About a Boy

Rating:
Summary: Acutely observed
Review: Nick Hornby tells a perceptive story about a man's 'emotional journey' and a boy's growing up and they seem to almost meet in the middle. Fascinating and funny

Rating:
Summary: Funny and sweet -- I couldn't put it down
Review: I liked this just as much as High Fidelity -- the concept is hilarious, and the story is very funny and satisfying. I'm an American, and I would readily recommend this to my more open-minded compatriots.

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as "High Fidelity" but worth the read
Review: Very similar to High Fidelity, ABOUT A BOY manages to take the insightfulness of the first novel and fuse it with a more Seinfeldian plot-line. The result is not quite as satisfying, but well worth purchasing.

Rating:
Summary: By a person who remembers what being 12 was all about.
Review: a Brilliant book, a bit embarrasing on the 17:25 out of London Bridge when you start pissing yourself laughing and the rest of the train look at you like you are some kind of basket case. I loved the humour, the brilliant observation, and the way the relationship between Marcus and Will developed. Please read it and don't pay attention to Americans who give it 2 stars !!

Rating:
Summary: A new, more mature Hornby
Review: While I loved High Fidelity, I was pleased to see that Hornby is not going to stick to his joker-persona; one cannot really build a career on that. About a Boy shows us that Hornby can handle human relationships with care and intelligence that is sadly rare in modern literature. His new style demands some polishing as yet, but I believe if he goes on walking this road, he will write several masterpieces in the future. This book also would have been quite perfect without his slightly over-simplified characters.

Rating:
Summary: profound
Review: I loved this book as much as High Fidelity, if not more. The book is not only untertaining. NH's view of the parent-child relationship is profound. It shows that even loving parents - the single mother - can be abusive at times. The message of hope lies in Marcus' self preservation instinct, his ability to seek and find help in Will, and teach him one things or two in the process.

Rating:
Summary: Starts out great, then loses steam.
Review: About a boy starts out with a wonderfully funny, wry yet warm-hearted style with interesting, real-feeling characters. Unfortunately, the quality of the humor, story and style slowly but consistently dwindles until there is a faint feeling of relief at having finished the book.

Rating:
Summary: Amusing situations
Review: This was my favorite of Hornby's books - although I enjoyed both High Fidelity and Fever Pitch. It was interesting to see how the characters changed and developed due to their interaction with one another.

Rating:
Summary: The best book I read in 1998
Review: Fantstic - from the first page to the last. Hornby fits the lifestyle of the nineties perfectly. The book shows the importance of friendship und personal contacts.

Rating:
Summary: Initially fascinating, but slightly disappointing at the end
Review: A powerful insight into several subjects, especially the futility of self-serving lifestyles, mental illness and adolescent alienation. The suicide note is one of the most powerful pieces of prose in contemporary literature - should not be read when feeling depressed! The end is slightly disappointing, but otherwise a "can't put down" book