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You & I
Both a coming-of-age love story and a sharp look at changing Dublin, this is a brilliant debut from a talented new voice in Irish contemporary storytelling.
Each September, thousands of students walk through the doors of University College and Trinity College, Dublin. This year, Olive and Tom will be among them.
Eighteen-year-old Olive is fresh from the country, and her eyes are opened wide by the big-city goings on of her new friends. When she starts to be pursued by Tom, the scruffy maverick who's seduced half the girls she's met, she's adamant he's not for her. But when a tragedy befalls her family, it's Tom who proves her best friend -- until that is, she discovers his real motivations.
Tom has never thought further than the next party, the next girl, the next drink. But now, with his own broken family about to cast him off and his social habits spinning out of control, he seems to have destroyed his relationship with Olive. What started out as a stupid dare metamorphoses into something much more serious.
Set against the backdrop of youth on the brink of adulthood, and capturing the contrasts of the haves versus the have-nots, the worldly versus the innocent, Emily Gillmor Murphy's You & I is an assured debut that will transport readers straight to the rollercoaster experience of growing up and falling in love.
Each September, thousands of students walk through the doors of University College and Trinity College, Dublin. This year, Olive and Tom will be among them.
Eighteen-year-old Olive is fresh from the country, and her eyes are opened wide by the big-city goings on of her new friends. When she starts to be pursued by Tom, the scruffy maverick who's seduced half the girls she's met, she's adamant he's not for her. But when a tragedy befalls her family, it's Tom who proves her best friend -- until that is, she discovers his real motivations.
Tom has never thought further than the next party, the next girl, the next drink. But now, with his own broken family about to cast him off and his social habits spinning out of control, he seems to have destroyed his relationship with Olive. What started out as a stupid dare metamorphoses into something much more serious.
Set against the backdrop of youth on the brink of adulthood, and capturing the contrasts of the haves versus the have-nots, the worldly versus the innocent, Emily Gillmor Murphy's You & I is an assured debut that will transport readers straight to the rollercoaster experience of growing up and falling in love.
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 16, 2024
Es war toll geschrieben und ich hab das Setting in Dublin geliebt aber der männliche Protagonist war so eine Red Flag, dass ichs nicht höher bewerten kann …
June 22, 2016
Irgendetwas zwischen 3 und 4 Sternen. Das Setting war voll meins. Es spielt in einer Universität in Dublin. Also natürlich war die ganze Handlung voraus zusehen, jedoch ließ sich das Buch schnell durchlesen . Die beiden Hauptcharaktere mochte ich im großen und ganzen auch. Jedoch hat mir irgendwie die Tiefe in den Charakteren gefehlt, und generell waren für mich einige Dinge einfach unerklärt geblieben. Eigentlich hätte das Buch so gesehen nur 3 Sterne bekommen, aber das Buch hatte irgendwie was .
January 16, 2014
I was very pleasantly surprised with this book. I picked it up in Poundland of all places, and expected for just a pound that it would just be a quick, average, read. However I got completely drawn into the story and couldn't put it down until I'd finished it. The story follows primarily Olive and Tom, who are both at University. Olive is a sweet, kind, and slightly naive fresher, and Tom is a drinking, drug-taking party animal. It's the usual boy-meets-girl story, but each character has something dark happening in their personal lives. For Olive this is her schizophrenic brother Andy, and for Tom this is his very troubled split family and difficult home life and drug use. The two meet for the first time at a party when Tom notices Olive and tries to talk to her, but she finds him cocky and arrogant, and gives him the cold shoulder. Determined that he won't be turned down by a girl, Tom makes a bet with his friend that he can get Olive to sleep with him within five months. You can see from this where the story will go, but it is lovely to watch it develop, and there are some twists along the way, including the odd chapter that follows one of the other characters in the story who is connected to Tom and Olive in some way, and it ties up all the stories wonderfully at the end. I like the fact that the book is not just from Olive's point of view, and it gives Tom's side of the story an equal amount. It doesn't gloss over difficult topics like drug abuse, poverty and suicide, but instead deals with them in a very thoughtful and tender way. The characters are young, but they are dealt with maturely and their transition from childhood to adulthood through the initiation of university is dealt with accurately and realistically. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is a wonderful debut from Emily Gillmor Murphy, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
September 1, 2016
Der erste Satz
Der eiskalte Wind verschlug mir den Atem.
