UKC

'Us', by David Nicholls. Oh my goodness, I've just had my heart picked open.

This must be the most perfectly emotionally pitched novel I've ever read, and possibly one of the best books I've ever read full stop. I loved 'One Day' and expected this to be good - expecting too, I think, a similar heartbreaking punch - but it's genuinely wonderful beyond my expectations. Not happy, nor comfortable, nor tragic - it treads a delicate line which never tips into sentimentality.

It is just... life. Life and family and marriage told so perfectly you're almost inhabiting it.

In reply to Alyson:

I shall read it.

In reply to Yanis Nayu:

Good, good, good! I'd love to know what you think.

In reply to Alyson:

Ah, a book thread! Great.

I've just read "Aurora" by Kim Stanley Robinson (science fiction with a heavy emphasis on science). I won't spoil it, but it gets steadily more poignant and heart breaking, and ends on a bittersweet positive note. Not easy going, but worth the effort. One of the most memorable books I've read in a while.

"Us" looks most intriguing - I'll have to give it a whirl

In reply to pneame:

I got it last week on the 'buy one get one half price' tables at Waterstones so it's worth looking out for if you've currently got another recent paperback on your wish list.

In reply to Alyson:

I've migrated to Kindle books - in the interests of being able to move around at home....
Although not so good for sharing.