The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (edition 2008)

I had to go back and read this after loving the Ruby Oliver books. It was really good. Incredibly well thought-out with complex characters. I gave it 4 stars only because there were no "take-aways" for me. It was great while it lasted, but I doubt I'll ever think of it again. ( )

This is to feminism what Nickelback is to music: not.
( )

This book was both unbelievable and heartbreakingly realistic, a combination that created what is now one of my favorite books. Frankie, as described, is not only brilliant she is precocious, making believable 15 year old observations and carrying them through to phenomenal conclusions. She's my hero, she's the teenager I remember being and the woman I wish I had become. This book casts a clear eye on both protagonist and her opposition, giving voice to the conflict of an outsider with more nuance and detail than I've ever read before. ( )

When the dorky geek Frankie transforms to a lanky beauty for her sophomore year at Alabaster prep she is drawn into the circle of popular seniors but not into the inner circle. An insightful, witty look into the world of the privileged with action, mystery, humor and pathos. ( )

I liked Dramarama better, but this is also an engaging book. The premise is a little thin (I could never really embrace the reasons given for Frankie's behaviour) but the execution is admirable. The characters are sympathetic and believable, and I liked them. Worth a read, for sure. ( )

I read it in a day. I found the main female character complex, interesting and strong. Frankie is one tough chick. I was really taken with the humor of the story but also the issues it raised about gender relationships and social norms. The ominiscent observer perspective was also well done gave depth to the story. Great, great read! ( )

by E. Lockhart (and [HERE])

I've begun the last two reviews with the character's name. I am determined to break the pattern. So:

P.G. Wodehouse? Check. Basset hounds? Check.* Secret societies? Check. Devious plans? Check.

This book has all of those, plus a spunky main character with a great vocabulary and the inability to take no for an answer.

And yet, somehow, I don't LOVE it. It's fun. I'm reading it for a second time, so clearly it isn't awful. I think most of my problem is that I never quite believe in Frankie as a real character. I feel bad for her and I rejoice at her victories. But she never quite jumps off the page.

Now, I know there are heaps and heaps of people** who love this book. And I do enjoy it. And yet.

I don't know. I may need to give it a few days to percolate.


Book source: my school library

*Incidentally, basset hounds always remind me of James Thurber, probably because I was a docent at the Thurber House for several years when I was younger.

**People whose recommendations I trust. ( )

by E. Lockhart (and [HERE])

I've begun the last two reviews with the character's name. I am determined to break the pattern. So:

P.G. Wodehouse? Check. Basset hounds? Check.* Secret societies? Check. Devious plans? Check.

This book has all of those, plus a spunky main character with a great vocabulary and the inability to take no for an answer.

And yet, somehow, I don't LOVE it. It's fun. I'm reading it for a second time, so clearly it isn't awful. I think most of my problem is that I never quite believe in Frankie as a real character. I feel bad for her and I rejoice at her victories. But she never quite jumps off the page.

Now, I know there are heaps and heaps of people** who love this book. And I do enjoy it. And yet.

I don't know. I may need to give it a few days to percolate.


Book source: my school library

*Incidentally, basset hounds always remind me of James Thurber, probably because I was a docent at the Thurber House for several years when I was younger.

**People whose recommendations I trust. ( )

4.5 stars. This book was really really cool. It seemed to start off a bit slow... getting the characters established and things. And I was a bit worried about Frankie in the beginning, because the relationship she's in is like RED FLAG Central! Like it's SO INCREDIBLY OBVIOUS to me that it's not a good one, just with the way she's thinking and talking about the guy she's with, so... Yeah, I was worried.

And then at about the halfway point in the book, the inner Frankie took over and started kicking SERIOUS butt! Like... HOLY CRAP, Frankie is the coolest girl of all time. And I LOVED all the word-play... and how E. Lockhart ties that word-play in at the end. I didn't see it coming, but it totally made sense. Love-love-loved the new vocab... ;)

The best thing about Frankie is that she embodies the inner bad-ass we all secretly WANT to be but don't dare to be... (Like how House is the inner JERK-FACE we all secretly want to be but are too nice to be...) One of my friends said that she couldn't really relate to Frankie, and it's true that my mind works in a different way than hers, but who doesn't want to be as awesome as her? I wish I had amazing ideas like hers and the guts to make them happen. It was awesome. ( )

Listened to the audio, which was pretty good, weird pronunciation of "carrel" aside.

Frankie is a great character: as a sophomore at Alabaster Prep, she has been underestimated by just about everyone, and finally takes action to earn the respect she deserves. She's a go-it-alone type who resents the fact that her boyfriend Matthew, a senior and one of the leaders of the secret, males-only club Bassett Hounds, won't confide in her; however, she is guilty of the same secrecy by not confiding in her loyal roommate and friend Trish. Frankie is so focused on her goal of gaining equal status with the senior boys that she underestimates her own peers - girls who, it seems, often understand the meaning of her pranks better than the boys do.