Meine Meinung
Inhalt
Olive und Tom können verschiedener nicht sein. Sie ist behütet und geliebt aufgewachsen, während Tom es in seiner Kindheit nicht leicht hatte und sich auch niemals geliebt gefühlt hat.
Das Einzige, was die Zwei miteinander verbindet ist, dass beide ihre Päckchen zu tragen haben und sie sich irgendwann ineinander verlieben. Tom blüht nun auf und versucht endlich sein Leben in den Griff zu bekommen und für Olive ist Tom der rettende Hafen in einer schweren Zeit. Alles könnte so toll sein, bis Olive etwas über Tom herausfindet, was sie enttäuscht und traurig zum Anlass nimmt, ihn weit von sich zu stoßen. Werden sie wieder zueinander finden?
Sie erwartete viel mehr, als ich je einer anderen gegeben hatte, aber ich musste es wenigstens versuchen. Wenn ich ehrlich war, hatte ich mir noch nie etwas mehr gewünscht.
Seite 187
Charaktere
Olive ist ein bisschen zurückhaltend. Als sie den ersten Tag in der Uni verbringt wirkte sie auf mich ein bisschen verloren. Doch im Laufe des Buches blüht sie förmlich auf. Olive hat eine enge Verbindung zu ihrer Familie. Sie liebt ihren Bruder, der ein Handicap hat, über alles und verbringt jedes Wochenende bei ihm und ihren Eltern. Ich habe Olive sehr gemocht. Ihre Gefühle waren für mich fast immer nachvollziehbar und auch ihren Charakter mochte ich sehr.
Tom war mir am Anfang einfach zuwider. Er war eingebildet und so dermaßen von sich überzeugt, dass ich ihn am liebsten geschüttelt hätte, damit er wieder auf dem Boden ankommt. Je mehr ich aber von ihm erfahren habe, umso mehr tat er mir leid und umso besser konnte ich seine Handlungen nachvollziehen. Ich habe seine Taten zwar nicht immer für gut befunden, das Verständnis hat mir meist aber nicht gefehlt. Tom führt ein einfaches Leben und hat, im Gegensatz zu Olive, mit seiner Familie nicht viel am Hut.
Der erste Schnitt tut höllisch weh, aber die Wunde, die bleibt, schmerzt noch viel, viel schlimmer. Das klaffende Loch wächst einfach nicht zu, und man spürt es, wo immer man ist, was immer man tut - immer.
Seite 212
Gesamt
Ist das Cover nicht wunderschön? Ich habe es zig mal angeschaut und kann mich gar nicht mehr daran satt sehen. Nach meinem Empfinden sehen wir darauf Olive und Tom wie sie Händchen haltend durch die Straße gehen. Da ich ein Cover-Fan bin und mich auch der Klappentext sehr angesprochen hat, war es für mich total klar, dass ich dieses Buch lesen musste. Ich habe ein romantisches Buch erwartet, voll gestopft mit tiefen Gefühlen. Leider muss ich jetzt sagen, dass ich ein bisschen enttäuscht bin, denn "Jetzt und hier und vielleicht für immer" konnte mich zu keiner Zeit auf irgendeine Weise berühren. Natürlich habe ich an der ein oder anderen Stelle schon ein bisschen mitgefühlt, aber die großen Emotionen, die mich so sehr berühren, dass ich am Liebsten losheulen würde, blieben völlig aus. Mein Kopf wurde bei diesem Roman mehr angestengt als mein Herz. Dachte ich zu Beginn des Buches noch, ich würde bestimmt wieder einen gefühlvollen Roman lesen, wurde ich irgendwann eines besseren belehrt. Emily Gillmor Murphy hat mich sehr damit überrascht, wie viele ernste Themen sie in ihrem Roman behandelt. Da beim Klappentext eher die Rede von einer Liebesgeschichte ist, wurde ich in die Irre geführt, denn das was ich erwartet habe, bekam ich nicht. Am Anfang fand ich dies überhaupt nicht lustig, konnte aber aufgrund des guten, flüssigen Schreibstils drüber hinweg sehen. Irgendwann war es mir schließlich egal, das ich etwas völlig anderes bekam, als ich erhofft und womit ich gerechnet hatte. Die Geschichte ist einfach so toll geschrieben, dass sie vor meinen Augen farbig wurde und ich es miterlebt habe, wie Olive und Tom zu sich finden, was für Probleme es gab und wie es mit den beiden weiter ging. Die Autorin hat den Protagonisten so viel Leben eingehaucht, dass sie für mich fast schon real waren. Man erfährt viel über Tom und Olive, da die Autorin sie abwechselnd die Geschichte erzählen lässt. Sie bedient sich der "Ich-Form", was es mir persönlich immer sehr leicht macht, die einzelnen Charaktere verstehen zu können.
