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Summary: Punk rockers grow up too fast these days...
Review: I found this book as I was cleaning my ex-girlfriend's stuff from our apartment, and I had nothing better to do, so I sat down in the sun and read it. I generally can't finish any novel of substantial length in less that a week or two. This took me about two hours. Seeing as it's very short, and printed quite large, and simply written, you can see I don't read very fast.
This book is utterly charming, like a children's story that sticks with you after you've grown up. It's not a children's story at all, covering the after-high school life of four punk teenagers in Los Angeles, but it has the same clear, precise language of Peter Pan.
Weetzie Bat is a punk rock pixie who meets Dirk, a gay boy with a mohawk. They hang out together and enjoy Charlie Chaplin movies and roller skating, and long to meet their true loves. These show up in the form of Duck (for Dirk) and My Secret Agent Lover Man (for Weetzie). Some strange things happen, some babies are born, and the AIDS virus rears its ugly head.
It's deceptively simple. But, even Peter Pan is only simple because there was an animated movie made out of it. On the surface it's a children's book, written for children; but once you read it you'll find as much depth and reality as anything on the bestseller shelf.
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Summary: This book is not for conservative stiffs
Review: Weetzie Bat is a magical book that is the perfect mix of fairy-tale and reality. I warn, however, that those ultra-conservative English teachers will probably have a problem with it. Something so unique and beautiful doesn't come around often, so it's understandable that some people can't handle it. Don't worry, teachers, you can go read Dickens. I'm sticking with Francesca Lia Block--a gifted author who written the most magical books I've ever read. I would recommend it to anyone who wants something a little different (and can handle it, for that matter)
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Summary: A gorgeous feast for all the senses in a tiny paperback book
Review: Francesca Lia Block's first and most endearing novel is a triumphant mix of poetry, magical realism, contemporary issues, classical fairy tale elements, colorful places and rich, zany characters. Weetzie Bat is a young woman looking for true love in 1980s LA. With her gay best friend Dirk, his cool car Jerry and Slinkster Dog, they set about finding their soul mates with the help of Dirk's Grandma Fifi's magic genie in a lamp (who's ready to hit the road after Weetzie innocently makes her three wishes.) They find their true loves, but they'll have to overcome many obstacles before they reach their happily ever after.
Block creates an LA that is instantly a magical and terrifying place, from the lush canyons to the all night rave scenes. Her writing is so gorgeous and poetic that you can feel, smell, touch, even taste the places the characters visit, from Sunday morning at Duke's to Grandma Fifi's old fashioned fantasy movie style house nestled in the canyon. As an LA native, I can safely report that Block brings the city to life in a way that I didn't think was possible. Her brilliant description of Shangri-L.A, her crazy, inventive dialogue and characters, and her daring yet tastefully rendered look at what some would consider 'unsavory' topics (homosexuality, children out of wedlock, AIDS) all come together to give the reader a whole new experience and a seamless intermingling of pain and pleasure. There is no other book quite like this one.
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Summary: Weetzie Bat
Review: Weetzie Bat is about a high school student with a bleach blonde flat-top hairdo. Weetzie lived in Los Angeles in a town called Venice, like the real Venice, but cooler because there were surfers.Her best friend his a boy named Dirk. Dirk is gay and has a boyfriend named Duck. Weetzie is very accepting of Dirk's homosexuality because she knows he won't change.
Weetzie's life was perfect. She had great friends, a great town to live in and most of all a great personality, but something was still missing. So one day while cleaning her best friend Dirk's grandma Fifi's house she found an old genie lamp. Weetzie made three wishes. One wish she mad was for a baby, the rest you'll have to find out by reading the book. luckily for Weetzie they all come true. You will find out how they all come true in the book if you read it.
Overall I think this book Weetzie Bat was a book I wouln't read on a normal basis. It was very confusing to me because it didn't run smoothly from chapter to chapter. A lot of detail was left out. For example in one chapter she is talking to he father and you don't know that she is until she says, "dad" because she refers to him as Charlie for the most part.
I did like the names of the characters. They were very different and creative. Francesca did a terrific job in picking them out. I like them a lot because they aren't ordinary names you hear everyday.
I do recommend this book. If you like to read out of the ordinary books, this book is for you. It's a short book, but it is quite interesting at times. It really isn't a ninth grade level book, it is more a eighth grade level book, but it still is a good book!
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Summary: Way over-rated.
Review: Supposedly this book is transcendant, according to the quote from the New York Times on the back. I do agree that it's original, which is about the only good thing I can say about it.I think it's trying to be all stylistic and symbolic and thereby meaningful, but it just ends up as far too stupid and simplistic. I wasn't moved; I was annoyed.
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Summary: book with an agenda
Review: Francesca Lia Block must have made a list of all the issues that she wished children would form certain opinions on (children aren't good the way they think, let's change them!), talked to her publisher about making sure that none of the content or issues were even hinted to on the book's jacket (unethical cause kids, too, know what they'd like to read), and then took about 10 or so hours to weave the list into the dumbest book that I've read in my life. My favorite part was the "Bubble Baths" that Weetzie takes with Secret Agent Lover Man. That's supposed to be "deep." Side-splitting in its unintended humor! The book isn't dangerous like some people think. I couldn't have any influence on anyone over the age of 6. Parents should read this book to their children so that they know that absolutely anyone can be an author. Just act cool and hip (even if you're a dork...this book is so dorky and never was cool), make sure it has an "edgy cover," write it so badly that you get a little publicity and voila! This book is what's wrong with YA fiction.
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Summary: A unique story
Review: Weetzie Bat is a unique story written by an award-winning author. It is the story of a girl in her early twenties living in L.A., or Shangri-L.A. as she puts it. There is a hint of fantasy which surrounds the story, but after reading the whole book, it can surprisingly be accepted as realistic. The reader follows the experiences of Weetzie with her friends, family, and the results of three wishes she makes with a genie. There are mature themes in the story dealing with romantic issues, sexual preferences, and cults. The author uses artistic and creative descriptions in relating settings and feelings. Also interesting is the setting of the story, Los Angeles, where implications that go along with the city enhance the story telling. It is a quick but rewarding read, different than most young adult novels in that it doesn't sacrifice creativity to make it popular; many young adult novels are predictable and rampant with pointless drama, which this title is devoid of. The author has written other titles involving the characters in this first book.
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Summary: Weetzie Bat
Review: Put aside any traditional thoughts. In this unusual story plot Weetzie Bat finds true love in the most unusual way. As her best friend, Dirk, who is gay finds love, Weetzie also finds love with her new friend, A Secret Agent Lover Man. Together these four, along with Dirk's car, a.k.a. Jerry, a couple of dogs and their litter, and two kids, live in an easy fantasy world until they have to deal with death.
The characters are interesting and off-beat, and the setting is not your norm as it takes place in old Hollywood in a fairy style house with four people living in a fairy tale. Francesca Lia Block combines realism, fantasy and a bit of science fiction all into this one story, Weetzie Bat.
An ALA Best Books for Young Adults and an ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.
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Summary: stratopheric
Review: if glitter and moonlight turned into words, the writer of those word would be francessca lia block. every girl between the ages of 14 and 92 should own a copy of this book.
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Summary: BEST BOOK EVER honey-honey
Review: this is my favorite book ever. It is not for some stiff person that reads books about everyday people. Block has a really good way of writing. It's kind of like a faerie tale, but in L.A. Weetzie Bat's vision is a unique one. If you love faeries and magical things then you would love this book. The rest of the Weetzie Bat books are good, but Weetzie Bat is the best. There is not one boring part. You won't regret buying this book. You might be like me and it will become your new favorite book.
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