In high school I spent a significant amount of time wandering through the shelves at my local library, taking home books and seeking out something. I wasn’t quite sure what. When I first tried to read Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block, I was attracted to the cover, but I didn’t get very far into it. Something about it turned me off. I gave it another shot, though, starting with Baby Be-Bop and I fell in love.
With California.
With words and poetry.
With ideas and thoughts.
It’s silly to say that book changed my life. But there are so many aspects of my life right now that I know wouldn’t exist without it.
And I’m still in love with California and pretty words and the dark and light balanced in the books. I’m in love with the magic and the characters and the uniqueness in Block’s writing that I’ve never seen in any other book before.
So I often miss the days in high school and college when I would string beads into words around my wrist and write on myself with glitter and express myself by the way of making my own t-shirts and doing things that are more like characters in books. I longed to make a cookbook from dishes mentioned in novels and at one point I did put together a mix CD as a soundtrack to Dangerous Angels. Maybe I’m more aware of myself now, or just a little more grown up, but I always want to dress up like Witch Baby for Halloween but I don’t because I know no one will get it. And that fact makes me sad.
I recently re-read the most recent book with the Dangerous Angels cast, Pink Smog. It’s a prequel to the whole series, a becoming of Weetzie Bat if you will. I had the idea to do a series on Weetzie and her loved ones. I plan on dissecting what stands out most to me in these books – quotes, food, magic and pop culture.
I think it would be really fun to do a little book club, going through all of the Dangerous Angels books one at a time and picking out style and songs, etc. for you guys. They’re quick reads and I think two weeks between each one would be great. You can purchase the books at your local bookstore, on Amazon or find them at your library. Dangerous Angels consists of five books: Weetzie Bat, Witch Baby, Cherokee Bat and the Goat Guys, Missing Angel Juan and Baby Be-Bop, or you can find them separately. The two books after that are Necklace of Kisses and Pink Smog. So we’ll be reading in that order, starting first with the cult novella that started it all WEETZIE BAT.
We will reconvene here in two weeks on Friday, June 12th.
I hope you’ll join me!
xoxo. Melanie
I am such a fan of this idea! I was telling my fiance Tim all about FLB because he is in love with California lifestyle. So much of his philosophy on life plays true to the philosophy, lifestyle and culture that FLB writes about. Her world is the world that has inspired girls like you and me to look beyond our small town ideas and see that magick is a possibility and we need it in our lives. If the Weetzie Bat book club is a success then I would recommend going on to include all of FLB’s works. I’ll make sure Tim gets in on it (he complains that I have overwhelmed him with reading assignments but I think that FLB is the most important of all.)
Love always!
I’m glad you like the idea! I hope you and Tim read along with me! I would love to extend it to all her work if enough people are interested.
Xo
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