Title: About a Boy
Author: Nick Hornby
Type: Fiction
Page Count/Review Word Count: 280
Rating: 8/10
Nick Hornby – About a Boy
You might have heard of About a Boy because of its movie adaptation starring Hugh Grant; personally, I read the book before I saw the film, and while the film was okay I think that the book is far superior. But then, it is written by Nick Hornby, an author who doesn’t get as much respect as he deserves.
And I’m going to assume that you know a little bit about the plot as well, and so I won’t go in to that – the one thing that I will say, though, is that the death of Kurt Cobain has a pivotal role in the novel but is omitted entirely from the film, which I wasn’t too pleased about. Hornby’s writing is bang-on, and it pulls at the heartstrings and makes it easy for you to relate to the characters.
In fact, it’s so absorbing that as you read it, you’re forced to ask yourself which of the characters you see a reflection of yourself in, and I reckon that most people would be able to pick somebody out. It’s just that sort of book, and the events that shape it are very much a reflection of the characters, which helps the book to feel cohesive. It’s well-researched, well-written and a good, solid read – not mindblowing perhaps, but certainly a long way from terrible.
And so if you haven’t read About a Boy yet, I’d recommend that you give it a try. Especially if you haven’t seen the film, either – I just feel as though it kind of ruins it.
Nick Hornby
