I was disappointed by this update on Weetzie and her crew. The magic realism elements didn't seem to work for me and the descriptive material acted as filler. I wanted to love it but it didn't hold my attention the way other books in the series have. The characters progressions worked well though.
Having read other recent FLB I don't think this was her best but still love her style. ( )

Weetzie Bat, though all grown up, is still as loveable as ever. This book brings us on a journey where Weetzie meets a series of strange yet familiar characters, and through magical and unforgettable events, she strives to re-discover herself, as well as the love between her and her Secret Agent Lover Man, Max.
It's fairy-tales and ancient myths rolled into one, and Francesca Lia Block made this tale a delicious read with her beautifully crafted and lyrical prose.

Weetzie Bat, forty but still fabulous, leaves her Secret Agent Lover Man Max for an adventure in a magical pink hotel where she once missed out on a potentially life-changing kiss.

Another reviewer has said that this is exactly the sort of book you want to see happen to your favourite characters. I agree with all my heart.

All the characters we came to know and love in the previous five Weetzie Bat books are still very much themselves... but they've grown and changed as they aged, and this book puts them in a perfect position to develop further. While Weetzie returns to centre stage, (a position she hasn't occupied since the very first book), her decision to embark upon this solo adventure affects her family just as much as it does her. They remain entirely themselves, but Block takes their experiences into account as she reinvents them in this older mode. And she does a beautiful job of it.

The book itself is a good deal more linear than Block's best stuff, but I'd still rank it right up there. Weetzie's emotional progression may be clearer, but it never lacks the sorts of telling scenes that really illuminate the story and make everything click into place. I was often moved to tears. I enjoyed it far more now, this second time through, than I did the first time around.

I highly recommend this. I don't think you need to have read the rest of the series to enjoy it, but it's probably a good idea. I personally felt that most of the book's impact came from the way Block dealt with these beloved characters. Give yourself a chance to get to know them before you start in on this sixth and (at this point in time) final book. ( )

I couldn't wish or imagine a better novel to update the Weetzie Bat crew. Block has managed to keep all the characters true to their personalities while allowing them to grow into adults and older adults. Not all of the characters age gracefully, but not all humans age gracefully. Block's ability to write hyper realistic magical realism HAS aged gracefully, at least when it comes to this set of characters. I never minded my own aging, but I feel a lot more confident that I can remain hip and fantastic well into middle age! ( )

Weetzie Bat is all grown up and staying in a magical hotel. She and her secret agent lover man are separated. She helps the other guests at the hotel, including setting free a trapped mermaid. ( )