You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I enjoyed the plot and the evolution of the main character, but I was troubled by the fact that many things seemed a bit over-simplified- particularly gender and class, and to a lesser extent, some of the theories that Frankie was exposed to and influenced by (such as the Panopticon). I certainly don't expect a university thesis level of coverage in a YA book, but the author didn't really make it obvious that she was only skimming the surface.
And for a book that seemed concerned about gender, there was certainly an awful lot of "some girls do this" and "certain girls do that" and other forms of gender essentialism.
But yes, Frankie finding her power and using it in creative ways against conformism was fun to read about.
And for a book that seemed concerned about gender, there was certainly an awful lot of "some girls do this" and "certain girls do that" and other forms of gender essentialism.
But yes, Frankie finding her power and using it in creative ways against conformism was fun to read about.
3.5 stars. A fun, quick audio book to listen to - only 6 CDs. I really liked the characters and learning about the "secret society." A little to feminist for my taste though.
Up until the summer of her 15th year, Frankie Landau-Banks was perfectly ordinary. She was a member of the debate club, her daddy’s “bunny rabbit,” not known for causing trouble.
All that changes sophomore year, when Frankie returns to her elite boarding school, Alabaster Academy, a changed girl- she’s still geeky on the inside, but on the outside she’s transformed into a girl guys go crazy for.
One day at the beginning of the school year, she falls off her bike and popular senior Matthew Livingstone valiantly comes to her aid. They become a couple, and Matthew draws Frankie into his circle of friends; on the surface, everything seems great. But Frankie quickly gets sick of being Matthew’s arm candy; she doesn’t want a boyfriend who calls her adorable, she wants a boyfriend who recognizes her greatness and treats her as an equal.
Frankie's incredibly jealous when she learns about Matthew’s all-male secret society, the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, which has been around since her father’s days at Alabaster. Frankie hopes Matthew will include her in the club, or at least confide in her about its existence; when he doesn’t, she decides to go where no woman has gone before-Frankie infiltrates the group and poses as their leader.
From her secret position of power, Frankie orchestrates a series of increasingly outrageous pranks that result in school wide chaos. Just how does she pull off the Night of a Thousand Dogs, the Abduction of the Guppy, and other assorted mischief? Will her internal takeover be discovered? What will become of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds? Read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks to find out.
All that changes sophomore year, when Frankie returns to her elite boarding school, Alabaster Academy, a changed girl- she’s still geeky on the inside, but on the outside she’s transformed into a girl guys go crazy for.
One day at the beginning of the school year, she falls off her bike and popular senior Matthew Livingstone valiantly comes to her aid. They become a couple, and Matthew draws Frankie into his circle of friends; on the surface, everything seems great. But Frankie quickly gets sick of being Matthew’s arm candy; she doesn’t want a boyfriend who calls her adorable, she wants a boyfriend who recognizes her greatness and treats her as an equal.
Frankie's incredibly jealous when she learns about Matthew’s all-male secret society, the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, which has been around since her father’s days at Alabaster. Frankie hopes Matthew will include her in the club, or at least confide in her about its existence; when he doesn’t, she decides to go where no woman has gone before-Frankie infiltrates the group and poses as their leader.
From her secret position of power, Frankie orchestrates a series of increasingly outrageous pranks that result in school wide chaos. Just how does she pull off the Night of a Thousand Dogs, the Abduction of the Guppy, and other assorted mischief? Will her internal takeover be discovered? What will become of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds? Read The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks to find out.
Fun, entertaining read, quite enjoyable, but nothing I'd go out of my way to recommend or re-read. A clever twist on the prep-school story, though, and I don't have any criticisms. Just a good solid fun read.
Frankie's voice was perfect. The ending left a little to be desired...
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks was refreshingly well-written, and I honestly felt 28% smarter upon finishing the book.
I loved Frankie and thought she was a badass fifteen year old. She is the evil mastermind behind all the pranks pulled by the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, but there's this boy, Alpha, who is taking all the credit, though he doesn't know who he's taking credit from.
I was only irked by one situation. One prank was to abduct the Guppy statue, which is supposed to signify Alabaster's importance as a highly esteemed private boarding school. However, the ransom note Frankie wrote I found hard to agree with.
At Alabaster, the entire student body is required to attend Monday morning chapel in this church-like related facility with stained glass windows of the Virgin Mary. Frankie, who is of Jewish heritage, wants the assemblies to take place in the new gym, or whatever it was called.
In my humble opinion, telling a school that is
a) A private boarding school that houses only the elite and wealthy, and also requires a lump sum of cash as tuition, shouldn't have to cater to your needs. There are free public schools in New England that don't put emphasis on one religion over another, and I'm certain there are expensive private schools that don't have a preference.
and b) A school that's been operating the same way for the past fifty years, and thriving, is like telling a marathon runner to quit running because you feel like he may be better at cliff jumping instead. I don't get why everyone thinks traditions are stupid and horrible and meant for a time that has been long gone.
