About a book. (About a Boy - Nick Hornby)

Member Name: RU5H1NG

Product:	About a Boy - Nick Hornby
Date:	28/10/09 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Charming, raw, touching.

Disadvantages: I cannot think of any!

Will is 36 and has never had to work a day in his life, floating from day to day without any real purpose apart from dinner dates and fast cars. Marcus is 12 and comes from a low-income single parent family and has had a tough time being bullied at school. In a bizarre twist of fate, their paths cross and between them they learn what life is really about.

This charming 'page-turner' is packed full of comedy, tragedy and romance which give this story all the qualities of a modern classic. Hornby has that rare talent of being able to observe life in its rawest form without removing any of the beauty of it; from a single mother's severe depression to the emotional problems of a goth teenager, these subjects and many more are tackled in such a way that you see the world differently after putting the book down.

There are many references to popular icons in the 90s such as the death of Kurt Cobain, Macaulay Culkin, "Free Willy" etc... this is a nice touch particularly for anyone in their late twenties; I found myself reminiscing about popular music and films that I had previously forgotten about from my teens.

Although the film is wonderful (Nick Hornby had quite a lot of say in how it was made), it is still nothing compared to the book. The book will give you the detail and feeling that the film can only hope to portray. At some points I found myself feeling close to tears or laughter as I went on this rollercoaster journey of emotion with these complex characters. It will leave you wanting more.

Summary: Nick Hornby is a genius.