Summary: Frankie Landau-Banks is about to start her sophomore year at the prestigious Alabaster Academy. Something is different about her as she returns this year, though: her body suddenly decided to go through puberty. She’s a knock-out all of a sudden, over the summer. Along with this new figure comes a new attitude, especially when she captures the interest of the amazing Matthew Livingston. She has a sharp tongue and when she figures out that Matthew is apart of the male only loyal order of the Basset Hound, Frankie is a little more than miffed. She decides she doesn't like being ordered around. She decides she doesn't like being excluded. She decides to take matters into her own hands.
My Review: I wanted to like this book, really I did! I’ve heard just amazing things about it, but it was a serious struggle to finish it. I love the idea of girl power and I think that Frankie had some good ideas. However, I think that Frankie is a not a good role model for girls. She is as Alpha points out many times: a psychopath. I’m sorry for all you people who loved her and thought she was God, but all I could think when trying to read this book was “this girl has problems.” She has a serious craving to be the center of attention that is not flattering to the girl gender at all. She obviously has some sort of inferiority complex. That being said I have no doubt in my head that it’s people like Frankie Landau-Banks that make the biggest difference in this world. It’s girls like her who become top lawyers and political leaders, which scares me a bit.
I’m very torn in this book, especially reviewing it. Because part of me wants to be that childish girl and say I hated this book because I hated the character and I couldn’t get through it and give it a nasty review because of it. However, the somewhat serious critique in me recognizes a powerful piece of literature when she sees it. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is thought-provoking and unforgettable at its best. Mostly unforgettable because of Frankie the rest of the cast, aside from Alpha, fade into the background [even Frankie’s boyfriend] as completely flat. It’s thought provoking because it really does make you wonder about this male-run society and perhaps the line between the modern gender equal world we want, and the one that really exists. Frankie is, in bad light, jealous, conniving, sneaky, power-hungry, and has some self-esteem issues. Some people might choose to phrase this as brilliant, ambitious, confident, quirky, and witty. So really, this is hard for me to do. Let me put it this way: I hated the book very much. If you like powerful women you really might like this.
Rating: 3/5 I couldn’t stand the main character. I didn’t really believe her feelings much at all and the lackluster second characters were a turnoff.
Reviews from the pros:
*yawn* I’m too lazy to look it up for this one. Now I can finally start Inkdeath that has been taunting me from my bookshelf since I got it for Christmas! Muwaha! Hah see you all when I finish this 660 page book! (lol sometime next year probably)!
Happy Reading!
~She Who Reads A Lot
Note: Okay so I had to read this book for AP English. She made us read a nonfiction book of our choice and we had to write a book review for it. So basically what I'm going to do is post the review I wrote for my English Assignment! Here it is: If you grew up in the 1990s you probably knew about the animal that would become the most famous whale in the world: Keiko. This lovable killer whale with his flopped over fin was treasured by children all over the world for his part in Free Willy. In Freeing Keiko the Journey of a Killer Whale from Free Willy to the Wild, Kenneth Brower shares the amazing journey of Keiko.
