Withering Tights - Louise Rennison

Pages: 351

Published: July 8th 2011 by HarperCollins Children's Books

Date Finished: 1^st September 2011

Rating: 3 stars ***

Synopsis:

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, theatre!

Review:

When I saw Withering Tights in my department store I was really excited to pick it up. I waited a while and let it sit on my bookshelf, coming around to pick it up again when I needed a break from more intense Y.A books. The premise was perfect in that respect, but the read left a lot to be desired.

I love louise Rennisons previous series [Georiga Nicolason] and have always loved her writing style. It is so easy and fun to read and I’m forever laughing and loving every character minor or major. However through the entire course of Withering Tights I found myself disliking most of the characters, Tallulah at times and was continuously frustrated with the amount of small characters who confused the plot and weren’t necessary.

I am a sucker for cheezy, hilarious adolescent romance and while this book delved a little into that aspect there were to many love interest and boyish friendships going on for me to really root for anyone. Let alone spend the time getting to know them enough.

Many times I had to put down this book because it lagged either through the pacing or lack of interesting progress. I do appreciate that the main character did show some progress throughout the novel, but not to justify 300+ pages. It took me well over 200 pages to sit get into the story and even after the threshold I found the plot disintegrating through the tangle of sub-plots.

Don’t get me wrong. I laughed out loud and post-it noted several passages to write down and even made this note [that I later found stashed in my beside table] which pretty much sums up how I feel overall about Louise’s writing.

“ Louise Rennison really captures the quirky nervousness of adolesce so well. – Blair Mirth”

However I won’t be reading this book again.

If you are looking for a light, fluffy book full of girly nonsense aimed at younger readers [probably from the age of 11-13] then I would certainly recommend it to you. It is perfect for a lazy afternoon read and if you are looking for something with little substance and dashing’s of comedy.

Writing Down the Bones – Natalie Goldberg

Pages: 288

Published: April 13th 2010 by Shambhala Publications

Date Finished: 30^th August 2011

Recommend It: Yes

Synopsis:

For more than twenty years Natalie Goldberg has been challenging and cheering on writers with her books and workshops. In her groundbreaking first book, she brings together Zen meditation and writing in a new way. Writing practice, as she calls it, is no different from other forms of Zen practice —"it is backed by two thousand years of studying the mind."

Review:

I read this book some years ago and fell instantly in love with it. Not a book on how to write, but a writing life and the constant practice and relationship [loving and passionate] with writing, Natalie brings to the reader a beautiful memoir of exploration and the intense deepness that writing can bring. With its short chapters, little exercises, humorous stories and raw poetry this book will always hold a sacred place in my writing collection and will be re-read many times in the future.

Violence 101- Denis Wright

Pages: 180

Published: 2011, Black Dog Books

Date Finished: 22^nd August 2011

Rating: 3.5 Stars ***

Recommended: Karen [Ocdofbooks]

Synopsis:

Hamish Graham is intelligent, disciplined, resourceful and fearless, and scorns all weakness. His heroes include Charles Upham, Alexander the Great and Te Rauparaha - all men of action. But he is also a fourteen-year-old with an anger problem and a disturbing past, and these have landed him in a series of boys' homes for violent and troubled young offenders.

The gripping series of events following his arrival at New Horizons culminates in a desperate rescue mission on a mountain that has already claimed the lives of two young soldiers

Review:

Denis has a very unique writing style that had me enthralled from the beginning. It was like nothing I have read before. I was fascinated with Hamish the main character who, throughout the novel repeatedly shows his callous and manipulative nature, and seems to be highly intelligent; or is he? I was compelled to get to know him. I wanted to get inside his head and he even began making me ask questions about the nature of psychology and what was brutal and violent and what was survival. I haven’t read a novel that has challenged me in the way Denis does with Violence 101.

Throughout the novel which is made up of third-perspective points of view and first person through the Journal and Diary entries written by Hamish, we learn not only about his past and the people around him [staff, boys in the home], but his family, the people he has affected and the effects he causes via his violent actions that he justifies with nature and history of his heroes. Heroes, like Alexander the Great, whom we get to know about through his Journal entries in great detail.

I thought this style of writing was intense and at times a little hard to grasp, but always persuasive and exciting.

I’m not at all a fan of war, and I try and steer clear or war history even though I do like to learn about it to a certain degree. Sometimes the oversaturation of war knowledge and talk of violence and war troubled me, but as it was part of Hamish’s character fundamentals I managed to wade through the parts I disliked and learned a thing or too while doing it. Even if you aren’t too keen on the war or violence I believe it is well worth the read.

What made this book readable in every aspect was the fresh look on a different culture as well, not too far away from Australia in nearby New Zealand. Even just the fresh insights into the country’s history was enough to make me want to look for more and know more and I really enjoyed the different setting in which the novel takes place. Apart from the language sometimes used in the novel it makes for great reading.

The ending left a lot to be desired for. It was rushed and to be unrealistic and true to the character. I didn't understand how two characters could be suffering while another was fine in conditions that were critical. The ending ruined the suspense created throughout the novel and for that I have to give it a lower rating. Still for a short, often intense and thought provoking read it is worth it.

