Language

Style of language

The style of language in Nick Hornby's novel About a Boy is informal, humorous, and has a conversational tone. The author's writing style is engaging and relatable, making it suitable for a wide range of readers. The narrative is presented in a conversational and informal style, as if the narrators’ thoughts are offered directly to the reader. This approach creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy, making it easy for readers to connect with the characters and their experiences.

The novel is peppered with contemporary references from the late 1990s, including mentions of popular culture, music, and technology. For example, Marcus mentions different movies he watches such as Home Alone 2 or Honey, I Blew Up The Kids. The lead singer of the band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, is also an important feature of the novel as Ellie is a big fan of his. These references anchor the story in its time setting and contribute to the relatability of the characters.

Much of the story's progression is driven by dialogue between the characters. The dialogues are authentic and reflect the way people communicate in real life, with interruptions, pauses, and humor:

‘Who’s that?’ he asked politely.
‘You must know...