Leider wurde dieses Buch jedoch nicht nur von den beiden Protagonisten erzählt, sondern auch manchmal von Freunden der beiden. Das war mir persönlich jetzt ein bisschen zu viel, denn ehrlich gesagt hat mich die Story von Olive und Tom viel mehr interessiert, als die ihrer Freunde. Ich fand die Passagen ein bisschen unwichtig, weil sie die eigentliche Geschichte nicht voran getrieben haben. Die viele Dramatik die Emily Gillmor Murphy mit in das Buch hat einfließen lassen, überraschte mich sehr. Ich persönlich habe die ein oder andere Sache als too much empfunden. Hier gilt meiner Meinung nach: Weniger ist mehr.
Fazit
Ich hatte völlig falsche und vielleicht auch zu hohe Erwartungen an diesen Roman. Von romantischen Gefühlen habe ich zu keiner Zeit etwas gespürt. Ich war eher geschockt, was für Geheimnisse Tom, Olive und deren Freunde mit sich herumschleppen und wie man immer mehr davon erfährt. Die Zwischenkapitel, wo es sich nicht um die Protagonisten handelte habe ich als überflüssig empfunden, denn mir ging zu dieser Zeit ein bisschen der eigentliche Kern der Geschichte verloren. Dadurch dass natürlich jeder der Charaktere irgendwelche Probleme mit sich herumschleppt und jene in diesen Kapiteln zur Sprache kamen, fand ich die dadurch aufkommende Dramatik ein bisschen zu überladen. Es hat mich jetzt nicht gestört diese Kapitel zu lesen, aber ich fand sie schlicht nebensächlich.
Positiv bewerten muss ich vor allen Dingen den unglaublich guten Schreibstil, den die Autorin bei diesem Roman an den Tag gelegt hat. Die Seiten huschten nur so an mir vorbei und wenn man von den paar Sachen absieht, die ich persönlich nicht so gelungen fand, kann ich diesen Roman doch empfehlen. Allerdings sollte sich jeder, der dieses Buch lesen möchte darüber im Klaren sein, dass es keine typische Liebesgeschichte ist, die man aufgrund des Klappentextes erwartet. "Jetzt und hier und vielleicht für immer" besteht eher auch noch aus vielen aktuellen Themen, mit denen man sich während des Lesens auseinandersetzt und über die man auch noch nachdem man das Buch gelesen hat nachdenkt.
© www.mybooksparadise.de
Der eiskalte Wind verschlug mir den Atem.
Meine Meinung
Inhalt
Olive und Tom können verschiedener nicht sein. Sie ist behütet und geliebt aufgewachsen, während Tom es in seiner Kindheit nicht leicht hatte und sich auch niemals geliebt gefühlt hat.
Das Einzige, was die Zwei miteinander verbindet ist, dass beide ihre Päckchen zu tragen haben und sie sich irgendwann ineinander verlieben. Tom blüht nun auf und versucht endlich sein Leben in den Griff zu bekommen und für Olive ist Tom der rettende Hafen in einer schweren Zeit. Alles könnte so toll sein, bis Olive etwas über Tom herausfindet, was sie enttäuscht und traurig zum Anlass nimmt, ihn weit von sich zu stoßen. Werden sie wieder zueinander finden?
