Wildly popular teenage literary series by Louise Rennison. The books are the diaries of Georgia Nicolson, who is 13 at the beginning of the series and 15-16 in the last installments. So popular in the author's native Britain that the books were released in the USA with minor adjustments and were adapted into a film that was released in 2008.Noted for containing many "Georgia-isms" that have made their way into everyday language, such as "nunga-nungas" (breasts), "mervyfab" (anything Georgia likes) and "I'm away laughing on a fast camel" (goodbye). Reprints of the books include a glossary.
The books in the series are:
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
It's OK, I'm Wearing Really Big Knickers! (USA version: On The Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God)
Knocked Out By My Nunga-Nungas
Dancing In My Nuddy-Pants
... And That's When It Came Off In My Hand (USA version: Away Laughing on a Fast Camel)
Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers
Startled By His Furry Shorts
Luuurve Is a Many-Trousered Thing
Stop in the Name of Pants!
Are These My Bazoomas I See Before Me?
All the books are about the everyday teenage life and problems of Georgia and her friends, known as the "Ace Gang". Major characters include:
Georgia Nicolson - the snarky and immature, but likeable, heroine
Jas - her best friend who talks too much and wears enormous underwear
"The Ace Gang" - consists of Georgia and Jas plus Rosie, Ellen, Jools and Mabs (joined by Honor and Sophie in the last book)
Robbie aka "Sex God" - Georgia's boyfriend in the early books
Tom - Robbie's brother, Jas's boyfriend
Masimo - Italian singer who replaces Robbie in Georgia's affections
Dave "The Laugh" - close friend and occasional "snogging partner" of Georgia
"Wet" Lindsay - Georgia's enemy and rival for the affections of Robbie and Masimo
"The Bummer Twins" - school bullies
Angus - Georgia's crazy cat
Libby - Georgia's very young sister, not yet toilet trained
"Mutti" and "Vati" - Georgia's uncool parents
These books provide examples of:
Adults Are Useless: To be fair, pretty much everyone in this series is useless.
Alpha Bitch: Depending on your view, either Georgia herself or "Wet" Lindsay
Or, you know, both of them. Interestingly, the character actually named Libby does not qualify.
It is mentioned that she is a bully at her nursery school (although usually to the little boys), so perhaps she's an example-in-training?
Asian Airhead: Ellen was The Ditz of the Ace Gang in the books where her ethnicity is not mentioned. The movie made her Asian and created Unfortunate Implications. However, she is Indian, not East Asian as the trope usually implies.
The Danza: Georgia is played by Georgia Groome in the film.
Defictionalization: A band called The Stiff Dylans was actually formed for the purposes of the movie, and had some success in the charts with singles from the film.
Door Judo: In one book, Georgia skips school to spy on her mother at home, whom she suspects of having an affair with the builder. She is caught when they open the living room door and she falls through it, so has to pretend she was sent home sick from school.
Dungeonmaster's Girlfriend: Georgia borders on this during the early books when she tries to hang out with Robbie's bandmates, usually ending in embarrassment for her.
Karma Houdini: Wet Lindsay receives no major retribution for her constant tormenting of Georgia. The Bummer Twins spend three whole books not being caught or punished for their reign as the school bullies, and when they're finally expelled from school, it's for shoplifting.
Market-Based Title: It's OK, I'm Wearing Really Big Knickers! was changed to On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God and ... And That's When It Came Off in my Hand was changed to Away Laughing on a Fast Camel for the US publication. The title of the film was changed slightly to Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, since "full-frontal snogging" was thought to be inappropriate for a pre-teen audience.
Not Allowed to Grow Up: Georgia's sister Libby is mentioned as 3 years old at the start of the series but does not mature with the rest of the cast; in the later books she has not yet started school, is still not toilet trained and her speech has not developed. Lampshaded as Georgia wonders why her parents don't bother to teach her sister these things.
Not Listening to Me, Are You?: "Something VERY INTERESTING happened to me last night. I slit my throat and my head rolled off. Have you seen it anywhere?"
Pet the Dog: despite looking down on Pamela Green (nicknamed Nauseating P. Green) Georgia actually defends her from the Bummer Twins and when they are finally expelled, it is because she and her Ace Gang told the school authorities that they were the shoplifters instead of P. Green who they had initially framed.
True Love Is Exceptional: Dave the Laugh is Georgia's most constant love interest, despite lacking her usual "requirements" for a boyfriend (older, "Sex God" looks, sings in a band, own transport). In the first book, she wonders why anybody would date someone just because they were funny, but this is presented as Dave's best feature from the moment he appears in the second.
Token Minority: Ellen is played by an Indian girl in the film adaptation. May be because the director (Gurinder Chadha) is Indian, and known for her films about British Asians. Originally, she was a Composite Character called "Namita", but the role was re-dubbed as Ellen after protests from fans.
0 reviews