The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

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The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks.jpg
First edition
Author E. Lockhart
LanguageEnglish
Genre Teen novel humor fiction
Publisher Disney-Hyperion
Publication date
2008
Publication placeUnited States of America
Media typePrint (hardcover, paperback)
Pages352 pages
ISBN 978-0786838196
OCLC 182525916

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a young-adult novel written by American author E. Lockhart. It was published on the 25 March 2008 by Disney-Hyperion.

Contents

It centers around the main character of Frances 'Frankie' Landau-Banks and her sophomore year at a boarding school, exploring the themes of feminism, class and privilege, and friendship and loyalty.

It won a Michael L. Printz Honor Award in 2009.

Plot

Frankie Landau-Banks is a sophomore at Alabaster Prep when she encounters the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, an all-male secret society. Since she is a girl and thus cannot join, she feels left out of the society. When one of the leaders, Alpha, leaves school for a few days, she seizes the opportunity to direct the Basset Hounds in several pranks.

Main characters

Reception

Reviews

Kirkus Reviews calls the novel a "funny feminist manifesto that will delight" through its "adroit, insightful examination" of adolescent dilemmas. [2]

The Guardian praises Lockhart's use of style in her writing to emphasise Frankie's unique outlook and character, as well as the prose style allowing for subtlety with the themes. It notes the novel to be "surprisingly thought provoking for a range of age groups and worth reading". [3]

The Horn Book Magazine points to the direct clinically-sounding narration presenting Frankie's struggles in a "dispassionate and case-study way", which in effect leaves the reader to make up their own mind. [4]

Common Sense Media notes that the plot and setting works well, however it seems to be grasping for a message that never follows through, concluding that "readers may feel not quite satisfied". [5]

Publishers Weekly praises how Lockhart juggles smart and tantalizing themes while combining "the pacing of a mystery with writing that realizes settings and characters", noting that the "exuberant, mischievous story scores its points memorably and lastingly". [6]

Awards

YearAwardResultRef.
2008 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist [7]
Cybils Award for Best Young Adult NovelWinner [8]
2009 Michael L. Printz Award Honor [9]

References

  1. "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks Characters". Shmoop. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
  2. "THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS". Kirkus Reviews. May 20, 2010. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  3. "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart - review". The Guardian. September 21, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  4. Gershowitz, Elissa (May–June 2008). "E. Lockhart: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks". The Horn Book Magazine. 84 (3) via General OneFile.
  5. Dunnewind, Stephanie. "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks". Common Sense Media. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  6. "The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks". Publishers Weekly. 255 (1): 55. January 7, 2008.
  7. "National Book Awards 2008". National Book Foundation. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  8. "The 2008 Cybils Winners". Cybils. February 14, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  9. "Melina Marchetta Wins 2009 Printz Award". American Library Association. January 26, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2019.