Sie erwartete viel mehr, als ich je einer anderen gegeben hatte, aber ich musste es wenigstens versuchen. Wenn ich ehrlich war, hatte ich mir noch nie etwas mehr gewünscht.
Seite 187
Charaktere
Olive ist ein bisschen zurückhaltend. Als sie den ersten Tag in der Uni verbringt wirkte sie auf mich ein bisschen verloren. Doch im Laufe des Buches blüht sie förmlich auf. Olive hat eine enge Verbindung zu ihrer Familie. Sie liebt ihren Bruder, der ein Handicap hat, über alles und verbringt jedes Wochenende bei ihm und ihren Eltern. Ich habe Olive sehr gemocht. Ihre Gefühle waren für mich fast immer nachvollziehbar und auch ihren Charakter mochte ich sehr.
Tom war mir am Anfang einfach zuwider. Er war eingebildet und so dermaßen von sich überzeugt, dass ich ihn am liebsten geschüttelt hätte, damit er wieder auf dem Boden ankommt. Je mehr ich aber von ihm erfahren habe, umso mehr tat er mir leid und umso besser konnte ich seine Handlungen nachvollziehen. Ich habe seine Taten zwar nicht immer für gut befunden, das Verständnis hat mir meist aber nicht gefehlt. Tom führt ein einfaches Leben und hat, im Gegensatz zu Olive, mit seiner Familie nicht viel am Hut.
Der erste Schnitt tut höllisch weh, aber die Wunde, die bleibt, schmerzt noch viel, viel schlimmer. Das klaffende Loch wächst einfach nicht zu, und man spürt es, wo immer man ist, was immer man tut - immer.
Seite 212
Gesamt
Ist das Cover nicht wunderschön? Ich habe es zig mal angeschaut und kann mich gar nicht mehr daran satt sehen. Nach meinem Empfinden sehen wir darauf Olive und Tom wie sie Händchen haltend durch die Straße gehen. Da ich ein Cover-Fan bin und mich auch der Klappentext sehr angesprochen hat, war es für mich total klar, dass ich dieses Buch lesen musste. Ich habe ein romantisches Buch erwartet, voll gestopft mit tiefen Gefühlen. Leider muss ich jetzt sagen, dass ich ein bisschen enttäuscht bin, denn "Jetzt und hier und vielleicht für immer" konnte mich zu keiner Zeit auf irgendeine Weise berühren. Natürlich habe ich an der ein oder anderen Stelle schon ein bisschen mitgefühlt, aber die großen Emotionen, die mich so sehr berühren, dass ich am Liebsten losheulen würde, blieben völlig aus. Mein Kopf wurde bei diesem Roman mehr angestengt als mein Herz. Dachte ich zu Beginn des Buches noch, ich würde bestimmt wieder einen gefühlvollen Roman lesen, wurde ich irgendwann eines besseren belehrt. Emily Gillmor Murphy hat mich sehr damit überrascht, wie viele ernste Themen sie in ihrem Roman behandelt. Da beim Klappentext eher die Rede von einer Liebesgeschichte ist, wurde ich in die Irre geführt, denn das was ich erwartet habe, bekam ich nicht. Am Anfang fand ich dies überhaupt nicht lustig, konnte aber aufgrund des guten, flüssigen Schreibstils drüber hinweg sehen. Irgendwann war es mir schließlich egal, das ich etwas völlig anderes bekam, als ich erhofft und womit ich gerechnet hatte. Die Geschichte ist einfach so toll geschrieben, dass sie vor meinen Augen farbig wurde und ich es miterlebt habe, wie Olive und Tom zu sich finden, was für Probleme es gab und wie es mit den beiden weiter ging. Die Autorin hat den Protagonisten so viel Leben eingehaucht, dass sie für mich fast schon real waren. Man erfährt viel über Tom und Olive, da die Autorin sie abwechselnd die Geschichte erzählen lässt. Sie bedient sich der "Ich-Form", was es mir persönlich immer sehr leicht macht, die einzelnen Charaktere verstehen zu können.
