The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
My chosen book is The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. Wow this book has a long title! Well, besides that fact this book is very intriguing, funny, and very insightful. I enjoyed it immensely. Moving on, it is the story of Frances Landau-Banks, a 15-year-old girl. She is fairly average, not to much exceptional about her other than she is very smart, can be funny, and enjoys words. She is at first glance, well, to be blunt, a rather cool geek; she is part of the debate club and enjoys school. That being enough by today's standards to make her an object of scorn. I also forgot to mention that she from the age of 14 to the age of 15 had well developed as a girl should............. so that also is what made her a cool geek. She attends Alabaster Preparatory Academy, one of the most expensive and highly acclaimed institutions of learning. It has a deep history and holds a secret or two, but is also just a regular boarding school to most. She begins the school year by trying to avoid her old ex-boyfriend, Porter Welsch; being her first boyfriend she had of course little experience in the ways of love (I find this necessary to comment on here this previous sentence might make most of the male species avoid this book thinking it is a chick book about romance it is not, she is a tom-boy and has some romance but I assure you not too much gag worthy!). She had, over the course of her freshman year, ogled over the immensely geeky yet very popular boy Matthew Livingston; he was fit, tan, and smart to most, that is all that is necessary for a relationship. Well after a unfortunate bike accident he finally notices her and rushes to her aid much to her surprise. As things progress she get into his cool geek club of sorts and begins to hang out with his friend Alpha, real name Alessandro Tesorieri. She is soon invited to a midnight party at a golf course and, being the cool person she was trying to be, she attended and hung out with her would-be boyfriend Matthew. She realized, though, the invitations had strange basset hound stamp on them. She had heard of the society of the basset hounds by her father who had attended. It was a all-male private exclusive club she couldn't even know the details of. As the year goes on she realizes what the basset hounds are--a society based solely on the principle of you say I can't do something, therefore I must. They do petty things such as sneak into abandoned art halls, have parties on golf courses, and have a few annual pranks. Well, she realizes that because they won't let her be a part of it she must join it. Matthew refuses to tell anything about it and lies to her and other things of the like (and I forgot to mention, due to its insignificance, she is now his girlfriend, so lying to her is a big deal ). Well, she starts to follow him and finds out things about the society; things I will not mention to preserve some of this books mysteries. She then sets up a Gmail account that has alpha's nickname on it which is Alpha Dog so everyone thinks it comes from her. They do a series of pranks that are supposed to show there lack of respect for authority but all the bassets think about is how funny they are and the male-bonding it gives. Well eventually it turns out that some evidence points to Alpha as the source to all the pranks. She then must decide to either let him take the blame, or show the faculty what she has truly been up to this year.
I wanted to add this section to my review also it is a report card on the book:
Storyline-------- +A
authors ability to write---------- A
Character development----------- +B
Enjoyability(not sure if real word but sounds cool!) --------------------- +A
Re-readability------------------- +B
Objectionable content: For a teen book about a teen who has no parents around it is fairly tame a few profanities( to those who care), and some well inappropriate content ( I will leave it at that )
Final comments: I really liked this book I would recommend it to anyone who likes coming-of-age books or just books about regular teens.
--The Splendiferous Rebecca S.
Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy
Dizzy is the story of a twelve-year-old girl whose hippy mother shows up, after years of absence, and takes her for the summer and experience her gypsy life first hand.
When the book start off Dizzy is waiting in anticipation for the only contact she has with her mother all year. Her birthday present, sometimes a dream catcher other times just a post card. Either way she lives for the chance to hear from her mother “Storm” who left her and her father when she was just four years old. But this year instead of just a letter she receives the thing she’s wanted for years, her mother in person. Who not only missed her but wants her to come with her to a..well in truth it’s some hippies’ convention. Her father, knowing how erratic and unreliable Storm is, of course refuses. But early the next morning Storm informs Dizzy that her father has changed his mind during the night and they have to hurry and leave before he wakes up. So they stuff her things into a bag, say a quick goodbye to a thoroughly hung over Dad and hit the road in Storms beat up mystery mobile. The mystery being of course how such a piece of ugly junk like it can still be running. At this point in the story it’s pretty obvious to all that Storm has just kidnapped her daughter. Dizzy of course blinded by love, youth and just plain stupidity doesn’t realize it. If you think the story gets any better and any less predictable you’re wrong.
They arrive in Scotland and Dizzy feels a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of bums-I mean hippies that have come together. It’s not at all the “small gathering” that Storm had promised. But most people reading will have figured out by now that half the promises Storm makes are lies and the other half are her twisted half truths (Which are basicly the same thing). At the festival or whatever you wanna call it Dizzy meets Finn, the boy she knew as a baby back when her parents were both full time hobo’s-I mean hippies, (Can you say love interest) Mouse, the son of Storm's current soul mate Zak (can you say cute little brother figure) and Tess Finn’s mother (can you say mother figure and only semi responsible adult in the camp).
They move from festival to festival, Dizzy learning more and more about her mother's vagrant life style from Finn and Mouse who are her constant companions. Storm is telling Dizzy that her father is going to join them any day now. Which of course we all know is a lie because her father has no idea where they are. Dizzy finds out that she enjoys the fun and freedom of being a derelict-I mean hippy, but misses her father, hot showers and the stability of normal life. After having cops bring Dizzy, Finn, and Mouse back to their camp when Mouse is caught for stealing, they pack up and move to Tess’s cottage. Storm and Zak leave soon after deserting their children for India. Many pointless events lead up to Dizzy’s father being contacted. She goes home, Mouse gets adopted and Finn..well Finn just stays Finn
This book gets a five out of ten. It was somewhat annoyingly predictable, like no one knew that the postcards Dizzy gave to Storm weren’t really being sent out to her father. And the character is so naive you wish you could shake her. At one point Finn has to convince her that what her mother and others had been smoking around the fire was weed. Hippies smoking weed..oh my gosh are you serious. That is so unheard of..not. But the writing is Ok and though the story is nothing new it's still touching and amusing. And surprisingly enough I didn’t feel as if I wasted 45 minuets of my day reading this book, which I think is always a plus. I would recommend Dizzy to casual readers and girls who aren't old enough to read the Sisterhood of the traveling pants series.
--The Marvelous Niah
