Withering Tights by Louise Rennison
Hilarious new series from Queen of Teen – laugh your tights off at the (VERY) amateur dramatic antics of Talullah and her bonkers mates. Boys, snogging and bad acting guaranteed!
Picture the scene: Dother Hall performing arts college somewhere Up North, surrounded by rolling dales, bearded cheesemaking villagers (male and female) and wildlife of the squirrely-type. On the whole, it’s not quite the showbiz experience Tallulah was expecting… but once her mates turn up and they start their ‘FAME! I’m gonna liiiiive foreeeeeever, I’m gonna fill my tiiiiights’ summer course things are bound to perk up.
Especially when the boys arrive. (When DO the boys arrive?)
Six weeks of parent-free freedom. BOY freedom. Freedom of expression… cos it’s the THEATRE dahling, the theatre!!
Review:
Louise Rennison makes me laugh like no other author can. There are many books that make me smile and laugh out loud, but her books often have me flat out cracking up. Her Georgia Nicolson series are one of my all-time favorites and while my friends and I were particularly obsessed with them in middle school, I continue to enjoy re-reading them now. Withering Tights is told from the point of view of Georgia's younger cousin who is quite funny and awkward in her own way. Georgia still is my favorite Louise Rennison character, but I also connected with and enjoyed Tallulah's story.
Withering Tights is one of those books you can read lying by the pool or curled up in bed-- it is a fun read, that will bring a smile to anyone's face. Since the Georgia Nicolson series ended I've been looking for a series to fill that void (have I mentioned how much I adore British humor?) and while Withering Tights wasn't exactly Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging I'm looking forward to seeing how the series progresses-- especially because it promises to have cameos by Georgia!
Tallulah, at fourteen, is very relatable because she is such a real character. Her sense of humor and, dare I say, weirdness are what makes her so likable and I enjoyed getting to know her and her friends. Part of what I love most about Louise Rennison's novels is she always creates such a diverse and wonderful cast of characters. Like Georgia's Ace Gang, Tallulah has her own gaggle of friends and I liked seeing how their different personalities shown from the pages.
The plot wasn't particularly intense or dark, which is part of why I love Louise Rennison's books so much. These are stories of ordinary teenagers living ordinary (although sometimes crazy) teenage lives. Louise's character's voices are always so clear and I adore her sense of humor.
I'm looking forward to seeing what the sequel brings and will definitely be recommending this book to everyone I know that enjoyed the Georgia Nicolson books. Authors-- please write more funny books! I love them! (Another author who always makes me laugh is Leila Sales, Past Perfect and Mostly Good Girls are both hilarious as well!)
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
July 8, 2011/HarperTeen/351 Pages/Young Adult (w/ MG appeal)/Book One
Source: Purchased
Other books in this series: A Midsummer Tights Dream
