I almost didn't continue reading this book due to the extremely offensive way in which the narrator discussed race and sexuality.

However, after reading some reviews that mentioned the unreliability of the narrator, I decided to persevere.

After completing the book, I found that I did like it to some extent.

Nevertheless, I firmly believe that the unreliability of the narrator cannot be used as an excuse for the racism and homophobia that is scattered throughout her narration.

It seems as if the white author is attempting to use these offensive elements for comical effect, which is deeply concerning.

While I did enjoy other aspects of the book, I cannot in good conscience recommend it.

The presence of such inappropriate and hurtful content outweighs any other positive qualities it may possess.

It is essential to be critical of the media we consume and to hold authors accountable for the messages they convey.

The narrative of this story reads like a witty Christopher Pike novel, with a high schooly and murdery feel to it. However, it also features Handler's beloved self-conscious presence, which adds an interesting layer to the tale. Additionally, there are generous helpings of black humour throughout, making it both entertaining and a bit unsettling.

The story is told in a way that anyone who has had one too many drinks and then woken up the next morning, frantically trying to remember what happened the previous evening, can disturbingly relate to. The memories come back in disconnected pictures, often with the conversation or context erased, leaving the reader with a sense of unease and uncertainty.

Overall, this story is a unique blend of mystery, humour, and self-awareness, and it's sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

OH MY GOD

So many people have drawn comparisons between this and Donna Tartt's THE SECRET HISTORY, and indeed, there are numerous similarities. In THE BASIC EIGHT, an exclusive clique of friends, who are not only super rich but also pretentiously immersed in high culture, enter their senior year of high school. There are crushes, excessive drinking, drug use, and teachers are involved. And yes, ultimately there is a murder (not really a spoiler).

I absolutely adore the entire format and mode of the unreliable narrator editing her own diary after the crime. It has been done before, but never in such a fresh and humorous way, which perhaps can only be achieved by a teenager. What I love even more about this compared to THE SECRET HISTORY is that the characters in THE BASIC EIGHT feel incredibly real, as if they are truly reaching out to me from the pages. When I wasn't reading, I found myself thinking about them as if they were in this world, wondering what they could be doing at that moment. I don't personally know people like them, and sometimes their way of speaking and behaving is quite dramatic, something I can't really envision people doing. However, their personalities are so much more fully developed than those of the students poring over their Greek books in THE SECRET HISTORY. Handler's dialogue is not only incredibly witty and funny but also astonishingly real. At many points in the story, I truly felt as if I was reading a girl's story, not one written by a man. This is crazy strange to me because I love the author's A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS books, and his writing here is so wickedly different! I mean, there are clear traces of his style and plotting ideas that also go into ASOUE, but gosh, the voices are very distinct. Kudos to Daniel Handler for his remarkable talent!

Anyway, the characters feel real to me mainly because they are the genuine kind of pretentious, aware of their acts and even mocking themselves. They love the appearance of the high culture life of opera, classical music, lawn furniture, and wearing suits to school, and they desire it. While some of them have a taste of it, they know they are not perfectly prim and proper and don't attempt to be. They still listen to annoying indie-pop bands, and Flan is not really that smart, having failed so many classes and even admitting that she doesn't know every American poet but is willing to learn. While the gang in THE SECRET HISTORY feels like the cold, perfectly white marble Greek statues that the book's cover reminds me of, the gang in THE BASIC EIGHT are colorful, messed-up teenagers.

There are some things that I didn't like as much. The understanding of some characters like V___, JRM, and Lily is rather blurry to me. They seem so vague that they could do anything at any time. And the drama leading up to the climax was a bit far-fetched and confusing. But I guess that all contributes to the authenticity of the first-person diary POV. I'm fortunate that I didn't guess the big twist until, like, one page before it was revealed. Many people didn't enjoy it because they knew it early on, but when I think about it, Flan did drop quite a few clues, so maybe she didn't mind people guessing it way in advance. Anyway, I still didn't find it OMG-shocking. The ending was rather abrupt. I closed the book with a sense of awe and loved it not really because of the twist but because of how everything came together - the writing, style, characters, and plot - in a truly complete way that showcases the author's efforts and mastery.

Another book that would have gotten 5 stars if not for the weird and bad twist ending.

This particular book had so much going for it in the beginning. The story was engaging, the characters were well-developed, and the plot was full of excitement and mystery.

Readers were hooked from the very first page, eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The author did a great job of building up the tension and creating a sense of anticipation.

However, as the story reached its conclusion, everything seemed to fall apart. The twist ending was completely unexpected, but not in a good way. It felt forced and out of place, and it didn't make any sense in the context of the rest of the story.

Many readers were left disappointed and frustrated, feeling like the author had wasted their time and ruined what could have been a great book. Despite this, the book still had some redeeming qualities, such as the excellent writing and the interesting characters.

Overall, it was a missed opportunity for the author to create a truly outstanding work of literature.

The croquet mallet was firmly stuck in something that felt wet and jagged, similar to a half-melon. I exerted all my strength, using both hands to tug at it, but to no avail. My breathing was also wet and jagged, forming a mist in the darkness. I kept tugging and tugging, but finally had to give up in frustration.

