Nick Hornby's Latest Novel

[Caius Marcius]

In the early 80s, I worked my way through college delivering pizzas, 
whilst also volunteering on a suicide prevention hotline. Ever since, 
these two incongruent activities have been inextricably linked in my 
mind, and I was immensely gratified to find that Nick Hornby's latest 
novel A Long Way Down is the first literary work of my experience to 
make this connection.

I've enjoyed Hornby's previous novels - there's literally an LOL on 
every page - but I've felt that he's never been able to deliver a 
satisfying finale. A Long Way Down is his most ambitious novel, and I 
loved the format - a quartet of narrators - and I became so involved 
with the characters that I was afraid to finish the book, fully 
expecting a major narrative letdown.  *Sigh of relief* - the book goes 
from strength to stength and the finale is best of all.

   - CMC (JJ was me 25 years ago, minus the rock band)