ParrotFish - Ellen Wittlinger

Pages: 304

Published: January 4th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Date Finished: 19th August 2011

Rating: 4 stars ****

Recommended: Dylan [Youtube]

Synopsis: Angela Katz-McNair has never felt quite right as a girl, but it's a shock to everyone when she cuts her hair short, buys some men's clothes, and announces she'd like to be called by a new name, Grady. Although Grady is happy about his decision to finally be true to himself, everybody else is having trouble processing the news. Grady's parents act hurt; his sister is mortified; and his best friend, Eve, won't acknowledge his existence. On top of that, there are more practical concerns—for instance, which locker room is he supposed to use for gym class? Grady didn't expect his family and friends to be happy about his decision, but he also didn't expect kids at school to be downright nasty about it. But as the victim of some cruel jokes, Grady also finds unexpected allies, including the school geek Sebastian, and Kita Charles, who's a gorgeous senior. In a voice tinged with humor and sadness, Ellen Wittlinger explores Grady's struggles—struggles any teen will be able to relate to.

Review:

This book started off a little flat to me, but picked up pretty quickly and invited me into a world that almost seemed normal to its characters, but slightly unhinged to the readers. Angela, a strong character sure of herself takes us through a journey of self-assurance and determination to stay true to herself as Grady. Her family aren’t exactly accepting of her chosen path, but there are some people who admire the courage she shows.

I really enjoyed this book; I got right into it and was thinking about it all day. I read it really fast and the story propelled me. I adored Sebastian, he cracked me up and made me wish I had a friend like him who wasn’t afraid to stand up for my rights, not that Grady really needed a saviour, for the most part she was independent and didn’t let things bother her and maybe that’s what bothered me so much, that there was little personal character growth since she already knew who she was and didn’t let outsiders get to her.

Most of the minor characters played there parts, but I would have liked to know them a little better. To me the constant love interest seemed a secondary plot compared to the overall theme and even then I didn’t really feel much towards Kita and Russel. Eve on the other hand while well-constructed just annoyed the hell out of me. I adore Grady’s dad the most, he reminded me a lot of my own dad- awkward at times, but willing to accept Grady as a person rather than a gender.

It was intriguing looking at both aspects of the female and male side of the character and gender dysphoria in every aspect. Ellen approached a number of topics I had never considered about being a transgendered Female to male. Things like which locker room to change in and menstruation and what impact these simple things had on a greater scale through the transformation. However If You are looking for a dark, intense look at Gender Identity Disorder you won’t find it in Parrotfish.

Parrotfish- It wasn’t that this book was disappointing to my expectations, but I guess I expected it to be ground breaking. Maybe that’s just me and my own experiences. I was hoping to be shocked and while I was to a point it isn’t really the kind of novel I will remember. I must admit I really like that Ellen did her research on Parrotfish and tied it into the novel, it was fascinating, but even Grady explained that she really couldn’t be compared to the fish and it was a little bit of a letdown. There was a connection and anti-climax and then an – oh, okay moment and it moved on.

There was one scene in the book that I won’t spoil, but for those who have read the book or want to you will know it when you read it. It frustrated me so much because the lead up to a vicious attack on Grady’s personality and fizzled to a less dramatic turn of events. It angered me so much because It skipped past potentially amazing character development.

Overall I really enjoyed Parrotfish, It was important for me as a reader, but I don’t think it impacted me in a way it might impact those going through similar struggle to the characters in the novel.

For more information on Gender Dysphoria -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_identity_disorder

Getting It- Alex Sanchez

Pages: 210

Published: 2007 Simon Pulse

Date Finished: 18th August 2011

Rating: 4 Stars ****

Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Carlos Amoroso is a virgin — and he isn't happy about it. He'd love to hook up with gorgeous Roxy, but she has no idea he's alive. Watching a TV show one night gives Carlos an idea: What if he got a makeover from Sal, a senior at his school who's gay? Sal agrees — but only if Carlos helps him start a Gay-Straight Alliance. Carlos doesn't expect the catch. What are his friends going to think? And is he ever going to get what he wants?

Review:

I don’t remember reading this book, as much as I do reading Alez Sanchez other novels, but am glad that I decided to pick this one up because it faced an important topic that I am always reminded exists.

Getting It starts our main character Carlos, who has the hots for a ‘Plastic’ hot-chick in his school. Stuck with his group of offensive and derogatory friends Carlos goes through life unnoticed by any girl let alone Roxy. It isn’t until after watching an episode of Queer eye for the Straight Guy that Carlos has an instantly wonderful idea to ask the school Gay [Sal] to help him land his lady. At first he is hesitant, but when the boys form a friendship things start to change for Carlos for better and for worse and that’s where the story picked up.

This novel was a little slower for me to get into than the last one I read, but none the less it starts with action and keeps going to the end. I love how developed the story becomes with each short chapter and felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book at times as each passage flowed without a bump to the next one.

I loved the light humour in this novel. Several times I laughed out loud and smiled to myself warming to that wonderful feeling you get when you’re reading and relaxed. Sal was such a funny character and I almost wished that I had him as a friend to give me a make-over. I thought the take on Queer Eye for the Straight guy was fabulous and I loved that it was in a teenage setting. His friends though were complete and utter assholes and I wanted to rip the book up every time they made a snide comment about’ Fags’ or ‘Queen’s.

Throughout the novel we see Carlos progress dramatically in a way that I rarely see in life and that’s sad. It gave me faith that if one person can stand up for the rights we all know every human deserves than maybe we can help promote better education and understanding of LBGT people. Though at times regardless Carlos was an asshole –period and that annoyed the shit out of me.

This book expressed the topic of equal rights and Gay Straight Alliances wonderful and yet again I am not disappointed with Alex Sanchez.

It is a sad truth that Homophobia is alive and well, not just in Australia or America but around the world. It is with these books and there characters that we too can grow and learn about different aspects of homophobia and LGBT issues. I believe Getting it, is another novel teens can turn to Gay or Straight in both a time in need and for the joy of reading.