It’s beautifully written! It bogs down in the middle and is definitely a first novel, but I just think it’s so well-drawn and thoughtful and interesting.

Aw! Is there really an academic titles bingo? At my last job we had an office lingo bingo that we’d play at long meetings and it was great. Funny Girl is the first Hornby book I’ve really liked. I’ve not read High Fidelity, but I was very neutral on About a Boy, How to Be Good, A Long Way Down, and Juliet Naked. I don’t know why I have persisted so much with him but anyway it finally paid off!

Ahahaha, yay!! Can’t wait to hear what you think of it!

It’s definitely good to be pushed sometimes. That’s why bloggers are so great — always telling me about books that aren’t necessarily my jam, and making them sound unmissable.

All true! It’s excellent!

So, yeah, I haven’t been crazy about any of his books before. I’ve read maybe four of them because I kept thinking they must be good because people seemed to like them so much. And then they’ve never been that good. But Funny Girl was a damn delight. I really, really enjoyed it.

It is SO great when you find something good outside your comfort zone. Reminds you why it’s worth it!

Act Four doesn’t recommend books all that often, but when they do, I’ve been really into them. I wish Stacia Brown could have a book recommendation column all to herself. That would be great for me.