Between Us
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
What is most praiseworthy is the novel's precise capture of the 'middle ground' of intimate relationships—the unspoken expectations, the accumulating barriers, and the misunderstandings bred in silence. Levy does not simply blame either party for the marital problems; instead, through alternating perspectives, he lets readers enter both the husband's and the wife's inner worlds and understand their respective struggles and longings. This symmetrical narration not only heightens the story's tension but also offers a valuable exercise in empathy.
In a contemporary literary market awash with sentiment, the book's restrained expression is especially rare. The author avoids cheap sentimentality and instead builds emotional weight through everyday details: a missed call, an interrupted conversation, a note left on the fridge... The cumulative effect of these tiny cracks ultimately reveals both the essential fragility of modern intimacy and its potential for resilience.
Especially noteworthy is the novel's handling of time. The two narrative lines advance separately while also meeting ingeniously at key moments; the structure itself is a metaphor for the dynamic balance between the individual and the union in marriage. For readers familiar with Levy's early romantic style, this book may come as a surprise—it proves a bestselling writer's courage and ability to push beyond his own boundaries.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- People in a marriage or long-term relationship who want to reflect deeply on their patterns of communication
- Literary readers who enjoy delicate psychological portraiture and family narratives
- Marc Levy's loyal readers who want to see how his style has evolved
- Those interested in the study of human relationships from sociological and psychological perspectives
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for strong dramatic conflict or fast-paced plotting
- Those who prefer traditional romantic love stories and avoid the realities of marriage
Reading tips
- Couples are encouraged to read it together and take turns reading chapters from the different perspectives
- While reading, notice how the author uses details of objects (such as furniture and clothing) to hint at changes in the characters' relationships
- After finishing, consider: which of the 'unspoken words' in the book resonate most with you
About the publisher
Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House is a publisher known for its literary titles, with a catalogue spanning foreign literature, world classics, classical Chinese literature, essays and miscellaneous writings, and mystery and detective fiction. Judging from the more than 1,100 books in the database, the press publishes foreign classics such as Crime and Punishment, Snow Country, The Complete Sherlock Holmes and Letter from an Unknown Woman, as well as Chinese classical and modern literary works including Lu Xun's Wandering and A Madman's Diary and Wu Jingzi's The Scholars. In terms of translators and authors, translations by Cao Guowei and Tan Jinghua appear in its foreign literature titles, and the authors involved include Dostoevsky, Kawabata Yasunari, Conan Doyle and Zweig. Its publishing character lies in introducing Chinese and foreign literary classics side by side, balancing popular and serious works and attending to both readability and literary value. Public information is limited; the above is a brief overview based solely on the books in the database.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 楔子
- 第一章 从巴黎到伦敦
- 第二章 打破的墙
- 第三章 逃离书店
- 第四章 爱是琐碎的
- 第五章 说出口的话
- 第六章 春天终会来临
- 第七章 光荣与骄傲
- 第八章 假期之后
- 第九章 真正的眩晕
- 第十章 我们之间
- 尾声
- 致谢
FAQ
Is this book very different in style from The Shadow Thief?
Is the ending pessimistic or hopeful?
Is it suitable as a gift for a partner?
Comments
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About the author
Marc Levy, born in 1961 in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France, is a contemporary French novelist widely popular with readers. At the age of 37 he entered the literary world with his debut novel If Only It Were True, which brought him instant fame; since then he has continued to write and has for many years ranked among France's best-selling novelists of the year. His works are generally classified as foreign literature, and he is skilled at unfolding emotion and suspense within everyday situations, moving readers with light, vivid storytelling. The collection includes four of his works: The First Day, The First Night, Between Us, and A Feeling Stronger Than Fear, alongside such representative titles as The Shadow Thief, The Istanbul Holiday, and If It All Came Back. Because public information is limited, details of his personal life and writing are not elaborated here.
Chen Xiao is a writer about whom limited public information is available. The library currently holds three works by this author: The Unfinished Summer, Between Us, and Alba in the Dark. These titles suggest a range that spans mystery and detective fiction, foreign literature, and social science, indicating an interest in moving between fictional narrative and more informative, knowledge-oriented writing. The representative work Alba in the Dark carries a distinctly foreign setting, while The Unfinished Summer and Between Us stay closer to everyday emotions and relationships. As the author's real name, nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background remain unconfirmed, a fuller picture of the writing and its development awaits further material; the three available works serve as an initial guide to the author's thematic interests and prose style and may be of note to readers interested in mystery narratives and cross-genre writing.
