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vexcrest_113 's review for:
Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
by Rachel Renée Russell
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So stereotypically 2000s that it deserves to be studied as a time capsule, the first volume of Dork Diaries is a dated but quirky story that fairly accurately depicts the overdramatic and frequently shallow woes of middle school girls struggling with their identities and social status.
Nikki, as a protagonist, walks a tightrope of being realistic and a comedic caricature of girlhood. She's obsessed with phones, her looks, and boys. She wants to be popular but doesn't have the confidence to put herself out there when she already thinks of herself as a loser. She has a rival in the form of the prettiest girl at school, Mackenzie, who, of course, is an equally shallow but meaner brat Nikki can naturally blame for all her problems.
The cheesy way in which teenage girl issues are presented will either be charming in its shamelessness or annoying for its heavily cliche style. It could be nostalgia talking, but I am leaning towards charming.
Nikki's rivalry with Mackenzie Hollister is the most interesting aspect of the book because of the intentional sense of hypocrisy. The two girls have way too much in common, and the only thing that separates Nikki from her bully is that she isn't as rich. Were Nikki more fortunate, there is no reason to think she wouldn't be just as vain and intolerable as the girl she hates so vocally. I like the commentary on how teen girls tend to project their flaws onto others, blissfully ignorant of how their views are clouded by petty jealousy. That's just how school tends to be when the atmosphere of the student social scene is so hostile.
Nikki's various flaws don't typically veer into making her monstrously unlikeable, like her male counterpart Greg Heffley, but her bratty and dramatic behavior does lend itself to comedy just like his. The scenarios she gets into wouldn't be out of place in a Disney Channel movie, and that type of low-stakes cringe comedy is amusing and, in a way, comforting in its datedness.
The art ranges in quality due to Nikki (the in-universe artist) deliberately switching styles between fancier stick figures and full-on character illustrations. The drawings are cute and very frequent, so readers will never get bored. For someone her age, it is decently impressive, and the style is distinct to the series.
Overall, it's a good taste of nostalgia for cheesy 2000s stories that are unapologetically feminine and exaggeratedly silly. It's cute and something I imagine young girls will still relate to, even if the styles and tech have changed.
Nikki, as a protagonist, walks a tightrope of being realistic and a comedic caricature of girlhood. She's obsessed with phones, her looks, and boys. She wants to be popular but doesn't have the confidence to put herself out there when she already thinks of herself as a loser. She has a rival in the form of the prettiest girl at school, Mackenzie, who, of course, is an equally shallow but meaner brat Nikki can naturally blame for all her problems.
The cheesy way in which teenage girl issues are presented will either be charming in its shamelessness or annoying for its heavily cliche style. It could be nostalgia talking, but I am leaning towards charming.
Nikki's rivalry with Mackenzie Hollister is the most interesting aspect of the book because of the intentional sense of hypocrisy. The two girls have way too much in common, and the only thing that separates Nikki from her bully is that she isn't as rich. Were Nikki more fortunate, there is no reason to think she wouldn't be just as vain and intolerable as the girl she hates so vocally. I like the commentary on how teen girls tend to project their flaws onto others, blissfully ignorant of how their views are clouded by petty jealousy. That's just how school tends to be when the atmosphere of the student social scene is so hostile.
Nikki's various flaws don't typically veer into making her monstrously unlikeable, like her male counterpart Greg Heffley, but her bratty and dramatic behavior does lend itself to comedy just like his. The scenarios she gets into wouldn't be out of place in a Disney Channel movie, and that type of low-stakes cringe comedy is amusing and, in a way, comforting in its datedness.
The art ranges in quality due to Nikki (the in-universe artist) deliberately switching styles between fancier stick figures and full-on character illustrations. The drawings are cute and very frequent, so readers will never get bored. For someone her age, it is decently impressive, and the style is distinct to the series.
Overall, it's a good taste of nostalgia for cheesy 2000s stories that are unapologetically feminine and exaggeratedly silly. It's cute and something I imagine young girls will still relate to, even if the styles and tech have changed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Vomit
Minor: Ableism, Death, Fatphobia