Leider wurde dieses Buch jedoch nicht nur von den beiden Protagonisten erzählt, sondern auch manchmal von Freunden der beiden. Das war mir persönlich jetzt ein bisschen zu viel, denn ehrlich gesagt hat mich die Story von Olive und Tom viel mehr interessiert, als die ihrer Freunde. Ich fand die Passagen ein bisschen unwichtig, weil sie die eigentliche Geschichte nicht voran getrieben haben. Die viele Dramatik die Emily Gillmor Murphy mit in das Buch hat einfließen lassen, überraschte mich sehr. Ich persönlich habe die ein oder andere Sache als too much empfunden. Hier gilt meiner Meinung nach: Weniger ist mehr.
Fazit
Ich hatte völlig falsche und vielleicht auch zu hohe Erwartungen an diesen Roman. Von romantischen Gefühlen habe ich zu keiner Zeit etwas gespürt. Ich war eher geschockt, was für Geheimnisse Tom, Olive und deren Freunde mit sich herumschleppen und wie man immer mehr davon erfährt. Die Zwischenkapitel, wo es sich nicht um die Protagonisten handelte habe ich als überflüssig empfunden, denn mir ging zu dieser Zeit ein bisschen der eigentliche Kern der Geschichte verloren. Dadurch dass natürlich jeder der Charaktere irgendwelche Probleme mit sich herumschleppt und jene in diesen Kapiteln zur Sprache kamen, fand ich die dadurch aufkommende Dramatik ein bisschen zu überladen. Es hat mich jetzt nicht gestört diese Kapitel zu lesen, aber ich fand sie schlicht nebensächlich.
Positiv bewerten muss ich vor allen Dingen den unglaublich guten Schreibstil, den die Autorin bei diesem Roman an den Tag gelegt hat. Die Seiten huschten nur so an mir vorbei und wenn man von den paar Sachen absieht, die ich persönlich nicht so gelungen fand, kann ich diesen Roman doch empfehlen. Allerdings sollte sich jeder, der dieses Buch lesen möchte darüber im Klaren sein, dass es keine typische Liebesgeschichte ist, die man aufgrund des Klappentextes erwartet. "Jetzt und hier und vielleicht für immer" besteht eher auch noch aus vielen aktuellen Themen, mit denen man sich während des Lesens auseinandersetzt und über die man auch noch nachdem man das Buch gelesen hat nachdenkt.
© www.mybooksparadise.de
January 24, 2019
This book deserved more attention. It had me hooked from page one to the end. May have read it twice.
July 17, 2013
It is such a refreshing change to read a young adult book set somewhere different. I don’t think I have ever read one set in Ireland, let alone by an Irish author. I’m trying to expand on the types of books I read at the minute and try new authors so I was excited about this one.
You & I is told from multiple perspectives, not just those of protagonists Olive and Tom. As Olive has just moved to Dublin to go to University College she moves in with other students and begins to make friends. Tom goes to Trinity College, lives nearby and already has his own set of friends. Along with Olive and Tom, we get to hear from friends and family members which helps the reader to see other sides of the main plot. I really enjoyed being able to get to know more than Olive and Tom. Both of their lives are complex and there are many people involved so it was great to know how events affected everyone.
The book follows Olive and Tom as they try to get through life at college. I really enjoyed reading about the day to day events of this kind of life, because I have done it myself. Some of the scenes in particular felt so realistic as I read them so I wonder whether some of the writing comes from the author’s own experiences. I remember feeling lost during Fresher’s Week, not being able to find my lecture theatres and not knowing everyone. Gillmor Murphy got these feelings perfect and I could imagine myself in Olive’s shoes. I also loved reading about Olive getting to know her new flatmates and having to deal with people from different backgrounds and with different personalities to her own.
Although a debut novel, Gillmor Murphy’s writing and characters are addictive. Olive and Tom are both extremely likeable but it is also possible to sympathise and empathise with each of them due to their home lives. Each character’s background helps to define them as individuals but it also affects how they live their lives. I really enjoyed discovering Olive’s history and to find out about the things which give her motivation. Her story is a little more mysterious than Tom’s as it is very slowly revealed over the course of the book.
