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A review by renuked
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
4.0
The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds is mysterious and secretive. It propagates confusion, disorder, and anarchy. It's about connection and bonding. And Frankie Landau-Banks wants in.
The book was cute, funny and entertaining. It empowered women. But more than that, this book analyzed the perceptions of power. Frankie Landau-Banks is a girl on a mission - to cause as much disturbance as possible, and to prove herself. The characters were good, especially Frankie herself. She was motivated, intelligent and hilarious. The boys were all equally intriguing and irritating. The writing was beyond fabulous, especially the neglected positives of words (ex. maculate, gruntled, mayed, nocuous).
The only thing I didn't love were the pranks themselves (they just didn't feel grand enough), and how Frankie's secret was exposed. I wanted her to gather power around her, create a following. I wanted to see the complete shock and disbelief on the people who had doubted her and were now forced to eat their words. I wanted more retribution. Instead, for me at least, the ending fell a little flat. Frankie deserved better than the way the bottom fell out of the book and just petered out. I wanted her to go out with a bang; create the ultimate prank. (Sigh, I guess I'm just wishing for crazier shenanigans).
There were many high points. I really enjoyed the dialogue and Frankie's determination to overset tradition. She wasn't a regular character, she was hungry for control and she took it. Everything she did had social significance and I loved it. Overall, it was pretty outstanding even though it wasn't quite disreputable enough.
PS. Out of all the boys, I liked Alpha the best. But they were all jerks anyway.
The book was cute, funny and entertaining. It empowered women. But more than that, this book analyzed the perceptions of power. Frankie Landau-Banks is a girl on a mission - to cause as much disturbance as possible, and to prove herself. The characters were good, especially Frankie herself. She was motivated, intelligent and hilarious. The boys were all equally intriguing and irritating. The writing was beyond fabulous, especially the neglected positives of words (ex. maculate, gruntled, mayed, nocuous).
The only thing I didn't love were the pranks themselves (they just didn't feel grand enough), and how Frankie's secret was exposed. I wanted her to gather power around her, create a following. I wanted to see the complete shock and disbelief on the people who had doubted her and were now forced to eat their words. I wanted more retribution. Instead, for me at least, the ending fell a little flat. Frankie deserved better than the way the bottom fell out of the book and just petered out. I wanted her to go out with a bang; create the ultimate prank. (Sigh, I guess I'm just wishing for crazier shenanigans).
There were many high points. I really enjoyed the dialogue and Frankie's determination to overset tradition. She wasn't a regular character, she was hungry for control and she took it. Everything she did had social significance and I loved it. Overall, it was pretty outstanding even though it wasn't quite disreputable enough.
PS. Out of all the boys, I liked Alpha the best. But they were all jerks anyway.