4.0 out of 5 stars
A Hilarious Story of Social Class and Stigma, December 23, 2011
Shiraz Bailey Wood isn't really a chav - even if she wears trackies and loves hip hop and doesn't really care about exams. But she and her best friend Carrie go to a school frequently referred to as "Superchav Academy" and her mother seems put out by Shiraz' sister, Cava-Sue, who is attempting to better herself by pursuing A-levels at an arts college. Since Carrie has become infatuated with her new boyfriend, a terrible rapper, Shiraz has been spending all her time avoiding the lovebirds and hiding the fact that she's actually doing well in English. But when Cava Sue runs away from home and her parents refuse to get involved, Shiraz knows there's only one thing she can do: write a TV talk show in hopes that they can put her family back together. While at first Diary of a Chav seems like a hard knocks version of the Georgia Nicolson series, it's not long before Shiraz's unique voice comes out. Past the hijinx, jokes, and rants, this is a book about social class, stigma, and finding yourself despite the way everyone else wants to see you. Complete with an index of Shiraz' slang, you can be sure this isn't the last you'll hear from Miss Wood (if only because several sequels are already available in the UK).
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
British YA Lit, June 22, 2009
I was a bit wary when I picked up this book to read. The cover didn't really attract me to the story at all. I mean she looks like she's wearing a velour hoodie set. It just screamed trying to hard for me. Normally I would pass over this book, but I do enjoy British culture so I ended up picking it to read. I am so glad that I did. The book is written in a diary format, which I always enjoy. There's something about reading journal format that is very appealing to me, perhaps because it gives a better insight from the character. I also find that diary format books are very addictive to read because with no chapter breaks, you find it hard to stop reading. I grew to like Shiraz and her family. I will admit in the beginning she's very brash and hard to like but as you learn more about her life, she becomes very likable. I liked the teacher who encouraged her and gave her inspiration to do well in school. Also her relationship with her sister is very touching especially during the reality show scenes. My favorite part had me extremely grossed out. It's the scene in the factory. I read that scene and had the same reaction Shiraz did and was totally creeped out and even gagged. It's a great scene though and adds a lot of humor.
I will admit, the British slang takes a while to get used to. I felt like I was reading a foreign language for most of the book. Luckily there's a dictionary in the back that explains all these terms that Shiraz uses so I constantly found myself flipping to it throughout the story. After finishing this book, I felt like talking with a British accent to everyone and start using some of the words I had learned while reading. Overall this was a very enjoyable book to read. It gives a great taste of British culture and also shows how teens are the same all over the world. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Story Siren Reviews:, December 18, 2008
I was laughing my a** off the entire time I read this novel! Shiraz is a very lovable character. I wasn't sure about this book at first. First off I had idea what a Chav was, and the cover scared me a little.... But once I started reading I was sucked into to Shiraz's voice. The novel consists of journal entries. Think Sloppy first, British style.
I may not have understood everything she was saying (thankfully there was an English dictionary for all the American cousins) but the girl is bloody brilliant!
Some of my favorites:
Baps: (n.) boobs. Also boobies, breasts, blouse potatoes.
Fangita-eater: (n.) this is a pretty, erm, rude word for a girl who things other girls are hot and doesn't fancy boys.
Knob: (n.) a boys penis. But it's also an insult too. "Stop being a knob!"
Marmite: (n.) brown yeast extract spread that British people have on toast, which to an American person who isn't used to it will taste like Satan's jockstrap.
Up the duff: (adj.) pregnant, knocked up, in the pudding club.
Despite what you would initially think, Shiraz is very smart. And unfortunately it isn't something that her environment encourages. Her mother seems to think that a rich husband is the way that Shiraz needs to go. Which is very sad. But while reading the novel you'll soon learn that Shiraz is not the type of girl to settle down with a rich husband, she has a mind of her own. She has typical teenage problems. Figuring what to do with your life, working through friendships, problems with boys, it's all in there and humorously done.
While this novel lacks elegance and grace... if your looking for brutally honest, this just might be your ticket. I'm looking forward to hearing more of Shiraz's voice.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
