Book Review of "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks" by E. Lockhart

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Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
Classification: YA Fiction, Contemporary
Source: Bought!

Overall Grade: 

A
Would I recommend it? 
Yes! A fun, thoughtful, entertaining contemporary!

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 14:
Debate Club.
Her father’s “bunny rabbit.”
A mildly geeky girl attending a highly competitive boarding school.

Frankie Landau-Banks at age 15:
A knockout figure.
A sharp tongue.
A chip on her shoulder.
And a gorgeous new senior boyfriend: the supremely goofy, word-obsessed Matthew Livingston.

Frankie Laundau-Banks.
No longer the kind of girl to take “no” for an answer.
Especially when “no” means she’s excluded from her boyfriend’s all-male secret society.
Not when her ex boyfriend shows up in the strangest of places.
Not when she knows she’s smarter than any of them.
When she knows Matthew’s lying to her.
And when there are so many, many pranks to be done.

Frankie Landau-Banks, at age 16:
Possibly a criminal mastermind.

This is the story of how she got that way.

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My Thoughts: 

I started reading The Disreputable History one night and did not go to bed until after 2:00 AM, after I'd turned the final pages. 

This book immediately drew me in. The narrative is 3rd person, but you never feel distanced from Frankie's thoughts or feelings. In all actuality, the writing actually helps to further develop Frankie's world and everyone in it. 

I loved that not only is The Disreputable History about prep school, pranks, secret societies, late night parties, and other thoroughly entertaining events that make for a fast read, but Frankie also struggles to see how she fits in as a girlfriend, sister, young woman, friend, and student. 

How does she reconcile all of these traditional notions with her thoroughly real and physical self? 

This is something that Frankie continually struggles with and puzzles out, to the delight and entertainment of all those reading her story.  

Here is an awesome example of Frankie's wit and her love for the underused words in the English language:

"I have a serious and justified love for Kermit that I will parage to the end."
"Parage?"
"Parage. The neglected positive of disparage."
"You mean defend. You will defend Kermit to the end."
"Parage."
"Praise?"
"Parage. I will parage him. And Animal, too. I love Animal..."
Trish changed the subject. "We should do facials and paint our toenails Friday before they pick us up. What do you say, blow through dinner and come back here for girlie stuff?"
Frankie said, "You're on. When we're finished, we'll be absolutely sheveled."
"You'll be sheveled," said Trish. "I'm a normal person."

Without a doubt, you will love reading about Frankie and her shenanigans! And if you're anything like me, after you finish this book, you will want to pick up anything else that E. Lockhart has written and devour it whole!

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Overall Grade: 

A
Would I recommend it? 
Yes! A fun, thoughtful, entertaining contemporary!

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