stronlibrarianvibes's review against another edition
5.0
While it would be really easy to compare this book to HEATHERS, there's something some much more complex with what Handler is trying to do. The narrator's own comments on her veracity make this a critque on the nature of "true crime" books and autobiography as much as it seems a commentary about the nature of teenage life and romance. And it never gets too bogged down in it's own self-importance. I really enjoyed this one.
hnakrs's review against another edition
4.0
storytelling in form of diary entries which were so fun to read & the plottwist was so unexpected i needed to read that part twice to understand it lol
kaileycool's review against another edition
3.0
I almost didn’t keep reading this because of how offensively the narrator discussed race and sexuality. Then I read some reviews that talked about how unreliable the narrator is, so I pressed on. After finishing, I liked it, but I don’t think the unreliability of the narrator is an excuse for the racism and homophobia sprinkled in her narration in a manner it seems the white author is trying to play for laughs. I enjoyed the book in other ways, but I don’t recommend.
eleyden's review against another edition
I don’t understand anything I was reading. There were study questions each chapter. The narrator kept repeating herself every other sentence. Nothing was happening.
lizfair's review against another edition
4.0
was in a friend group of 8 deranged gay people my senior year of high school and we totally would’ve done the same thing if we hosted house parties or did theater. first half was kind of boring but the absinthe poisoning in the middle sold me. i like that she killed adam because he was kind of a dick and not because he was a rapist or something which is where i thought the book was going after the absinthe business but i think it’s much better that she killed him for mostly no reason. the twist i’m ambivalent about but i do just love an extremely wounded woman committing a nonrighteous murder and that makes up for the book/writing being overly cheeky and honestly not that good. bumps it from 2.5 -> 3.5
vertaren's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
jesssicawho's review against another edition
3.0
How I discovered: Recommended to me as light vacation reading by a family member.
What I liked: I enjoyed author Daniel Handler's quirky writing through the voice of Flannery Culp. The character's acerbic wit and sarcasm jump start the novel and keep the story moving even when the plot becomes a little stale toward the end.
What I didn't: Since we learn early on in the book that Flannery is convicted of murder, I kept waiting for the big event/reveal. When it finally came in the form of a "twist" I found myself thinking, That's it? What's more, I found too many plot holes. Perhaps this was Handler's intent, thereby reinforcing the idea of an unreliable narrator (Flan certainly meets that criteria), but we are left with too many frustratingly unanswered questions.
What I learned: I'm reminded that I want to check out the Lemony Snicket books (also written by Handler). I like his style, but wish this book had gone a little further.
What I liked: I enjoyed author Daniel Handler's quirky writing through the voice of Flannery Culp. The character's acerbic wit and sarcasm jump start the novel and keep the story moving even when the plot becomes a little stale toward the end.
What I didn't: Since we learn early on in the book that Flannery is convicted of murder, I kept waiting for the big event/reveal. When it finally came in the form of a "twist" I found myself thinking, That's it? What's more, I found too many plot holes. Perhaps this was Handler's intent, thereby reinforcing the idea of an unreliable narrator (Flan certainly meets that criteria), but we are left with too many frustratingly unanswered questions.
What I learned: I'm reminded that I want to check out the Lemony Snicket books (also written by Handler). I like his style, but wish this book had gone a little further.
silee's review against another edition
2.0
I'm a little disappointed by this book, it kept falling from my hands and I wasn't able to finish it. After reading a little on what would have followed, I guess I missed the big twist, and there seems to be some interesting ideas in the book, but the character and her way of storytelling didn't do it for me. I read this after re reading the Secret History, and while the parallel is easy to draw, in the Basic Eight the big difference for me is that I couldn't like the characters through their flaws.
royaz92's review against another edition
4.0
Daniel Handler, Lemony Snicket, whoever you are: I'm warning you; I'll probably beat you to death someday. Or strangle you. Or something. I might be kidding, I might be not.
So right now, I'm a bit nauseated and by a bit I mean a lot. I'm also a bit confused and again, a bit equals a lot. What was that all about?
It was fun, at first. No, not fun, it was hilarious. It was my favorite piece of writing, ever. I had to memorize a myriad of sentences (Ha.)for further usage. But at a certain point, it got a bit gloomy (Remember the equation of a bit and a lot? Yeah, that.)and it was a gloomy kind of funny. And it was OK. But it didn't stop there. It went on, an on, and on. It reached the point when it wasn't just gloomy; it was a scary-gloomy kind of funny. Do you think that was the end? If yes, then you're wrong. Because it wan't. It was only the beginning - the last pages were mind/stomach-blowing, real life scary, you had to keep vomiting (mentally, of course. And in my case, really, as well. I was sick. Not from reading the book, although it probably had its fair share of contribution to my sickening/stomach turning/ rotten food projecting out of my mouth process.) Anyway, I'm totally nauseated and I'm not sure if it's the book, or the life.
Funnily enough, and surprisingly (not) enough, this book doesn't pass the Bechdel Test. Which I'm not sure applies to the books as well as the movies but what the hell. In case you don't know, it's basically a test examining whether a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. Yeah, a Man. The female characters outnumber the male ones in this book, but still, it doesn't pass the test. Which is a little (a lot) annoying.
It reminded me of Robert Cormier's books: People are savages, and savages are people.
I'm going to throw up.
The book was fine, though.
(I know it was more of a rambling than a cohesive review, But I'm Sick! Life is Messed Up! People Are Savages!)
So right now, I'm a bit nauseated and by a bit I mean a lot. I'm also a bit confused and again, a bit equals a lot. What was that all about?
It was fun, at first. No, not fun, it was hilarious. It was my favorite piece of writing, ever. I had to memorize a myriad of sentences (Ha.)for further usage. But at a certain point, it got a bit gloomy (Remember the equation of a bit and a lot? Yeah, that.)and it was a gloomy kind of funny. And it was OK. But it didn't stop there. It went on, an on, and on. It reached the point when it wasn't just gloomy; it was a scary-gloomy kind of funny. Do you think that was the end? If yes, then you're wrong. Because it wan't. It was only the beginning - the last pages were mind/stomach-blowing, real life scary, you had to keep vomiting (mentally, of course. And in my case, really, as well. I was sick. Not from reading the book, although it probably had its fair share of contribution to my sickening/stomach turning/ rotten food projecting out of my mouth process.) Anyway, I'm totally nauseated and I'm not sure if it's the book, or the life.
Funnily enough, and surprisingly (not) enough, this book doesn't pass the Bechdel Test. Which I'm not sure applies to the books as well as the movies but what the hell. In case you don't know, it's basically a test examining whether a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. Yeah, a Man. The female characters outnumber the male ones in this book, but still, it doesn't pass the test. Which is a little (a lot) annoying.
It reminded me of Robert Cormier's books: People are savages, and savages are people.
I'm going to throw up.
The book was fine, though.
(I know it was more of a rambling than a cohesive review, But I'm Sick! Life is Messed Up! People Are Savages!)
threadybeeps's review against another edition
5.0
Oh that was so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Handler's way with words reminds me of other authors sometimes....Dodie Smith? Shirley Jackson?? Maybe???? And oh my God it was funny. So funny. If I wasn't shaking with laughter, I was saying, "DAMN THAT'S CRAZY!!!" over and over again. Well played, sir.