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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've been thinking about how to review this book adequately and I'm really struggling. I rarely review Rennison's novels because it's hard to explain what I mean beyond throwing inane phrases like "really funny" and "laugh-out-loud hilarious" around. But I did receive an ARC for this so I'm going to write something here. And, who knows, maybe I will be able to convince new readers to try out the ridiculous, wonderful and - yes - utterly hilarious would of Louise Rennison. It's delicious, well-written silliness that will immediately be pigeonholed by many as something to be looked down upon. But it takes extreme skill as a writer to create something this funny, to create something that delivers laughs every time you turn the page.
But, in the end, it's humour. And you'll only know if Rennison is for you by sampling said humour. So I shall post a few quotes I enjoyed. Please note that these are not taken from the final print edition:
On the bus, a boy undid my corker holder. And I had to sit there jiggling about, as the tissues that I'd put in it for extra corker-ness worked their way into my armpits.
*
Jo said, "What's happened about the Cain thing - is he still on the run, Lullah?"
I went a bit red and quickly said, "I've no idea. With a bit of luck Mrs Bottomley will shoot him."
Flossie said, "Oh, you are sooooo unreasonable, Miss Lullah. Yes, those boys are BAAADDD, but they are so goddamn handsome."
I said huffily, "Yeah, if you like Dark Black... animals in trousers."
Flossie said, "I do, as it happens."
*
I want to hit something.
I'm going to hit something. I'm banging a squirrel slipper on the dressing table. Yeah! It feels good.
Right, I'm pacing, pacing and banging the slipper on the bed end. Now on the wardrobe door. Yeah yeah!! I'm stepping up the rhythm now, pacing and banging anything I pass. Pace, pace, bang, bang.
Bang the window sill.
Bang the door.
Bang the bedhead.
Bang the lamp... oh damn... pick up the lamp.
*
I looked down to think of something to say and noticed that the front of my coat is sticking out. In the corker area.
Oh no, I wonder if he's noticed that my corkers have grown. It's the kind of thing that Cain would notice.
But I don't want Charlie to think I am deliberately thrusting my corkers at him.
You know, in a girl way. In a 'ooooh, look at my corkers' way.
I'll hunch my shoulders a bit so that the sticking out is counterbalanced by my hunching. Not too much though. I don't want him to think I've become a hunchback over the holidays.
Charlie was looking at me. What should I say to make the situation more normal and matey?
What do boys say to each other?
You know, to their mates, erm...
I said, "Everything all right at home?"
Charlie grinned even more. "Yes, thanks. All well at your end?"
I nodded. "Yes, erm, tickety-boo, thank you."
Tickety-boo?
...
Charlie turned to go. "It's lovely to see you again, Lullah... and, well, I hope I'll see you a lot more. Bye." And he gave me a hug.
I flapped my arms against his back. And then I gave him a thumbs-up.
I don't know why.
Maybe I am a man.
*
And then there's Cain. Lurking about, being absent.
It's very tense-making, waiting for him to pop up. And he's always popping up when you least want a person to pop up. Like when you're adjusting your corker holder. Or doing a bit of corker-measuring. Or rubbing your corkers with hiking socks to make them grow.
But, in the end, it's humour. And you'll only know if Rennison is for you by sampling said humour. So I shall post a few quotes I enjoyed. Please note that these are not taken from the final print edition:
On the bus, a boy undid my corker holder. And I had to sit there jiggling about, as the tissues that I'd put in it for extra corker-ness worked their way into my armpits.
*
Jo said, "What's happened about the Cain thing - is he still on the run, Lullah?"
I went a bit red and quickly said, "I've no idea. With a bit of luck Mrs Bottomley will shoot him."
Flossie said, "Oh, you are sooooo unreasonable, Miss Lullah. Yes, those boys are BAAADDD, but they are so goddamn handsome."
I said huffily, "Yeah, if you like Dark Black... animals in trousers."
Flossie said, "I do, as it happens."
*
I want to hit something.
I'm going to hit something. I'm banging a squirrel slipper on the dressing table. Yeah! It feels good.
Right, I'm pacing, pacing and banging the slipper on the bed end. Now on the wardrobe door. Yeah yeah!! I'm stepping up the rhythm now, pacing and banging anything I pass. Pace, pace, bang, bang.
