David Nicholls

Fiction 2024 | 349 pages

Since it took me 30 pages to figure out what this book us about, I thought I would make the opening chapters easier for you.  From Wikipedia:

"You Are Here is a 2024 romance novel by British writer David Nicholls. The novel centers on two middle-aged protagonists, who unexpectedly find themselves together on a long-distance walking trail across northern England after being brought together by a mutual friend."

Marnie is stuck in life.  Stuck working alone in her London flat, stuck battling the long afternoons and a life that increasingly feels like it's passing her by.  Michael, on the other hand, is coming undone. Reeling from his wife's departure, increasingly reclusive, taking himself on long, solitary walks.

A mutual friend invites them both on a walk across England, sea to sea.

The story is sweet.  The writing is good.  Yet, I fell asleep about every third page.  I finally figured it out; it was simply a boring book.  It moved too slow for me, with little adventure or intrigue.  I am glad to be done with You Are Here and I do not recommend it.  Suggested as a summer read by The Week magazine.

August 2024