Publications
Partners
Funny Girl by Nick Hornby (first published in 2014 by Penguin Books)
Set in the fictional world of a 1960s television sitcom, Nick Hornby’s latest novel is all about pop culture, friendship, the quest for fame and what that means on your way to the top.
Sophie Straw, the actress formerly known as Barbara Parker from Blackpool, has always wanted to be an actress. In fact, she didn’t just want to be any actress, she wanted to be Lucille Ball. And after winning Miss Blackpool, then giving back her title, decides to go off to London to do just that.
At first, she seems unsuccessful in her endeavour, before being discovered completely by accident and charming her way (and by complete accident, mind you) into a starring role in a sitcom.
There, she works with Clive, her TV husband, who seems to think he’s owed a lot more than he’s getting; Dennis, the lovely producer who minds the rest of the group, but is in a regrettably awful marriage; and Bill and Tony are the hilarious writers who were once very close, but now seem to be drifting apart.
Hornby makes a wonderful tribute to the golden age of light entertainment, while keeping things modern and fresh enough for the reader who isn’t old enough to remember when the Beatles were at the top of the charts.
His central, female character is funny, but also intelligent, vain, and fully fleshed out in ways that so many authors seem to struggle with.
And Hornby also addresses the ‘60s more liberal, yet still backwards attitude to homosexuality and how this puts strain on the relationship between Bill and Tony, who become friends after they spent the night in the same holding cell after being picked up looking for illicit sex.
Hornby manages to make these situations funny, without trying too hard, and this subtle humour alongside the well thought-out plot, well-rounded characters (in the sense that they actually seem like people), and thought-provoking situations between these characters that make Funny Girl a delightful read.
Follow Women24 on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Keen on reading this book? Buy your copy now.
Read this book yet? Tell us what you thought of the book in the comment box below.
Sign up for Women24 book club newsletter and stand a chance to win our top ten books from takealot.com.
