Gill's Recommended Reads

Thursday, 1 July 2021

About a Boy by Nick Hornby

 

This well-written classic has of course been made into an engaging film as well.

Intriguingly Will screams out to be played by Hugh Grant and of course he was.

We have two equally significant main characters in this story, Will and Marcus.  The story shifts between the two of them.  Both have convincing voices and both are rounded, authentic characters. This is not a “happy ever after story” and one of the novel’s many strengths is that it shows us life as it is.

Both characters are unusual.  Will doesn’t work – he lives off the royalties from his father’s Christmas song. Marcus lives with his mum, a single parent who has mental health problems. He is an awkward child and gets bullied. Will ends up being as a bit of a reluctant hero.

Nick Hornby portrays the ups and downs of these complex characters and in the end it’s all About a Boy           

Grab your copy here.    

Posted by Gill James at 03:44
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About Gill's Recommended Reads

I put on this site books that take me out of my editor’s head. I am a writer, an editor and I teach creative writing in higher education so it is very rare for me to read without a little voice in my head constantly analysing what I’m reading. This even happens when I am enjoying a book and is actually a comfort when I’m not but am obliged to carry on reading.

Every now and then, though, a text will really shut that voice up.

Just because your book is not on this site does not mean it is a bad book. It means either I haven’t read it or it didn’t quite take me out of my head.

I tend to stumble across the books that go on this site. Send me review copies if you like but I cannot guarantee to put a review up here. Nor can I guarantee to read your book in the next two days. I will however put an honest review on Amazon. My reviews are never cruel.

As there are now fewer and fewer books that manage to take me out of my editor's head I'm also including the best book I've read each month.


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