Thursday, January 14, 2016

Lobsters

I'm really happy to review this book because it really gave me what it promised! I'm talking about the book: Lobsters by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison. I have seen this book in the bookstore in many, many occasions but only decided to buy it two weeks ago. The book really attracted me each and every time in the bookstore because (the Dutch edition) is very bright, intense and flashy as you can see on the photos BUT I wasn't all too sure about the content...

Hannah and Sam don't want to be virgins any longer when they go to university. That means they've got only one summer left to find the one and to reach that mile-stone. It all doesn't go as easy as both had planned, especially when you feel like your friends are better at everything. Hannah feels less beautiful and not worthy of a boy while Sam struggles to be, according to his friends, "a real man". Both must navigate social misunderstandings, the plotting of well-meaning friends, and their own fears of being virgins for ever to find happiness. And in the end, it all boils down to love.

Both the Dutch and English editions promise to give you a "social awkward love story". When I saw that for the first time, I was very curious in what way this could be awkward. As I said before, I wasn't all to sure if I wanted to read this book because of the content. It seemed (on the Dutch edition) as if it was going to focus a hell of a lot on the 'virgins' part which I really wasn't that interested in.

So how did I end up with this book? I can't say that I wasn't attracted to the book. It's flashy cover and part of the content really made me want to read it. The cool thing on the Dutch version is that they try to make you 'buy' it. On the back of the book it says "Not convinced yet? Read pages 42-43." And of course, I did! That really took me over the edge and made me take the book with me. Did I regret buying it? Was it really concentrated on the "virgins" part? Not. At. All.

I haven't laughed this hard with a book since a while! So I'm already warning you, if you read this book in public environments people will stare at you because you laugh. Hard. It was just how the writers wrote particular sentences. Sometimes you'd get the feeling that it maybe wasn't meant like that but you laughed with it anyway. Sometimes the drama and jealousy would've been told with very funny aspects and on a very, very funny way!

Speaking of drama, as in every lover story there's the drama with the drama queens, drama kings! The first character I'd like to discuss therefore is Stella. I'm going to be very blunt now but I didn't like her at all. She really acted like she was the center of it all, she also was a drama queen I can't put it into words! I just didn't like her because sometimes, even if she meant well, she just seemed so mean. If you have read the story you might understand!

Hannah is one of the main characters with whom I really could connect. The exams just passed and at times she was really stressed to find out the outcome of it all. She's also very shy and introvert. Stella is one of her best friends but because Stella is such a drama queen, Hannah feels like she's less than her. And not only on one particular aspect but on many, that we see throughout the story. I really liked Hannah a lot! It's not that I had 'awkward' moments with her but...

I did have awkward moments with the other main character: Sam. He's just so funny! But because of that he sometimes makes many situations awkward. Other than that, Sam's really sweet, calm and very self conscious. He also feels that his other friends are more like a man than he is because he's still a virgin. 

As for another friend that feels like he's the man: Robin. What did I think about him? He was Stella but than less dramatic and mean. He really did want all the best for his friends even though he sometimes forgot that he's not the most important all the time. He's also really funny but also stubborn and vain but those are the things I appreciated the most with Robin. These aspects about him really gave more fun to the story and more awkward to the situations. 

As for the plot it was as I already have said a thousand times in this review, very funny! Also they give you a reason why the book is called "Lobsters", I thought it was weird... They used it as a design above each chapter and it was the title... but they explain which I found very good and useful because later on something happens to that meaning. I laughed with it... a lot because not only were they lied to, but also I was told lies! 

And yes there are certain parts are about the whole 'Hannah and Sam are a virgin and don't want to be' and also the language changed then but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. From the Dutch description we get, it feels like it's all going to be about virgins and sex which I didn't want because that'd be awkward, right? Luckily for me it was different in a good way! Next to the funny parts there were also very romantic scenes, very friendly scenes but also dramatic scenes because what would a book be without drama? 

I absolutely enjoyed this book SO SO much! I could connect with the characters, I laughed my butt off, I felt happy because of the romance. Altogether it was a very good read to me and absolutely deserves its 5 stars I'm giving it! They give you what it says on the cover: a very awkward but romantic story and it all completed each other, together with comedy. I do think that it's one of those books you either love or hate. If you hate the beginning and think "oh boy, if this is going to be like this all 272 pages long, I'm quitting NOW." hold on! Maybe you'll change your mind after reading pages 42-43 and following!

"But fate is at work to bring them together."

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