That didn't happen -- but I did finally pick it up after the first episode aired. (There are six episodes; I've seen two so far.)
It's the "Swinging Sixties" (1964, as the book opens) in England, and Barbara Parker has just won the title of Miss Blackpool in a bathing suit beauty contest. Her father and aunt hope she'll settle down now and marry her butcher boyfriend Aidan. But Barbara wants more out of life: she secretly dreams of being on "telly" and making people laugh, like her heroine/role model, Lucille Ball -- and she's soon off to London to seek her fortune. She finds a job, selling hats at a department store, and a roommate, who also works there -- and then she finds an agent, who renames her "Sophie Straw." Improbably, she charms her way into the lead role of a new TV comedy about a young married couple that becomes a smash hit.
This was a fast read -- albeit it took me a week-plus to get through it (because, life, and it's been a busy week!). (When I did get to it, I was able to speed through large chunks in a sitting.) I've previously read and enjoyed several other Hornby novels, including "Juliet, Naked," and "State of the Union" (reviews in the links), as well as "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy" (pre-blogging, so no reviews to point you to).
This one was not quite as satisfying as some of those others. Based on the cover design and blurb, I was expecting a romantic romp through Swinging London, a bit of a chick-list novel, perhaps (albeit written by a man). It turned out to be more of an "office/work family" story (I'm thinking of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," albeit with a British accent and fewer laughs). Despite the title, it's not really a comic novel, although there are chuckles along the way. The last few chapters went in a totally different direction than I had anticipated -- not in a bad way but, again, not quite what I had expected.
As for the TV series -- so far, I am enjoying it. The period details (the clothes! the soundtrack!!) are wonderful, there's a lot more humour to be found (albeit some situations are obviously staged for laughs), and Gemma Arterton, who plays Barbara/Sophie, is well cast. I am also enjoying the nuanced performance of Arsher Ali as Dennis, the producer, and Alexa Davies is fun as Barbara/Sophie's roommate, Marjorie. Rupert Everett, so charming in "My Best Friend's Wedding," is almost unrecognizable as Barbara/Sophie's agent, Brian. (I checked his bio online -- he's 63 now (!) but looks a good decade older than that in this show. I loved him in "My Best Friend's Wedding" with Julia Roberts, but that movie was made in 1997, 25+ years ago now (! -- yikes!).) Barbara/Sophie/Gemma Arterton is clearly the star and the focus of this show -- which you might expect? -- while the novel also delves into the stories and minds of her co-star, producer and writers. They're interesting characters, and I'm glad I got to know them better in the end, but the multiple storylines and perspectives were ultimately a bit distracting.
I will admit to scratching my head over a lot of the British references (and I consider myself fairly well versed in Britannia), particularly to actors and television/radio shows of the era. I recognized a few of them (e.g., "Steptoe and Son" and "Till Death Do Us Part," which became "Sanford and Son" and "All in the Family" in the U.S.) but not others, and I am not sure whether some or all of the others were real, or made up by Hornby?
A pleasant diversion, but Hornby has written better books.
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 on Goodreads (the extra half-point added for those last few chapters).
This was Book #19 read to date in 2023 (and Book #2 finished in May), bringing me to 42% of my 2023 Goodreads Reading Challenge goal of 45 books. I am (for the moment, anyway...!) 2 books ahead of schedule. :) You can find reviews of all my books read to date in 2023 tagged as "2023 books."
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