rekams's review against another edition
2.0
Here are some background facts about me: When I'm feeling down, I go bookshopping. However, I live in Sweden, and Swedish isn't my native tongue. I can easily get by in school and everyday life, but I loathe reading in Swedish as it still feels very foreign for me. So, when I'm down and I go to the bookstore, I have a very narrow selection of available books. And yep, you guessed it, this one was one of the few I ended up buying last time. I only heard good about it, and I was almost out of books anyway, so I bought it. I shouldn't have.
It's not that this is a bad book, not by a long shot. Only... only we had the whole thing built up around Kurt Cobain and then there was Marcus. Somehow, I always end up calling him August and I never feel like correcting myself, because he's just such an August, so sorry if I end up referring to him by that name. The Kurt Cobain part, for me, at least, was incredibly unexpected. I didn't mind it at first. I mean, I'm not really into his music, but I have nothing against it, either. However, the farther we got with the story, the more I started feeling like the whole book was crafted on his death. The problem with that, is that it wasn't really *his* life and death that was the base of the story, but the life and death of *somebody*. As in, it could have been anyone, given that the characters had roughly the same one-way emotional bond with this person. And that, to me, felt kind of like using him and his death. I'm not sure, if it's just me being touchy or maybe I just have thought too much about it, but it just kind of felt worse and worse as the story progressed.
And then, we have the other problem, the boy himself. I really disliked how he was supposed to be the mature and smart kid, while he was in fact a grown up's idea of a mature and smart kid. I mean, I know what it's like. This is probably not the best reason, but I have been *that* kid, and August is just not real. He's something that an author would make up all right, but he's just not real. Again, this is most likely my own fault, most people can probably believe him more than me. But I just can't. And I can't like a book if I can't imagine the main character as a real, actually existing person.
So, to explain my rating, I didn't like the book thanks to my being touchy and skeptical about mature children, but you probably would. This is a good book, I just happened to not like it.
It's not that this is a bad book, not by a long shot. Only... only we had the whole thing built up around Kurt Cobain and then there was Marcus. Somehow, I always end up calling him August and I never feel like correcting myself, because he's just such an August, so sorry if I end up referring to him by that name. The Kurt Cobain part, for me, at least, was incredibly unexpected. I didn't mind it at first. I mean, I'm not really into his music, but I have nothing against it, either. However, the farther we got with the story, the more I started feeling like the whole book was crafted on his death. The problem with that, is that it wasn't really *his* life and death that was the base of the story, but the life and death of *somebody*. As in, it could have been anyone, given that the characters had roughly the same one-way emotional bond with this person. And that, to me, felt kind of like using him and his death. I'm not sure, if it's just me being touchy or maybe I just have thought too much about it, but it just kind of felt worse and worse as the story progressed.
And then, we have the other problem, the boy himself. I really disliked how he was supposed to be the mature and smart kid, while he was in fact a grown up's idea of a mature and smart kid. I mean, I know what it's like. This is probably not the best reason, but I have been *that* kid, and August is just not real. He's something that an author would make up all right, but he's just not real. Again, this is most likely my own fault, most people can probably believe him more than me. But I just can't. And I can't like a book if I can't imagine the main character as a real, actually existing person.
So, to explain my rating, I didn't like the book thanks to my being touchy and skeptical about mature children, but you probably would. This is a good book, I just happened to not like it.
evadis's review against another edition
2.0
Leek heel leuk, maar deed het toch niet helemaal voor mij. De personages zijn weinig sympathiek of interessant en het verhaal is niet echt spannend/bijzonder. Vond de (humor in de) dialogen het beste aspect van het boek.
juliaeder's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the very few (or maybe even the only) book where I have seen the movie first. A movie that I actually liked a lot. And even though I knew where the story was going (I did not remember every detail as it’s been a while and I know it also differs in plot at least a little) it didn’t ruin the reading experience for me at all. I really enjoyed this book and the story it’s telling. None of the characters are particularly likable but they are all trying their best and I guess that is just as good.
izhabellissima's review against another edition
4.0
Leí este libro después de ver la película, y aunque me gusta que el guión sea bastante fiel al libro, hay un par de cosas que podrían haber mantenido, por ejemplo la importancia de Nirvana.
No entiendo cómo pueden compara una banda como Nirvana y su influencia con un grupo de Hip-Hop; y creo que esto quizás lo hicieron para quitarle seriedad y profundidad al libro.
El personaje de Will me pareció un poco más tolerable en la película, ya que en el libro (sobre todo al principio) suena realmente arrogante y amargado; una combinación poco frecuente.
El desarrollo de los personajes va acorde con la historia y el final me pareció correcto aunque un poco predecible.
No entiendo cómo pueden compara una banda como Nirvana y su influencia con un grupo de Hip-Hop; y creo que esto quizás lo hicieron para quitarle seriedad y profundidad al libro.
El personaje de Will me pareció un poco más tolerable en la película, ya que en el libro (sobre todo al principio) suena realmente arrogante y amargado; una combinación poco frecuente.
El desarrollo de los personajes va acorde con la historia y el final me pareció correcto aunque un poco predecible.
nursena's review against another edition
4.0
4.75 stars
I feel like I should write a decent review for this wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The wit, the sense of humour, the writing style... In short, it has most of the elements I look for in a good book, but still, maybe I should sit down and write a proper review for it sometime.
I feel like I should write a decent review for this wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The wit, the sense of humour, the writing style... In short, it has most of the elements I look for in a good book, but still, maybe I should sit down and write a proper review for it sometime.
lian_tanner's review against another edition
3.0
Three and a half stars. Entertaining, funny, a little deeper than it appears to be at first glance.
sandra_bwf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
juliahoermayer's review against another edition
5.0
I ADORED this book!! I'd already read How To Be Good by Nick Hornby and was very impressed but after having read and loved this one as well, I have come to the conclusion that Hornby is a genius and might be on the way of becoming my favourite author ever.
This book was such a pleasant read, short, fast to read, witty, hilarious and at the same time, it made you think. I really must complement the author's sense of humor, I'm quite picky when it comes to comedy but reading this book, I actually had to laugh OUT LOUD. I also adored the narrative voice and the train of thoughts. Hornby really is witty like hardly anyone else.
This book was such a pleasant read, short, fast to read, witty, hilarious and at the same time, it made you think. I really must complement the author's sense of humor, I'm quite picky when it comes to comedy but reading this book, I actually had to laugh OUT LOUD. I also adored the narrative voice and the train of thoughts. Hornby really is witty like hardly anyone else.
eeclayton's review against another edition
5.0
It was good to re-read this book. I read it more than ten years ago, and I've got a different perspective now.
This is classic Hornby, heartfelt, funny, and realistic.
This is classic Hornby, heartfelt, funny, and realistic.
ciararosney's review against another edition
4.0
Such a British book and I love it for that. The humour is dry, sarcastic and so relatable from both Marcus's and Will's perspective. The serious events that happen are overshadowed in a good way by the innocence of Marcus and Will's annoying and awkward way of handling nearly every serious situation, but the growth of both characters really brings it all together. Would recommend to anyone and I look forward to reading more of Hornby's novels.