I don't know, I just couldn't get behind her then. But other than that flaw I was able to look past, I did enjoy this book. I'm certain I wouldn't have liked this book had I read it back in 2008, the year it was published. As a feminist, I really liked how Frankie finally stood up for herself near the end toward Matthew and Alpha and Porter.
Was this book life changing? Well, no. But it was smart and witty and very entertaining, and I'd recommend it to any and all feminists, as well as boys who don't think excluding their girlfriends from boy-time every single weekend is a problem.
4.5/5 stars!
I loved Frankie and thought she was a badass fifteen year old. She is the evil mastermind behind all the pranks pulled by the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, but there's this boy, Alpha, who is taking all the credit, though he doesn't know who he's taking credit from.
I was only irked by one situation. One prank was to abduct the Guppy statue, which is supposed to signify Alabaster's importance as a highly esteemed private boarding school. However, the ransom note Frankie wrote I found hard to agree with.
At Alabaster, the entire student body is required to attend Monday morning chapel in this church-like related facility with stained glass windows of the Virgin Mary. Frankie, who is of Jewish heritage, wants the assemblies to take place in the new gym, or whatever it was called.
In my humble opinion, telling a school that is
a) A private boarding school that houses only the elite and wealthy, and also requires a lump sum of cash as tuition, shouldn't have to cater to your needs. There are free public schools in New England that don't put emphasis on one religion over another, and I'm certain there are expensive private schools that don't have a preference.
and b) A school that's been operating the same way for the past fifty years, and thriving, is like telling a marathon runner to quit running because you feel like he may be better at cliff jumping instead. I don't get why everyone thinks traditions are stupid and horrible and meant for a time that has been long gone.
I don't know, I just couldn't get behind her then. But other than that flaw I was able to look past, I did enjoy this book. I'm certain I wouldn't have liked this book had I read it back in 2008, the year it was published. As a feminist, I really liked how Frankie finally stood up for herself near the end toward Matthew and Alpha and Porter.
Was this book life changing? Well, no. But it was smart and witty and very entertaining, and I'd recommend it to any and all feminists, as well as boys who don't think excluding their girlfriends from boy-time every single weekend is a problem.
4.5/5 stars!
3.5 stars. I really enjoyed it, but it was frustrating how obnoxious all the boys were. How cocky they were and how they so easily dismissed girls, it annoyed me. But overall I liked it :)
Frankie Landau-Banks is a character I aspire to be. With her need to break the stereotypical expectations and divides between the genders, as well as her intelligence and need to be seen as more than just a pretty face, she is a character that we should all aim to be.
This book was easy to read and I enjoyed how the story was told. I look forward to reading another of Lockhart’s novels to see if I feel the same way towards her other works.
This book was easy to read and I enjoyed how the story was told. I look forward to reading another of Lockhart’s novels to see if I feel the same way towards her other works.
I read it in a day. I found the main female character complex, interesting and strong. Frankie is one tough chick. I was really taken with the humor of the story but also the issues it raised about gender relationships and social norms. The ominiscent observer perspective was also well done gave depth to the story. Great, great read!
Frankie is about to start her sophomore year at Alabaster Prep School. A few things have changed for Frankie: her older sister has graduated and moved on to Berkeley; she's no longer seeing Porter, her first boyfriend; and Frankie has become a knockout over the summer. When Matthew Livingston, one of the most popular seniors, finally notices and takes an interest in her, Frankie is thrilled. But although Matthew finds her adorable and pretty, Frankie wants him to see her as an equal, as a force to be reckoned with. It isn't long before Frankie begins to mastermind some of the most elaborate pranks ever performed on campus, all carried out by the secret, all-male Order of the Loyal Basset Hounds. If only they knew who was giving them orders.
I can't say how much I loved this book. The writing is clever, the story is fun, Frankie is a character you can't resist, there's a little philosophy and a lot of feminism in the mix, and a library is made to look like a giant boob. What's not to like? I think many girls/women who read this will share Frankie's frustrations - being underestimated, being told how to look and act, and the fear of being shut out just based on gender. It's not necessarily a tidy story, though I think I assumed a high-school prank book was going to be. But it's a story I definitely recommend.
This book left me very gruntled.
I can't say how much I loved this book. The writing is clever, the story is fun, Frankie is a character you can't resist, there's a little philosophy and a lot of feminism in the mix, and a library is made to look like a giant boob. What's not to like? I think many girls/women who read this will share Frankie's frustrations - being underestimated, being told how to look and act, and the fear of being shut out just based on gender. It's not necessarily a tidy story, though I think I assumed a high-school prank book was going to be. But it's a story I definitely recommend.
This book left me very gruntled.