Girl, 15, Charming but Insane

by Sue Limb

Book Overview

Life was tragic enough before this spring started. With a distinct lack of boobage and an arse so big that birds of prey could nest within its shadows, Jess Jordan is saddled with the Goddess Flora for a best friend, a Britney Spears look-alike so gorgeous that one grain of her divine dandruff could make the blind see again. Jess knows that her soul mate is Ben Jones, a divine mixture of Leonardo diCaprio, Prince William, and Brad Pitt who oozes mystery...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385732155
• ISBN13: 9780385732154
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Random House Children's Books
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Teen Chick Lit at it's Best

Sue Limb has created a funny and quirky story about a British teen's insecurities and life adventures. Parts of this were laugh aloud funny. This book is a nice fun read with a few surprises. This is the first in a trilogy and is great gift for girls struggling with accepting their own bodies or social quirks, also for fans of Bridget Jones this is a must.

Absolute realism, Limb captures the life and times of a teenaged girl

Sue Limb has spun a beautifully realistic story about the trials of being a teenaged girl. Jess, the narrator, is spunky, witty, and trying to find her place in the world. Her adventures and her take on life cracked me up and reminded me so much of my own experiences. Jess has trials relating to boys and balancing her friendship with Flora with the fact that Flora always seems to one-up her in any situation. The fine line between loving your best friend and wanting to rip her head off because she is better at everything is portrayed beautifully. On the boys front, you know Jess is headed for disaster when, instead of purchasing a "gel bra," she makes her own at home with minestrone soup and some baggies. Drama ensues, but it isn't at all predictable and it turns out in an unexpected way. This is a British book, so American readers will have to adjust a bit to the slang, which I found endearing. The characters in here aren't goody two-shoes, but they are basically good kids, and this book is appropriate for any younger reader.

Pure Brilliance

This book is pure brilliance. I have never read a book funnier than this one. Of course, for Americans, you'll have to adjust to a few British English words here and there, but that's no problem. This book deals with semi-realistic issues in a very humorous manner. I'd definitely recommend it to teen girls, and heck, mothers might even enjoy reading it, too! -Courtney

Terrific!

Girl, 15, Charming but Insane is an awesome spin on the overused idea of a young girl who is neither popular nor unpopular having a crush on the most popular guy at school. It had some very hilarious elements, such as fake breast implants, comparing boys to animals, and "Poisonous Trash". This is the sort of book you can read over and over and never get tired of.

Wow, That was Funny

Sue Limb does an excellent job on her first teen book, Girl, 15, Charming but Insane. It is an extremely addictive story that I whizzed through, wanting more, not realizing it was a whole 214 pages long! This teen book that I would recommend for teens is hilarious, frustrating, heart-warming and smile-acious, because even though the narrator tells it from a third-person viewpoint, one really can get to know Jess Jordan, the main character. Jess is a 15-year old teen living in England with her radical feminist mother who is constantly passionately preaching against war or Jess's crushes. Jess's goofy dad is divorced from her mother and lives on the coast of a sea, a place of residence where Jess hopes to visit someday. The twosome's household gets crazier when `Granny' moves in, a sweet-as-a-muffin grandmother who, ironically, loves hearing about gruesome news events involving slain body parts. I think Jess's family was a great foundation for the book, because the members each have their own quirks yet they get along very well. Jess's best friend, Flora, is, well, perfect. Or so Jess thinks. Flora's family is very rich and live under `heavenly', lavish conditions. Jess and Flora's relationship greatly reflects many relationships of today's teens, because the feelings of jealously, resentment, and flusters of sheer anger come bluntly through Jess's thoughts. Jess also has a loyal friend named Fred, whom she has fun with jokingly speaking in old English. Fred is a sharp-witted young man that seems to have a birds-eye view of the way people act, and he would rather watch something very violent on TV than go to a clique-filled party. I believe that Jess and Fred have an awesome relationship in that they feel completely comfortable around each other just being friends. Jess is a stereotypical teenager with thoughts that the average teenage girl has, such as chest size and boy crazes. Things get interesting when a party goes wild and Jess ends up walking home in painful platforms and a wet bra. It's great how Limb shows many negative things that can happen in a girl's life to balance out the good things. Flora becomes swept away by a curly brown-haired, poet-looking boy named Mackenzie and she somewhat deserts Jess, which is an exact reflection of how young people can come to forget their own best friends when caught up in puppy love. Jess is head-over-heels for a Brad Pitt look-a-like named Ben Jones. Limb made me feel like I was Jess, because her descriptions of everything were so humanlike; I could imagine myself thinking some of the things that Jess thought, such as the battles she has with her self-consciousness and her lusty desires to be with Ben. This book wonderfully displays what it is like to be a teenage girl and how one deals with the hardships that come along with high school and the opposite sex. A shocking ending, partially predictable, however, is sweet and sour, and will make readers yearn for more. The girls' crushes change