Hilariosity: The Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison

I'm eons and eons away from high school days, and (truth in advertising) gave this book a second look only because of its weird title, but by the time I was half done, I'd declared it one of the funniest books I've ever read.

Georgia Nicolson is an over-the-top drama queen of the fourteen-year-old English schoolgirl variety, and in her nearly continuous journal postings she tells all--from her goofy and embarrassing family, her stud-muffin half-Scotch wildcat pet named Angus, her bedwetting but lovable little sister, to a trio of off-and-on boyfriends, including Dave the Laugh, Robbie the Sex God, and Masimo the Italian Stallion. Georgia presides over all this with a geniosity which is vair, vair amusant, to use her own inventive nouns and adjectives.

In book seven of the Confessions, Startled by His Furry Shorts, having given up on Robbie, who has moved to Kiwi-a-Go-Go-Land (New Zealand), Georgia has a date with Masimo, Italian-American lead singer of the local Stiff Dylans band, which results in some memorable snogging (kissing), which leads her to ask him to choose between her and his other frequent date, Gee's arch enemy, Wet Lindsay. Now Georgia is once more "on the rack of romance," in the "oven of luuurve," and at the "cakeshop of agony." Masimo promises to let her know his choice in a week's time, and Georgia drags through the week, going to school (Stalag 4), rehearsing their production of "MacUseless" (MacBeth), planning Rosie's distant future Viking wedding with her boyfriend Swen, watching Emma pair up with her once-and-sometime love interest Dave the Laugh, and pining with seriosity over Masimo.

When Masimo finally gives her the old "let's just be mates," speech, Georgia is left to contemplate a life of celebatosity as "spinster of the parish." Urged by her friends, the ace gang, to go stag with the group to the upcoming Stiff Dylans concert, Georgia is enticed to suffer through the gig by her friend's promise of a big surprise. Surviving an costume inspection from her parents ("Er, I think you will find that you have forgotten to put a skirt on, Georgia." "Oh, for goodness sake, Bob, it's fashion. They all look stupid. It's not just her!"), Georgia arrives at the concert, where Masimo startles her with a sudden profession of luurve:

So, Signorina Georgia, what do you think? Now I am the free man for you. If you still want to go out."

As Georgia is practicing an impression of a goldfish, all agog at this news, she suddenly spots Robbie, back from Kiwi-a-Go-Go, with eyes only for her. Bugger!

Book Eight in the series, the just-published Love Is a Many Trousered Thing, picks up the love saga the next day and follows Georgia into the last two weeks of fourth form, as the class goes on a campout and she struggles with, as she puts it, having "accidentally bought two cakes at the bakery of Luuurve." Georgia tries to figure out if Robbie is ready to resume their relationship, post Kiwi-a-Go-Go, and where Masimo fits in this luuurve triangle, when lingering thoughts of Dave the Laugh return to haunt her. As she hangs out with Dave during the camp week, he further muddles the waters:

"You are good value, Georgia. You are very nearly an honorary bloke, and that is why I love you!"

If all this sounds confusing, there's nothing to do but read the whole series of the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson to try to predict which boy will win Georgia's heart by series end. (I'm betting on Dave!) Finding humor in the teen scene isn't always easy, but Louise Rennison has the knack in spades. One warning: don't drink any beverages while you read these books! Word has it you'll laugh so hard they'll be coming out your nose!

Non-warning: Although she speaks frequently of luurve, Georgia and her friends are no racier than the kids in High School Movie, with a just a few well documented snogging (er, kissing) scenes as a casualositous change of pace.