Nick Hornby's "How to Be Good" (SPOILERS)

Cafe Society
1

Okay, so I just finished this book over the weekend, and I thought it was great. My first Hornby book, so I’m definitely going to try to nab his others. Like everyone who’s read this, though, I’m a little confused about the ending, so tell me what you think.

“It’s a spark I want to cherrish, a sputter of life in the flat battery; but at the wrong moment I catch a glimpse of the night sky behind David, and I see that there’s nothing out there at all.”

So, what does this mean? I admit, the book wasn’t exactly the most cheerful thing all the way threw, but the last bit helps secure that maybe there will be an ending that, although not intrinsically happy, will have happy moments. This line, though, just paints it out to be entirely bleak and hopeless. Is it intended to be that way, or it just the beaten and nearly defeated romantic in me starting to give up?

2

That’s how I interpreted it too. It’s an incredibly depressing ending. I’d love for someone to persuade me round to a more positive interpretation, but I can’t see one myself.

3

I also just finished it.

I also don’t see any more cheerful interpretation.

She

unless.

what if it means there is nothing out there beyond David, meaning that happiness can only be had if she is with him?

I don’t know. Still pretty bleak in my opinion.