Dangerous Angels

Dangerous Angels
Francesca Lia Block
Published by HarperTeen, 2007; ISBN 0064406970
Recommended reading age: young adult

Summary:
Dangerous Angels combines all the books from the Weezie Bat series into one volume. This format makes it easy to follow Weetzie, her family, her friends, and all their crazy exploits. When the series begins, Weetzie is still in high school, wearing crazy vintage outfits and driving her convertible around Los Angeles. She goes out “duck hunting” (looking for men) with her best friend Dirk. Together, they find their lifelong loves, start families, make movies, dance to music, and eat picnics among the jacarandas. As their babies grow up, readers experience a coming-of-age with each of them; and each one is a wild, crazy tale filled with magic-realism and California fantasy.

Review:
I read these books when I was 15 and 16, and I think they were written specifically for girls that age. Francesca Lia Block has a unique and beautiful way with words, combining the most mundane objects to make a sparkling metaphor. While Dangerous Angels may not break new ground story-wise, it’s definitely a refreshing take on the standard coming-of-age. I’d recommend this book to teenage girls, California fans, movie buffs, and magic-loving grown-ups.