Title: Withering Tights
Author: Louise Rennison
Publisher: Harper Teen (and imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
On-Sale Date: June 17, 2011
Length: 275 pages
Format: ARC paperback
Tallulah Casey is ready to be a star. She’s wants people to see past her knobby knees and into her shining soul.
She’s going to be spending her summer at Dother Hall, an arts academy for girls (no need to worry; there’s an all boys school in the area!).
Tallulah could not be more excited and anxious for her summer to begin, even though, deep down, she doesn’t really know what to expect. Tallulah is unsure of her talents, and must excel in her classes, if she wants to ever return to Dother Hall.
Keeping in mind that she cannot fail, Tallulah begins forging new friendships and a reputation.
Withering Tights was one of the most wonderfully ridiculous books I had ever read.
I didn't know a book could be quirky, but Withering Tights could definitely be described as such.
Tallulah was something else. I could certainly have said, that I had never encountered a character like her. She made up words and had the nerve to spontaneously break out into song and dance. Tallulah was a fun narrator. She was still quite innocent, and didn’t have any adult worries weighing her down.
Tallulah was old enough to feel embarrassment, but young enough to not let self consciousness take over. She went through some pretty mortifying situations, but just kept on kicking. When she fell on her butt she just got right back up and tried again.
Tallulah always kept you guessing. She wasn’t the same on every page. Tallulah was trying to figure out what she wanted to be known for. The great thing about reading a character so young was that she hadn’t discovered herself yet. You got to share her journey, and were there when she figured out who she was.
Tallulah was just so awkward, it was comical. At times, Lulah and her antics were laugh out loud hilarious.
Tallulah fit in well with her fellow girls of Dother Hall. The girls all had this electric energy and they fed off of one another. They complimented each other nicely. It certainly didn’t hurt that every character had their own personal brand of nuttiness.
When boys came into the picture there was a whole new brand of hilarity and wonder brought to the story. Tallulah's mates had minimal experience with the opposite sex, and it was endearing to read. Every boy that was added certainly mixed up the plot.
This novel was just plain fun. The characters were upbeat and weird, (some more weird than others), and the plot had you on a roller coaster that took you along for the ride.
Withering Tights was face paced. Tallulah didn’t stay in the same place for long. You couldn’t keep up with her and you couldn’t catch her, so you just had to enjoy the story that was being told.
This was the first book by Louise Rennison that I had read. The British words and made up language used in the novel took some time getting used to (and occasionally tested my patience). There were times that I encountered multiple unfamiliar words on the same page, which took away from the Withering Tights experience. There was a glossary in the back, but it didn't hold all of the words I looked for.
You needed to embrace knobby kneed Lulah or you wouldn’t have enjoyed the story.
Her character growth in Withering Tights was just right, and allowed for more to be told of Tallulah’s story; growing pains and all.
Reading Withering Tights was like imagining the funniest thing that could have happened and then something even funnier would occur.
I would read another story about Tallulah Casey without a second thought.
In my opinion, there was a lesson you could take from Withering Tights, (besides bicycle ballets are dangerous). You should be proud of who you are, and use your insecurities to your best advantage, because as soon as Tallulah did, she felt empowered and was ready to take on whatever the future held instore.
All in all, I missed Tallulah and her friends, soon after I was done.
She’s going to be spending her summer at Dother Hall, an arts academy for girls (no need to worry; there’s an all boys school in the area!).
Tallulah could not be more excited and anxious for her summer to begin, even though, deep down, she doesn’t really know what to expect. Tallulah is unsure of her talents, and must excel in her classes, if she wants to ever return to Dother Hall.
Keeping in mind that she cannot fail, Tallulah begins forging new friendships and a reputation.
Withering Tights was one of the most wonderfully ridiculous books I had ever read.
I didn't know a book could be quirky, but Withering Tights could definitely be described as such.
Tallulah was something else. I could certainly have said, that I had never encountered a character like her. She made up words and had the nerve to spontaneously break out into song and dance. Tallulah was a fun narrator. She was still quite innocent, and didn’t have any adult worries weighing her down.
Tallulah was old enough to feel embarrassment, but young enough to not let self consciousness take over. She went through some pretty mortifying situations, but just kept on kicking. When she fell on her butt she just got right back up and tried again.
Tallulah always kept you guessing. She wasn’t the same on every page. Tallulah was trying to figure out what she wanted to be known for. The great thing about reading a character so young was that she hadn’t discovered herself yet. You got to share her journey, and were there when she figured out who she was.
Tallulah was just so awkward, it was comical. At times, Lulah and her antics were laugh out loud hilarious.
Tallulah fit in well with her fellow girls of Dother Hall. The girls all had this electric energy and they fed off of one another. They complimented each other nicely. It certainly didn’t hurt that every character had their own personal brand of nuttiness.
When boys came into the picture there was a whole new brand of hilarity and wonder brought to the story. Tallulah's mates had minimal experience with the opposite sex, and it was endearing to read. Every boy that was added certainly mixed up the plot.
This novel was just plain fun. The characters were upbeat and weird, (some more weird than others), and the plot had you on a roller coaster that took you along for the ride.
Withering Tights was face paced. Tallulah didn’t stay in the same place for long. You couldn’t keep up with her and you couldn’t catch her, so you just had to enjoy the story that was being told.
This was the first book by Louise Rennison that I had read. The British words and made up language used in the novel took some time getting used to (and occasionally tested my patience). There were times that I encountered multiple unfamiliar words on the same page, which took away from the Withering Tights experience. There was a glossary in the back, but it didn't hold all of the words I looked for.
You needed to embrace knobby kneed Lulah or you wouldn’t have enjoyed the story.
Her character growth in Withering Tights was just right, and allowed for more to be told of Tallulah’s story; growing pains and all.
Reading Withering Tights was like imagining the funniest thing that could have happened and then something even funnier would occur.
I would read another story about Tallulah Casey without a second thought.
In my opinion, there was a lesson you could take from Withering Tights, (besides bicycle ballets are dangerous). You should be proud of who you are, and use your insecurities to your best advantage, because as soon as Tallulah did, she felt empowered and was ready to take on whatever the future held instore.
All in all, I missed Tallulah and her friends, soon after I was done.
Rating
Premise: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from the publisher. This did not influence my review in any way.