Not that this is unrealistic; Frankie makes the kind of mistakes that teenagers make. This is an entertaining and amusing read. Additionally, Frankie's ideas about the Panopticon should resonate with anyone who has ever been in a school setting. ( )

Listened to audiobook narrated by Tanya Eby Sirois. Loved the narration. A fascinating exploration of the social and gender dynamics at an East Coast boarding school. The word play was excellent fun and Frankie is a character I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

April 2012 COTC Book Club selection.

Previously read print copy September 2010. ( )

Frankie Landau-Banks is starting her sophomore year at the elite Alabaster Academy, and has somehow garnered the attention of Big-Man-On-Campus Matthew Livingston. But while most girls would die to be Matthew's arm candy, Frankie would rather be something more than just his girlfriend. When he starts giving vague answers regarding his whereabouts and plans, Frankie does the logical thing: she researches and investigates. When she finds out that Matthew and his friends are part of the elusive Order of the Basset Hounds, and that the Bassets are having some trouble getting organized for a Halloween prank, Frankie sees her opening to finally make an impact from the marginalized shadows. Frankie is smart, strong, bold--and not someone to be underestimated.

As a plot, this is a novel of espionage and accomplishment; as a message, it’s about Girl Power and budding feminism. The Disreputable History shows how some teens can flawlessly implement every phase of a perfect plan and still lack the maturity to accomplish their political agendas. Frankie’s desire to have her cleverness noticed and remarked upon--often at odds with her need for secrecy--may frustrate some readers but will resonate with others. Frankie is a strong, independent role model despite her social gaffes; this is a novel that will find its way into the hands of teens seeking confirmation that there’s no reason to stay in someone else’s shadow. ( )

When I first started The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, I thought that the clever banter was a little to forced and found it a little distracting, but I quickly adjusted and really enjoyed the story. Frankie is kick-butt, and it was nice to read about a feminist character set it in the present time with the problems of today instead of decades or centuries ago. I've also been a serious victim of the panopticon and worried about getting into trouble or what people would think. The pranks were fun, and I wish this book had been around about 10 years ago for me. ( )

ooh... secret societies and gender politics...

If you're female and between the ages of about 12 and 25, I cannot think of a single reason why you shouldn't read this book. It's fantastic. Both highly political and incredibly funny - it's the book I wish I'd been given to see me through being a teenager and to prepare me for later life. And no, I never went to an elite prep school with a bunch of stuffy trainee 'old boys' and a 60 year old all-male secret society... but I, like every girl I know, could have done with the reassurance that being your own person is more important than fitting the mold and that women are worth more than just a chest measurement. The story spoke to me on many levels and addressed issues that I have written articles on and feel very strongly about.

On the surface, it's a high school tale of cliques, first loves and mischief - quite like the author's [b:The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver|301022|The Boyfriend List 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)|E. Lockhart|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173534943s/301022.jpg|292089] and the other Ruby Oliver books. I enjoyed reading about Ruby and frequently related to her but, for me, Frankie Landau-Banks was all the more kick-ass, funny and just so memorable. She's a 5-star heroine and the perfect partner in crime... if only she were real.

The writing in this novel was flawless with some hilarious dialogue between the characters, particularly regarding some of Frankie's ridiculous neglected positives, it's such a silly idea that shouldn't be so funny but I have no idea how many times I must have laughed. Little scenes like this are what made the book for me:

"They're not puppets, they're muppets," said Frankie. "I have a serious and justified love for Kermit that I will parage to the end."
"Parage?"
"Parage. The neglected postive 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. I used to watch that show on DVD all the time when I was little."
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."

I mean, come on, that's funny. And she's so effin' stubborn it's great. I just loved Frankie and loved the plot and loved the book. I took notes on the damn thing. No, really, there are parts of this book that you just have to note down. By 'you', of course, I actually mean me.

I also want to point out for all you cynical people who "bah humbug" at novels set in high schools following a girl through her relationships and pranky misdeeds... this really is a great political statement. But it's in the dialogue and Frankie's awesomeness that it's revealed, sometimes subtle and sometimes not. My favourite thing about it is how the school represents today's society as a whole and the truths about the equality myth. Because, sadly, even though men and women are supposed to have the same opportunities and they are now allowed into the same professions, they sit at the same tables and they even become friends, beneath it all there is still an inner circle - rather like a secret society - that continues to slam the door in a woman's face. But better than this metaphor is the message behind it: that if you put your mind to it, you don't have to accept the way things are. That you have the ability to change the way of the world. Or the way of a prep school. Like Frankie does.

