By Amanda M.
Writing from the perspective of a woman is definitely not an easy task. Nick Hornby, author of How To Be Good, tackles this task in a witty way as Katie Carr, wife and mother of two, who questions what it really means to be “good.” Through trial and error, she gains insight as to how her actions not only impact herself, but others around her.
Katie Carr has lived life thinking that being a doctor is what makes her a good person. Unhappy in her marriage, she has an affair. A turn of events brings maybe too much kindness and compassion to her once angry husband, only it’s not exactly directed towards her. He now has a new friend who claims to be a spiritual healer, promoting her husband’s drive to make all right in the world (or at least in his postal district.)
Hornby writes in great detail which is critical at some points in this novel but superfluous in others. I appreciated his dry-sarcastic sense of humor which he portrayed through Katie. The plot seemed to be sort of slow towards the middle of the book, but the last page makes it all worth it. The ending gives in to the reader’s craving for something dramatic to be revealed and leaves you thinking.
I recommend this book to anyone who is willing to stick with it through it’s slow points. Hornby puts all the information out on the table when it comes to Katie’s thoughts and feelings, which leads to a puzzling ending that I never expected. Hornby’s novel answers the nagging question: is it possible to be a good person, risking everything you own, and hold on to your sanity at the same time?
This book can be found online, in most public libraries, local bookstores, and Mr. Greene’s bookshelf.
How To Be Good, by Nick Hornby, Penguin Books, March 2014, 244 pages
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