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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
I really loved this.... except, i wish there had been a warning label:
Warning- No Decisive Ending. Be Prepared To Feel Dissatisfied.
Warning- No Decisive Ending. Be Prepared To Feel Dissatisfied.
Nick Hornby, the master chronicler of obsessions, returns with another winning novel about obsessives and how those obsessions both bring people together and drive massive wedges between them.
In Juliet, Naked, Hornby introduces us to a trio that forms, to borrow the title from a New Order song, a bizarre love triangle. We're introduced to Duncan, a slightly socially-inept superfan of Tucker Crowe, a reclusive singer-songwriter whose last album Juliet spawned more interpretation, rumor and innuendo than the Dead Sea Scrolls; Annie, Duncan's long-suffering girlfriend who pines for a more simpler life, one that doesn't involve endlessly listening to Tucker Crowe and traveling to locations that are part of Tucker Crowe lore; and Tucker Crowe himself, who, while living in self-imposed exile, is keenly and utterly aware of the legend and folklore that's been built by Crowe obsessives.
(The title Juliet, Naked refers to an acoustic version of Juliet that Crowe's about to release, one that Duncan, as a world-renown Crowe-ologist gets an advanced copy of, which spurs new Internet chatter as to the meaning of every word uttered on Juliet)
Eventually, that bizarre love triangle converges; Annie leaves Duncan, tired of how 15 years of her life were wasted on a man who was in love with someone else. On a whim, Annie writes up a review of Juliet, Naked and posts her review on Crowe-related websites, a review which infuriates Duncan but piques the interest and approval of one man who claims to be Tucker Crowe.
I won't give away too much about that bizarre love triangle, but there's a sequence in which Hornby merges both that charming awkwardness and creepy fandom into several paragraphs that are both hilarious and cringe-inducing. Classic Hornby right there.
Juliet, Naked awkward, deeply funny, and a bold rumination about love and obsession and living up to the expectations of others. Highly recommended.
In Juliet, Naked, Hornby introduces us to a trio that forms, to borrow the title from a New Order song, a bizarre love triangle. We're introduced to Duncan, a slightly socially-inept superfan of Tucker Crowe, a reclusive singer-songwriter whose last album Juliet spawned more interpretation, rumor and innuendo than the Dead Sea Scrolls; Annie, Duncan's long-suffering girlfriend who pines for a more simpler life, one that doesn't involve endlessly listening to Tucker Crowe and traveling to locations that are part of Tucker Crowe lore; and Tucker Crowe himself, who, while living in self-imposed exile, is keenly and utterly aware of the legend and folklore that's been built by Crowe obsessives.
(The title Juliet, Naked refers to an acoustic version of Juliet that Crowe's about to release, one that Duncan, as a world-renown Crowe-ologist gets an advanced copy of, which spurs new Internet chatter as to the meaning of every word uttered on Juliet)
Eventually, that bizarre love triangle converges; Annie leaves Duncan, tired of how 15 years of her life were wasted on a man who was in love with someone else. On a whim, Annie writes up a review of Juliet, Naked and posts her review on Crowe-related websites, a review which infuriates Duncan but piques the interest and approval of one man who claims to be Tucker Crowe.
I won't give away too much about that bizarre love triangle, but there's a sequence in which Hornby merges both that charming awkwardness and creepy fandom into several paragraphs that are both hilarious and cringe-inducing. Classic Hornby right there.
Juliet, Naked awkward, deeply funny, and a bold rumination about love and obsession and living up to the expectations of others. Highly recommended.
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read it in 3 couch sits, didn’t inhale it but wasn’t a slog either.
Nick Hornby writes complex, realistic characters so well. Underlined so many phrases in this book, he has a knack for describing mundane things well, making it is easy to relate to the characters.
The thing I didn’t like and why I can’t recommend it is that the main male characters have very significant flaws - like really bad - that are not really ever fully addressed. They are self-aware enough to realize they have them but it seems as if we the reader are just supposed to take that as the pinnacle of progress and feel bad enough for them to like them at the end and want to root for them. It’s the bare minimum while the female lead turns herself inside out trying to self critique and change. It’s an imbalance that annoyed me the whole book.
Nick Hornby writes complex, realistic characters so well. Underlined so many phrases in this book, he has a knack for describing mundane things well, making it is easy to relate to the characters.
The thing I didn’t like and why I can’t recommend it is that the main male characters have very significant flaws - like really bad - that are not really ever fully addressed. They are self-aware enough to realize they have them but it seems as if we the reader are just supposed to take that as the pinnacle of progress and feel bad enough for them to like them at the end and want to root for them. It’s the bare minimum while the female lead turns herself inside out trying to self critique and change. It’s an imbalance that annoyed me the whole book.
3.5? I was extremely curious and attached while reading this book. I very much enjoyed reading it. But I didn't have that I'M KEEPING THIS FOREVER feeling as I finished it. I appreciate how it ended but that is also how I feel about it. It's over now, time to move on.
I love Nick Hornby, but I found this one a little slow. It picked up towards the end, so I'm happy I finished it. I'm not sure that I would recommend it.
relaxing
slow-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 noticed that with this author, almost all of the males in his books are so utterly selfish. And the women bordering on being dish rags about how cruddy the men are. I think the book is roughly 400 pages. The first 300 were so dull I considered quiting it many times. Nothing actually happened until the last 100 pages and then it got much better. The first 300 were spent showing how much crap the women of the book put up with an how self centered the two main male characters were.
Why has it been so long since I last read a Nick Hornby novel? This reminded me why I love him. The story is simple: Annie learns to live a little and stop tolerating a life that barely interests her. It starts when she dares to have an opinion that differs from her partner Duncan's.
The audiobook has three narrators, which I love. The female narrator in particular is marvelous and her character is really the star of the show. Duncan gets short shrift, emotionally (he's a bit of a walking punchline) and we mostly hear about (rather than witness) Tucker's maturation, but They each still get their moments.
Also, I'm sure the tech was timely at the time the novel was written but all the talk of mp3s and iPods and transferring files was entirely precious.
Excuse me. Gotta find more Nick Hornby to read.
The audiobook has three narrators, which I love. The female narrator in particular is marvelous and her character is really the star of the show. Duncan gets short shrift, emotionally (he's a bit of a walking punchline) and we mostly hear about (rather than witness) Tucker's maturation, but They each still get their moments.
Also, I'm sure the tech was timely at the time the novel was written but all the talk of mp3s and iPods and transferring files was entirely precious.
Excuse me. Gotta find more Nick Hornby to read.
Started interestingly enough but quickly ran out of steam.