The only slight problem I did have with this book was some of the language used. There are scenes of sex and drug use but this isn’t what I’m talking about. Some of the characters are very stiff in their dialogue using things such as ‘I am’, ‘I will’ instead of speaking in a more relaxed tone. I wouldn’t expect teenagers to speak in such a way so it was slightly unbelievable. Even though this language did annoy me slightly, it was quite easy to look over and it didn’t take away my enjoyment of reading this book.
You & I is a wonderful debut novel which deals with real problems, real people and real situations. I’m excited to see what Gillmor Murphy does next.
You & I is told from multiple perspectives, not just those of protagonists Olive and Tom. As Olive has just moved to Dublin to go to University College she moves in with other students and begins to make friends. Tom goes to Trinity College, lives nearby and already has his own set of friends. Along with Olive and Tom, we get to hear from friends and family members which helps the reader to see other sides of the main plot. I really enjoyed being able to get to know more than Olive and Tom. Both of their lives are complex and there are many people involved so it was great to know how events affected everyone.
The book follows Olive and Tom as they try to get through life at college. I really enjoyed reading about the day to day events of this kind of life, because I have done it myself. Some of the scenes in particular felt so realistic as I read them so I wonder whether some of the writing comes from the author’s own experiences. I remember feeling lost during Fresher’s Week, not being able to find my lecture theatres and not knowing everyone. Gillmor Murphy got these feelings perfect and I could imagine myself in Olive’s shoes. I also loved reading about Olive getting to know her new flatmates and having to deal with people from different backgrounds and with different personalities to her own.
Although a debut novel, Gillmor Murphy’s writing and characters are addictive. Olive and Tom are both extremely likeable but it is also possible to sympathise and empathise with each of them due to their home lives. Each character’s background helps to define them as individuals but it also affects how they live their lives. I really enjoyed discovering Olive’s history and to find out about the things which give her motivation. Her story is a little more mysterious than Tom’s as it is very slowly revealed over the course of the book.
The only slight problem I did have with this book was some of the language used. There are scenes of sex and drug use but this isn’t what I’m talking about. Some of the characters are very stiff in their dialogue using things such as ‘I am’, ‘I will’ instead of speaking in a more relaxed tone. I wouldn’t expect teenagers to speak in such a way so it was slightly unbelievable. Even though this language did annoy me slightly, it was quite easy to look over and it didn’t take away my enjoyment of reading this book.
You & I is a wonderful debut novel which deals with real problems, real people and real situations. I’m excited to see what Gillmor Murphy does next.
February 25, 2014
Eighteen year Olive arrives at UCD in Dublin wide eyed and fresh faced, eager and excited to begin her course, make new friends and forge an independent life for herself, though a little nervous and home-sick at the same time. Tom, a Trinity student, is rather more hardened to the ways of the world. He's clever and bright, though does the minimum to get by; spending his nights out at clubs with friends, drinking and picking up girls. Though their relationship initially gets off to a rocky start, Tom proves himself a true friend to Olive in her time of need and things develop between them, however, just when things are looking good for the unlikely pair Olive discovers something that looks set to jeopardise everything; furthermore with Tom's whole life fast unravelling around him, will Olive's rejection be more than he can bear?
You and I is a delightfully engaging read, with most of the chapters alternating viewpoint between Olive and Tom and as such you really become invested in these two main characters. Tom in particular makes for a very lovable rogue; displaying such an obvious vulnerability behind his mask, and at heart comes across as very much a lost boy just trying to reach out to someone. Yes he makes some stupid mistakes; however, he has so much to bear on his shoulders and it is easy to see that he is merely looking for any means of escape from the reality of his life.
Indeed one of the most appealing things about this book is that it is so much more than a love story. For such a young author, Gillmor Murphy writes with a surprisingly mature voice, and this definitely does not feel like much of the standard chicklit. You and I tackles some weighty and serious issues, exploring grief, mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse to name a few. Gillmor Murphy really seeks to explore the background to her characters, family dynamics and the influence this has on a person's psychology; as well as giving an insight to the difficulties faced by young people in today's society. Even more minor characters are fleshed out in this way; often their innermost feelings and state of being completely contrasting to the image they give out.
