I've read all of Nick Hornby's books -- well, that's not entirely true, I don't know enough about soccer to get through "Fever Pitch" (although I loved the switched-to-baseball American version movie). I've read all of his novels. I loved "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy". I loved "How to Be Good" until the last sentence, and I liked "A Long Way Down" a lot. He's got a new one coming out September 29th called "Juliet, Naked" which as much as I can't wait to read is only my second most-anticipated book coming out that day. (I'm referring of course to Audrey Niffenegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry") .
Anyway, while I'm waiting for Juliet to disrobe I picked up "Slam" Hornby's YA book that I passed up when it first came out. And I thought it was great, not written any differently than his other novels. The only thing that makes it a YA is the protagonist's age -- 15 when the book begins. He's just a kid obsessed with skateboarding -- to the point that he talks to his Tony Hawke poster -- who manages to get his ex-girlfriend pregnant. In addition to all the drama that situation presents, there are also aspects of the fantastic in this book as the kid occasionally time travels into the future.
Good stuff.
4 comments:
Thanks for the tip. I too have read and enjoyed all of Hornby's books with the same exception of Fever Pitch (also couldn't get through it). I had passed this up just for the reason that it was classified as YA. I'll give it a read.
Let me know what you think of it. I bet you like it.
Enjoyed it! Thanks again. I liked the time-traveling aspect. I never felt like I was reading teen lit except when my wife asked why I was reading a skateboarding book. It is so not that. Good book!
I hope you corrcted her when she called it a skateboarding book. As you know it's just called "skating." ; )
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