A friend recommended this book to me. Usually, I have great trust in and tend to agree with her literary opinions. However, to my surprise, I truly loathed this book.

It came across as extremely pretentious. The narrator was constantly correcting her sentences that ended in a preposition. For example, why not just write it the right—correct—way in the first place?

I assume it was attempting to be humorous, but it was rather difficult to discern, and in fact, it wasn't funny at all. There were jabs at the reader's intelligence and outbursts of "Dear reader!" which, in my opinion, only works in classic novels.

The Satanic element, as well as the absinthe-related thing, were discussed throughout the entire book, yet in the end, they were really downplayed. The characters who were supposed to represent real-life people had annoyingly stupid names like "Winnie Moprah."

Finally, I have to wonder if there are really high school students who wear suits to school and throw dinner parties. Ugh! I simply couldn't find a single thing to enjoy about this book.

It was a real disappointment and not at all what I expected based on my friend's recommendation.

Excellent YA.

Flannery, a member of the Basic Eight, a clique at her high school, finds herself in a rather peculiar situation. When we are first introduced to her, she is in some sort of detention facility. The reason? The death of her classmate Adam State. Her diary serves as a window into the events that transpired between her, Adam, and the rest of the Eight during the initial part of their senior year.

The story is extremely well-written, captivating the reader from the very beginning. The author has done an excellent job of creating more than eight well-drawn characters, each with their own unique personalities and motives. The plot is engaging and full of twists and turns, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.

Overall, this is a highly recommended read for young adults. It offers a fascinating look into the complex world of high school cliques and the consequences of our actions. Whether you're a fan of mystery, drama, or simply a good story, this book has something for everyone.

This book truly had me in stitches, cackling out loud on numerous occasions.

It is written with such intelligence and wit that it immediately grabs your attention and keeps you engaged from the very beginning.

For me, it also evoked a sense of nostalgia, taking me back to certain memories and experiences.

The story is highly entertaining, filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

One of the standout features of the book is the character of Flannery Culp. She is such a delightfully twisted and complex character, and I found myself loving her from the moment she was introduced.

Her actions and decisions add an extra layer of excitement and unpredictability to the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, engaging, and thought-provoking read. I give it a solid 4.2 stars.

It's definitely a book that I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

Seriously, what the actual fuck? This phrase seems to express a high level of frustration, confusion, or disbelief. It's a rather strong and vulgar expression that people might use when they encounter something completely unexpected or absurd.

For example, imagine you're waiting for a bus that's supposed to arrive at a certain time, but it's been delayed for over an hour with no explanation. You might exclaim, "Seriously, what the actual fuck?"

Or perhaps you're working on a project and suddenly encounter a major setback that seems impossible to overcome. In that moment, you might also find yourself using this phrase to vent your frustration.

However, it's important to note that using such vulgar language may not be appropriate in all situations. It can come across as unprofessional or disrespectful, especially in formal or polite settings. So, while it might provide a quick release of emotions, it's advisable to use more appropriate language in most cases.

I initially wanted to rate this book 4 stars, but I found myself unable to do so.

Don't misunderstand me. There were numerous aspects of it that I adored. Flannery's unreliable point of view was among the most uproariously funny I've ever come across. The pretentiousness of the gang was truly astonishing to me. Most significantly, I believed that the entire style and conceit of the book were incredibly captivating and creative.

However, as the story was approaching its conclusion, Handler lost me during the extensive pages dedicated to describing the garden party. A whopping 99% of it was far too absurd for me to accept, even after suspending my disbelief for the previous 300 pages of absurdities. Moreover, I was seriously taken aback by the abrupt ending. I had managed to figure it out quite early on, but I had expected there to be more to it than just that. I was hoping for a little more closure, at the very least. But perhaps that was precisely the author's intention.

Nonetheless, it was an extremely enjoyable read. I highly recommend it, even though I myself wasn't as completely smitten as everyone else seems to be. 3.5

I truly did love this book. It was outrageously scandalous, filled with excitement and drama at every turn. There was never a single dull moment throughout the entire story. So many things were happening constantly, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

The writing style was simply the best I had ever come across. It was darkly hilarious, with a unique and original voice that made it stand out from other books. However, I have to admit that I didn't quite understand or very much like the ending at first.

