Juliet, Naked – Nick Hornby

Although much of Bibliodyssey is about new reading experiences, there is no reason to forsake tried and trusted favourites.

Nick Hornby and I have grown older together. Progressing from the youthful Fever Pitch and laddish High Fidelity, through yuppie About a Boy, to young married How To Be Good. Long Way Down was multi-generational and Slam reverted to youth, but with Juliet, Naked we are into middle age territory.

Annie & Duncan’s long term relationship is drifting comfortably but aimlessly. Unwed and so far childless, their jobs secure but unexciting, there is little passion apart from Duncan’s obsession with an obscure and long-time reclusive 80’s rock star Tucker Crowe.

When a newly discovered Crowe recording emerges it is the unexpected catalyst for change, propelling Annie in particular down an unlikely path to self-discovery and possible fulfilment. But she is not the only one affected and more than one character has to navigate choppy emotional waters and potential pitfalls along the way.

Hornby’s sure hand on relationships and dialogue, and his eye for humour are all here. He also knows his music, and describes Tucker Crowe’s place in the rock pantheon so authentically that it almost had me checking him out on Google.

Light and entertaining but with a few moral dilemmas along the way – just another typically good Hornby read.