INCONCEIVABLE – Ben Elton
A Skilfully Constructed and Eloquently Delivered Book!
An intelligent and minutely plotted book! It deals with an infertile couple and the ups and downs of married life. It shows the opposite thinking of men and women. It shows that men can be insensitive and very basic and that women often see the negative side too much... Added to this is a superb humour, which will have you laughing for hours after you read the book, just like only Elton can do it!The book deals with the couple that stars in the novel. Sam and Lucy are desperate to have a baby, and their hilarious, yet fruitless attempts to conceive are often graphically described by Elton. Sam is a BBC executive, yet his career turns for the worst when he is moved to radio broadcasting. He dreams of becoming a writer, but when is chance arrives, he has to deceive and disobey his wife, in order to achieve his dream.Lucy works in an office dealing with celebrities, including actor Carl Phipps, who Lucy almost has an affair with but stops at the last moment. She sees Sam as quite insensitive towards her feelings and not very understanding. However, deep down Sam does care, but like most men, can't show it very well.The plot twists and turns, dealing with the often sad and distressing subject of infertility and its various ways of treatment. It deals with marriage and it's problems. It is one of the very few fiction books that deal with a taboo subject as infertility. Do you want to know more?? Just read the book!
Given to me by an infertile couple, “Inconceivable” is the funniest book I’ve ever read. Inconceivable is definitely the next book you should be reading.
Reviewed by Ana Xavier
English at 10 class
End Credits
Writer: Ben Elton
Genre: Comedy
Publisher: Black Swan Books
Publishing year: 1999
Country: UK
Other reviews’ headlines
“Extremely funny, clever, well-written, sharp and unexpectedly moving…this is brilliant, chaotic satire merits rereading several times.”
Mail on Sunday
“This is Elton at his best-mature, humane, and still a laugh a minute. At least!”
Daily Telegraph
“A very funny book about a sensitive subject… Ben Elton the writer night be even funnier than Ben Elton the comic.”
Daily Mail
“A tender beautifully balanced romantic comedy.”
Spectator
“Moving and thoroughly entertaining.”
Daily Express
Reflections
1. How did the reviews help you with writing your own review?
All the reviews I’ve read helped me develop new vocabulary, especially in this type of text. There were quite a lot of new words unknown to me.
2. What did you learn about the subject you were researching?
I’ve learnt that like me there are many people that loved the book and wanted to mention it. Also the film based in the book wasn’t properly directed and didn’t make justice to such good book. Some people that seen the film before reading the book, weren’t interested at all to actually start reading the book! Those people were obviously well impressed with the book.
3. How did this help you with your writing?
I can actually say, without the reviews I’ve read and the ones the teacher gave us, this assignment would me the most difficult one! The wording is very specific and one that I don’t use in “every day” speech/writing. I now can guaranty that my vocabulary enriched a good few words…. (I know you are expecting that my vocabulary enriched more than a good few words!). I’m trying my best!
An intelligent and minutely plotted book! It deals with an infertile couple and the ups and downs of married life. It shows the opposite thinking of men and women. It shows that men can be insensitive and very basic and that women often see the negative side too much... Added to this is a superb humour, which will have you laughing for hours after you read the book, just like only Elton can do it!The book deals with the couple that stars in the novel. Sam and Lucy are desperate to have a baby, and their hilarious, yet fruitless attempts to conceive are often graphically described by Elton. Sam is a BBC executive, yet his career turns for the worst when he is moved to radio broadcasting. He dreams of becoming a writer, but when is chance arrives, he has to deceive and disobey his wife, in order to achieve his dream.Lucy works in an office dealing with celebrities, including actor Carl Phipps, who Lucy almost has an affair with but stops at the last moment. She sees Sam as quite insensitive towards her feelings and not very understanding. However, deep down Sam does care, but like most men, can't show it very well.The plot twists and turns, dealing with the often sad and distressing subject of infertility and its various ways of treatment. It deals with marriage and it's problems. It is one of the very few fiction books that deal with a taboo subject as infertility. Do you want to know more?? Just read the book!
Given to me by an infertile couple, “Inconceivable” is the funniest book I’ve ever read. Inconceivable is definitely the next book you should be reading.
Reviewed by Ana Xavier
English at 10 class
End Credits
Writer: Ben Elton
Genre: Comedy
Publisher: Black Swan Books
Publishing year: 1999
Country: UK
Other reviews’ headlines
“Extremely funny, clever, well-written, sharp and unexpectedly moving…this is brilliant, chaotic satire merits rereading several times.”
Mail on Sunday
“This is Elton at his best-mature, humane, and still a laugh a minute. At least!”
Daily Telegraph
“A very funny book about a sensitive subject… Ben Elton the writer night be even funnier than Ben Elton the comic.”
Daily Mail
“A tender beautifully balanced romantic comedy.”
Spectator
“Moving and thoroughly entertaining.”
Daily Express
Reflections
1. How did the reviews help you with writing your own review?
All the reviews I’ve read helped me develop new vocabulary, especially in this type of text. There were quite a lot of new words unknown to me.
2. What did you learn about the subject you were researching?
I’ve learnt that like me there are many people that loved the book and wanted to mention it. Also the film based in the book wasn’t properly directed and didn’t make justice to such good book. Some people that seen the film before reading the book, weren’t interested at all to actually start reading the book! Those people were obviously well impressed with the book.
3. How did this help you with your writing?
I can actually say, without the reviews I’ve read and the ones the teacher gave us, this assignment would me the most difficult one! The wording is very specific and one that I don’t use in “every day” speech/writing. I now can guaranty that my vocabulary enriched a good few words…. (I know you are expecting that my vocabulary enriched more than a good few words!). I’m trying my best!
3 comments:
I really enjoy reading novels by English writers. This author, Elto n, seems to be basically using the same style as Sophie Kinsella, the author of the Shopalholic series as well as "Can You Keep a Secret". If you enjoyed Inconceivable, you´ll love these books. And to make things even better they are a quick read, in a matter of days it can be read.
it seems like a great book, you should lend it to me one of these days... ;-)
Good appealing review!!
this is a really interesting book.I've never heard about this writer, however it is good to know more about English writers. If you read a lot in English, can you give me some suggestions on that? I would be greatful lol ** Filipa Pedro
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