But as I've had more time to think about the ending and the book as a whole, I've realized just how clever it is. Maybe I was expecting too much at the time, but now I see the beauty and depth in it. I so wish there was more of this story to read. I already miss the experience of getting lost in its pages.

I think I need to read it again to fully understand and appreciate just how great this book truly is. It's one of those rare gems that reveals more of its brilliance with each successive reading.

It seems to me a mixture between Heathers and Ninth House, and, like these, although they seem very interesting to me as a concept, I have mixed feelings.

I continued reading the book even though it wasn't particularly entertaining for me (nor boring) because I was curious about what happened on October 31st, and, curiously, it was the part that I found most unbearable. On the other hand, the chapters after this event I did like.

In summary, it is a curious book and I understand both the people who love this book and those who can't stand it. It has its own charm and uniqueness, but also some aspects that may not appeal to everyone. The story has its moments of excitement and mystery, but also some parts that feel a bit dragging. Overall, it's an interesting read that makes you think and reflect on different themes.

I have never had such a bad experience with a book.

Although the last quarter of the book had a slight improvement and led to a rather cliched plot twist (at this point, I wasn't expecting much anymore), everything else in the book is extremely boring in every aspect.

The characters, despite being different from each other, do not captivate. The plot is very slow-paced and even the author's writing didn't appeal to me.

I found myself constantly struggling to get through the pages, hoping for something interesting to happen. But unfortunately, it never really did.

It's a real shame because I had high hopes for this book, but it just didn't deliver.

I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging and exciting read.

2.5 Stars Actually

The concept of 2.5 stars might seem a bit unusual at first glance. It lies somewhere between a mediocre rating and a somewhat better one. When we think of star ratings, we usually expect whole numbers like 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. But 2.5 stars indicates that there are aspects of a particular thing that are good, while others are not so great.

For example, in a restaurant review, a 2.5-star rating could mean that the food was decent but the service was lacking. Or perhaps the ambiance was nice, but the prices were a bit too high. In a product review, it might suggest that the item had some useful features but also had some flaws that prevented it from getting a higher rating.

Overall, 2.5 stars is a reminder that not everything is black and white when it comes to evaluations. It allows for a more nuanced and detailed assessment, taking into account both the positive and negative aspects of something. So, the next time you see a 2.5-star rating, don't be too quick to dismiss it. Instead, take a closer look and consider what it really means.

Yet another book that caught my attention due to comparisons with The Secret History. However, in reality, it has much more in common with Special Topics in Calamity Physics.

Not least is the fact that it has a rather annoying protagonist with a silly name. Flannery Culp (!) is our narrator, and at the start, we learn that a) she's in prison and b) her high-school friendship group, the Basic Eight, has become infamous. True to the typical format of this kind of book, the story then flashes back to the beginning to reveal what led to this outcome.

Like Special Topics' Blue, Flannery has a unique and sometimes confusing narrative voice. The book consists of her old diaries, but she's constantly amending them as she goes, so at certain points, she'll describe an incident and then admit it didn't really happen at the time but was inserted to make a point or properly introduce a character. She also plays with language, using many metaphors/similes, allegories, rhymes, alliteration, and so on.

There's a lot of parodic humor in small details (such as Flannery reading a 'Stephen Queen' book called 'The Salem Slot', the Basic Eight being discussed on the 'Winnie Moprah' show) and deviations from typical formats (she transcribes conversations, lapses into Shakespearean verse, and adds 'study questions' to the end of some of her chapters).

To enjoy this book, you have to suspend your disbelief about many things. The Basic Eight are like no group of high school kids you've ever known. They throw lavish dinner parties, form a club to listen to opera, say things like 'I've been craving noir', and embark on a mission to procure absinthe because drugs are too 'uncouth'. Their parents are almost completely absent from the story; Flannery's don't appear once, even though a significant portion of the action takes place at her house.

It's also hard to believe that anyone would actually write a diary like this. At first, I found the style really jarring, but it became much more enjoyable as I got used to it. I guessed the twist regarding Natasha some time before it was revealed, but I still loved the reveal itself. I love unreliable narrators and twists that change everything you've just read, and this was a beautifully executed example.

