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    The Understudy
    The Understudy
    The Understudy
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Understudy

    Written by David Nicholls

    Narrated by Tristan Layton

    3/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Steve C. McQueen (not that other Steve McQueen) is waiting-and waiting-for his big break.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHighbridge Company
    Release dateSep 22, 2005
    ISBN9781598872408
    The Understudy
    Author

    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.

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    Reviews for The Understudy

    3/5

    8 ratings6 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I actually won this book on Goodreads.com. Its about a wannabe actor and the struggles he goes through. The main character has a case of the "poor me" syndrome. I probably wouldn't have picked it up if it wasn't for winning the book. I thought the book was okay but not on of my favorite. The writing just didn't draw me in.
    • 4/5
      The understudy is about an actor named Stephen McQueen who is always the runner-up. He's the actor who gets invited to the birthday party of the star of his play and it's to bartend. He meets the stars lonely wife, befriends her and falls in love with her. The most interesting aspect of this book was his relationship with his 7 yr old daughter by his ex-wife.
    • 3/5
      I loved his book 'One Day.' It is one of my all-time favorite books. So I thought I might read another one of his books. Well, this one didn't quite live up to my expectations. While it wasn't a bad book, I just didn't love it. One Day was so unique and amazing. This book just didn't have the same individuality.
    • 3/5
      Having thoroughly enjoyed Starter for Ten and One Day, I was slightly surprised at how disappointing this novel was but we all have our bad days, I suppose. The self-deprecation and delusion that is ordinarily charming in many of Nicholls' characters is rather pathetic in Stephen. Nicholls should be congratulated in succeeding in creating some truly cringeworthy moments, but again I often felt more like rolling my eyes and shaking Stephen than patting his shoulder and assuring him we all have moments like that. Although this is relatively lacklustre compared to his other efforts, I remain a fan of Nicholls' work and still number him amongst my favourite contemporary British comic writers.
    • 5/5
      This was a great read - laugh out loud funny from the word go. It has just the right blend of humour and tragedy, with the hint of a major catastrophe coming down the tracks. Anyone who has read his first novel, 'Starter for Ten' will have an idea of the sort of thing to expect. Side splitting, toe curling, it kept me turning the pages at a furious pace.
    • 2/5
      I thought this was funny, but not funny enough for me to care about what happens to these characters. I wonder whether I have up on them too soon. The main protagonist is a bit of a loser, although we know he shouldn't be, his daughter is disappointed in him, and he is the understudy to the 12th most beautiful man in the world, who never seems to have to try to get acting jobs, as well as being married to the beautiful and scarred Nora. I loved One Day so I wished that this was the same.