It’s great to have access to the local library and even better that it is only five doors away. Even though its collection isn’t very impressive: if you leave out the fantasy, the science fiction and, uhm, the kind of books with quotes from Elle and Cosmopolitan on the back cover, only a small and rather random selection of books is left.
I picked up Brendan Halpin’s Long Way Back from the shelf because the title reminded me of Nick Hornby’s latest book. And then the description sounded nice and –yes, I am a snob– it had quotes from the right newspapers, so I decided to take it home. And to read it.

The book is, basically, about growing up. And there is a lot of music involved (among the numerous musical references, The Ramones are most prominent), which rather explicitly symbolizes not growing up. Add to this the tons of witty remarks and we find about a thousand points on the Quite Like Nick Hornby-scale. Some points need to be subtracted for more death than in all of Hornby’s books together and for quite a lot of religion too, but it still could easily be a missing Hornby-book.
Don’t get the death and religion wrong though: although it does get sad at time, Long Way Back is not depressing; it’s just like life should be, really. And though Halpin is American and the book is mostly situated in Boston, the religion is far from the typical American stuff (partly because the people are Catholics). There were a few times were the American references made it harder for me to identify with the characters, but it did not get in my way of enjoying the book.
The only thing I kind of minded is the slightly corny ending. But then, it is not a bad ending really and probably suits the book well. And anyway, by that time I was too absorbed by the book to really mind.