The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart - review

‘A book which will prove to be surprisingly thought-provoking for a range of age groups and worth reading to challenge your judgement about what a high school girl can achieve’

Frankie Landau-Banks is privileged enough to go to one of the most prestigious schools in America: Alabaster Academy. As she starts the school year she quickly attracts the attention of Matthew Livingstone, a senior who becomes her main preoccupation. Soon Frankie finds herself finds herself sitting with the ‘popular’ seniors at lunch and whilst on the surface they seem to accept her, Frankie senses a distance and unbridgeable gap. The reason becomes clear as Frankie remembers ‘The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds’, an exclusive male-only secret society which has existed for centuries in Alabaster.

Lockhart depicts the struggles of Frankie Landau-Banks to prove herself to her family, her boyfriend and everyone around her that she is not to be underestimated. At home her family call her ‘Bunny Rabbit,’ showing how Frankie’s family still see her as an innocent and harmless ‘child’. Then at school Frankie is excluded from the secrets of Matthew and his group, simply because she is a girl. You can sense Frankie’s increasing frustration from being dismissed as ‘just another pretty girl’ as her audacity and curiosity increase.

Eventually Frankie rebells against the patriarchal rules of the secret society and decides to take matters into her own hands. Each plan reflects the need for change and reform within Alabaster, but can also extend to the wider society. The ending reveals Frankie has been successful in giving young women a voice, which has vented her resentment at the exclusive male society.

There is an element of romance in the novel, but whereas in other books the girl plays the passive role, Frankie is presented to fight against the stereotypical high school girl. Therefore Lockhart’s choice of using an intelligent, independent young woman as the protagonist is a way of showing her own beliefs about gender imbalance.

Frankie is an avid user of the ‘neglected positive’ and Lockhart’s style of writing emphasises her unique outlook and character. Throughout the book, the prose style allows Lockhart to subtlety hint at these important themes whilst using the most mundane and ordinary setting.

Additionally, the social commentary throughout the book will question your perception of sexism in the 21st century. The books leaves you aware that gender imbalance still exists all around us in a seemingly male dominated society. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a book which will prove to be surprisingly thought provoking for a range of age groups and worth reading to challenge your judgement about what a high school girl can achieve.

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