( )

My oh my did I find this book frustrating. Find out why in my review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3uWL0mTRp0 ( )

Funny, clever and a true coming of age story. Plus, there are Boarding Schools and boys. ( )

In her sophomore year of boarding school, Frankie no longer lives under the radar-- publicly dating one of the most popular seniors, and secretly infiltrating the boys-only secret society that he runs.

Frankie is a heroine that transcends most chick-lit tropes, finding a lovely balance between a feminist solid in her beliefs and a teenage girl interested in boys and being liked. The hijinks of Frankie and the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds will amuse readers and keep them turning pages, and the book as a whole will leave them thinking about rebellion and its purpose. Though teen boys may be reluctant to pick up a book with a female protagonist, the story is not girly, and if they give it a shot, they will not be disappointed.

Recommended for all libraries serving middle and high school populations. ( )

Frankie Landau-Banks attends an elite boarding school. She becomes disgruntled when she is excluded from the boys' secret society, so she decides to make a statement.

This has been on my iPod to listen to for quite some time now. The cover is what drew my attention, and I saw many reviews that highly recommended it, but it just didn't hold its own. Unfortunately, the story didn't meet my expectations or match the cover either.

Frankie was a fine character, and the writing was fine, too. There was just nothing that truly kept my interest. It was just ho-hum. I liked Frankie's final thoughts about herself, so the book did end well. (2.75/5)

Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy ( )

My disappointment in this book is probably to be expected considering that it came so highly recommended by a friend, and that I had immediately read The Fault of Our Stars by John Green before picking up The Disreputable History. There just is no comparison, and I was expecting something utterly amazingsauce.

It was okay, I guess. The plot was amusing even if I didn't happen to like any of the characters much - it's hard to like a character if you're not sure who they are. I built no emotional attachment to Frankie, who I thought was a bit of a brat. A genius brat, but a brat still the same. Even she didn't know why she did the things she did.

Also, the ebook was horribly formatted, which just annoyed me. ( )

How did Frankie Landau-Banks go from an innocuous and nearly invisible freshman girl to a notorious mastermind of the greatest pranks her private school has ever seen? A boy, a plan, and the desire to infiltrate an all-male secret society are part of it, but it is the magic of Frankie's brain that truly brings it about.

I really enjoyed this novel. On the surface it's a brilliant tale of boarding school life and some serious pranks orchestrated by a teenage girl. But below that it is an exploration of feminist ideas, relationships between men and women, and the concept of a cultural panopticon. The novel moves easily between these two elements and it does so while following Frankie who is a thoroughly fascinating character. While I didn't always like her, I could sympathize with some of her emotions and I was thoroughly intrigued by her quest to prove herself. ( )

It's dangerous sometimes to pick up books because of gushing. Your expectations come in maybe too high. And for a book like this one, where I came to it from a super-literary book tournament (aptly named the Tournament of Books) as an example of a young adult novel that really can stand up with the best in fiction overall, it's perhaps more so. I'm quite open-minded regarding YA stuff, anyway - reading these reviews, something like that's pretty clear by now. But if it's something getting the royal treatment from a bunch of people inclined to see YA as beneath their notice, well, one can't help get the sense that something's really going to be awesome, and then wait for the backlash when you get down to the reading.

But then I actually read it, and... no, it really was just that good. Seriously, just a great, fast, exciting read from top to bottom, and I threw it up on my favorites list about ten seconds after I finished reading it. So apparently, that makes it my turn to gush? I can do some gushing.

Here's our story: Frankie Landau-Banks is a newly-minted sophomore at Alabaster, an elite New England boarding school, and her life is changing. In her freshman year, she dealt with her older sister's friends, and made a few of her own through debate club. During the summer break, though, she developed into a beauty, and now she's attracted the attention of a senior boy, Matthew Livingston, who she's had eyes for since she arrived at the school, and makes her way more into his group of friends. He's a pretty good boyfriend, but his attention is divided between her and his best friend, Alessandro Tesorieri, or Alpha, as he's known. What pull does Alpha have with Matthew? As Frankie looks into it, her knowledge of school history through her father's attendance there comes into play, and she decides to embark on a plan to show what her position at Alabaster can really be.

It's hard not to get into spoilers by describing further, but this book really excels on all fronts: plot, writing, character, and themes, all are stellar. Really, I loved the characters, and found them really believable - further, Frankie and Matthew both really love words and their use, and that's a sure way into my heart. Frankie in particular stands out to me: she wants to find her place, and be recognized for the person she is and the talent she has, to really attract attention, and she wants some adventure, but she's also a teenager who likes hanging out with the cool older kids and having a cute, attentive boyfriend, and she has to reconcile these different thoughts and impulses to figure out what she really wants. Matthew and Alpha are both quite well-drawn, too. In a different book, getting together with Matthew, a sporty, upper-class who does want to help Frankie and is generally a stand-up guy, would be the goal. Getting together with him would be the end of the story, a happy ending for Frankie.

