How to Be Good by Nick Hornby Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of How to Be Good
Book Review: Don't bother.
Summary: 3 Stars
In this work, Hornby manages to score a few sound satirical points against many of the assumptions that permeate modern "liberal" middle class society and typical nuclear family life. But despite the apparent intention of the novel to teach a moral, do not expect profound or novel insights - whatever wisdom stands to be gained fails to rise beyond the level of platitude: It is revelatory only to the exceptionally blind or misguided.The dialogue is reasonably competently contrived, though sadly, one is constantly left the impression that Mr. Hornby assumes a sub-par intellect in his readership. Characters' motives and intentions are frequently explained in the text, when it was already evident simply from the dialogue. Dialogue itself is frequently extended beyond the point where a real speaker would have ventured lest they make their hidden intentions too clear to their fictional audiences. One expects better from an experienced author.
The pace of the plot is adequate. The build-up to the husband's hilarious assumption of perceived sainthood is perhaps a little too long and contains insufficient satirical grist to be interesting in itself. But his conversion is a satisfyingly climactic event for which it is worth prolonging the anticipation. Thereafter his ascension to vertiginous heights of self-delusion remains amusing for a few chapters. Lack of credible motivation for such a prolonged streak of irrational behaviour, however, leaves this text meandering the dreamscape of farce, confuting its veneer of realism. It becomes tedious in later chapters. The denouement is sufficiently anti-climactic and presaged to desire your avoidance. (Sort of like the end of this review).
In a nutshell: The husband's conversion to nut-hood is funny and spellbinding. The rest is shell - not worth chewing on.
Book Review: Don't judge Hornby by this book alone
Summary: 2 Stars
I'd hate to think that this could be someone's first time reading a book by Nick Hornby because I doubt they would give his other much better books a chance. For about 3/4 of the book I just felt annoyed at all of the characters. Do yourself a favor and check out Fever Pitch or High Fidelity instead.Book Review: Don't listen to the negative reviewers ! ! !
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read just about everything Hornby has written. He is a brilliant modern writer, funny and real. What I don't understand about the reviewers that did not like this book is how they so completely missed the greatness of this book. It wasn't suppose to make you laugh on every page! It is by far Hornby's most mature work to date. If you are married, this books makes a whole hell of a lot of sense. I thought the protaganist was great and exceptionally well written. As for the laughter part, there is still a whole hell of a lot of incredibly funny parts to the book. In fact, I ended up laughing harder reading this book than I did on any other Hornby publication.
Read this book; it will be well worth your time.
Book Review: Don't pay full price for this book.....
Summary: 1 Stars
Thank god I bought this in a second hand shop for $1.99. I've read most of Nick Hornby's other books and have to varying degrees, enjoyed them. But this... where to start. It starts off ok, aside from the fact that you never feel fully connected with the main character/teller of the story. I don't know if it's because she's a women and Nick perhaps can't write from the female perspective... or maybe she's just not a very nice person who has no idea what she wants and how she's going to achieve it. Katie starts off boring (and her husband is a pain in the @ss!), and both get more annoying as the book continues. There's so much written about how they feel, or think they feel, over and over, round and round without anything very much actually happening, and then you realize that actually you don't care what happens to either of them (or anyone else for that matter), because none of the characters are that interesting.
That's when you consider quitting the book altogether, but you don't because you hate doing that, (what a waste of time!), so you read a bit more... then think, this is ridiculous!! It's like having people over to your house and they massively outstay their welcome to the point where you're having a hard time not being rude and actually telling them to leave. Then you realize it's actually just a paperback book so you can put it down and give it away to someone else, so that you'll finally be rid of these seriously annoying, individually selfish and self-obsessed people and their over-thought-out supposed problems. So that's it. Couldn't stand another minute of it and am now so happy that I can go start reading something else instead!!
Book Review: Drivel...
Summary: 1 Stars
This book could have been a refreshing move away from the pedestal that Hornby was beginning to find himself upon - the voice of men who don't really want to grow up. He was brave to tackle a new subject area. But he didn't pull it off.To be short, he can't write a believable female protagonist.
Not only that, he surrounds her with characters, sets up an interesting idea, and then does nothing with it - for page after interminable page. A failing marriage is great material... but Hornby fails to deliver a plot, and after endless meanders the book waddles over a limp finish line. You'll get more entertainment reading all of these reviews.. and it costs less, too.