Lobsters book cover by Lucy Ivision and Tom Ellen

Lobsters

Published: , by
Genre: , ,
Age:
Synopsis: Sam and Hannah only have the holidays to find 'The One'. Their lobster. But instead of being epic, their summer is looking awkward. They must navigate social misunderstandings, the plotting of well-meaning friends, and their own fears of being virgins for ever to find happiness. But fate is at work to bring them together. And in the end, it all boils down to love.

If the American coming-of-age story is that of road trips, crazy house parties and bigot-induced tragedies then its British counterpart is surely the awkward fumbling and grumbling that make Lobsters such a hilarious tale of love at first sight. Tackling the rom-com genre by beating it with banality, both Ellen and Ivison manage to craft a hysterical and painfully English (and middle class) bildungsroman, complete with Cath Kidston tents and shabby cineplex cafes.

Lobsters is a laugh to read but it must have been a bawl to write; I can only imagine Ellen and Ivision penning the alternating chapters (told from both Sam and Hannah’s perspectives) whilst trying to one-up each other. Their prose is pitch perfect, managing to capture teenage gawkiness without straying into stereotypes.

It’s inevitable that both Sam and Hannah get together after their bonding experience in a purple bathroom talking about hot Ribena (yes it exists), but the pleasure of Lobsters is not the destination but the journey, which is a bumpy ride of faux-pas and close misses. Ellen and Ivision have successfully managed to both a heartfelt and hysterical tale of love meant to be. Perhaps they’ll set a trend abandoning steamy sex scenes for awkward, embarrassing and completely hilarious teenage fumbling.

 

 

About Rhys

Rhys is a 19 year old with roots in the UK and Germany. Aside from reading and blogging, he also produces theatre, loves Kate Bush and hopes to pursue a career in publishing. His reviews have been widely quoted in books such as Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines Quartet, Catherine Bruton’s Pop!, James Treadwell’s Advent and Anarchy and he has presented at such events as Book Expo America.

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