Rejoice, my friends, Nick Hornby – the author of High Fidelity and About a Boy (among other novels) – has released another clever piece of fiction. In his latest novel, Juliet, Naked, Hornby returns to writing about what he writes best: dysfunctional, music-obsessed lovers. Although I suppose that Duncan and Annie were never really in love.

Living in a dreary seaside town in Britain, they exchanged passion for a united front against the greasy gray walls of Gooleness and a love of the mysterious American singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe. But one day, a new Crowe album arrives in the mail and Annie listens to it without Duncan, and to add insult to injury, writes a review disagreeing with his point of view.

Over the next few days following the release of Annie’s first review of the album, their 15-year relationship unravels. And then the unthinkable happens: Tucker Crowe contacts Annie.

Harkening back to the story of High Fidelity, Juliet, Naked is poignant and funny (both in that dry, British way and the American way that can literally make you lol). In the end, it’s a well-told story of relationships and hope embroiled in music. It’s what your life would look like if you dated a hipster, without feeling all the self-doubt yourself.

Grade: A+



Juliet, Naked is currently available.