\\n  \\"The croquet mallet was stuck in something wet and jagged, like a half-melon. I was unable to pull it out, even with both hands. My own breathing was wet and jagged too, misting in the dark. Tugging and tugging and finally giving up.\\"\\n

Well, this is \\n  The Basic Eight\\n by Daniel Handler. We can all go home now.



I'm truly at a loss when it comes to rating this book. I don't have a distinct like or dislike for the story. It just struck me as a bit "messed up." Some might claim there's a plot twist, but in reality, there isn't. The author made the obvious clear from the start. As a result, everything that unfolded in this novel shouldn't have been that surprising. I mean, it's kind of strange, but...

\\n  \\"I started to smile at her but she wasn't looking at me; she was looking at me. Behind her was the shopping bag with her dress feeling like a predator. She stiffened like something dangerous was getting closer to her skin, arching her neck, wary and still watching me. Watching my whole body. I could feel her gaze everywhere. I stepped so close that her breasts almost brushed against mine, and leaned over to get the shopping bag while she watched me the whole time, tense and expressionless. I stepped back and walked toward me, tangolike. We moved like this, locked in each other's eyes...\\"\\n

Actually, I'm speechless. I'm not sure if the plot twist occurred before this part, exactly at this part, or after it. I was left confused after this scene. Then again, I kind of expected this since the main character reminded me of Veronica Sawyer and J.D. from Heathers. To elaborate, Flan is Veronica and Natasha is J.D. I don't know if I'm making much sense here. I was a bit drowsy when reading the more intense parts of this book.

\\n  \\"Today's the day! I can't wait. The biggest event of the year. A day to be remembered-a famous day. Were going to be having so much fun, people are just going to die.\\"\\n

(**And note that Natasha repeats these words as Flan wakes up.)

Moreover, Flan is part of a clique known as "The Basic Eight," but she often forgets that Flora is with them. *cough* SPOILER ALERT *cough* This is probably why you'll find this book in \\"books like The Secret History\\". And of course, they tried Flan's secret as much as possible! After all, they are accomplices to a murder, but based on the premise, the reader already knows this. Read this book if you want to discover the story behind how and why Flan became a "murderess."


Among Flan's clique, however, she is closest to Natasha. Natasha thinks they're better than everybody else in their exclusive group.


The deadpan, dark humor in this book was truly brilliant. I actually kind of liked it? But at the same time, I don't think I love this book. I think I might rate it 3/5 simply because I liked the dark humor and the creative idea behind it. Once again, it will all become clear once you read the book and compare the ending to the beginning. I had to process everything I just read because I don't think the narrator is entirely reliable, or perhaps she wasn't written to be so. She tells the story of the events through her own eyes. Since the writing is a bit strange (like pretending their life is a play - again, it will all make sense once you read the book), it's a bit challenging to figure out the answers to the questions I had about this book. This book is told through diary entries from the perspective of the main character, Flan.


There are countless other books out there waiting to be explored, so I'd rather not spend too much time dwelling on this one. Haha. Anyway, some trigger warnings include: sexual assault, violence, alcoholism, substance abuse, and more.

* For this review and more, check out my book blog.

Let's get this out of the way: In his late twenties, a man named Daniel Handler decided to write this book from the point of view of a (disturbed) teenage girl.

He aimed to relate her most intimate personal thoughts. It was an ambitious undertaking. You might think, "Oh, this is going to be a great success, right?" Well, not necessarily.

The book does have its moments, like the very realistic dialogue that attempts to accurately depict how teenagers talk. But there's more to it than that.

Overall, it's a fun read. I was amused, especially when I was looking for an easy, enjoyable summer book.

However, it's not without its flaws. Now, let's take a closer look at some of those.

If I were to describe this book using well-known films or books, I would first say it tries to be like "Heathers" (1988).

It attempts to recreate and satirize the atmosphere of panic around sudden tragic teen death in America, which is often exploited by the news media.

Just like in "Heathers," the news presents the dead teenagers as perfect, innocent, kind, and promising young people, when in reality, the victims were not so great.

Both stories also touch on the issue of homophobia, but it's hard to tell whether they condemn it or use it for laughs and shock value.

In "The Basic Eight," the story is told in the diary-of-a-teenage-girl format, but Flannery is much more malicious than "Heathers'" Veronica.

Veronica has a change of heart and tries to fix things, while Flannery writes mean-spirited commentary from jail.

Secondly, there are some parallels to "The Secret History," but they don't go very far.

Flan was nothing like the narrator Richard Papen. She acted alone, and her friends were left to clean up her mess, which is different from what happened in "The Secret History."

Finally, there's an element of "Fight Club" in this book. I'll discuss that in more detail later.

Flannery believes that what makes her and her friends special is their interests and extensive vocabulary.

But as a Greek person, I find it hard to be impressed by American kids who think they're superior for knowing a few things about the classics.

Being familiar with some famous literature doesn't make up for a lack of personality.

Flan also has a deep insecurity about her appearance, especially her weight. She constantly compares herself to her friends, which is destructive.

