Rating: 
Summary: Touching and Funny Story
Review: About A Boy is a touching and funny story about Marcus (12) and Will (36), two British males who act each other's ages. When they meet each other amid a drama that is both serious and humorous at once, they help each other to learn to act their own ages. The story is woven well by Hornby, who comes up with the goods again, creating characters that you care about and interesting, humorous sub-plots that push his general theme along it's way.
Rating: 
Summary: Readable, but falls short
Review: Since I really enjoyed Hornby's previous novel, "High Fidelity," I had high hopes for this book. It didn't live up to my expectations. The book is written with Hornby's enjoyable fresh prose, but Will (the adult protaganist in "About a Boy") lacks all of Rob's (the protaganist in "High Fidelity") complexity. I just didn't care what happened to Will, and found myself reading just to finish the book, rather than because I was invested in the story.I did enjoy Marcus (the child protaganist), but I think that Hornby did him a disservice. I don't know much about Hornby, but he seems very invested in the idea that families and marriages are unimportant, or even archaic, in modern life. While I wouldn't really care about his politics one way or the other, he pushes the idea too hard by making Marcus -- an adolescent whose parents have recently broken up -- far too well adjusted to the idea. Instead of being hurt or angry about his parents split, Marcus just hums along, happy that his parent's new boyfriends/girlfriends bring additional people into his life, and how jolly it is to have more people around. Its just not a normal -- or realistic -- reaction for a kid in his situation to have. With that said, I loved "High Fidelity," and liked "About a Boy" enough to read Hornby's latest book. But I'm glad I checked "About a Boy" out of the library instead of paying for it!
Rating: 
Summary: better than "High Fidelity"
Review: I've read several books by Hornby, and this one strikes me as his best so far. He combines humor with poignant reality and the pains and joys of everyday life. At times the conversations between the characters have echoes of the hollow dialogue between Hemingway characters in how they fail to connect with each other -- which is, to me, refreshing and realistic. Unlike Hemingway, however, this hits me as funny and tragic. One of the things I like the most about this novel, and other novels by Hornby, is his use of place (set in London). The characters in "About a Boy" frequent the same locations as people from "High Fidelity" and "How to Be Good" which lends a three-dimensionality to all his books. As well, the dichotomy between the way Will perceives himself and the way he is represented through his interactions with others, what he does and says, becomes a commentary on what we are and what we believe we are as individuals. In all, this is an excellent book which deals with reality, and the reality we create for ourselves. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone interested in British literature (who doesn't mind the infamous 'f-word' used often and somewhat carelessly).
Rating:
Summary: Another Winner from Nick
Review: Since Nick Hornby is the author of one of my favorite novels (High Fidelity) it should come as no surprise that I very much liked this, his second book, as well. True, it doesn't rock my world in quite the same way as High Fidelity, but it is stylistically and temperamentally similar. The story follows Will, a young (mid 30s) idle Londoner who drifts through life thanks to his inheritance, never really getting deeply involved in anything or anyone. Overconcerned with maintaining his hipness in the face of impending middle-age, Will is rapidly approaching a point where he is alienated from all his married, "adult" friends. Unwilling to engage in more than fleeting relationships, Will insinuates himself into a single-parents support group in order to meet beautiful needy women. While wacky hijinks ensure, his life also becomes entwined with that of Marcus, a 12-year old boy desperately in need of a father figure. While Will is a cad in terms of the women, he's more or less a decent fellow, with some deficiencies recognizable in a lot of men, the most significant being his inability to grow up. Both he and Marcus are naive and wise In their own ways, and through their odd relationship they become better adjusted. Funny and sometimes bittersweet, many young men will recognize parts of themselves in Will, and while his method of coming to terms with the world and aging isn't particularly useful as a guide, the book may lead to moments of introspection on one's own life.
