Book Review: You Are Here

Something I’ve always come to regret is how little I appreciated the United Kingdom’s rural environment before I moved away.  My dad loves walking through the natural countryside and coastal regions and I hated how little effort I made to take part in that with him.  As I’ve grown older and developed a more mature outlook on life, I yearn to appreciate a lot of the natural world around me.  Never let anyone tell you that you’re too old for certain things though, especially yourself.  Nature has and will always be there and patiently waits for you to take the brave step down the rocky trails whenever you feel so inclined.  That realisation that it’s never too late to take a new lease on life is something I feel we all need to acquire as soon as possible. Regret doesn’t have to be permanent, you can change the direction you are taking at any point, it just takes courage to make that kind of move. All of this serves as a core foundation for Allan Nicholls’ latest literary novel about a mid-life romance set on a cross-country trek across the dales of England.

You Are Here follows the perspective of two central characters. Marnie Walsh is an introverted book editor whose primary joy in life is getting cancellation notices on planned outings.  Her entire life has led her to believe there’s more comfort to be found within the four walls of her flat than the risk of venturing out the door. Michael Bradshaw can probably attest to that fear, having also suffered his fair share of pain and regrets.  Michael however finds more solace in being outdoors than in and constantly goes on hikes in hopes of keeping his mind off a looming divorce.  With both characters at risk of hitting a major mid-life crisis, their mutual friend arranges a weekend hiking trip in hopes of getting the two out and meeting new people.  Despite their reluctance, Marnie and Michael meet up with the holiday group and begin their highland trek from the west coast of England, with Michael planning to finish his own personal trek to the east coast. As they put one foot in front of the other, Michael and Marnie form an immediate connection through their exploration of the countryside and it’s on this trip they’ll confide in one another and hopefully come out of the trip with more than mud on their boots.

While I love a good romance book, I do find they often all fall into some overly predictable beats whether intentionally or not. Romance books often show the couple connecting and to set up a third and final act, they fall out by some circumstance or misunderstanding, only to get back together at the end.  I get the idea that romantic stories need tension and a risk of things not working out to give a sense of investment, otherwise you’re just reading something even more predictable.  I just wish there was a more interesting way of invoking that tension.  You Are Here sadly doesn’t offer a unique approach to that issue and instead it falls prey to it so easily. It’s annoying because I feel for the majority of the books page count it offers a unique romantic development but dampens its impact by putting a predictable trope on it.  It’s a consolation in that case that the unique romance outweighs the predictable sour note on the whole.  

I loved the way Nicholls wrote both Marnie and Michael both as individuals and as a blooming couple. Both have unique characteristics which make them likable and empathetic in their own right.  Marnie’s open sense of humour and outgoing nature makes her a good contrast for the more reserved Michael’s attitude but you see how the cracks in his armour begin to show as the two venture out further on their trip.  What I also find helps the narrative is the decision to make both these central characters a lot older than your typical romance stereotypes.  A lot of romance stories frame the narrative around young characters as it’s a more applicable demographic.  In this books case, the characters are much older and in turn their priorities and relationships feel different.  This isn’t a love at first sight sort of case, these are two people who feel slightly lost in their own lives and are beginning to feel stability with one another. It’s not completely devoid of romantic tropes, but it’s a much more mature approach to it I feel.

Tonally the book projects a nice amount of optimism and dry humour along the course of the duo’s adventure.  The way the characters and events are written out make for a very natural progression of the relationship between the pair.  Nicholls is smart enough to understand the nuances of a mature relationship and the banter the two shares is able to balance a lot of emotions.  I think that’s where the books finer strengths really come out to shine in all honesty.  This feels like an actual, genuine romance, not some artificially concocted vision of one.  These feel like real people confiding and learning from one another and honing in on the similarities and understanding the differences. Romance as a genre has fallen by the wayside a fair bit for me so it’s nice to be reminded there can be good romance stories out there, you just have to know where to look.

You Are Here is a book above love in many respects. On the top layer, it’s a story about love between two genuine people who find stability in each other’s company.  The deeper you unravel this book however; you see its love is given to more than just its characters. Its love is given to the environment around us, the trailers and avenues with the natural beauty it holds.  We are surrounded by a world which is teeming with hundreds upon hundreds of trails to walk. If you keep your feet up, who knows what you’ll truly discover by walking those paths, it’s fair to say though, just like this book, it’ll be an experience truly worthwhile.