Culturegeeks

This weekend I read The Basic Eight by Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket. My friend Becky recommended this book as being “for people who loved Heathers“, and her prediction was spot-on. Flannery Culp is a mesmerizing, if not thoroughly reliable, narrator. Handler’s barely-veiled references to pop culture phenomenons like “Winnie Moprah” and “Stephen Queen” cracked me up, as did Flannery’s acid commentary on her friends, schoolmates and teachers. Despite the precocity of the characters, Handler still captures the essence of teen angst over things like sex, body image and the often-dubious ties of friendship between adolescent girls. As soon as I reached the end of the book, I went straight back to the beginning to reevaluate what I thought I knew about Flannery and the rest of the gang. I’m still not sure I fully grasp all of the plot threads, but I’ve thought of little else since I finished it, so Handler has at the very least created a memorable, nay, haunting book. If your book group is the kind that drinks a lot and doesn’t mind stories with sex, drugs, violence and profanity, The Basic Eight will give you much to discuss.