Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

 

Geek Girl (Geek Girl #1) by Holly Smale

Release date: 28/02/13

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Reason for reading (see personal aside in review)

Goodreads

Buy: Waterstones | Hive

Goodreads synopsis:

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. 

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. 

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. 

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

-------------

My thoughts:

Personal aside: Geek Girl was one of those books I looked at and thought “not for me”. I saw all the raving reviews, saw it in shops everywhere, had people tell me how awesome it was and still I thought Not For Me. Then I met Holly, briefly, at a launch party a few months ago. She told me she liked my satchel (even though hers is a much nicer colour and has her initials stamped on it) and I thought “oh she’s really nice (and also very pretty) maybe I should actually read her book?” Then, the next day, it was the Kindle Daily Deal and I am not one to mess with Fate (even though I don’t *actually* believe that Fate exists) and so I bought it and I read it and I laughed at it and I loved it. And I really need to stop with this Not For Me thing because I KEEP being proved wrong and I both love and hate that.

Geek Girl is one of the funniest books I have read in ages. I was reminded of reading the Georgia Nicholson books as a teenager and having my sister tell me off for keeping her awake at night from laughing. I know that Geek Girl would get the same response. It was one of those books I couldn’t read on the tube, I had to save for when I was at home, because I knew I would laugh and totally embarrass myself in front of stoic morning commuters.

Harriet is the sort of character you can’t help but love. You have those “oh, Harriet” moments, where she does or says something and you kinda facepalm yourself like “whyyyyyyyyy” but she is just so completely loveable.  She is sweet and funny and slightly immature and naïve and yes, very, very geeky. I loved all the little facts and lists and asides in the book that helped to build Harriet’s character and add to the overall quirky charm of the book.

All the characters are well-developed and diverse and very, very witty. I think Wilbur was my favourite. Him and my boyfriend should get together to exchange ridiculous pet names. I really liked the strong family presence in this book; especially the relationship between Harriet and her stepmother Annabel which was healthy and sweet and caring. It was nice to have a positive portrayal of a stepmother/daughter relationship. Friendship is another major theme in this book: not only the importance of it, but how fragile and easily broken it can be, yet also how easily it can be mended. These are probably two of the most important aspects of the book which I liked because as a teenager, they are two of the biggest aspects of your life. The other major theme of Geek Girl, for me, was identity. In terms of self-identity, of how others see you, of how different people can see the same person in completely opposite ways. Figuring out who you are and how you want to be and feel and think is a really central aspect of being a teenager and I felt that Holly Smale really nailed that. I totally bought Harriet thinking that becoming a model would completely revolutionise her life: would make her cool and sassy and popular and admired, because haven’t we all thought that at some point during our teen years? I felt like Geek Girl was saying that no matter what, you are you and some people won’t like that, but as long as you’re happy with yourself and as long as you have people who love you, that’s totally okay. I think that’s an important message.  

In some ways, the events of Geek Girl were over the top and a bit mad and not always entirely realistic, but I know that some of them did actually happen in Holly Smale’s life and I honestly didn’t mind that it was all a bit bonkers because it was funny and charming and a really enjoyable book to read.

TL;DR Geek Girl is a hilarious and eccentric story with a loveable cast of characters and a very charming, very British feel. It, and Holly Smale, well deserve the oodles of sales and award nominations. 

Three mini middle grade reviews: The Graveyard Book, The House of Hades and Skulduggery Pleasant

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman 
Release date: 20th October 200
Publisher: Bloomsbury

Goodreads synopsis:

Nobody Owens, know to his friends as Bod, is a perfectly normal boy. Well, he would be perfectly normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the world of the dead.

There are danger and adventures for Bod in the graveyard: The strange and terrible menace of The Sleer; a gravestone entrance to a desert that leads to the city of ghouls; friendship with a witch, and so much more.

But it is in the land of the living that real danger lurks, for it is there that the man Jack lives and he has already killed Bod's family.

A fascinating story of love and friendship realized in the most unlikely of place. 

My thoughts:

I never expected to love The Graveyard Book as much as I did. I bought it when it was the Kindle Daily Deal and then read it, probably about a year later, completely on a whim. I love how whimsical and unusual it is; how Bod growing up in a graveyard has made him both so unlike yet so like other kids his age. The whole cast of ghostly (and otherwise) characters were really brought to life (ha) by Gaiman’s writing: the characterisation was perfect and different enough that it was easy to distinguish. I loved the little asides of what was written on each of their gravestones.  The plot was clever; revealing enough of itself to allow you an idea what was going on and keeping enough back to retain your interest. Gaiman’s writing is completely different to anything I’ve experienced before and while it took a little getting used to I found myself really enjoying his unique way with words. I got a little choked up when reading the ending which, embarrassingly, was while I was on the tube. 

---

The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus #5) by Rick Riordan

Release date: 8th October 2013

Publisher: Puffin

Goodreads synopsis:

The stakes have never been higher. If Percy Jackson and Annabeth fail in their quest, there'll be hell on Earth. Literally.

Wandering the deadly realm of Tartarus, every step leads them further into danger. And, if by some miracle they do make it to the Doors of Death, there's a legion of bloodthirsty monsters waiting for them.

Meanwhile, Hazel and the crew of the Argo II have a choice: to stop a war or save their friends. Whichever road they take one thing is certain - in the Underworld, evil is inescapable.

My thoughts:

It took me a little while to get into House of Hades; partly because there were a lot of initial Leo chapters and he is my least favourite character and partly because I was reading it in dribs and drabs which is not how this book deserves to be read. Once I finally got into it, I loved it. I enjoyed the contrast between those still on the ship and Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus. It was so interesting to see more of Tartarus and how it and those in it operate. I loved seeing Bob. Whilst not my favourite book of the Heroes of Olympus series, House of Hades builds on already strong characters with an equally strong plotline that was extremely well paced. One of my favourite things about Rick Riordan’s writing is how inclusive it is: he is always keen to show that everyone, no matter what they think of themselves, has something to offer and is a valuable person to those around them. Anyone can be a hero. As far as messages in stories go, it’s a pretty good one. The main thing that came out  of this book for me was my love, my empathy, and my desire to see a happy ending, for Nico.

---

Skulduggery Pleasant (Skulduggery Pleasant #1) by Derek Landy

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Release date: 30th September 2007

Goodreads synopsis:

Meet Skulduggery Pleasant - ace detective, snappy dresser, razor–tongued wit, crackerjack sorcerer and walking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton — as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.

These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil.

The end of the world?

Over his dead body.

My thoughts:

Skulduggery Pleasant is a book I have been aware of for a long time, but never had the particular desire to pick up and read. Since becoming a blogger and hearing more about it, I've wanted to read it more and just never gotten around to it until now. I was pleasantly surprised by Skulduggery Pleasant. Skulduggery and Valkyrie are both strong characters full of personality. I especially liked Valkyrie, who took everything that happened around her in her stride and is resilient, independent and yet very, very human. A fantastic role model. The dialogue is that snappy, humorous time that, while slightly unrealistic, is always enjoyable to read and I loved the clever and unusual names everyone gave themselves. There wasn't an overabundance of world-building or focus on details and the plot was engaging and well-paced, with a surprising amount of violence for a middle grade book. I enjoyed Skulduggery Pleasant enough to want to read the second one.