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Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

(Penguin, $37)

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To be honest, I first started reading Nick Hornby’s novels the wrong way around – I saw the movies based on High Fidelity and About a Boy before I read the books. But I wasn’t disappointed. This British author’s novels are, like their movie versions, approachable, engaging and gently uplifting.

Juliet, Naked, Nick Hornby’s sixth novel, tells the story of Annie and Duncan, an unmarried couple in their mid-thirties who, after being together for 15 years, reach a turning point in their relationship. Their long-lived but lifeless romance has been marked by Duncan’s obsession with 1980s singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe, who mysteriously disappeared from the public eye after the release of his legendary break-up album, Juliet.

When Tucker brings out a new release called Juliet, Naked – an album of solo acoustic demos of the songs on the previous album – Duncan is ecstatic, while Annie sees the new work as, “Juliet without all the good bits.” Annoyed by Duncan’s worship of Tucker and increasingly aware that she may have wasted the years of her youth with him, Annie posts her own, critical review online, which brings on a crisis in her relationship with Duncan.

The plot takes a turn for the thicker though, as Annie’s harsh review reaches Tucker himself and he emails her to say he couldn’t agree more. Annie and Tucker start an unlikely email correspondence and a tentative romance that causes both of them to reassess their lives.

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Nick Hornby is sharply funny about Annie and Duncan’s failing relationship and achingly perceptive when it comes to Annie and Tucker’s initial encounters. He has a deft touch when it comes to describing the early days of new love. He also cleverly examines the influence of the internet on creating legends, while revealing how obsessions can stunt the growth of relationships in the real world.

While the plot is minimal, this is a beautiful and subtle novel about the reawakening of feelings, the strange turns life can take and the integral role art often plays in our lives. A touching read.

**

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