And we can't really judge the other characters as individuals because we only know what Flan tells us about them, and she's pretty unreliable.

If you don't want to know what happens next, you should stop reading now.

"Fat" is a word that comes up a lot in this book. Every girl seems to think that being fat is the worst thing that could happen to them.

This could be an attempt to show how body image distortion operates in a teen girl's mind, but it also makes me wonder if Handler is associating being fat with being a bad person.

There are also some other not-so-great things in the book, like the way Flan talks about gay people.

And then there's Natasha, who is like Flan's Tyler Durden. She's the ideal self that Flan wants to be.

But there are some questions about their relationship that don't quite add up.

In the end, Flan isn't supposed to be likeable or a good person, but some of the things in this book really weren't necessary.

To conclude, it's a fun book, but it might not be as enjoyable the older you are.

It's patently obvious that this is a debut novel.

If you've perused any of the Lemony Snicket books, you'll readily see the inspiration behind it.

Despite having a somewhat gimmicky plot, annoyingly precocious teenagers, and an overall air of grimness, I still found myself completely entranced and enchanted by this book.

The Basic Eight are the kind of group I longed to be a part of in high school (heck, I even wish I were like any of them now).

They are depicted with an alternatingly endearing and maddening world-weary hopelessness, yet with just enough innocence to make them truly likable.

It's a strange combination that somehow works, drawing the reader in and making them invested in the lives and fates of these characters.

Overall, this first novel has a certain charm that makes it stand out, despite its flaws.

I almost DNF’d this book.

However, I ended up skipping a huge section in the middle and still managed to finish it.

The reading experience was rather difficult. This was mainly due to the prose, which was perhaps a bit too complex or convoluted.

Moreover, the narrator is so unreliable that it really detracts from the story.

Surprisingly, skipping the middle part did not seem to have a significant negative impact on the plot.

This leads me to believe that the book is way too long for its actual content.

It could have been more concise and still conveyed the same essence.

Maybe with some trimming and refinement, the story could have been told more effectively and engagingly.

Overall, while I did finish the book, it was not without its challenges and I do feel that it could have been improved in terms of length and clarity.

Very rarely do I give up on a book.

I usually have this mindset that I should push through, even if I hate reading it, just so I can claim that I finished it.

However, I'm gradually starting to realize that life is simply too short to waste on books that don't bring us any joy.

This particular book just wasn't for me. I'm almost 50% done with it, but I'm not engaged by any of the dozens of characters.

The main characters' desperate attempts at elitist wittiness come across as just plain boring.

I know for sure that I would never have been friends with a group like this when I was a teenager, and I don't enjoy reading about them now, even though they are fictional.

It makes me wonder why I bother to continue with books that don't capture my interest. Maybe it's time to be more selective and only invest my time in books that truly resonate with me.

I completed this book last night, and I absolutely adored it!!!!

The sheer amazingness and wackiness of the entire book completely blew my mind.

I found myself constantly torn, not knowing which side I was on.

And the ending was............ SO SURPRISING! I neverrrrrr saw that coming!!!

I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it to discover what I'm talking about.

Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

It's a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

So, go ahead and pick it up.

You'll be glad you did.

This book is an interesting combination, being like the Secret History meets Fight Club. Or perhaps it's what the Secret History might have been if it didn't take itself seriously at all and the author wasn't still clearly half in love with the very pretension that the book is trying to mock, while also meeting a Fight Club with crazy teenage girls.

I actually liked this book better than both of those others. It was funny and centered around high schoolers. I think the level of self-delusion and life-or-death drama could only truly work with an adolescent narrator. I found most of the whole absurd thing, like the murder, the escalation, and the parties, completely plausible. It read very much like my diary from those same years.

However, there is a significant twist that I saw coming from a long way off. I'm almost certain that the author decided on it halfway through and didn't do much editing to the first half of the novel to make it fit smoothly. I believe he thought his consciously unreliable narrator's conscious unreliability would be enough to cover up the small plot holes, but I just didn't believe it. I could see the moment Handler started inserting clues, and instead of everything coming together as a shocking revelation in the last few pages as I suspect he intended, the reveal feels clumsy and anticlimactic. It's like, oh, yeah, I saw this coming but I was hoping you wouldn't be so lazy.

That being said, it was still a really enjoyable and laugh-out-loud read, and a great follow-up to Eliza Clark's Penance, to which it feels very related. Handler's sense of humor almost always works for me.

Poorly written, thinly-veiled satire of my high school.

A friend had the audacity to claim that this piece was brilliant. So, with a sense of duty and a hope of finding some hidden gem, I slogged through it.

The writing was lackluster, the characters one-dimensional, and the plot seemed to meander aimlessly. It was as if the author had thrown together a bunch of random high school clichés without any real thought or purpose.

Perhaps my friend saw something in it that I didn't. Maybe they were able to look beyond the flaws and appreciate the underlying message. But for me, it was a struggle to get through each page.

In the end, I was left feeling disappointed and wondering why my friend had recommended it in the first place. It just goes to show that everyone has different tastes when it comes to literature.