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Geek Girl
2013 debut novel of Holly Smale From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Geek Girl is the debut novel by Holly Smale, published in 2013.[2] It won a 2014 Waterstones Children's Book Prize prize, along with a 2014 Leeds Book Award. It has spawned a series of Geek Girl novels by Smale. Geek Girl has been translated into 30 languages. [3]
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Plot summary
The novel tells the story of Harriet Manners, a socially awkward 15-year-old English girl with a limited circle of friends, a (now) supermodel boyfriend and who is the target of the school bully. Plucked from obscurity to be the face of a high-profile fashion advertising campaign, Manners' change of circumstance results in various conflicts which she must resolve, leading to revelations about herself and the world in general.
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Background
The novel is partially based on Smale's own experiences as a teenage model.[4]
Although Smale did not write the main character Harriet as autistic, Smale has later stated Harriet is autistic because the character is based on her experiences, and she is autistic.[5]
Reception
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Geek Girl received mixed reviews from critics.
Reviewers frequently discussed the story's writing, with Publishers Weekly highlighting the main character's "instantly appealing narrative voice, full of discursions and self-deprecation".[6] While Kirkus Reviews appeared to appreciate the novel's "wacky humor and subtle girl-empowerment message", they found that the novel's "choppy writing and stereotyped characters" left the novel "a fluffy mess".[7]
While multiple reviewers pointed to the story's clichés,[7] they were received differently. According to Publishers Weekly, "If the ugly duckling turned swan is cliché, both Smale and Harriet know it."[6] However, other reviewers found the story "overdone and unoriginal".[7] Despite their favourable response the ugly duckling trope, Publishers Weekly stated that "other overfamiliar types [...] deflate the story’s fun somewhat".[6]
Although the novel is marketed as young adult, multiple reviewers indicated it appeals to teenagers and younger audiences, with ages ranging from 10 to 15.[8][9][10]
In 2014, Geek Girl won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize Teen category prize,[citation needed] along with the Leeds Book Award (11–14 category).[11]
Adaptation
In January 2023, Netflix gave a series order to adapt the novel into a 10-part television series, produced by Waterside Studios, Nelvana, RubyRock Pictures and Aircraft Pictures.[12]
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See also
References
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