Book Review: Slam by Nick Hornby

"Slam" is an amusing insight into the life of a teenager who is cruising through life, happy with his lot, until a small mistake changes his life forever. Nick Hornby is well-known for his books in which he writes about the feelings and emotions of the characters dealing with the type of situations that effect every day people and in Slam he does an incredible job of writing in the narrative of a teenager obsessed with skate-boarding.

This story is about how the main character, Sam, has to deal with the consequences of his actions as he is dealt with the problems of a man while still a teenager - the increasingly familiar issue of teenage pregnancy. What is interesting in this book is how Sam's perception of living with the consequences of his actions contrast with an alternative version of what could happen and how Sam, in the absence of a father figure, turns for life advice to the unlikely guru-like figure of the skater Tony Hawk.

What I like about "Slam" is that it is equally driven by the plot and the lives of its characters, one is not dispensed with for the other unlike in so many other novels. This book has an interesting story, certainly this reader was intrigued what would ultimately happen to Sam, but it also has some very interesting characters, from the central character Sam, Alicia and Sam's mother to some of the peripheral characters - Sam's father, Rabbit, Alicia's parents and Rubbish. Not only is this a thought-provoking book it is also an easy read and compelling story with some amusing moments.

Buy "Slam" by Nick Hornby on Amazon.com

If you are already a Nick Hornby fan then I would certainly recommend this book to you as well as those who are looking into reading this author. I would also recommend this book to those who enjoy interesting stories about people's lives combined with humour and some unusual moments.

Score: 8/10