Skip to main content

Weetzie Bat Book Review

Weetzie Bat is a really quick and entertaining read. A coming of age story that follows Weetzie and her best friends as they grow up. Francesca Lia Block writes beautifully, however I felt like there was a lot left on the table for the story.

Francesca Lia Block is the acclaimed author of the Los Angeles Times bestsellers GUARDING THE MOON: A Mother's First Year, THE ROSE AND THE BEAT, VIOLET & CLAIRE, and DANGEROUS ANGELS: The Weetzie Bat Books; as well as BEAUTIFUL BOYS, GOAT GIRLS, WASTELAND, ECHO, I WAS A TEENAGE FAIRY, GIRL GODDESS #9: Nine Stories and THE HANGED MAN. Her work is published around the world. You can find more of my reviews of books from TIME's Best YA Books of All Time here. 

Francesca Lia Block's dazzling debut novel, Weetzie Bat, is not only a genre-shattering, critically acclaimed gem, it's also widely recognized as a classic of young adult literature, having captivated readers for generations. This coming-of-age novel follows the eponymous Weetzie Bat and her best friend Dirk as they navigate life and love in a timeless, dreamlike version of Los Angeles. When Weetzie is granted three wished by a genie, she discovers that there are unexpected ramifications... Winner of the prestigious Phoenix Award, Weetzie Bat is a beautiful, poetic work of magical realism that is perfect for fans of Laura Ruby, Neil Gaiman, and Kelly Link. 

This book is super, super short—my copy was only 99 ebook pages, so I definitely consider that a pro for anyone looking for a quick read. Francesca Lia Block's writing is also simple and beautiful. There are a lot of lovely lines that sound beautiful, as well as many deep thoughts distilled into enchanting language. I think all of that contributes to why it's such a celebrated book. It takes a lot of life's big ideas and breaks them down into smaller, and sometimes more beautiful, pieces. 

The book itself, though, being so short, covers a lot of ground very quickly. Sometimes I found myself wishing for a deeper dive into different scenes and emotions. While the distillation is an attractive part of the book, it also leaves a lot left on the table as far as storytelling. I was also super interested in the magical realism in the book—it's not as prevalent as I thought it would be, which was disappointing, because I was excited about that. 

Finally, the novel's biggest selling point is its final chapter. I believe that chapter to be the strongest, most beautiful, and most heartbreaking. I pondered for a while on how to rate the book, because the final chapter was so strong—that chapter itself deserves five stars. I can also appreciate how this book was probably very forward or new for its age, with gay main characters and a dreamier main character than other championed books. I felt like all of that truly comes together in the final chapter, in a very powerful way.  

In summary, I think this book does have a lot of strengths: its beautiful language, the final chapter, the main characters. However, I felt like there was a lot left on the table regarding the magical realism and the story itself, and I would have liked it to be a bit longer. Either way, I can see why it belongs on TIME's Best YA Books of All Time. You can find more of my reviews of books from TIME's Best YA Books of All Time here. 

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Lovely Bones Book vs. Movie Review

The Lovely Bones book cover I am a firm believer that the book is always better than the movie/tv series. I could point you to multiple examples where the characters were botched on screen, or plot holes prevailed. The statement that the book is better than the movie usually holds true However, with the increased use of streaming services and the increased utilization of published book material being pulled into the movie/tv world, more and more of our familiar stories are being put to the screen, and hence being put to the test. Some pass: despite some alterations and plot changes, the story and characters remain relatively the same, which bolsters excitement from the fan base. However, others don't, and screenplays that drastically alter the storyline leave fans wishing for a do-over. I definitely have some conflicted feelings regarding The Lovely Bones  and its book-to-movie adaptation. I really did like the book. It's not my favorite, or by any means the best book
2 comments
Read more

Best Louisa May Alcott Quotes from Little Women with Chapter Numbers

  Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) was an American writer best known for her novel Little Women and its sequels, Little Men and Jo's Boys , which were inspired by her own family. She was raised by transcendentalist parents in New England and grew up knowing many prominent intellectuals, including Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau, and Longfellow. Below, find the best quotes from  Little Women  with their corresponding chapter numbers! Little Women Let us be elegant or die. Volume 1 Chapter 3 I like good strong words that mean something. Volume 1 Chapter 4 There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping, and the sweet, sunshiny presence vanishes, leaving silence and shadow behind.  Volume 1 Chapter 4 Watch and pray, dear; never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault. Volume 1 Chapter 8 My child, the tro
Post a Comment
Read more

The Bronze Key Book Review

To be destroyed from within is more dangerous than having an outside enemy. It's easy to turn against the people you thought you knew and trusted when a mysterious spy enters the story. With this new enemy, the kids of the Magisterium face a new threat, one they can't see. The third book in the Magisterium series is cleverly crafted; the authors point readers to where they want us to look, so no one can guess what's coming. Striking and heartbreaking, with such a crazy cliffhanger, Holly Black and Cassandra Clare succeed again at writing another well-paced, action-packed, complex middle grade novel.  Holly Black and Cassandra Clare first met over ten years ago at Holly's first-ever book signing. They have since become good friends, bonding over (among other things) their shared love of fantasy. With Magisterium, they decided to team up to write their own story about heroes and villains, good and evil, and being chosen for greatness, whether you like it or not. Holly is
Post a Comment
Read more