meldster reviewed on
Helpful Score: 3
I really like Nick Hornby. I've read several of his books and I was excited to see he'd written a new book. I didn't even read the summary or know what it was about when I started reading it.
I was maybe about halfway through and I was just annoyed at the characters. Granted it kept me interested enough to keep reading, but the way the characters related (or didn't) to each other just irritated me. There were moments when I'd think "Are you stupid or something? I wouldn't put up with that!" I'm sure this was part of the story because basically the characters all in some way were stuck.
The basic concept is Duncan is obsessed with Tucker Crowe, this obscure artist who became a recluse after an "incident' or so he thinks in a bar bathroom. Over the next 20 years, he becomes a "Croweologists" on Tucker Crowe's music and knows the ins and outs of all his music while interacting on a message board with other Crowe obsessed fans. His relationship with Annie is not really defined, but in short, they're stuck and are more friends than lovers. As Duncan says at one point in the book, Tucker Crowe is like their child, because that's all Duncan ever talks and thinks about. There's not much room for Annie.
Tucker's life and Duncan and Annie's life do parallel each other, however I felt like the story wasn't more developed. Something was missing or lacking in the plot. I was hoping to get more involved in really the relationship between Annie and Duncan, but it didn't quite happen. In addition, the ending felt very abrupt. It needed more development.
Granted it gets you to think about life and maybe things you regret. Maybe how at a certain age you wanted to achieve certain goals and when the time comes, maybe you haven't. So then what? What do you do? Try to still reach them, or just move on? At least that's what this story was really about in my eyes.
Not my favorite Hornby book, but I'm glad I at least read it.
I was maybe about halfway through and I was just annoyed at the characters. Granted it kept me interested enough to keep reading, but the way the characters related (or didn't) to each other just irritated me. There were moments when I'd think "Are you stupid or something? I wouldn't put up with that!" I'm sure this was part of the story because basically the characters all in some way were stuck.
The basic concept is Duncan is obsessed with Tucker Crowe, this obscure artist who became a recluse after an "incident' or so he thinks in a bar bathroom. Over the next 20 years, he becomes a "Croweologists" on Tucker Crowe's music and knows the ins and outs of all his music while interacting on a message board with other Crowe obsessed fans. His relationship with Annie is not really defined, but in short, they're stuck and are more friends than lovers. As Duncan says at one point in the book, Tucker Crowe is like their child, because that's all Duncan ever talks and thinks about. There's not much room for Annie.
Tucker's life and Duncan and Annie's life do parallel each other, however I felt like the story wasn't more developed. Something was missing or lacking in the plot. I was hoping to get more involved in really the relationship between Annie and Duncan, but it didn't quite happen. In addition, the ending felt very abrupt. It needed more development.
Granted it gets you to think about life and maybe things you regret. Maybe how at a certain age you wanted to achieve certain goals and when the time comes, maybe you haven't. So then what? What do you do? Try to still reach them, or just move on? At least that's what this story was really about in my eyes.
Not my favorite Hornby book, but I'm glad I at least read it.
