Lynne’s review of Us > Likes and Comments

I hear you , Lynne ! And definitely want to read that one. Wonderful review . Also thanks for the rec :)

Agnieszka wrote: "I hear you , Lynne ! And definitely want to read that one. Wonderful review . Also thanks for the rec :)"

Agnieszka,
I was entranced and mesmerized with this book. It's wonderful so do read it!

Thank you, Lynne, for this great review and for recommending this book to me. I had briefly read about it before, but now you sparked my interest about it. Added to my list. Thanks again! :-)

Thanks for that Renato. I don't normally recommend books but this really touched me.

Love your Stansted story, Lynne - had to overnight there recently myself after missing a connecting flight and sympathize with everything down to the Caesar salad episode! W H Smith is what frustrate me the most about that airport though - I never find anything I want to read there. You were lucky - I would have missed that book as I have bad memories of a previous title of Nicholls' - One Day. This one sounds much, much better.

Tks for recommend.

Correction: author is David Nicholls not Douglas Peterson.

MJ wrote: "Correction: author is David Nicholls not Douglas Peterson."

You're quite right MJ. Several other people have already pointed this out and I'm going to change it now!

Thanks for that. Greatly appreciated.

Lynne wrote: "Thanks for that."

Sorry for the pedantic poke. Great review!

MJ,

A pedantic poke. My... There are various interpretations to that of course!

I rewrote the review too.

Fionnuala wrote: "Love your Stansted story, Lynne - had to overnight there recently myself after missing a connecting flight and sympathize with everything down to the Caesar salad episode! W H Smith is what frustra..."

No Fionnuala there was quite a good selection in W.H. Smiths on that day. Normally I cannot find anything.

I've rewritten the review too as the previous one did not do the book justice.

As opposed to other goodreaders, I enjoyed Nicholls' previos book "One Day" (the movie wasn't half as good though), even though I'll admit the story was clichéd and overly tragic, but I did enjoy the banter between the characters. I have also read his Starter for Ten and spent a couple of days laughing out loud like a loony. Nicholls' writing can be funny like that. He is perfect to read on planes so finding him in Stansted Airport makes a lot of sense! :) Don't know about the previous version, but I loved reading this edited review Lynne, thank you.

A great review, but I'm slightly wary of this: I'm virtually the same age as Nicholls, and we attended the same university (not that we knew each other), so his previous two novels, especially Starter for Ten, had intriguing parallels with my own life. I'm not sure I want to see parallels with a dysfunctional couple who have a son the same age as mine!

Cecily wrote: "A great review, but I'm slightly wary of this: I'm virtually the same age as Nicholls, and we attended the same university (not that we knew each other), so his previous two novels, especially Star..."

Thank you Caroline and did I laugh at your last sentence!

An excellent review

- a son named Egg??!!

>>. I only wanted one book and ended up with six.
definitely relate to that!

I worry, as Cecily, that this book, with a couple close to my age with a "grown-up" son (Egg) - might be too perilous to embark on - but if it has humour I can appreciate that!

Mikey B. wrote: "An excellent review

- a son named Egg??!!

>>. I only wanted one book and ended up with six.
definitely relate to that!

I worry, as Cecily, that this book, with a couple close to my age with a "..."

Thanks Mikey.

Yes I also wondered how the Egg came in as a name!

Actually the book is full of humour and Albie seems to be your typical teenager who can be "difficult" at times! But there is indeed fun in his antics...

Looks like one with real potential if you and the Man Booker committee agree, Lynne. Thanks for the excellent review letting us know.

As for the name Egg, maybe it's a shortened variant of an all-too literal sobriquet Egg and Sperm. :-)

Dolors wrote: "As opposed to other goodreaders, I enjoyed Nicholls' previos book "One Day" (the movie wasn't half as good though), even though I'll admit the story was clichéd and overly tragic, but I did enjoy t..."

Thanks for your comment Dolors. Yes there are mixed reviews on his previous books. I've read quite a few of them but liking a book, as we all know, is a question of taste but I just loved this book! It struck a chord with me and that's the main thing.

You are always a great encouragement to me Dolors. This, as you know, has not been a good year...

Steve wrote: "Looks like one with real potential if you and the Man Booker committee agree, Lynne. Thanks for the excellent review letting us know.

As for the name Egg, maybe it's a shortened variant of an all..."

You are so funny Steve! Thank you. Made my evening.

Steve wrote: "As for the name Egg, maybe it's a shortened variant of an all-too literal sobriquet Egg and Sperm. :-) "

Or more prosaically, it might be a diminutive of Edgar, like Egg in the 1990s TV drama "This Life".

It sounds wonderful Lynne! Adding it to my list.

Jeffrey wrote: "It sounds wonderful Lynne! Adding it to my list."

Jeffrey, Please read this soon. You would write such a wonderful review!

Great review!

Gina wrote: "Great review!"

Thank you very much Gina. All I can say ad nauseum is do read the book! You won't regret it and that's for sure.

He is called "Egg" because Albie-albumen-egg white-egg. It is mentioned a least twice in the text.

Have to admit that I was surprised so many obviously careful readers missed that. Other than that, loved the review, loved the book.

Ronna wrote: "Have to admit that I was surprised so many obviously careful readers missed that. Other than that, loved the review, loved the book."

Thank you Ronna. Sorry for the belated reply but I haven't been on Goodreads too much recently. Too busy workwise regrettably!

Going through your review gave a happy sort of déjà vu and I am glad we can feel a certain joy if not absolute joy when we turn the last page.

Oh wonderful, Lynne! It is a tragicomedy indeed! Ah.. Why didn't I think of that adjective in my review? :)

Seemita wrote: "Going through your review gave a happy sort of déjà vu and I am glad we can feel a certain joy if not absolute joy when we turn the last page.

Oh wonderful, Lynne! It is a tragicomedy indeed! Ah....."

Glad that we both thought alike on this review!

Hmm, I wonder if the reviewer selected to do the review in the style of the book's narrator by accident. I mean the airport and all those people around are just as irritating as insufficient amount of detergent in the dishwasher that Douglas finds so frustrating.

Misha wrote: "Hmm, I wonder if the reviewer selected to do the review in the style of the book's narrator by accident. I mean the airport and all those people around are just as irritating as insufficient amount..."

Hello Misha,

Sorry for the delay in responding to your comment.

Looking at this review again, I agree with you wholeheartedly that the comment about the airport was irritating but then that was the way I was feeling at the time. Ideas do indeed change...

Good review, but for the fact you called Albie wretched. Makes me think you have never had a son let alone a teenaged son.