In this book, though, what happens is really a good look at privilege and sexism, even among people who probably wouldn't really see themselves as all that privileged or sexist. It's about some of the ways in which women are excluded from participating in various forms of society, how boys and girls may see things differently, and the different reactions one can have to the leftover sexism in the world. Alongside some straight-up discussion, all these telling details add up to this view, little metaphorical hits - Matthew's thick glasses, the way he seems to like her best when she fits into the mold he has her in. And the ways that people respond to her trying to take a place in the hierarchy, who notices her and who doesn't... it's really interesting, and it doesn't come across as heavy-handed at all.

I really enjoyed the writing, as well - it's exciting, fast and sharp, witty and fun, but when it takes a turn for the serious, Lockhart still sells it. I'm definitely going to try some of her other books, too, after this one. She has a sure feel of the story she wants to get across, and she really draws you into this world, so bound with tradition, but ripe for some more changes, beyond the ones it's already allowed. And Frankie can effect changes: she's actually quite good at it. She just needs to find the way.

Bottom line: this book was amazing. Probably the second best book of the year thus far for me. I would give a copy of this to every teenage girl I know, but this is limiting; I think this is a book that I'd give to just about anyone, as long as they've got an open mind about YA. And even if they don't, maybe this is a book that can crack the facade and show what the genre (if that's what it is) can do. ( )

15-year-old Frankie is an average girl at the prestigious Alabastar boarding school who is underestimated and overlooked by everyone, including her own family. Yet, somehow, the first day of her sophomore year finds her starting a relationship with the most popular senior is school. As the days pass, she begins to feel like a spectator in his world. When she learns he is the head of a top-secret society that excludes females, she hatches a brilliant plan and managed to covertly command these boys into pranks with subtle political statements.

Great look into the mind of an underestimated genius. Really fun story! ( )

A unique read with a really likeable heroine, Frankie Landau-Banks.

Frankie attends the prestigious Alabaster Prep Boarding School, where she finds herself part of the popular crowd after summer brings her new curves that catch the attention of her long-time crush, Matthew Livingston. Not only does Matthew become Frankie's boyfriend, but his entire crew of tight-knit buddies come as part of the package. Frankie loves her new friends, but she can't help but feel that she will always remain an outsider because she is "only" a girlfriend. She'll only be valued for her pretty face and her appeal as arm candy, never respected for her thoughts or any contributions she might make to the fun they all have.

When Frankie manages to gain an inside look at the secret Royal Order of the Basset Hounds, the generations-old social club that Matthew and his friends belong to, she finally finds a way to really be a part of the gang. For a while, she sits at the top of the heap. But when secrets start to come out, Frankie realizes that she has to be true to herself, no matter what the cost.

I found Frankie to be a delightful character who serves as an excellent role model for teen girls because of her intelligence, resourcefulness, and determination to be more than a "pretty thing" with a "little mind". Too, the story and plot were quite unique and a refreshing departure from so many of the typical boys-meets-girl-angst-ensues that fill YA books these days. I also loved Lockhart's writing style and voice, very literary with an old-school feel that really lent itself to creating the atmosphere of the book.

That said, I found myself wishing we got to know Matthew and Alpha and the other male characters a bit better. We were only told how wonderful they all were, never really shown why it was that Frankie loved so much being a part of their group. In the end, I also found Matthew's behaviour to be reprehensible and so his entire character was destroyed for me.

In the end, this was a great book. I'd expected a lot due to the many positive reviews I'd read about it, so I think perhaps I felt a slight let-down. But I do recommend it to anyone who likes strong, smart heroines ( )

from bn.com
Frankie Landau-Banks, a sophomore at Alabaster, a prestigious boarding school, is tired of being taken for granted by everyone. Dad calls her "bunny rabbit" and her family and friends don‘t really think she‘s capable of much. But she suddenly finds herself the girlfriend of Matthew, one of the hottest seniors on campus. Frankie finds out that Matthew is a member of the school's secret all-male society, the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. Frankie is determined to find out what the Bassets do and how to become a Basset herself, so she follows Matthew and his Basset friends. In her own way, she is able to infiltrate the all-male society and send its members on many errands, setting up schoolwide pranks. The best part is that no one suspects the adorable Frankie as having a hand in it. A funny book that will leave you cheering for Frankie, you definitely won't want to put this one down before she's through. Reviewer: Jennifer Lee ( )

Frankie is a strong female main character who is enjoyable to watch grow up during her sophmore year. You cheer for her and sometimes cringe for her! Although there are brief mentions of sex, it does not dominate the book. The book is a quick read that many teen girls would enjoy.