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Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging |
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging is a book of endless chatter, directly off the page of Georgia Nicholson's
journal. But the chatter is fun, and if you are 14 years old or around that age: it's releveant to you.
The relevance and immediacy of this novel make it a success and a good read for young adults.
This book is realistic fiction in that the reader gets the details of Georgia's daily life, almost minute by minute.
But the interesting part of this realism is it is Georgia's version of it. Reading this novel as an adult,
you are very aware of the subtle humor of Georgia's teen angst, her self awareness, and obsession with boys, sex, and good
looks.
The characterization of Georgia is well written and perfectly suited for a teen audience who will truly identify with
her. Georgia's good and bad qualities do come alive to the reader, though Georgia sees them as only good. Georgia
does seem to be a loyal friend, particularly to Jas, who is not so loyal in return. While Georgia loves her parents,
she does have troubles relating to her father and wonders why her mother married him. It is easy to be engrossed in
Georgia's world because it is very minute by minute. If you're a teen, it reflects your own life, and if you are an
adult, it takes you back to when you obsessed over hair color, eyebrows, and even whether or not to wear a thong.
The plot is skim, though it does catalog a year in Georgia's life. As Kristina Lanier says in the Christian Science
Monitor, "There's little plot, but who needs plot when you have a lippy teenager" (2000). Lanier's point is well taken;
Georgia's "lippy" personality and persona fill the gaps of the plot and keep the reader involved, interested, engaged, and
at times empathetic to Georgia's plight.
Rennison, Louise. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. London: Avon Books, 1999.
ISBN 0060521848.
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