Perhaps as such the book can be quite dark in places, and there are some genuinely moving scenes; though overall there is a good balance struck between light and shade.
My only criticism would be that in places the dialogue came across as a little awkward and stiff, not really reflecting the way people would naturally speak. Also perhaps it would have been nice to have just one character who didn't come with such emotional baggage and complex family set up, as it did start to seem as though everyone's home situation was rather dysfunctional.
For a debut novel, I would overall say that this comes across as a very assured and promising young voice.
You and I is a delightfully engaging read, with most of the chapters alternating viewpoint between Olive and Tom and as such you really become invested in these two main characters. Tom in particular makes for a very lovable rogue; displaying such an obvious vulnerability behind his mask, and at heart comes across as very much a lost boy just trying to reach out to someone. Yes he makes some stupid mistakes; however, he has so much to bear on his shoulders and it is easy to see that he is merely looking for any means of escape from the reality of his life.
Indeed one of the most appealing things about this book is that it is so much more than a love story. For such a young author, Gillmor Murphy writes with a surprisingly mature voice, and this definitely does not feel like much of the standard chicklit. You and I tackles some weighty and serious issues, exploring grief, mental illness, alcohol and drug abuse to name a few. Gillmor Murphy really seeks to explore the background to her characters, family dynamics and the influence this has on a person's psychology; as well as giving an insight to the difficulties faced by young people in today's society. Even more minor characters are fleshed out in this way; often their innermost feelings and state of being completely contrasting to the image they give out.
Perhaps as such the book can be quite dark in places, and there are some genuinely moving scenes; though overall there is a good balance struck between light and shade.
My only criticism would be that in places the dialogue came across as a little awkward and stiff, not really reflecting the way people would naturally speak. Also perhaps it would have been nice to have just one character who didn't come with such emotional baggage and complex family set up, as it did start to seem as though everyone's home situation was rather dysfunctional.
For a debut novel, I would overall say that this comes across as a very assured and promising young voice.
April 19, 2015
A very enjoyable read with a lot of interesting enjoyable characters. Always like a book were you get to read from other characters view points and to learn about their lives,even the lesser ones which was interesting too. It shows that's appearances can always be deceptive,especially in university/college were most are trying to fit in with the new and lose a part of themselves along the way and how they deal with it.
Olive at times irritated me a lot and I felt like punching her for being so pathetic whereas I really liked Tom and the dramas he had with his parents and family and his friends Damien and Peter. I really actually liked Peter and would have been good to read more about him and his life.
At times the writing annoyed me,it was all very proper English n not the way most people talk so to read it was like I said annoying.
I really disliked the way 'the tragedy' that befalls Olive was played out,the chapter starts somewhere in the middle of this whereas there would normally be a warning as in when Olive found out and returns home but no Olive is just at home and it's all happened already n we don't even get her initial reaction to hearing it which is weird as its such a massive part of Olives life.
I really disliked Damien,he was ok at first as he seemed somewhat harmless but then he turned into a pathetic insecure person who Tom really should have punched when he had the chance.
I enjoyed the chapters were Olives brother Andy was 'talking' to hear his story was sad n I liked him.
Olive at times irritated me a lot and I felt like punching her for being so pathetic whereas I really liked Tom and the dramas he had with his parents and family and his friends Damien and Peter. I really actually liked Peter and would have been good to read more about him and his life.
At times the writing annoyed me,it was all very proper English n not the way most people talk so to read it was like I said annoying.
I really disliked the way 'the tragedy' that befalls Olive was played out,the chapter starts somewhere in the middle of this whereas there would normally be a warning as in when Olive found out and returns home but no Olive is just at home and it's all happened already n we don't even get her initial reaction to hearing it which is weird as its such a massive part of Olives life.
I really disliked Damien,he was ok at first as he seemed somewhat harmless but then he turned into a pathetic insecure person who Tom really should have punched when he had the chance.
I enjoyed the chapters were Olives brother Andy was 'talking' to hear his story was sad n I liked him.
February 13, 2017
Although Murphy can be commended for having her work published at such a young age, she has really let herself down with her portrayal of Limerick. Depicted as a "scary place" where people should avoid going outdoors after dark, Murphy's depiction of Limerick is simply insulting.
