His 'n Hers - Mike Gayle

Advantages: great read
Disadvantages: none

...did very much indeed! His 'n' hers' tell the story of Jim and Alison. As it starts in the present before going back in time, the reader knows right from the start that they were once married and very much in love but this is no longer the case. In fact their lives have moved on and they are now with other partners and are very happy. Sadly, it's the unexpected death of their cat Disco that causes them to meet once more but from this point we are ...
...really successful because he got his two main characters to tell the story. Sometimes Jim recounted what had happened and then Alison would tell the next bit. This made it easy to gain both their perspectives and to understand them and the reasons why they did certain things. It was easy to follow as well because every time Alison was telling the story it was produced in a bolder font than when Jim was telling it. I really loved the characters of ... Read review

Advantages: entertaining
Disadvantages: none

...I remember Mike Gayle from his agony uncle days at Bliss magazine, which is why I originally started reading his books. 'His 'N' Hers' tells the story of the relationship between two people called Jim and Alison. Jim and Alison met at university. They were together for years, purchased a flat together, got married and had a cat. Then they, very suddenly, got divorced, divided up their stuff and moved on with their lives. At the point at which the ...
...is that I never find his characters very lovable. I suppose this is because he makes them very lifelike and lifelike characters would tend to have more flaws than less lifelike ones! I got very cross with Jim in particular at several points in this book, he is such a wimp! 'His 'n' Hers' was Mike Gayle's fifth novel [he's written three more since], and I think it's his best. Mike Gayle's writing is very easy to read whilst not being a total insult ... Read review

Advantages: Its a great, easy read, that I found hard to put down
Disadvantages: You'll be finished it before the bus reaches the hotel from the airport

...of writing and marvel at his aptitude for it. Lets be honest, Mike Gayle is not going to win The Booker Prize. As with his other novels, His 'N' Hers is light and frothy - a cappuccino of the literary world. But isn't that what most of us look for anyway? I iidentify with all his characters in this book (and for that matter his other works) because they are evrymen/women. I can identify with them, understand them, and relate to their experiences. ...
...people can too. His 'N' Hers centres around a relationship - a relationship begun at university and carried on through the years. There are, as with all relationships, some major highs and some pretty major lows. You get to laugh at both the protaganists attempts at intially ignoring each other, then trying to ignore how much they like each other, and then their intial forays into the world of commitment and the consequences that brings. It has ... Read review

Advantages: Great holiday read, funny, modern, perfect for a Mike Gayle fan
Disadvantages: Bit predictable

...big downside. It's not his best novel to date, but he still continues to be my favourite author by far. The story is funny, modern and the hilarious relationship mishaps etc are true to life, which is why its funny. Mike Gayle has previously been described as writing novels that are the male equivelant of Bridget Jones, and I totally agree. The writing style is similar, and the characters are very likeable, although being a girl I suppose I can't ...
...the male population, but I can definitely see similarities in my male friends! Overall, the book is very readable, and is probably perfect for taking on holiday for poolside entertainment or keeping you occupied on the plane. Fair enough it's not the most original or in-depth story you'll ever read, but for me the most important aspect of a book is if it is entertaining. This book certainly entertained me, and if you are looking for a funny, non-demanding ... Read review

As ever, Mike Gayle has produced another gem of literature. His characters are so truly believable that you almost feel like you are being told about the adventures of a close friend. Gayle's style of writing means that once you have picked up this book, you won't be able to put it down. How many other writers create a character that you actually begin to miss when you have finished reading?