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Wednesday 11 June 2014

Lobsters by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Review by The Mole

Hannah and her friends have just two things to focus on this summer - their 'A' Level results and losing their virginity. But Hannah is sure she has made a mess of her history exam and she has a big bust-up with Freddie at Stella's party. Stella is a long term friend and Hannah is devoted to her. But the party starts to get weird when she meets Sam in the toilet and although the meeting is brief she can't stop thinking about him. Has she found her "Lobster"? Freddie's place as "Lobster" has certainly been vacated!

The title of this book comes from the idea that lobsters mate for life so "Mr/Mrs Right" are now referred to as a lobsters. (I didn't know this!!) Hannah learns from Casper - a boy she meets in Kavos and strikes up a platonic friendship with - that they don't mate for life anyway! While in Kavos she also meets Pax, a tall 'fit' young man  who shows a lot of interest in her but she doesn't really want to get involved with. She meets Sam and Pax a few more times and it's not all plain sailing. Can there be a happy ending?

There is a lot going on in this book and I have to admit that I was a little concerned, having a daughter doing A levels at the moment. Is this really what obsesses girls and boys of this age? I don't recollect it being the dominant force in my life but then I'm now very old - or so my daughter tells me. The whole story has parallels in the TV series "The Inbetweeners" with some of the characters having their counterparts in the book - but here the story is told alternately by Hannah and Sam. The book, as a result, has many amusing moments but it also has many deeper and tragic moments making it, in my opinion, a better story.

I really enjoyed this book, finding it easy to read and not so easy to put down but I did find, that as a father, I was wondering what is going on in my daughter's head...  Although aimed at the 15+ reader I am sure it will appeal to the many fans of "The Inbetweeners" as well.

Publisher - Chicken House
Genre - Teen (15+) romantic comedy

Buy Lobsters from Amazon

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