As a Limerick woman, I can only assume that Murphy did no real research into my city (unless you count drawing on news reports as concrete research). I love my city. I love the university in which I work. I love my family and friends, all from this great city. We are a city of culture, of beautiful scenery, of history, and of sport, among other things. Limerick isn't just what you hear on the news. It isn't downtown Beirut. It is so much more than the story of this book allows it to be. This story has been written by someone who, quite clearly, has barely stepped outside of the comfortable Dublin and Wicklow existence she has been limited in knowing.
So, yes, for her early success Murphy should be admired. But for little else, really.
As a Limerick woman, I can only assume that Murphy did no real research into my city (unless you count drawing on news reports as concrete research). I love my city. I love the university in which I work. I love my family and friends, all from this great city. We are a city of culture, of beautiful scenery, of history, and of sport, among other things. Limerick isn't just what you hear on the news. It isn't downtown Beirut. It is so much more than the story of this book allows it to be. This story has been written by someone who, quite clearly, has barely stepped outside of the comfortable Dublin and Wicklow existence she has been limited in knowing.
So, yes, for her early success Murphy should be admired. But for little else, really.
July 21, 2013
I loved this book. There is so much going on being told from different points of view from different characters. I never knew what was going to happen next. This is a new adult novel that just blew me away. It deals with so many serious matters and really proves that people's appearances can be deceiving. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Emily's new book is a sequel or at least a spin off with some of the same characters. i'm off to google search and see if I can find anything out.
I'm really at a loss of words to rationally describe what makes this book amazing. I'm not sure if it's the complexity of the character's and the situations they face or if it's because the writing makes me feel like I'm standing in the character's shoes, even if I can't relate first hand to what they're going through. I mean I even liked the character's I didn't and shouldn't. Well almost, all of them. I hope I've made some sense. If not, then please read this book and let me know what you thought!
I'm really at a loss of words to rationally describe what makes this book amazing. I'm not sure if it's the complexity of the character's and the situations they face or if it's because the writing makes me feel like I'm standing in the character's shoes, even if I can't relate first hand to what they're going through. I mean I even liked the character's I didn't and shouldn't. Well almost, all of them. I hope I've made some sense. If not, then please read this book and let me know what you thought!
September 11, 2012
YOU & I is an excellent read that I found hard to set down. Author Emily Gillmor Murphy has done a great job with her first novel, as she portrays the coming of age angst of college students in Dublin. Her characters, especially Olive and Tom, eschew emotions and actions which run the range of feelings as they battle the uncertainty of life. I highly recommend YOU & I and find it worthy of five star rankings.
June 7, 2013
This is the typical unruly boy meets privileged girl and wins her over, not before nearly blowing it story. It was an enjoyable read but a little predictable at times.
I loved the little glimpses we are given into the lives of the other room mates which at times were more interesting than the main characters. I would have liked to see a little more of Beth.I really warmed to her.
All in all, a nice book.
I loved the little glimpses we are given into the lives of the other room mates which at times were more interesting than the main characters. I would have liked to see a little more of Beth.I really warmed to her.
All in all, a nice book.
January 3, 2014
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel which was bought for me as a Christmas present. At first I was quite dismissive, presuming it to be chick lit rubbish. However, the storyline was unexpected and dealt with serious issues with skill. It was an easy and enjoyable read that I managed to get through in a day!
January 29, 2021
Honesty it’s shite.. no character development, I never cared for the characters. Major life events as well as the development of the relationship between the main characters was skimmed over, nothing even happened between the main characters until over half way through the book.. also random chapters dedicated to side characters for no reason and never went anywhere. Plz don’t read :)
December 7, 2014
Dieses Buch hat mich sehr an die beiden Bände von Courtney Cole erinnert.
Diese waren wenigstens gut, was man von "Jetzt & hier & vllt für immer" nicht behaupten kann -.-
Diese waren wenigstens gut, was man von "Jetzt & hier & vllt für immer" nicht behaupten kann -.-
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February 16, 2016Attractive story
It can be a real story
It can be a real story
July 21, 2014
An easy read that I didn't put down. Left me with a smile at the end.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews