Francesca Lia Block is celebrated for her distinctive literary voice, masterfully weaving together the magical and the mundane, often set against the backdrop of an alternative California. Her prose is characterized by a dreamlike quality, lyrical language, and a profound exploration of themes such as love, loss, and the search for identity, particularly within the lives of young women. The author embraces formal experimentation, frequently infusing her narratives with elements of magical realism and queer literature. Her writing is lauded for its originality and its capacity to resonate deeply with readers on both emotional and intellectual levels.
Retelling classic fairytales and myths, this collection showcases Francesca Lia Block's signature style, blending imaginative storytelling with dark, poetic landscapes. Readers will find a captivating mix of enchantment and depth, highlighting the author's unique ability to weave magic into her narratives. This volume brings together three of her most celebrated works, offering a rich experience for both new and longtime fans.
Meet Tweetie Sweet Pea and Peachy Pie, Jacaranda and Rave and Desiree... Meet Lady Ivory and Alabaster Dutchess, who interview their favorite rock star, Nick Agate, only to discover the magic and power in themselves. Meet Tuck Budd, who is happy living in Manhattan with her two moms, Izzy and Anastasia, until she begins to wonder who her father is. Meet La, who faces the loss of her mother with an imaginary androgynous blue friend who lives in her closet. Zingingly bright and dreamily dark, full of wonder and gritty reality, these stories by acclaimed author Francesca Lia Block show the reader that in every girl there truly is a goddess. The cutting-edge author of Weetzie Bat once again breaks new ground with Girl Goddess #9, nine stories about girl goddesses of every age and shape and color and size, wearing combat boots and spiky hair or dressed all in white. One girl has two moms, another has no mother at all but a strange blue skinned creature that lives in her closet. One is a rock star groupie, another loves dancing and reading poetry and having picnics in the backyard when the moon is full. These are stories about girls discovering that the world is not a simple place and that there is more than one way to live'all in Ms. Block's rich, lyrical language that fans have come to adore and that Sassy magazine called ‘a dream.'
The story explores Louise's struggle with identity and loss after her father, Charlie, abandons her and her mother. As she grapples with the emotional fallout of his departure, the cherished nickname "Weetzie" becomes a symbol of her fractured family and the longing for connection. Louise's journey reflects her quest to reclaim her sense of self amidst the chaos of her changing world.
Love is a dangerous angel. In five luminous novels, acclaimed writer Francesca Lia Block spins a saga of interwoven lives and beating hearts. These postmodern fairy tales take us to a magical Los Angeles, a place where life is a mystery, pain can lead to poetry, strangers become intertwined souls, and everyone is searching for the most beautiful and dangerous angel of all: love.
The newest collection of haunting, magical poems by Francesca Lia Block, author of Fairy Tales in Electri-City , draws on myth and fable to explore the roles women play in many archetypal stories– and gives voice to these female characters, to let them tell their tales in their own words. "Wasn’t it pervert Edgar Allen Poe who said, 'The death of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world?' Francesca Lia Block’s book Dead Girls begs to differ. Here we see the exploitation of girls—spun into the very DNA of our Western culture of myth and fairy tales—for what it is. Block gives voice to these women and girls, including the 'wicked' queens and stepmothers, revealing a complexity and despair as only a truly great poet can. I’ll tell you what is the most poetical topic in the world—beautiful girls who are very much alive in these exquisite poems."—Denise Duhamel "In the gorgeous realms of these poems we might hear beguiling 'Heed my advice / Take your heart from your chest / Let it bleed in your hands / Talk to it softly / as if to a lover,' and then wander into their alluring spaces of darkness. Bristling with violence and eroticism, the wilderness here resonates with current and crucial concerns. Listen close and follow Francesca Lia Block’s seductive voice as it speaks through these fabular 'I want to tell my history / Can you hear my stories?'"—Molly Bendall
A celebration of girls and women in a three part poetry collection that is powerful, hopeful, authentic, and universal.
Laurel grapples with her father's death and the weight of family secrets, seeking solace in a vibrant, chaotic city. As she attempts to escape her past, she unexpectedly encounters a consuming passion that forces her to confront the very demons she wishes to evade. Francesca Lia Block delivers a strikingly different narrative from her Weetzie Bat series, exploring themes of shattered dreams and the complexities of familial ties in a darkly exhilarating manner.
The story features Weetzie and her whimsical friends, celebrating the magic found in fleeting moments. It explores themes of love's risks and rewards, as expressed through Dirk's poignant words about love being a "dangerous angel." This reunion will resonate with long-time fans while also captivating new readers with its enchanting prose and heartfelt message.
Francesca Lia Block creatively reinterprets nine classic fairy tales, infusing them with her unique and lyrical language. The stories are transformed, offering fresh perspectives and unexpected twists that challenge traditional narratives. Through her imaginative storytelling, Block explores themes of identity, love, and the complexities of life, inviting readers to see familiar tales in a new light.
Exploring themes of identity and love, the narrative features a girl disguising herself as a boy and a boy rejecting societal norms. A man reflects on a past summer romance, while a mother reaches out to her estranged daughter through a heartfelt letter after years of separation. Each character's story intertwines, revealing the complexities of relationships and the impact of choices made across time.