The Understudy: Amazon.co.uk: David Nicholls: Books

Review

'I adored "The Understudy". It's a fantastic comedy ... delightfully written and makes you realise that even though some people are always cast as second best, that doesn't mean they're never winners.' -- New Woman 20050401 'A comic genius' -- Maria Beaumont on David Nicholls 20050401 'Brilliant... we would recommend it to anyone' -- Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on STARTER FOR T 20050401 'I laughed a lot' -- Jeremy Paxman on STARTER FOR TEN 20050401 'Moving, wickedly observed, warm, uplifting and above all blindingly funny, Starter for Ten hits the spot time after time. Read this book' -- Jack on STARTER FOR TEN 20050401 'A zippy comedy with laugh-out-loud lines, grounded on a solid plot and first-rate dialogue...irresistible' -- Daily Mail 20050408 'Bitterly funny' -- Observer 20050508 'Darkly funny and oddly romantic.' -- More 20050501 'An unusual mix of cynicism and romance - no slush, just lots of laughs!' -- Company 20050505 'A brilliantly funny book.' -- Marie Claire 20050505 'Hugely entertaining with a high ratio of chuckles and snorts per chapter.' -- Good Book Guide 20050405 'A funky, less-fluffy-than-funny rom com.' -- Metro 20050414 'Deeply funny, with brilliant dialogue.' -- Good Housekeeping 20050401 'Sweet and funny.' -- Eve 20050505 Book of the Month -- Red 20050501 'Highly enjoyable ... both knowing and charming.' -- Mirror Ticket 20050325 'Both hilarious and heartbreaking.' -- Hannah Stephenson, various regional papers inc 20050329 'Funniest book of the year' -- Marie Claire 20060101 'Romantic comedy with a charming British accent...plenty of material for screwball hilarity... His prose is laugh-out-loud funny... This jaunty, big-hearted novel is chick lit with a Y-chromosome.' -- Kirk US Reviews 20050815 'Brilliantly written and very funny' -- Closer, 4 stars 20050815 'Sharply funny...wonderfully chaotic' -- The Times 20050815 'The set pieces of social embarrassment are neatly threaded together, and there are some well-crafted tender moments too... It could hold its own against a Richard Curtis script' -- Independent on Sunday 20050815 'An entertaining follow-up to Nicholls' brilliant debut' -- Heat, top ten books for March 20050815

Review

'I adored "The Understudy". It's a fantastic comedy ... delightfully written and makes you realise that even though some people are always cast as second best, that doesn't mean they're never winners.' (New Woman 20050505)

'A comic genius' (Maria Beaumont on David Nicholls 20050501)

'Brilliant... we would recommend it to anyone' (Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on STARTER FOR T 20050325)

'I laughed a lot' (Jeremy Paxman on STARTER FOR TEN 20050329)

'Moving, wickedly observed, warm, uplifting and above all blindingly funny, Starter for Ten hits the spot time after time. Read this book' (Jack on STARTER FOR TEN 20060101)

'A zippy comedy with laugh-out-loud lines, grounded on a solid plot and first-rate dialogue...irresistible' (Daily Mail 20050815)

'Bitterly funny' (Observer 20050815)

'Darkly funny and oddly romantic.' (More 20050815)

'An unusual mix of cynicism and romance - no slush, just lots of laughs!' (Company 20050815)

'A brilliantly funny book.' (Marie Claire 20050815)

'Hugely entertaining with a high ratio of chuckles and snorts per chapter.' (Good Book Guide )

'A funky, less-fluffy-than-funny rom com.' (Metro )

'Deeply funny, with brilliant dialogue.' (Good Housekeeping )

'Sweet and funny.' (Eve )

Book of the Month (Red )

'Highly enjoyable ... both knowing and charming.' (Mirror Ticket )

'Both hilarious and heartbreaking.' (Hannah Stephenson, various regional papers inc )

'Funniest book of the year' (Marie Claire )

'Romantic comedy with a charming British accent....plenty of material for screwball hilarity... His prose is laugh-out-loud funny... This jaunty, big-hearted novel is chick lit with a Y-chromosome.'
(Kirk US Reviews )

'Brilliantly written and very funny' (Closer, 4 stars )

'Sharply funny...wonderfully chaotic' (The Times )

'The set pieces of social embarrassment are neatly threaded together, and there are some well-crafted tender moments too... It could hold its own against a Richard Curtis script' (Independent on Sunday )

'An entertaining follow-up to Nicholls' brilliant debut' (Heat, top ten books for March )

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Customer Reviews

3.4 out of 5 stars

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 83 people found the following review helpful

This man is a comic writer to treasure 11 Jun 2005

By Sam Holliday VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I am a sucker for a good modern, intelligent, well-written comedy. And I use the word 'sucker' advisedly because I have been let down by so many blurbs on the back of books which promise all of the above as well as the ubiquitous 'laugh out loud' lie. Well I can genuinely say David Nicholls is in danger of making the phrase 'laugh out loud' credible again.
I loved his first book - Starter for Ten - about one student's burning quest to get on University Challenge and I feared he could not match that with this, his second novel. But he has - big style.
This is another excellent, stylish modern day comedy which 'stars' a young, desperate-for-success jobbing actor whose only real claim to fame is his name - Steve McQueen. That, however, seems the only way he will ever sees 'his' name in lights as he spends his days as an understudy for a God-like West End actor and fills in with excruciating bit-parts in children's videos and even as a 'what's my motivation' dead person in a TV murder plot.
This is a lovely book which seems very knowing about the 'luvvy' acting world without ever patronising it and is full of great characters and genuinely funny set-pieces. And for once this is a comedy book that does exactly what it says on the tin - it is witty, warm and very, very readable. David Nicholls is a writer to cherish. Already.

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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

Three and a half stars is probably about right... 21 July 2006

By Richard_S

Format:Paperback

...but I'll be generous, as this is a very likeable book which both I and my wife enjoyed - indeed, I stayed up late last night to finish it, which must be a good sign.

And yet, I can see why people have been a bit grudging in their praise. It doesn't quite fully satisfy somehow - possibly it could do with editing down a little, and the ending isn't as clear-cut as you might like. The whole thing feels a little out of focus, and doesn't make the most of the situations and characters that are created.

But there is a lot more good stuff than bad, and it's very well-written. I think what chiefly drew me back each night is the central character and the pleasant, sincere, knowing authorial voice that Mr Nicholls creates for him... and a sneaking empathy for the fear of never quite "making it" that all of us late thirty-something males have.

Buy it, because it's still better than 90% of the other "light entertainment" books out there.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful

Brilliant 24 Jun 2005

By KateP

This is my first Amazon review - I just had to write it as this book is just so brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed Starter for Ten, Nicholls' previous book, but this was even better.
The original plot is a page turner, and it is genuinely laugh out loud funny. I have never read a book described as "laugh out loud funny" and actually laughed out loud - until this one. Some of his descriptions of the characters are wonderful. He mentions little mannerisms which just sum them up so completely.
This is a wonderful light read. Buy it.