You Are Here by David Nicholls
I love going on walks. During Covid, I got used to taking daily walks to get out and break up the monotony of daily life. At first, it was just something to do, maybe getting out of my apartment for 20 minutes to stretch my legs, but those short walks soon became part of my everyday routine. My walks became vital for me to stay sane, so my 20-minute stroll had become a 2-hour exploration.
Maybe this is why I enjoyed reading someone else’s joy about putting one foot in front of the other. David Nicholls’ new book, You Are Here, is a story about friendship, opening your heart, and you guessed it, walking.
A Second Chance Romance
Michael is a geography teacher who is trying to heal his broken heart after fertility issues and a failed marriage by becoming a recluse, taking solitary walks along the countryside. Marnie is a copy editor city girl who curls up with a book and tries to avoid the sinking feeling that life is passing her by. These two lonely souls are brought together by a mutual friend for a 192-mile hike on England’s coast where the weather seems to be plotting against them. Michael is immediately all into the idea of hiking from coast-to-coast, while Marnie is planning on bailing after a couple of days. Fortunately for us readers, she begins to see the charm in hiking in the pouring rain.
The slow build of Michael and Marnie’s relationship is filled with nerdy exchanges which is so charming, plus I even managed to learn a little something from all of Michael’s geographic fun facts! While these characters are sweet, witty, and heartwarming, this is a David Nicholls book after all.
This author isn’t afraid to write about the not so pleasant parts of life, such as failed relationships or the possibility of dying alone, or other topics you wish you could avoid but that only make his story more real. Both Michael and Marnie are in such a vulnerable state as they both navigate through their insecurities, struggles with mental health, and trauma. Life isn’t always a picnic and I personally, love reading about stories that feel real, but still gives me that warm fuzzy feeling.
“Do I have to have hobbies and projects and lovers? Do I have to excel? Can’t I just be happy, or unhappy, just mess about and read and waste time and be unfulfilled by myself?”
Must-Read For “One Day” Fans
You Are Here isn’t an overly complicated story — in fact, it’s very simple — but filled with warmth, wit and characters who feel authentic and natural, which can resonate with a lot of us. While the plot is straightforward, David Nicholls gives us a story that deals with complexities of relationships and the battles we face in our lives. One theme that I found throughout this book was the joy of solitude. Being alone doesn’t always have to mean you’re lonely. It’s okay to be alone, but it’s also perfectly fine to open your heart, though it doesn’t have to be romantically.
If you are searching for something to soothe your soul after the utter heart-wrenching Netflix adaptation of One Day, this is just the ticket. And who knows, maybe Michael and Marnie will inspire your own walking exploration.
About David Nicholls:
David Nicholls is the bestselling author of Starter for Ten; The Understudy; One Day; Us, which was longlisted for the Booker Prize for Fiction; Sweet Sorrow; and You Are Here. He is also a screenwriter who has also written adaptations of Far from the Madding Crowd, When Did You Last See Your Father? and Great Expectations, as well as his own novels, Starter for Ten, One Day, and Us. His adaptation of Edward St Aubyn’s Patrick Melrose, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, was nominated for an Emmy and won him a BAFTA for best writer. Nicholls is also the Executive Producer and a contributing screenwriter on a new Netflix adaptation of One Day.
(Photo Credit: Sophia Spring)