Bang the window sill.
Bang the door.
Bang the bedhead.
Bang the lamp... oh damn... pick up the lamp.
*
I looked down to think of something to say and noticed that the front of my coat is sticking out. In the corker area.
Oh no, I wonder if he's noticed that my corkers have grown. It's the kind of thing that Cain would notice.
But I don't want Charlie to think I am deliberately thrusting my corkers at him.
You know, in a girl way. In a 'ooooh, look at my corkers' way.
I'll hunch my shoulders a bit so that the sticking out is counterbalanced by my hunching. Not too much though. I don't want him to think I've become a hunchback over the holidays.
Charlie was looking at me. What should I say to make the situation more normal and matey?
What do boys say to each other?
You know, to their mates, erm...
I said, "Everything all right at home?"
Charlie grinned even more. "Yes, thanks. All well at your end?"
I nodded. "Yes, erm, tickety-boo, thank you."
Tickety-boo?
...
Charlie turned to go. "It's lovely to see you again, Lullah... and, well, I hope I'll see you a lot more. Bye." And he gave me a hug.
I flapped my arms against his back. And then I gave him a thumbs-up.
I don't know why.
Maybe I am a man.
*
And then there's Cain. Lurking about, being absent.
It's very tense-making, waiting for him to pop up. And he's always popping up when you least want a person to pop up. Like when you're adjusting your corker holder. Or doing a bit of corker-measuring. Or rubbing your corkers with hiking socks to make them grow.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
While I enjoy Tallulah...She just makes me miss Georgia. She just isn't the same kind of amusing...but I'll keep reading her. For now.
Funny. But, as my friend Jessica said, it is a bit too much like the Georgia books. It is still funny, but missing in originality.
3.5 stars
The perfect no thinking laugh out loud series, but personally, I actually really like the Dark Black Crow of Heckmond White :P
The perfect no thinking laugh out loud series, but personally, I actually really like the Dark Black Crow of Heckmond White :P
I liked that Tallulah said no to Cain! Her other love interest isn't that great himself, but Cain is a terrible drama queen and a relationship with him would not be healthy. Good on you, Tallulah. I applaud your life choices.
I can never get enough of Louise Rennison and when I heard that there was a new Tallulah Casey book I ordered it immediately then started reading when it arrived in the post the next day. And then finished it that night.
And I was right to; I grew up with the Georgia Nicholson books, reading them time and time again, so much so that the spines on many of them aren't really spines any more. And at 18, eight years after discovering them, I still read them and they never fail to make me laugh.
The Taming of the Tights follows the same wonderful pattern and I can tell I will be reading this for years to come and still laughing and the fantastic silliness and going all gooey over the sentimental parts.
It's just, I can't describe how brilliantly written these books are and I can't really do anything but recommend them wholeheartedly and then shuffle off to re-read them all.
[b:Withering Tights|7799991|Withering Tights (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey, #1)|Louise Rennison|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1324901713s/7799991.jpg|10779579]
[b:A Midsummer Tights Dream|9978196|A Midsummer Tights Dream (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey, #2)|Louise Rennison|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327429845s/9978196.jpg|17995126]
[a:Louise Rennison|65189|Louise Rennison|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1217261779p2/65189.jpg]
And I was right to; I grew up with the Georgia Nicholson books, reading them time and time again, so much so that the spines on many of them aren't really spines any more. And at 18, eight years after discovering them, I still read them and they never fail to make me laugh.
The Taming of the Tights follows the same wonderful pattern and I can tell I will be reading this for years to come and still laughing and the fantastic silliness and going all gooey over the sentimental parts.
It's just, I can't describe how brilliantly written these books are and I can't really do anything but recommend them wholeheartedly and then shuffle off to re-read them all.
[b:Withering Tights|7799991|Withering Tights (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey, #1)|Louise Rennison|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1324901713s/7799991.jpg|10779579]
[b:A Midsummer Tights Dream|9978196|A Midsummer Tights Dream (Misadventures of Tallulah Casey, #2)|Louise Rennison|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327429845s/9978196.jpg|17995126]
[a:Louise Rennison|65189|Louise Rennison|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1217261779p2/65189.jpg]
Another fun adventure. These books are great at letting me escape into a world where everyone is quirky and hilarious.