Rating:
Summary: Extremely delightful mind candy
Review: OK, if I were grading this against Kafka or Dostoevsky, it probably wouldn't get that good of a grade. But it is light fiction, and as such, it is a delightful and fun book. I had previously read HIGH FIDELITY, which I like a great deal more, but I enjoyed this one enough to guarantee that I will read other Hornby books in the future. The plot was surprising. From reading the cover, one might expect a comedy of misadventures among single mothers, and while in a way that does indeed transpire, that is definitely not the focus of the book. The book is, literally, about a boy, and his interesting and moving friendship with a previously superficial adult male. Much of the interest in the book lies in the fact that it ends up being about friendship and relationships, and not especially about sexual relationships. Although the adult of the book does indeed engage in sexual relationships, the most interesting ones in the book are those that are decidedly not. I definitely recommend this book. It is not great literature. But it is a fun read. By the way, I noticed on IMDB that there is a forthcoming movie version of the book. Hugh Grant will play the adult lead. Rachel Weisz is in the cast, though I suspect she will play Will's love interest near the end of the book, and not Marcus's mother. Grant is a tad too old for the part (early forties, while Will is 36), but he should bring the right touch to the role.
Rating:
Summary: Love That Marcus!!!!
Review: While I agree with those who pointed out that this book tends to be a bit repetitive, this is still a very enjoyable book. I adored Marcus' dimwittedness (although it seemed to me completely out of character for him to have thrown the bread at the duck in the first place) and felt genuine sympathy for him when his "friends" gave him the brush-off because he's too big of a geek to hang out with even the other geeks. Though it is, obviously, central to the plot, I was a bit confused by Will's logic in joining a single-parent support group in the first place. Based on the fact that one single mother has dated (and dumped) him he decides he's hit upon the ultimate way to meet women? Kind of a weak premise, there, but easily overlooked once the story gets rolling. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this book is Hornby's ability to give the reader glimpses into both main characters' lives. He doesn't focus on just one and we are able to glean an even clearer picture of the events as they unfold. I was pleased to note that Horny didn't take the easy path and introduce a romance between Will and Marcus' mother (which would have been completely impossible to believe), though I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development in the mother and at least a rudimentary introduction into the life of Marcus' father (more than what we're shown, at least). Actually, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars rather than three. I gave it the lower rating because, while I genuinely enjoyed this book, it didn't leave me wanting more. In other words, I don't feel in that big of a hurry to read it again (I've read Hornby's "High Fidelity" repeatedly and it hasn't been that long since I bought it) and I didn't feel at the end of the book as though I was saying goodbye to good friends. Overall, though, a recommended read.
Rating:
Summary: Seinfeld moves to London
Review: Nick Hornby's About a Boy reminded me a lot of Seinfeld. One of the main characters, Will, is thrirty-something, univolved and univolveable with anything that could disturb the routine of his well-arranged life. He resorts to hilarious exteremes to remain detatched from everything and everyone. Until he meets a lonely and scared 12 year old kid. After Marcus almost loses his mom, he decides taht two is a risky number for a family and tries to recruit Will to be a father figure. The plan does not succeed but gradually and unwillingly, Will becomes an only friend to the boy.
The book has the dangerous potential to be a cheesy tear-jerker, but Hornby manages to be funny and nonchalant yet sensitive and convincing.
Rating:
Summary: Spring is here again
Review: In this truly moving book about life, Nick Hornby introduces the reader to many lovable characters and their stories. Meet Will. 36, single and terrified of anything in diapers. Meet Fiona. Never married with a 12 year old son. Depressed and ready to top herself. Meet Marcus. Fiona's son. On an island of his own, not by choice, but because of his mother. Meet Ellie. 15 and rebellious. Nick Hornby ties them all together, they would never meet any other way. The novel revolves mostly around the lives of Will and Marcus, and the "friendship" they forge. Though the characters are all different and neurotic, they are (in my mind) all the characteristics of an everyday person, trying to get along in life. The book is a marvellous glimpse at the effects of parents on their children, and the effects of those children on the outside world. Hornby pulls the reader through the story with believeable dialogue and moving scenes. The ending leaves the reader open to the number of possibilities that awaits the world inside the book.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this book.
Review: This is the third Hornby novel, and with each he gets better and better. An amusing and intelligent style, crisp and delightful characterizations, and sharp insight into human nature and our times. He is able to combine(typically British) comic sense with warmth, compassion, and a tough tenderness for his characters. This is the best book I have read in some time.
Rating:
Summary: got weak in the end
Review: Is it just me, or does Nick Hornby have a hard time resolving
his books? I really enjoyed the majority of this book. There are several hilarious and touching scenes, like the disfunctional christmas party. However, the end struck a bad note with me--I do not think one should settle for mediocracy but that seemed to be the conclusion. So 4 stars for the entertainment, 2 for the philosophical difference, thus I give it a 3.
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