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jesus_wept's review against another edition
4.0
The main character is such a selfish, pretentious asshole and I hate how many of his exact thoughts I've had. Shameful simil rities aside, much of the time he's really just a normal (unfortunately) gross, misogynistic, fatphobic jerk. Honestly unclear on if this is Hornby's intention or just his reality. :\
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism
rcy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
blackberryjambaby's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
would kill him myself if able
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Abortion, and Toxic friendship
marionhoney's review against another edition
Too much casual rape culture and misogyny. I get that it was the 90s but life is too short. Bye.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Stalking
whereiamnot's review against another edition
Aggressively mediocre male main character made me feel worse after a breakup, rather than better (found this book on a best books to read during a split list)
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny
sponberry's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Rape
poisonenvy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Rob Flemming's life isn't quite going how he expected. His record store is nearly failing, and his long-term girlfriend has left him. He's in a rut, and can't quite figure out where he went wrong.
What went wrong is that he's a deeply unlikeable, self-centred guy. Everything is always about Rob, all the time. He never really considers other people's feelings. He's whiny, and expects things to just work out because he wants them to, not because he's willing to put any effort into it. He's misogynistic -- women only exist for what they can do for him, and what they can do for him is pretty much just sex.
But the book is captivating. It took a few chapters for it to really grab me, but once it did I was hooked and I ended up finishing this book in under 24 hours. The way it feeds you information -- it makes you sympathize, sort of, with Rob, only for it to drop bombs later that make you realize what sort of person he is. Rob never really got any better, but the book ends with him seeming like he might be on the right path, and I especially loved the idea that life is messy and terrible, and sometimes you just need to work at making things turn out instead of just jumping immediately to the next shiny object.
My reading was accompanied with a Spotify playlist made up of all the songs that are mentioned in the book which was nice.
I don't think I've ever seen this movie (even though it's one of the favourite movies of one of my best friends), and I didn't even know there was a new Hulu series until the cover of the copy was given to me mentioned it, but I'd probably give them both a shot.
What went wrong is that he's a deeply unlikeable, self-centred guy. Everything is always about Rob, all the time. He never really considers other people's feelings. He's whiny, and expects things to just work out because he wants them to, not because he's willing to put any effort into it. He's misogynistic -- women only exist for what they can do for him, and what they can do for him is pretty much just sex.
But the book is captivating. It took a few chapters for it to really grab me, but once it did I was hooked and I ended up finishing this book in under 24 hours. The way it feeds you information -- it makes you sympathize, sort of, with Rob, only for it to drop bombs later that make you realize what sort of person he is. Rob never really got any better, but the book ends with him seeming like he might be on the right path, and I especially loved the idea that life is messy and terrible, and sometimes you just need to work at making things turn out instead of just jumping immediately to the next shiny object.
My reading was accompanied with a Spotify playlist made up of all the songs that are mentioned in the book which was nice.
I don't think I've ever seen this movie (even though it's one of the favourite movies of one of my best friends), and I didn't even know there was a new Hulu series until the cover of the copy was given to me mentioned it, but I'd probably give them both a shot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Ableism and Rape
The ableism is found in a single use of the r-word early on in the novel.codecat's review against another edition
Boring, misogynistic, endless rants. It’s really slow with not a lot happening, and not even in a fun way. I usually love unlikeable characters, but this one was annoying and uninteresting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
farmerzonly's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
filled with quippy one-liners that are equally self-deprecating and self-absorbed, rob is the picture of an emotionally immature man who is obsessed with his own taste in media and believes he understands women and romance deeply as a result of this despite his lack of success in the past. he uses music, film, and literature references to illustrate his supposedly complex perspective, yet often demonstrates a bare-bones surface level understanding of their themes and throws out references carelessly (reminiscent of the satire on white masculinity present in american psycho and fight club). he is ultimately redeemed by his choice to commit to laura, demonstrating narrative self-actualization by realizing his fears of commitment, abandonment, and death, yet it feels like a hollow victory. themes of expanding one’s social circle with maturity, the specter of pop culture, and unreliable narration are present throughout.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent
gracefelstead's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
I'm not usually one to write reviews, but this book irked me.
I came to High Fidelity with a set of expectations that were entirely false, and I realise that is my own fault and not Nick Hornby's. I hear book about character who works at a record store in London, I think cool, young, fun person who works at Rough Trade and gets into music-scene related hijinks. I do not think depressed middle aged man whinges about his ex girlfriend and blames every woman he's ever come within 100m of for his plethora of personal failures.
Rob is so excruciatingly self-absorbed, its no wonder he has no friends. He alienates all the men in his life with the sense of entitlement that he gets from listening to obscure, you-wouldn't-know-them sad boy records. He's just not like other men approaching 40.
Throughout the course of the book he seeks out (harasses, stalks) a litany of women who have had the misfortune of crossing paths with him, and humiliates & belittles them to make himself feel better. He holds bitterness for these women he hasn't had contact with for 10-20 years because he believes that some poor girl not letting him touch her boobs as a teen is now the root cause of his life going completely downhill. He is constantly thinking about, to the point of obsession, why these women chose to have sex with other men, when he was readily available. He goes so far as to ask MULTIPLE women questions about the sex they had with the men they dated after him. It's revolting & disturbing.
At one point, his ex girlfriends dad dies, and he makes it all about himself.
There is very little plot to this book. There is no character development. There is barely even a single likeable trait among the entire cast of characters (save for maybe Liz, or Laura's sister, who would make far better protagonists).
There is a part where he supposes that he has an incredible wealth of emotional depth & understanding simply because sometimes he listens to sad songs. I think my absent father must have studied at the same College of Musical Knowledge as Rob.
Oh, theres also a weird racist line about eye shapes.
A lot of the music & film mentions in this book are incredibly dated. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone other than self-obsessed, borderline narcissistic depressed lonely men in their 50s/60s.
I came to High Fidelity with a set of expectations that were entirely false, and I realise that is my own fault and not Nick Hornby's. I hear book about character who works at a record store in London, I think cool, young, fun person who works at Rough Trade and gets into music-scene related hijinks. I do not think depressed middle aged man whinges about his ex girlfriend and blames every woman he's ever come within 100m of for his plethora of personal failures.
Rob is so excruciatingly self-absorbed, its no wonder he has no friends. He alienates all the men in his life with the sense of entitlement that he gets from listening to obscure, you-wouldn't-know-them sad boy records. He's just not like other men approaching 40.
Throughout the course of the book he seeks out (harasses, stalks) a litany of women who have had the misfortune of crossing paths with him, and humiliates & belittles them to make himself feel better. He holds bitterness for these women he hasn't had contact with for 10-20 years because he believes that some poor girl not letting him touch her boobs as a teen is now the root cause of his life going completely downhill. He is constantly thinking about, to the point of obsession, why these women chose to have sex with other men, when he was readily available. He goes so far as to ask MULTIPLE women questions about the sex they had with the men they dated after him. It's revolting & disturbing.
There is very little plot to this book. There is no character development. There is barely even a single likeable trait among the entire cast of characters (save for maybe Liz, or Laura's sister, who would make far better protagonists).
There is a part where he supposes that he has an incredible wealth of emotional depth & understanding simply because sometimes he listens to sad songs. I think my absent father must have studied at the same College of Musical Knowledge as Rob.
Oh, theres also a weird racist line about eye shapes.
A lot of the music & film mentions in this book are incredibly dated. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone other than self-obsessed, borderline narcissistic depressed lonely men in their 50s/60s.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Rape