Withering Tights by Louise Rennison

Description

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

I'm extremely happy to say that Withering Heights fulfilled my high expectations. It was fun and hilarious with very likeable characters. Tallulah, though she may be her cousin, is nothing like Georgia, thankfully. For one, she embarrasses herself far less often. That does make it slightly less hilarious than the Georgia Nicholson series but doesn't detract from the overall awesomeness of the book.

What I loved particularly about the novel was how Tallulah and her friends didn't try to act too grown-up. It gives the book a wider appeal, plus it's refreshing for characters to be acting their age. Tallulah, a 14-year-old who has never been kissed, behaves like a 14-year-old who has never been kissed.

The setting was excellent - the flamboyant drama teachers and students added to the hilarity of the novel, and kept me entertained. The troubles the teenagers encounter - boys, dates, knobbly knees, flat chests - are all very amusing and realistic, but perhaps a bit too reminiscent of the Rennison's previous series, almost as if she's used a formula. Hot boys + embarrassing incidents + body insecurities + a troop of quirky friends = an excellent book, which Withering Tights is of course, but I'm hoping Rennison introduces some more original aspects to the series in the next book.

A very entertaining read, guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

Rating: 4/5

Thanks very much to HarperCollins for providing me with a copy.