Sweet Sorrow (Nicholls) - Book Reviews

Book Reviews
A beautiful paean to young love.… Sweet Sorrow is a book that does what Nicholls does best… pinning the narrative to a love story that manages to be moving without ever tipping over into sentimentality, all of it composed with deftness, intelligence and, most importantly, humour. We may think of Nicholls as a writer of heartbreakers… but he has always been a comic novelist and Sweet Sorrow is full of passages of laugh-out-loud… humour.
Guardian (UK)


Nicholls' literary talents are impressive…. [T]he sense of nostalgia is visceral and intense, almost time-bending.
Sunday Times (UK)


A compassionate, intelligent look at the raw pain and loneliness of a teenage boy, the everyday miracle of first love and the perennial power of Shakespeare’s language.
Spectator (UK)


[A]n ideal blend of the gently humorous and utterly heartfelt…, and readers are liable to find their thoughts drifting over their own misspent school holidays or crushingly ardent first loves. Bag a copy immediately, because this has got "perfect summer read" smeared all over it like so much factor 30.
Independent (UK)


[T]he novel skips along merrily; the repartee frequently sparkles, the jokes are genuinely funny, walk-on characters are brilliantly sketched into life, and his genuine affection for the main players is evident throughout.
Financial Times (UK)


Nicholls excels at capturing Charlie’s insecurity, the messy exuberance of first love, and the coarseness of teenage male friendships…. A good deal of fun.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review) With his usual grace, Nicholls plumbs human relationships… offering a singular reading experience…. Nicholls masterfully unfolds events. The depth of feeling between friends, family members, and lovers, first time or not—Nicholls captures it all. Highly recommended.
Library Journal


(Starred review) With fully fleshed-out characters, terrific dialogue, bountiful humor, and genuinely affecting scenes, this is really the full package of a rewarding, romantic read.
Booklist


[L]eisurely, nostalgic, and often amusing…. Charlie and his theatrical colleagues make good company, and even the fraught family situation is satisfactorily resolved. An old-fashioned, endearing romance for readers with time to spare.
Kirkus Reviews