The climactic party was also brilliantly depicted, vividly painted as a kind of Bacchanalian nightmare. This was definitely the best and most effective part of the book. Unfortunately, the scenes that followed were a bit too jumbled, and although they did a good job of communicating Flannery's disorientation, I found the hysterical dialogue irritating.

One of my issues with the narrative was that Flannery didn't seem like a girl for much of the story - not until the sex scenes, really. I realized this a short way into the book, without even thinking about the fact that the author is male, after wondering for a while what it was that I wasn't sure about but couldn't quite put my finger on.

She's supposed to be in love with Adam but writes little about why or makes any mention of what he looks like - okay, he's 'gorgeous', but that's it, no detail. Meanwhile, there's constant talk about how beautiful and beguiling her female friends are. For a while, I wondered if this was deliberate, but if so, it wasn't resolved in any way.

Apart from her feelings of desire watching Natasha undress, but given the final revelations about Natasha, this scene seemed to have an entirely different meaning. And since it took me a long time to believe in Flannery as a female character, it took me a similar amount of time to actually like her.

Weirdly, I felt warmer towards her after the murder had occurred and wished her voice hadn't been cut off at the end.

I'm probably being really unfair by reading books like this, as they're doomed from the start because I already know nothing will ever live up to The Secret History. I liked it, but I kept wishing the narrative would just calm down and stop being so self-conscious.

I'd probably have enjoyed it more if it didn't have associations with other, better books in my mind. It was funny and entertaining, but I didn't find the characters sympathetic or entirely believable, and although it made me laugh at numerous points, it didn't have the sharp feel of a proper satire.

It took until I was more than three-quarters of the way through to really feel compelled to keep reading, and because the date of the party - Halloween - is signposted throughout the book as the climax, and it's written in diary format, it does feel like a lot of what comes before this is just setting the scene.

Still, it eventually overcame its obvious influences to charm me, and another thing this book has in common with Special Topics is that while I found a lot of faults in it, by the end, I wanted more. Imperfect but worth reading; a 3.5, maybe even a 3.75, but not quite a 4.

As soon as I completed this book, I immediately turned back to the very beginning and started reading it all over again. I truly adored it. It contains all the zaniness and absurdity of A Series of Unfortunate Events, yet it has been reimagined and tailored for an older audience. Indeed, I had a fairly good idea of what the twist was going to be long before it was actually revealed. However, that doesn't mean the reveal itself wasn't still absolutely great. It had me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating how it would all play out. The author did an excellent job of building up the tension and keeping the reader engaged throughout the entire story. I can't wait to recommend this book to all of my friends and see what they think of it.

How could the genius who produced A Series of Unfortunate Events come up with this?

Recently, I read all of A Series of Unfortunate Events, even though I'm "technically too old for children's novels." I decided to give it a try since it's actually targeted at people my age. However, this book left me feeling sad. I don't understand why the critical reviews described it as hilarious. While there was some humor in a satirical style, even with that darker humor, it wasn't very funny.

The twist that Natasha might not exist doesn't make any sense to me. Perhaps it's part of that pesky unreliable narrator thing, but I still can't buy it. I tend to think that if Natasha doesn't exist, then Flora was the other member of the Basic Eight. It would make sense that she was the one who took the group picture since she is shown in other situations to be constantly taking pictures. And then, after Flora blew the whistle, Flannery edits her journal to make it seem like Flora is the weird outsider with an annoying obsession with world records. That's the only way I can reconcile the number thing and Flannery's negative feelings toward Flora. Even with that theory, I'm not quite sure how everything in the story would be reconciled if Natasha truly didn't exist and was merely a projection of Flannery's guilt or "bad side."

Hipster pseudo-intellectual high school friends forming a clique that does either trite things like hosting dinner parties and listening to underground bands or dumb/criminal things like poisoning teenagers and killing Flannery's crush with a croquet stick? No thank you.

I think the real difference between this book and A Series of Unfortunate Events is that the series is darkly humorous while this one isn't. It's just another cookie-cutter "teens doing bad stuff" novel. The things the teens did make it seem like it would be a dark novel, but it's not truly dark - it's just sinister and morally gross. There's a difference.