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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brutally honest in a way that makes me sad for straight women. Zoë Kravitz is awesome though.
HOT TAKE™: The hulu series of High Fidelity is the best iteration.
I watched the show and loved it so much, I decided to give the novel a shot, despite not really caring for the Nick Hornby books I've read in the past. I do think this was better than others I've read by him, but I still was not super sold, and don't necessarily think I would've liked the book alone if I had read it before the movie/show.
As a music nerd who who's super into making Top X lists for everything, I went into this assuming that Rob was either A. Me, or B. My soulmate. I hope to god he is neither. Rob was selfish and mopey and self-deprecating in a very dull way. My 4- and 5- star books are usually ones where I either love or loathe the protagonist (there are obviously some exceptions here), and while I disliked Rob, he wasn't interesting enough for me to hate him.
One of my main issues with the story was that Rob seemingly did not develop at all as a character. He'd have minor epiphanies here and there about his behavior, but overall the progression kind of fell flat for me.
While I couldn't connect with Rob, or any of the characters really, I didn't struggle to get through the book. It was an interesting enough story that I still wanted to know what would come next, and whether Rob and Laura would ultimately end up together. Note: I definitely did not root for that to happen, because Laura seemed pretty cool and successful on her own. At least one full star in my opinion is attributed solely to the line: "What came first, the music or the misery?" A true highlight of the novel.
Overall, not a bad read but not a great one either. I think I just had much higher expectations for it.
I watched the show and loved it so much, I decided to give the novel a shot, despite not really caring for the Nick Hornby books I've read in the past. I do think this was better than others I've read by him, but I still was not super sold, and don't necessarily think I would've liked the book alone if I had read it before the movie/show.
As a music nerd who who's super into making Top X lists for everything, I went into this assuming that Rob was either A. Me, or B. My soulmate. I hope to god he is neither. Rob was selfish and mopey and self-deprecating in a very dull way. My 4- and 5- star books are usually ones where I either love or loathe the protagonist (there are obviously some exceptions here), and while I disliked Rob, he wasn't interesting enough for me to hate him.
One of my main issues with the story was that Rob seemingly did not develop at all as a character. He'd have minor epiphanies here and there about his behavior, but overall the progression kind of fell flat for me.
Spoiler
Basically, he threw himself a lil fit and lucked himself back into his relationship with Laura, and then continued his f-boy behavior, because he learned nothing.While I couldn't connect with Rob, or any of the characters really, I didn't struggle to get through the book. It was an interesting enough story that I still wanted to know what would come next, and whether Rob and Laura would ultimately end up together. Note: I definitely did not root for that to happen, because Laura seemed pretty cool and successful on her own. At least one full star in my opinion is attributed solely to the line: "What came first, the music or the misery?" A true highlight of the novel.
Overall, not a bad read but not a great one either. I think I just had much higher expectations for it.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
When I was in high school I bought a Nirvana t-shirt from H&M for $10. I was a fan, although I have to admit I don’t think I’ve ever listened to Bleach all the way through. I’m a Nevermind/In Utero (feat. MTV Unplugged) gal. But every time I wore the t-shirt out in public, at age 15 or 16 or 17, I studied a mental list of my top 10 Nirvana songs, or any 10 Nirvana songs, in case a music bro™ asked me, and I made sure I could list them fast without hesitation, and the order in which I listed these songs mattered - “Serve the Servants” and “Something in the Way” had to preceed “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Come as You Are”. I had to prove I knew the “”deep cuts”” and not just the radio friendly unit shifters (
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t know how to feel about this book. Rob’s self-absorbed and rarely self-accountable and clearly doesn’t know as much about women as he thinks he does, but I do see myself in him a worryingly large amount. He has a way of echoing how I feel/think when I’m in my lowest moods, which is kinda gratifying in a way, that those feelings are universal. Hornby has a real talent for that kind of observation. But it’s also kinda terrifying that I could relate in any way to someone so douchey.
I’m also of two minds about the ending— on one hand, I like how true to life it is. There’s no large climax, he’s not “fixed” by the end, none of his problems are definitively solved. He’s taken an itty bitty step towards consideration of other people at the end, and step by itty bitty step is generally how growth works. On the other, climaxes are there for a reason. It feels like there’s something missing or that very little actually happened and it leaves me cold. (It doesn’t help that the general vibe I got around this story is as if there’s some big showdown where he has to choose between Laura and Marie — I’m very happy there’s not, but I was gearing up for it.) Also, it’s a little annoying that Laura comes in and basically makes him take his first steps towards becoming a better person with no real change or input from him.
I dunno. Still mulling over it.
I’m also of two minds about the ending
I dunno. Still mulling over it.
Pretty darn funny, classic 90’s boy English humour. Easy read at the beach.
Everyone who thinks he or she glows with an inner cool thinks he or she understands this book in a way that is more savvy, more sophisticated, and yes, more awesome than anyone else. They are wrong. I, however, get it. Yep. Just try to argue with me.
I love this book because it understands something that all geeks understand: that the nerds, the dorks, the dweebs, the wimps and even the lowly geek is actually about a bazillion times cooler than the people conventionally thought of as cool. The characters are losers. But they are bright, funny, and above all else, knowledgeable in everything music. They may not understand responsibility or adult relationships, but who needs that when you've got soul??
I love watching the losers grow up a bit, and I even like the slightly untidy ending. This is a fun read.
I love this book because it understands something that all geeks understand: that the nerds, the dorks, the dweebs, the wimps and even the lowly geek is actually about a bazillion times cooler than the people conventionally thought of as cool. The characters are losers. But they are bright, funny, and above all else, knowledgeable in everything music. They may not understand responsibility or adult relationships, but who needs that when you've got soul??
I love watching the losers grow up a bit, and I even like the slightly untidy ending. This is a fun read.
I first read High Fidelity in my senior year of high school as an assignment for my British Comic Novel course. As a result, my copy of the book has many underlined and starred passages, indicating to me what seemed to be important as an 18-year-old with minimal life experience.
Now, as a thirtysomething, the book reads entirely differently to me. I identify with different points, and I understand different frustrations (for the narrator and for everyone who has to interact with him). I think, at the end of the book, I identify most with Liz.
Now, as a thirtysomething, the book reads entirely differently to me. I identify with different points, and I understand different frustrations (for the narrator and for everyone who has to interact with him). I think, at the end of the book, I identify most with Liz.
