State of the Union by Nick Hornby

Title: State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 132

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

*Tom and Louise meet in a pub before their couple’s therapy appointment. Married for years, they thought they had a stable home life—until a recent incident pushed them to the brink.

Going to therapy seemed like the perfect solution. But over drinks before their appointment, they begin to wonder: what if marriage is like a computer? What if you take it apart to see what’s in there, but then you’re left with a million pieces?

Unfolding in the minutes before their weekly therapy sessions, the ten-chapter conversation that ensues is witty and moving, forcing them to look at their marriage—and, for the first time in a long time, at each other.*

A random library shelf pick. I had heard of the television adaptation of the book and I always want to read the book before seeing the adaptation. This is a slim little novella featuring the scenes from a marriage was an interesting experience to read. We only get so much information from Tom and Louise. In fact most of the writing is dialogue. There’s very few descriptions throughout. I read this in one day, picking through each week’s entry. Overall, I really enjoyed this novella. Although there isn’t a big definite ending and I’m not sure it’s the happiest book. It’s very much in line with the mood of Hornby’s other works. I can’t wait to watch the television show.

Next up on the TBR pile: