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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
Not the book for me. It was a slog getting through it. I wasn’t invested in the characters at all. I didn’t get the humor. The music aspect was not quite to my taste. I thought some of the writing style was fairly interesting and I wouldn’t necessarily not read another book by Nick Hornsby, but I’m glad I’m done with this one.
This book is about a lot of things that I know nothing or close to nothing about--music, running a record store, living in Britain, making Top Five lists, growing up a boy, how guys think, how guys think about women, etc. But despite having so little in common with the main character Rob, I found that oddly enough, we did have things in common.
Rob worries (I say 'worries', but 'moans', 'bitches', 'sulks', would all probably be better descriptive words) about a lot of the same things I am worried about. Things like the always daunting questions: What am I doing with my life? What do I want to be when I grow up? How did I get to this point in my life?
Nick Hornby is a wonderful writer and you don't have to be an expert in music or a boy to understand what is at the heart of this story--life, love and loss. Overall what I take away is a whole lot more than what Rob 'worries' about.
If you can, avoid watching the movie before reading this book. It through me off through most of the book cause I was picturing Jack Black and then his character would say something like, "Bollocks", and those things just didn't coincide.
Rob worries (I say 'worries', but 'moans', 'bitches', 'sulks', would all probably be better descriptive words) about a lot of the same things I am worried about. Things like the always daunting questions: What am I doing with my life? What do I want to be when I grow up? How did I get to this point in my life?
Nick Hornby is a wonderful writer and you don't have to be an expert in music or a boy to understand what is at the heart of this story--life, love and loss. Overall what I take away is a whole lot more than what Rob 'worries' about.
If you can, avoid watching the movie before reading this book. It through me off through most of the book cause I was picturing Jack Black and then his character would say something like, "Bollocks", and those things just didn't coincide.
funny
lighthearted
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
Light and pretty entertaining! It was great to read while at the same time reading a non-fiction, but I also never got fully into it. Probably because the main character is an unrelatable dick.
Disfruté mucha esta lectura aún cuando conocía la trama y amo la película. En el texto encontré muchos detalles que había pasado por alto. Al final de la lectura terminé por armar mis propias listas de reproducción, conocí mucha música que nunca antes había escuchado y pensé en mis top-5 listas de casi todo.
La reflexión, y comezón, que me queda es que aunque para muchos siga pareciéndonos una lectura fresca y actual, para otros más jóvenes puede que les resulte algo completamente ajeno y anticuando. Para ellos será difícil de entender la sensación de entrar a una tienda llena de anaqueles con vinilos y cd's y mucho más la emoción de armar una cinta.
Una vez más pienso que habría valido la pena intentar la lectura en inglés, estas traducciones tan coloquiales al castellano pueden llegar a ser más difíciles de entender que las versiones originales.
La reflexión, y comezón, que me queda es que aunque para muchos siga pareciéndonos una lectura fresca y actual, para otros más jóvenes puede que les resulte algo completamente ajeno y anticuando. Para ellos será difícil de entender la sensación de entrar a una tienda llena de anaqueles con vinilos y cd's y mucho más la emoción de armar una cinta.
Una vez más pienso que habría valido la pena intentar la lectura en inglés, estas traducciones tan coloquiales al castellano pueden llegar a ser más difíciles de entender que las versiones originales.
This is my first "dick-lit" book (as it were) and I'd have to say that I enjoyed following a guy's inner monologue as he navigates the confusing world of love, dating, sex, and life in general.
The honest thoughts of an imperfect person are fully on display in this book, and it kind of validates some of my own selfish or unreasonable thoughts. The main character is thankfully much more selfish and self-centered than I, so I found a bit of consolation for my own (very small) character flaws.
Ultimately, I found this book is about how tough it is to love others and deal with relationships when you're too wrapped up your own thoughts. And about how you can escape from this maze and find something that makes you happy.
Recommended for people who like a sobering look at how imperfect relationships can really make you feel, and for those searching for redemption from their own self-centeredness.
The honest thoughts of an imperfect person are fully on display in this book, and it kind of validates some of my own selfish or unreasonable thoughts. The main character is thankfully much more selfish and self-centered than I, so I found a bit of consolation for my own (very small) character flaws.
Ultimately, I found this book is about how tough it is to love others and deal with relationships when you're too wrapped up your own thoughts. And about how you can escape from this maze and find something that makes you happy.
Recommended for people who like a sobering look at how imperfect relationships can really make you feel, and for those searching for redemption from their own self-centeredness.
Closer to 3 1/2 stars than 4. I enjoyed it, but he's a dick. With all the self-reflection, so very little of it is about how much a dick he is, how he treats people, and the consequences. Just too self-centered to be a great protagonist and yet not really an anti-hero either.
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fun: 0.75
Characters: 0.75
Plot: 0.75
Impact: 0.75
Misc: 0.75
Total = 3.75
Characters: 0.75
Plot: 0.75
Impact: 0.75
Misc: 0.75
Total = 3.75
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
pretty clever and well written but unfortunately other books not as good
It's a meet cute book. Hornby is definitely guy lit, but there is nothing wrong with that. Rob is not a likeable guy but he is a realistic guy. The story is definitely realistic but it is somewhat dated. It's an entertaining book but it's not something that makes you walk away with your world shattered.