meant to be a tenterhook, but I found my...more
Picked up The Understudy as I'd thoroughly enjoyed One Day, and I wasn't disappointed.
A quick read despite its lengthy size, it's hard not to empathise with Stephen McQueen (with a P-H), who seems to be stuck in a permanent rut, which is probably something we can all relate to. I found myself rooting for him to get his 'big break' the whole way through, which is I suppose what keeps you reading. You want to see him succeed.
And it's believable; the plot, the characters, the setting, etc. And as a...more
A quick read despite its lengthy size, it's hard not to empathise with Stephen McQueen (with a P-H), who seems to be stuck in a permanent rut, which is probably something we can all relate to. I found myself rooting for him to get his 'big break' the whole way through, which is I suppose what keeps you reading. You want to see him succeed.
And it's believable; the plot, the characters, the setting, etc. And as a...more
Nov 11, 2012
Laura
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
holby-tv-reading-challenge-2012,
kindle
"…wherever we are, whoever we're with, I always know that you're the best person in the room. The smartest, the funniest, the wisest, the person I most want to talk to, or to be with. The best. By far. Nobody else comes anywhere near."
I like David Nicholl's books - well, I've only read One Day before this and I quite enjoyed that. But the Understudy feels a little limp. I didn't really warm to any of the characters, I struggled to like them. Which is a massive thing in my opinion - if you can't...more
I like David Nicholl's books - well, I've only read One Day before this and I quite enjoyed that. But the Understudy feels a little limp. I didn't really warm to any of the characters, I struggled to like them. Which is a massive thing in my opinion - if you can't...more
I really loved this book and it certainly didn't surprise me that I did. Its just as good as Starter for Ten and nearly as good as One Day (by the same author) I couldn't put it down and found myself reading in the adverts of programes, whilst pages on the internet were loading. Its just so funny. I have lost track of the amounts of strange looks that I go on the bus and train from laughing out loud at it. I really hope that David Nicholls gets more books out there. I love his work so much and t...more
Jul 21, 2012
Georgiana 1792
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
diario-di-pensieri-persi
Un nome, un destino
Il destino di Stephen C. McQueen è segnato dal suo nome fin dalla nascita.
«Ciao! Questo è il mio buon amico Steve McQueen»
«Non quel Steve McQueen!»
«Con il PH».
Queste battute si ripetono nel libro infinite volte — tanto che anche noi, al pari di Stephen, ne siamo nauseati. Ora, se un bravo ragazzo inglese, proveniente dall’Isola di Wight, scegliesse di fare qualsiasi altro mestiere al mondo, la cosa potrebbe sembrare divertente, o comunque non tanto esasperante come accade al ‘...more
Il destino di Stephen C. McQueen è segnato dal suo nome fin dalla nascita.
«Ciao! Questo è il mio buon amico Steve McQueen»
«Non quel Steve McQueen!»
«Con il PH».
Queste battute si ripetono nel libro infinite volte — tanto che anche noi, al pari di Stephen, ne siamo nauseati. Ora, se un bravo ragazzo inglese, proveniente dall’Isola di Wight, scegliesse di fare qualsiasi altro mestiere al mondo, la cosa potrebbe sembrare divertente, o comunque non tanto esasperante come accade al ‘...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
"For Stephen, London was less a city that never slept, more a city that got a good nine hours."
I was a little worried about reading another David Nicholls so soon because One Day and A Question of Attraction were a tad bit similar.
The Understudy turned out to be different enough from the other two so as not to be repetitive but I didn't think that it had nearly the amount of hilarious sarcasm
The story was solid though.
His novels are so freakin' British I always find myself reading in an accent...more
I was a little worried about reading another David Nicholls so soon because One Day and A Question of Attraction were a tad bit similar.
The Understudy turned out to be different enough from the other two so as not to be repetitive but I didn't think that it had nearly the amount of hilarious sarcasm
The story was solid though.
His novels are so freakin' British I always find myself reading in an accent...more
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Nicholls has been compared a lot with Nick Hornby, and in fact I've forgotten that I wasn't reading Hornby several times while reading his books (I've also read "One Day" One Day).
Nicholls is just a modicum more serious, though just as irreverent, and his books don't go down quite as smoothly, but they're definitely hilarious and uneasily candid looks at the lives of deeply flawed people.
I enjoy these characters that are not entirely unloveable yet certainly not wholly sympathetic. They're mor...more
Nicholls is just a modicum more serious, though just as irreverent, and his books don't go down quite as smoothly, but they're definitely hilarious and uneasily candid looks at the lives of deeply flawed people.
I enjoy these characters that are not entirely unloveable yet certainly not wholly sympathetic. They're mor...more
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David Nicholls is a British author, screenwriter, and actor. A student of Toynbee Comprehensive school and Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, he Graduated from the University of Bristol having studied English Literature and Drama.
After graduation, he won a scholarship to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, before returning to London in 1991 and finally earning an Equity...more
More about David Nicholls...
After graduation, he won a scholarship to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, before returning to London in 1991 and finally earning an Equity...more
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“Josh likes to say he put the funk in 'functional'. Personally I think he just put the ass in 'embarrassing', but, hey, what do I know?”
—
7 people liked it
“Find the thing you love, and do it with all your heart, to the absolute best of your ability, no matter what people say.”
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May 01, 2012 01:47pm