Keith, Naked

Read from Tuesday, November 23 to Thursday, November 25.

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby.  Read this book pretty quickly over the first few days of my Thanksgiving vacation in Asheville, North Carolina.  I read High Fidelity a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it, and this book was similar in a lot of ways.

Once again, Hornby centers his books around music and relationships.  Annie and Duncan are in a failing relationship in England, and Duncan is obsessed with Tucker Crowe, a singer-songwriter who was popular in the 80's and then dropped out of the spotlight suddenly and mysteriously.  Duncan and other fans post comments on a website, and when Annie makes a thoughtful critique of an album, she is contacted by Tucker Crowe himself, who is living in Pennsylvania with a son, a failing marriage, and a long line of ex-wives and other abandoned children.  Annie and Tucker begin an email correspondence, while Annie cuts off ties with the obsessed Duncan.  Annie struggles with the feeling that she has wasted so much of her life in a pointless relationship, and is desperate to finally live again.

Eventually, Tucker visits England, and spends some time in Annie's small seaside village with her and his son, while he is recuperating from a heart attack.  Annie has had a big crush on Tucker, and finally is able to get him into bed with her.  However, Tucker must eventually go back to the U.S. due to his obligations to his son and ex-wives.  The novel ends with Annie throwing off the constraints the society has placed on her and trying to emigrate to America to be with Tucker. 

It was a quick and easy, but fun read.  Nothing too difficult, but very enjoyable nonetheless.  I loved some of the characters, such as Tucker and his son, Jackson, and the obsessive Duncan can be amusing at times as well.  Annie was strange, but realistic, being very impulsive and indecisive at times.  I also liked the theme of music from both the perspective of the emotionally unstable musician, and at times clueless fans, who over-analyze every lyric and gesture.  The ending left more to be desired, however.  It ends abruptly with nothing actually happening, except for a change in Annie.  I actually hoped that her and Duncan would get back together.  Otherwise, a fresh, light read.  Three and a half out of four stars.