jrd_reads 's review for:

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

4.0

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I don't know why I don't read more Nick Hornby, (I think) I always like his books. Rob is not a character that you think, "wow, what an amazing guy! What is Laura thinking leaving him?!" I was like- this dude is a total a-hole. When you find out the things that Laura may have told their mutual friend Liz, it is really like "what an a-hole". The part that follows it...that was what got me. When he said 'and before you judge, although you have probably already done so, go away and write down the worst four things that you have done to your partner, even if - especially if - your partner doesn't know about them. Don't dress these things up, or try to explain them; just write them down, in a list, in the plainest language possible. Finished? Ok, who who's the arsehole now?" I was done - we can all paint a picture of who we think we are and the person who we want to be, but who really is that person? Later in the book, Rob talks again about the pictures of himself in his parents house and how he doesn't like to see them - but not for the same reason as before (when it was too close to childhood and trying to project being an adult). He said "I keep wanting to apologize to the little guy: "I'm sorry I've let you down. I was the person who was supposed to look after you, but I bet it; I made wrong decisions at bad times, and I turned you into me."" Tears. It's not a pretty ending, but it's not an ugly ending - it's a real ending. It's growing up and recognizing, this is life - this is good, the "next" thing might not be good - is it worth the chase?
I watched the movie 3 days after reading the book. I was nervous, that was pretty close to finishing the book. The movie was a solid adaptation. it's hard to fit a book into two hours, but John Cusack did great with the source material.