The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks Review

Author: E Lockhart
Release Date: March 25, 2008
Publisher: Hyperion
Most appropriate for ages: 12+
How I got it: Library 

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.

I've read 3 out of 4 books in E. Lockhart's Ruby Oliver series, and while I liked them, I never found them to be worthy of shouting that they were AMAZEBALLS like so many have. But guys The Direputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is AMAZEBALLS. I loved every single second of it.

One of my favorite things about TDHOFLB is how smart it is. Its characters are smart, its writing is smart, and even the hardcover looks smart. E Lockhart doesn't talk down to her readers, nor make you read about stupid drunken idiots in an attempt to be edgy and cool. It was so nice.

Frankie is a stubborn, twisted, fantastic main character. She is hilarious and driven and empowering and makes up words and I cannot say enough good things about her. Between her growth and just her general awesomeness, she's easily one of my favorite characters ever.

Also, the PLOT was great. I was completely sucked in from very early on. I just had to see Frankie's next move and see how she became a "criminal mastermind" and GAH IT WAS JUST AWESOME.

TDHOFLB is not to be missed by fans of YA. It's got statues with bras, hot guys with secrets, basset hounds, feminist sisters, and everything else you could want in a book. This one is a Must Read for any self-proclaimed lover of YA.

Plot: Unique and completely absorbing. I couldn't stop reading.

Characters: Frankie is THE BOMB. All of the side characters were really nicely done, too.

Writing: Smart and just plain good.

Ending: Perfectperfectperfect.

Kid friendly: There was some making out and drinking, but not much more than that.

Overall:

I would yell "Shut up!" at anyone who attempted to talk to me while I read.

I seriously loved this book, guys. I need to get my own copy to put on my favorites shelf to reread over and over again.