The Disreputable History of Franky Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

The Disreputable History of Franky Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart is a story about a teenaged girl named Franky who goes to a prestigious boarding school called Alabaster. She struggles with the normal issues you would think a teenaged girl faces; her body is changing, her hair never listens to her, her boyfriend (who's a senior) doesn't always tell her the whole truth, and all she wants to do is fit in. And also take control of the all-male secret society, the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. By assuming a fake email address, Frankie sends out orders to the members to pull pranks unlike any the dusty old school has ever seen before. But all this includes going behind several peoples backs, telling lies to her boyfriend and her family and teachers, vandalizing school property and disobeying school rules. Her attempt at masterminding the Basset's criminal ctivities blows up in her face and she has to face the real consequences of her treachery.

Some important things that I remember from the book is  that going behind other peoples backs and lying about your identity aren't ways to become cool or popular, and if the group of people you are trying to impress think it is, then they aren't the group of friends you want to hang out with. I also learned that it is very hard to asume somebody else's identity and give orders to other people and still pretend that nothing has changed. Frankie and the other characters in this book show that it is impossible to control everything that happens and even the best layed plans can come crumbling down on top of you.

I would recommend this book for anyone 12 and up perferably because of the somewhat explicit images and excess of teen partying and underage drinking, but otherwise, this is a very good book with a very good sense of humor and important morals. I think that anybody who enjoys a lighthearted mystery or books that take place in boarding school would enjoy it, and it also addresses interesting ideas like the panopticon and always being watched, and it was a fun, fast read with whirlwind romances and some dabbling in being a criminal mastermind.