High Society

Elton's cast of characters is massive, but all (notably a government minister who is trying to push through a bill to legalise drugs) are etched in with maximum vividness. Interestingly, although Elton casts a cold eye across the whole of society (including an unforgiving look at the media) the final effect of the book is anything but bleak. All the trademark wit is here, along with a sense of focus that is considerably more sophisticated than anything Elton has tackled before. As a serious satirical novel (yes, there is such a thing), High Society makes an indelible mark. --Barry Forshaw

Reader Reviews:

Not his best (1/4 people found this helpful)

As an academic exercise this is fine: Elton makes his point persuasively -the war on drugs has been lost and the answer is legalisation and control - and his interweaving of characters and storylines is clever. But as a novel it's not his best by a long way: the 'uplifting' stories are completely unbelievable and the realistic ones just depressing; and the characters are so unsympathetic it's hard to care anyway.

Incisive close-up on aspects of society we try to avoid noticing (0/1 people found this helpful)

Ben Elton doesn't write in the classic way of the writers you had to study at school, but he acheives the impossible. This book isn't complex, the reading age is probably quite low, and you don't need to concentrate. But he still makes you think! He really is far too clever at this sort of skill and it makes the rest of us feel pretty useless.

The story centres around the drug trade. The characters are great - the idealistic politician, the pimp, the addict, the new star from a 'pop idol' type show. From there. you can't go wrong, but it just gets better.

He tends to let each plot run on its own but intersperses them, and in terms of wanting to know what happens in each, it's a hard book to put down.

It also was quite revealing with respect to who's involved in the drug trade and what could be done. It leaves some massive questions remainaing about what we, and those in society, could do about the terrible consequences of the smack business. So apart from being funny, it's poignant and thought-provoking too.

Don't expect anything less than highly readable and entertaining from Elton, 'cos you wont get it. Entertaining in the highest.

Just read it... (0/0 people found this helpful)

The author covers some of the most taboo issues in today's society by splitting the book into a range of different stories and portraying a massive amount of characters. Elton takes us into the criminal world of drugs abuse. He shows how drugs affect every class and every branch of society - from prostitutes and the homeless up to the upper classes and royalty- and he does it well. Elton shows both sides of the argument between drug legalization and drug addiction.
Even though this book is fiction it makes you wonder about the truth behind it and it helps you get into the minds of hundreds of drug abusers and addicts around the world. This book is aimed at older readers due to its explicit nature and it is not written for the easily offended. This book is gruesome but impossible to put down.

Worth a read... (3/3 people found this helpful)

I was a bit uncomfortable when I started reading this book and thought that I was going to hate it after 20 pages, however the book and subject matter does grow on you.

Having read a number of BE's other novels, the skill with which he weaves a number of characters towards an inevitable conclusion is to be admired, if the result is a little predictable.

In the end I couldn't put the book down as I wanted to know what happened to one of the characters in particular.

The book is BE's take on how the British media has the power to make and then break people. These are subjects which have been close to BE throughout his comedy career, and his distaste for the media and modern politics in general, shines through.

High Society - Ben Elton (4/5 people found this helpful)

A ‘Must’ read! Usually I am into thrillers, but this had me gripped from the first page. It might be difficult for a non-native English speaker as Ben introduces many colloquial accents (Scottish & Brummie etc) fairly early on. The story was tragic, gripping and too true to life not to take seriously. In places it’s utterly shocking, eye opening and horrific, but it depicts the underworld that many of us choose to ignore. Which ever way you look at it drugs are evil and the barons behind them just get richer and richer.

A poignant chapter for me was when Tommy was left to fend for himself on the street after being beaten up and without his numerous ‘minder’s and ‘fixers’ to sort everything for him – how easy it would be to fall into the abyss of the homeless and the sordid drug related word.

I loved the ending, I know it’s only a story but I was left in deep thought about the thousands of addicted victims of this world.

Ben Elton

Editorial Review: