Customer Reviews

Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, we've finally come to the conclusion of the Georgia Nicolson series and, to be honest, I'm utterly underwhelmed. The first few books were really good; as in, couldn't-put-them-down AND laugh-out-loud-funny...but this? This was just disheartening. As I mentioned in an earlier review (for "Love Is A Many Trousered Thing"), it feels as if halfway through this series, Rennison and her publisher just started pumping out the same-old, same-old story/characters just to make a buck. Yes, there were bits of worthwhile reading in there, but overall, the second half of this series was slow-paced, uninspired, recycled, and yeah, even a bit trite. STILL, it was the magic of those first few books that brought me back to this series, and encouraged me to HOPEFULLY get to see Georgia grow up a little and realize that she's meant to be with Dave the Laugh. However, by the end of "Are These My Basoomas...," I came to the realization that this TEN BOOK series takes place over an 18-month time period. Given, a lot happens in a teen-aged girl's life, but the slow-pace of the series--not to mention the fact that I was a bit irritated by the short time-span--is a sign that Rennison could've given her readers more time to grow up with Gee.

SPOILER ALERT:

In fact, if we'd seen Georgia go from the age of 15 to 18, the whole issue with her possibly moving to London with Masimo would've made MUCH more sense. Honestly, even the remote possibility that a 16-year-old would move away with her older boyfriend just felt out of place in this series. Of course, it's not a foreign concept in YA fiction as a whole, but for the light-hearted "Confessions..." series, it just didn't make any sense. If, however, we'd seen Gee grow into a young woman, a senior in high school, she could have really struggled with going away with Masimo or not. As it was, her dilemma didn't even feel like a dilemma because we, as readers, already knew she wouldn't go.

END SPOILER ALERT

But, overall, what really made me give this last book two stars is the way Rennison handled the relationship between Georgia and Dave. From the very beginning, we ALL knew she was meant to be with him, and he with her, so we've taken this LONG journey, over the course of ten years, patiently waiting to see that relationship unfold. But, in the end, Rennison completely stiffs us on the best parts of them getting together. Honestly, we get a single, short, scene with Georgia and Dave, where, once again, it's Dave who steps up and admits his feelings. Then, they just get slapped together in--literally--the last page of the book. I'm irritated by this because both Georgia and Dave deserved better. Georgia deserved to grow up, mature a bit, and get some credit for finally overcoming her superficiality. While Dave, goodness, give the guy some credit for waiting Georgia out for the 18 months that this series covers.

In the end, it just feels like Rennison dropped the ball here. You don't spend 10 books (or years!), hinting to readers about a cheese-and-wine feast, only to get them to the end of the series and offer up Cheeze-its and grape juice. That's how this feels--like we all got shafted with the good ol' switcheroo. All I can say is that I'm glad I didn't purchase this book like I was tempted to do. I encourage any one who wants to finish the series to get it from your library or buy it second-hand; it's definitely not worth full-price, and, to be brutally honest, it'll probably disappoint you.

As much as I have whined and complained (mostly to myself) that this series has gotten progressively more crappio since its beginning, and was starting to feel like book after book of blathering on with no progression at all and rehashed jokes, "Are these my basoomas I see before me?" was almost back to Rennisons original standard of hilariosity....But why end here? I totally get that 10 books is an insanely huge amount, but I only realised in this book that Georgia has only aged about a year since the first! Seriously? Only a year?? That in itself seemed a bit far fetched, but also left plenty of room for more! I guess only one to two more books could really be feasible, but why not...


SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





why not get Georgia and Dave together and then continue with their relationship? I feel like there was more Masimo in the last few books than Dave, and nobody liked Masimo!! The ending felt a little rushed is I guess what Im saying....we have all been waiting for Georgia and Dave to get it together and when they finally do, its essentially over about 2 paragraphs....in fact, Georgia was mis that Masimo and her had broken up a few sentences prior to getting together with Dave! Not the way I wanted it all to end...


That said, the fact that sooo much of Rennisons "Georgia language" has made its way into my vocabulary over the last several years, from adding "osity" to the end of everything, to calling the toilet the "wazzeranium" (I actually said that today and had a few strange looks from friends...) is testament to how completely awesome this series has been overall.....

Let me just say that I love these books. I love Georgia and all her antics and her hilarious friends. I own all the books and I reread them regularly because they crack me up every time and are always a pick-me-up. That being said, I believe that Rennison really dropped the ball when it came to how this series ended. The thing about romantic comedies isn't the surprise ending. There's never any surprise. We like romantic comedies for the unfolding. We know who loves who from the start, but it's watching the characters discover that they love each other that we love. Of course we all loved Dave the Laugh and we knew he loved Georgia and we knew he was perfect for her. What we were waiting for was her discovering that she loved him -- the big romantic scene. But it ended with her basically rebounding and agreeing to get together with Dave because she didn't have a current sex god. I wanted to see her realization that she loved him and I was let down. For Dave's sake, I wanted him to have that -- Georgia finally getting it. It's like we waited and waited through ten books (ten wonderful books) and then splat, nothing. Just so disappointing.

I was so looking forward to this book and Georgia's realization that Dave the Laugh was the one. Yes i see the value of him popping into her head at random times, but we needed more one on one interaction with them! the Last Chapter was horrific!!! 2 pages of how they finally get together? THAT'S IT?!! I am so upset and disappointed.

I love Georgia Nicholson! She is literally a comedy genius! And Book #10 doesn't disappoint -- it's still very Georgia in all her glorious nutty humor.

BUT... There was one teeny, TINY detail that made me sad about Book #10: it ends too quickly. Georgia fans have been following her love life for ten books and then everything gets wrapped-up in one little chapter at the very end... We don't even get a hint of what might happen next. Since this is supposed to be the last book -- it made me wish (futilely) for an epilogue... [insert heavy sigh]

So the only remedy I can think of is to go back to Book #1 and start all over again!

As the other reviews have mentioned, it was a bit depressing to reach the end of this series. I've loved every single entertaining moment with Georgia Nicolson, and I wish it wasn't goodbye!

Agree with the other reviewer that the book ended too abruptly...give us a bit more! Without giving anything away, I'll just say it seemed rushed. With that said, I was still happy with how things turned out (predictable yes, but satisfying).

Write more please Louise Rennison!!! I'll try not to cry and just continue re-reading all the books to get my Georgia fix!

I luuuuurve this series so much, it's another one of those guilty pleasures of reading! The thing is, it's silly, it's crazy, and half of the time Georgia is just a dithering spaz, but that's what makes it so great! You can laugh at her, laugh with her, feel sorry for her, and then want to hit her right up side her head, all in one book.

I first found out about the Georgia Nicolson books in 2002, when I was in 10th grade (hello, forever ago!). I can't remember if I checked it out from the school library, or the local library, but I saw it and checked it out from somewhere... and then when I finished it? I promptly went to check out the rest of the series that they had at the time (which comes out to .. well two books, apparently ha). I remember vividly sitting for my pre-FCAT test, and then trying so very hard not to laugh reading On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God because I would have been kicked out and made to redo it. Then again, that sounds like something that would happen to Georgia.. Hmm. Then? THEN, I started hording the books, I pre-ordered the third book, and the fourth, then the fifth, sixth, until I unfortunately fell out of reading for a bit. Even when I DID start reading again I didn't pick up with the Georgia Nicolson series again because I knew my mom wouldn't read it. She prefers her books to have fantastical creatures in it, not crazy self-adsorbed lead characters! Then, the trip to Indiana, and the only point in my life where I had WEEKS with nothing to do, so I started reading - what would ya know?! They had the last three Georgia books (7-9), and so I read them, and I fell back in love with her and her world. Which led me to buy 7-9 & then pre-order #10: Are These My Basooma's I See Before Me? The point in telling you all of this, is that I want you to know my history with the books. To see that even though I went a few years without reading them, that when I finally caught up, I loved them JUST as much as I did before.

Are These My Basooma's I See Before Me? is the last and final installment of the Georgia Nicolson series, and I'm praying that Louise is just pulling our legs, because my life might very well be pointless with out! The last book is no let down from the others either, it's a fun, fast paced, book that follows Georgia around through all her snogging, red bottomosity as well as while she's on the rack of luuuuurve. I loved it, just as much as the others, the only downside is that - like with the other books - it implies that Georgia is the one `choosing' who she'll be with, but really it's the world evolving around her that does the choosing. I would have liked more evolution with her feelings and who she finally chooses or well, who finally chooses her. It's very obvious that she cares about him and he cares about her, but we don't see very much of it, just tiny bits here and there, and it's le crap. And I can't say anymore about the matter or I might ruin it. Sad, because I sort of want to scream TEAM DAVE THE LAUGH! from the roof tops!

Bottom line, if you like fun books, with characters that are just as imperfect as the rest of us, but have a great humor about themselves, and quirky little bits of British information, then the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson are for you. I would guarantee that you'd love them, but I can't. Sadly. So instead I will leave you with Georgia's departing words for us all:

Snog on, snog on,
With hope in your heart,
And you'll never snog alone,
You'll never snog... alone.

Oh, Georgia, you minx...you finally have the Luuurve God fully enamored and what happens? Well, plenty, as a matter of fact. In the tenth (and final! oo-er) book in the Georgia Nicolson series, Georgia's in a dither about keeping Masimo interested, playing Mercutio in the school play of Rom and Jul, keeping Angus and Gordy from eating Bum-ty, watching her parents reconnect, and figuring out just what it is precisely that she feels for the wonderful Dave the Laugh. With the Ace Gang along, Georgia's journey to maturosity is anything but smooth, but always, always humorous.

Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me? picks up closely after the previous book; Georgia's still following Masimo and the Stiff Dylans around, using all her girly skills to keep him entranced. And entranced he does become; not only does he confirm that he wants to be with Georgia, he begins to show up at Stalag 14 unexpectedly for mini-snogfests and even declares that he will turn down moving to London with the Dylans in order to stay with her. All this attention forces Georgia to reconsider and what does she find? That most of her thoughts really belong with that fab lad, Dave the Laugh. But what's a girl to do when she has a Luuurve God in the hand and a "mate" who is now with someone else?

What an exciting ending to one of the funniest series I've ever read! Georgia's stream of consciousness is hysterical, and her interactions with the Ace Gang are laugh out loud funny. I love Georgia's relationship with baby sister Libby (though I admit I'm a little concerned with how Libby will turn out--another series idea, hmmm, Ms. Rennison?). Georgia personifies what most teens are thinking and feeling when caught up in the excitement of luuurve, and the way Ms. Rennison draws out the intense relationship between Georgia and Dave is just...Groovy. Fab. Full of wisdomosity. In this final installment, there is hope for Georgia and her mates, but mostly there is laughter and fulfillment for all the loyal fans who have followed Georgia through boy entrancers, snog fests, sex gods, and Scottish wildcats. Count this fan as one well satisfied.

It is with deep sadnosity I am writing this review. I am sad not because the book has disappointed me. Not at all, "Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?" is deffo up to Rennison's usual standards of hilariosity. But knowing that this is the last book gives me an actual nervy b. But back to the review for now.

Masimo is having a megahump with Gee after seeing her twisting with Dave the Laugh (Georgia's Hornmeister and an occasional snog partner) at the end of the previous book. Gee is determined to get the Luuurve God back. She employs all weapons available to her - layers of lippy and mascara, newly acquired maturosity, and of course, the Hormeister's useful advice and assistance. Will Georgia get back her Italian Stallion? Will she end up all aloney on her owney? Or maybe Dave the Tart will finally become something more than a matey type mate? You'll just have to read and find out for yourself.

Once again, the book is a great larf. Rennison's comic genius is undeniable. The ending is satisfying and logical (we can't really expect any kind of maturosity from 15-year old Georgia, and this is le fact). I wish it weren't this abrupt and I wish I got to see some more of the Hormeister, but I guess I'll just have to live with it.

I can't really believe the series is over. Oh, how I am going to miss the Ace gang, Angus and Gordy, vati and mutti, the lurve gods, and even Jas's unruly fringe and Melanie's enormous nungas...

There's a saying that states "all good things come to an end." I knew the Georgia Nicholson series would have to come to an end one day and after 10 books it seems reasonable for it to happen now. But that doesn't mean I'm ready. Georgia has been the kind of character that when you put down the book and go about your life you think "darn, she's just a character, not really my friend." For years I've been entertained by her hilarious vocabulary and antics and for years my heart has hurt when hers hurt. I'm sad that she has now gone away laughing on a fast camel (with the right bloke of course) but Georgia Nicholson is the type of character who stays with you forever. For books that are rather simple and non-complex, there is a wit and charm to this series that raises them higher than many adult top fiction bestsellers. I honestly think that although the Georgia Nicholson series doesn't have anything supernatural like vampires and doesn't have complicated plots about who did what and who needs to be saved and how the characters actions change so much, this series is actually better then the Twilight series. Now that's just my opinion, but sometimes all we need a simple plot and a star character with tons of wit to be satisfied. Although Georgia doesn't have to think about giving up her mortality and Dave the Laugh isn't a werewolf and Massimo isn't a vampire and Robbie isn't a demon, I find that I enjoy Georgia's realistic dilemma with figuring out who she really likes and how she has to overcome dealing with the dumb and spiteful Wet Lindsay when she gets in her way. I also appreciate how all of Georgia's friends are so refreshingly unique. I love how Jas is fascinated by nature and how Rosie has turned into a bearded Viking woman. I also appreciate how Georgia's family is more then embarrassing. I enjoyed how Louise Rennison didn't use recycled cliches of friends and family. I love how she gave these characters legitimately different and unique personalities instead of leaving it a one friend is shy and nerdy, one is outgoing, and one is boy-crazy, while her parents say some embarrassing things and don't buy her enough clothes and don't give her enough privacy. Even though the plots alone of these books aren't incredibly sophisticated or innovative (teen girl and friends have crushes on boys and parents are embarrassing wasn't thought up yesterday), these characters are characters that were totally new to me when I first picked up Angus, Thongs and FFS and still to this day I've never seen characters so unique and dynamic with such distinct features. Even the teachers in this book are all something different and something more then the teacher who doesn't like you much and gives too much homework. So I really love how these characters can be totally interesting and captivating without having to be mythical creatures or dead or slutty and obnoxiously over the top or boring and there just for the main character to talk to. These characters are plausible and realistic and each one of them could stand on their own and be in their own book.

Now as for the writing in this book, although it's not that of Aristotle, Shakespeare, or a Bronte sister, it really needs no long elaboration and praise. Rennison uses such wit and charm in her writing that it makes these simple diary entries something that can hold it's own if it was put up on the shelf next to classics and the most anticipated top sellers. And the vocabulary. A huge part of why I read these books is because the words and phrases Rennison comes up with are absolutely fantastico and, as Georgia would say, vair vair full of wisdomosity. I'm sure everyone who has read these books has brought at least one of the words or phrases into their vocabulary. They're so addictive that it's hard not to. Such simple writing yet so perfect.


As for "Are Those My Basoomas I See Before Me?" I didn't want it to end. The whole book I was torn between Massimo and Dave the Laugh. I mean, here is this Italian love god who is very very interested in Georgia and would make any girl swoon. He really seemed to care for Georgia and I cannot believe he *SPOILERS* was possibly going to skip going to London to continue on with the band. He liked Georgia so much he would stay behind for her. But then when Dave the Laugh came around, I forgot all the sweet things Massimo would tell Georgia. When I read the interactions between Dave and Georgia, I could actually feel how much of this love that was between them too. I could feel, no matter how much they tried to think otherwise, how much they wanted to be together and how they knew they were right for each other. Plus, Georgia and Dave have this hilarious chemistry between them which makes me want to read a follow up novel set in the future detailing their lives as a couple/comedy/improv duo. We all knew that they were perfect for each other and it was actually kind of painful for me to read about how they denied it and would be around each other and you could feel the chemistry but they would be distracted by their current boyfriend or girlfriend. I would wait and hold on for those moments when Dave would share a little about how he felt about Georgia. I was scared that maybe in some sick world this chemistry would never get a chance to turn into a relationship.

I felt the end was very sudden though. I'm kind of torn by how the story ended. At first I was afraid there would be no room for Dave to come in and for them to be together. I got down to the last few pages and I thought it would end with Georgia deciding to be single for awhile or something annoying like that. Luckily, Dave comes charging on his fast camel to save Georgia (or walks across the stage from backstage, but I thought I would incorporate a title of a previous book to add some chivalry and kinghtiness to my summary). The last few pages leave us with Dave and Georgia finally being together like we all knew needed to happen. While some readers are disappointed that this union occurred within the last 2 or 3 pages of the book, I'm torn. I would love to have had a more elaborate scene of Georgia and Dave becoming a couple with tons of sweet nothings spoken to each other. But on the other hand, Georgia mixing up her words as she asked if they were a couple was so perfect and so Georgia. I felt that there was really nothing left to say without having to have a whole new plot twist and book come after it. Although the plot climaxed late and quickly, we were left with a really sweet and very Georgia/Dave ending. I feel like if we had anything come after the moment of them getting together in that way unique to them, that we would have had unnecessary information that took away from a classic Georgia/Dave moment, or we would have to have a whole new book which means the plot could lead to something happening between Georgia and Dave and we do not want that. So although I would have liked more of them saying sweet romantic things to each other, I'm glad it ended this way because it means my last image of Georgia was her in a completely happy ending getting the boy she and the readers always wanted. I think this is a very satisfactory last impression.


Although this series contains ten books, they are ten quick and delightful reads. I recommend them to anyone and everyone. They are much more appropriate then many YA books out there and they are so much more fun and engaging to read. The humor is perfect and readers will not be disappointed. Georgia Nicholson is the perfect character and everyone should have the chance to read the books and be her friend. I'll miss Georgia and her adventures but I'm so vair vair happy she got her happy ending.