An Inspector Calls (Heinemann Plays)

The story rapidly moves up a gear when Inspector Gool arrives, holding me entrapped in his amazing authorative line of questioning. It is wonderful to read; you can almost picture the looks on the faces of everyone concerned, which is them all. It draws you in, as if one is watching the play for real, not reading a book. The whole book has you gripped, not wanting to put it down, needing to know who the 'girl' really was. Having it suddenly dawn that not one member is guilty, but they all are. Without even realising it the tale unfolds from their very lips, the inspector is merely a spectator.

It is interesting to see the way the play develops, the way each person deals with their own guilt and feelings. The play has a remarkeable twist which may be picked up by the reader just before it is realised by the characters.

The ending of this play, leaves you sat there repeating those final words over and over again; makes you go back within the book to re-read certain parts. The book is very clever in the sense that it has one thinking about the way the story dealt with feelings, how when the characters were beginning to act selfishly once more, it really all did come pouring down on them and that this time there really would be no escape. Has one wondering that maybe, just maybe, if acceptance for actions were more forthcoming would the ending be different and isn't it a lesson to us all.

It deals with a lot of social, moral and personal issues that I believe every reader will in some respect be able to identify with. A book written perhaps with the thought in mind of provoking 'people' to challenge their own positions and feelings. This is a book that will never die and will always have a place on my bookshelf.


loved despite having to read for O level   September 10, 2003
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I first read this play for my O levels many years ago and was immediately hooked. The story is about a family who have all separately affected another person's life through their own selfishness - there's a moral to the story but it is a very entertaining play to read (and watch if you get the chance - there's also a film - black and white but very good) the play has a great twist that leaves you wondering...


Relevent Then, Relevent Now   June 4, 2004
Phoenix (Henley-On-Thames, Oxon, England)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I think that An Inspector calls is an esential book to read.

When J.B Priestly wrote the play in the 1940's, it made a big point a bout class, and although those barriers are alot more faded and fallen than they were, they haven't completely dissapated, making this play still relevent today.

It is one of the set texts for at least one GCSE examining boards, so many will be studying it for their GCSE's. To those the reason to buy your own copy is obvious, school don't yell if you lose it, annotating is perfectly allowed, and the book is usually in a better state.

The play itself, is very brilliant, very dramatic, exciting and intiguing (yeah, I know I can't spell). I won't give everything away (that would be very mean...)but as every character reveals their story, it links into the others, and makes you want to hear the rest. When you have heard all the stories, you can't blame the girl for killing herself.


A brilliant read   November 15, 2005
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

This book is a suprisingly good read for a play. The characters in this book are written under finese, you will find yourself relating to each of them; An inspector does indeed call around, investigating the death of a woman; as the story unfolds you are exposed to a world of deceit, betrayal, and social intolerence. It is an extremely well crafted book, plot twists are aplenty - its core ideas are representation of the time at which the book was set, the ideas of socialism and capitlism, money and love. In the end it is the combined act of each and every family member that seems to lead to the woman's demise. Each one of the family ended up affecting the woman in unimaginable ways - and only after recalecting, do the family peice together how they were involved (pushed along by the inspector), the true essence of the inspector is revealed - how he represents the guilt ridden voice in the back of your head, the final part of the story chilling in itself...when the inspector leaves, the phone rings, the police tell Mr Birling that they are sending an inspector, to ask some questions as they have just found a woman dead...


A gripping thriller which speaks to us all   September 19, 2000
7 out of 9 found this review helpful

Priestly's classic play deals with themes which all of us should take to heart. When a family gathering is interrupted by the arrival of Inspector Goole, investigating the death of a young girl in the area, every member of the family, and the audience, finds themselves implicated in her death. You'll never watch the blame for something you've done be passed on to someone else in quite the same way ever again. Who ever said that justice is dead?