“My name is Harriet Manners and I am a geek.”
Harriet Manners knows that the hottest observed place on earth is Furnace Creek in Death Valley. She knows that dolphins shed the top layer of their skin every two hours. And she knows just how badly auditions can go, especially when you’re a model. But she has no idea what to do when her arch-nemesis decides the school play is the perfect opportunity to humiliate her…
Can GEEK GIRL survive the bright lights of the stage?
The Review
I read the first two Geek Girl books last year when I was in hospital and they were such a tonic- YA books full to the brim with slapstick humour and an entertaining plot. They covered friendship (and bullying), first love, family and were crammed full of strange and interesting facts which Harriet shares with anyone who'll listen.
Geek Drama is book 2.5 of the series and was released for World Book Day. It's not a full length book, but these 128 pages squeeze in a lot of story. There are the same hilarious characters throughout- Harriet and her family, Harriet's best friend Nat (who always wanted to be a model- and then Harriet inadvertently stole her dream), arch enemy Alexa and stalker Toby. I loved getting to find out more about them in this novella length read.
As Nat decides she's ready to pursue her new dream of being an actress, the girls audition for parts in the school production of Hamlet. It's an unconventional adaptation of the play in every sense, but that only enriches the entertainment value provided- I wouldn't expect anything less than slightly madcap in a Geek Girl book! The moment when Nat realises her role isn't quite what she expected was laugh out loud funny-I could see it so clearly in my mind. I want these books to be made into films SOOOOOO badly.
These books are fabulously funny yet also convey the importance of friendship, being true to yourself and developing resilience. I love how Holly Smale strikes that balance between comedy and issues that are important to teens (and beyond. I'm in my mid thirties and still need to work on developing a thicker skin).
I can't wait to read the third and fourth books in the series- I'm a Geek Girl fangirl and proud of it!
Geek Drama is out now published by Harper Collins Children's Books.
No comments:
Post a Comment