by Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby writes some of the funniest dialogue ever, and his character analyses are always amusing. But in Juliet, I think there’s an imbalance: too much introspection, not enough dialogue and action. Juliet tells the story of what transpires when a staid, middle-aged English couple meets (thanks to the Internet) a retired, reclusive American rock star. That’s an intriguing setup, but not enough “happens” after that. A character will do or say something, and Hornby will devote five pages to deconstructing that statement or action. I kept saying to myself, “OK, OK. Now can we move on with things?” Still, although this isn’t my favorite Hornby (that would probably be About a Boy), there’s enough of his trademark wit on display to make it a worthwhile read.
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