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christarahl's review against another edition
3.0
This book was pretty good. It gets along but it’s a very casual book so it was hard to get into the flow of reading. I liked the story line but it felt like I couldn’t always connect to or remember each character, which I haven’t ran into often. It was nice but nothing crazy amazing. Someone below described it as “bland,” and that’s a great word for it. It’s meant to be funny, but from this and “Long Way Down,” I don’t see Nick Hornby as a funny author. This is not a bad book. It’s just not a book I would recommend to friends.
emilyanderson2022's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
rintalake's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
murph_the_serf's review against another edition
2.0
First of all, when you title your book "Funny Girl," the main character should be, you know, funny. Everyone keeps talking about how funny she is but we never see it. They spend whole conversations going on and on about how funny she is but we rarely, if ever, really, get to see the humor that Sophie was supposed to convey.
Secondly, the titular Sophie is one of the least interesting characters in the book. I was much more interested in the travails of the characters around her as Sophie was as much an observer as the reader is. This is a shame as Hornby is usually quite gifted in forming a connection with his main character and getting you on their side - definitely not the case in "Funny Girl."
It certainly wasn't an awful book to read; the dialogue is fun and zippy most of the time, the characters are distinct, the world of London in the 1950s/1960s is vibrant and a new place for me. I just really wish the glue that is supposed to hold this all together was stronger and that Sophie was more than just a deus ex machina to move the plot along and force these characters to interact with one another.
Secondly, the titular Sophie is one of the least interesting characters in the book. I was much more interested in the travails of the characters around her as Sophie was as much an observer as the reader is. This is a shame as Hornby is usually quite gifted in forming a connection with his main character and getting you on their side - definitely not the case in "Funny Girl."
It certainly wasn't an awful book to read; the dialogue is fun and zippy most of the time, the characters are distinct, the world of London in the 1950s/1960s is vibrant and a new place for me. I just really wish the glue that is supposed to hold this all together was stronger and that Sophie was more than just a deus ex machina to move the plot along and force these characters to interact with one another.
buddy524's review against another edition
3.0
Funny Girl could have been, well, funnier. With a title focusing on the humor of the main character, I expected more from Sophie/Barbara. Hornby seemed to focus on the ensemble aspect of the characters and that took away from really knowing who they were. I still didn't quit get why Sophie was funny. It was more telling than showing. I will give Horny credit for his witty dialogue and great premise.
cherryghost15's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this light, humorous novel. I put off reading it because it had some unfavorable reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised that one of my favorite writers turned out another good read.
It was fun to hear about London during the 60s and the BBC and the characters are interesting.
A good read for these chaotic days if you want something happy and cute..
I listened to the audio version and the narrator was very good.
It was fun to hear about London during the 60s and the BBC and the characters are interesting.
A good read for these chaotic days if you want something happy and cute..
I listened to the audio version and the narrator was very good.
ohyes_that_girl's review against another edition
2.0
I should start by saying how much I have loved Hornby's books in the past. High Fidelity, About a Boy, A Long Way Down, How to be Good- all excellent, excellent books. This has been by the far the most boring and dull book I have read by him. I didn't even care about the characters and three of the main people were so similar I had a difficult time telling them apart (up until 70% way through). Too long and too boring, such a huge disappointment.
pagesandpurls's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0