Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Pink Smog (Weetzie Bat 0)

by Francesca Lia Block (Goodreads Author)

3.63 of 5 stars 3.63 · rating details · 628 ratings · 146 reviews

The girl in the mirror wasn't who I wanted to be, and her life wasn't the one I wanted to have.

Despite how much Louise insists, no one will call her Weetzie. It's her dad's nickname for her, but it won't stay put. Neither will her dad. Charlie left Louise and her mom and he took everything with him: her family, her home--and her understanding of who she's meant to be.

But L...more

Hardcover, 185 pages

Published January 24th 2012 by Harper Collins Canada

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

In the Pink: Pink & Purple Book Covers

44th out of 213 books — 35 voters

HarperCollins YA & MG Books of 2012

91st out of 129 books — 78 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,077)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 27, 2011 the golden witch. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: flb, 2012, arc-galley, favorites-novels, magical-reality, not-for-swap, teenage-shennanigans, 2011, best-of-11, best-of-12, reviewed, own-print-arc

I might be a little biased, as the first five "Weetzie Bat" books (when first published as the omnibus "Dangerous Angels" in 1996) literally changed how I saw the world through writing when I was 12 years old, but this is a glorious and wonderful conclusion to the "Weetzie" series. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy from the author herself, and to participate in one portion of the book, making me feel apart of something larger than myself for the first time within the world of books.

Bias...more I might be a little biased, as the first five "Weetzie Bat" books (when first published as the omnibus "Dangerous Angels" in 1996) literally changed how I saw the world through writing when I was 12 years old, but this is a glorious and wonderful conclusion to the "Weetzie" series. I was lucky enough to get an advance copy from the author herself, and to participate in one portion of the book, making me feel apart of something larger than myself for the first time within the world of books.

Bias aside, "Pink Smog" is not a long read, but it's a very tightened, almost sparely-written tale of how Louise Bat becomes the girl we know and love in the rest of the books. Yet at the same time, it's still full of the magical realism that's come to dictate Block's style all of these years later after the first book was published in 1989. Make no mistake - "Pink Smog" may be a prequel, but it's a book you cannot miss in 2012.

Even if you're new to the "Weetzie" canon, Block starts "Pink Smog" by constructing the 13-year-old Weetzie's character almost, it feels, from scratch. This is the first time we've seen and interacted fully with this version of Weetzie, as opposed to the mid-to-late teen and 20's version, and in a "Necklace of Kisses", near middle aged version. This Weetzie is still soft in places where in the later books she's become hardened by her experiences with the world and her parents' divorce, and here we're only experiencing the beginning twinges of this divorce with her for the first time.

We're also experiencing her entrance into the teenage years, with mean girls and social outcast best friends, an empty place where her father used to be and magical trips into the most wonderful parts of Los Angeles. Block builds a wonderful foundation for Weetzie all over again, leaving no stone unturned yet at the same time, as previously said, her prose almost feels sparse. This is probably because we've seen so much action in the rest of the Weetzie books that there's very little else to say that we don't already know with six other books out. But this sparse style is awesome. If anything, it just made me even hungrier to read about how Louise became Weetzie, with all of the pain and love and magic that she experienced to kick her transformation into high gear. It leaves so much room to fully take in her scavenger hunt that a certain genie gives her, along with a witch that moves in next door, and a boy that may or may not be angelic that becomes a good friend. And that's not even when she's in school. Weetzie is trying to not only find her father but herself, making her the more secure teenage Weetzie we meet in the first book later at age 15-16.

This is the perfect book to introduce a new generation of YA readers to Weetzie because she's in the process of trying to find herself, like all the other YA readers out there, whether they're in their teens or already adults. All of the opposites that attracted me to the original books in the first place are still intact in this prequel. Down is up, ugly is beautiful, dirty is clean, mean is kind, and quiet is loud. The "Weetzie" series has always been about finding yourself, and I'm happy to say that this final book really tops off the other six books that echo that message.

As for my own participation in the making of this book, I found it rather pleasantly there in the last part of the book. I didn't expect it to be there, as Francesca herself was mysterious about where the real experience was going in the several books she was working on at the time, but there it was. I won't reveal what happens or how I participated here (that will later be revealed in a separate entry on the blog), but get ready for a happy tear-jerker ending that foreshadows the rest of the books.

Oh, and seeing 1970's Los Angeles/places that are now gone there again in text didn't hurt, either.

As "Weetzie" helped build me up during a rather difficult adolescence, even now in my late 20s, I felt the cushion that is this series buoy me up once more. So thank you, Francesca, for writing this final book. If you love magical realism, or if you love books about finding yourself, or if you're in the midst of trying finding yourself, this is the book for you. Every girl should read the "Weetzie" series, but especially "Pink Smog"; the younger, the better, before all of the self-hate that current Western culture quietly encourages takes hold. This will help you believe that you are good enough, you are worth it, and yes, it does get better.

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Sep 07, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Louise is an unhappy thirteen year old girl that really would like to be called Weetzie. Her parents constantly fight and their unhappiness finally resulted in her father, the person who means the world to her, leaving for good. Her mother drowns her sorrows in booze, leaving Weetzie to fend for herself. Not only is she bullied at school by the popular crowd, but the teachers also routinely humiliate and mock her. Her life is in shambles and she tries to pick up the pieces, starting out with fol...more Louise is an unhappy thirteen year old girl that really would like to be called Weetzie. Her parents constantly fight and their unhappiness finally resulted in her father, the person who means the world to her, leaving for good. Her mother drowns her sorrows in booze, leaving Weetzie to fend for herself. Not only is she bullied at school by the popular crowd, but the teachers also routinely humiliate and mock her. Her life is in shambles and she tries to pick up the pieces, starting out with following fairy tale clues from a mysterious benefactor, befriending a couple of fellow outcasts at her school, and saving an angelic boy from his voodoo doll torturing sister. Will Weetzie's difficult life break her or will she rise above it all and take control of her life?

I absolutely loved the Weetzie Bat books when I was a kid. Her stories really inspired me and helped me through some difficult times. I was so excited to hear that Francesca Lia Block would be revisiting and expanding upon the series. In Pink Smog, Weetzie is more vulnerable and much less sure of herself in comparison to her later teen and early adult self. She flounders as her life suddenly falls apart and his forced to grow up because of her father's abandonment and her mother's drinking. Instead of being taken care of as she should, both of her parents abandon her and she takes care of her mother as best she can as someone who can't fully take care of herself. I really felt for her and hurt with her as her support system crumbled. I also celebrated with her when she found people she could confide in and believed in herself more. Weetzie got me to connect with my pre-teen self where everything is felt much more intensely and where I felt less sure about who I was.

As with many of Block's other novels, Pink Smog is at its heart a loving portrayal of LA and its unique effect on people. The title itself describes the beautiful pink sunset seen in LA because of the disgusting smog in the air. This encompasses what I love about the city: the beauty and wonder is very close to the grime and less savory aspects. This great center of culture that is famous for celebrities and the privileged is also home to homeless people, strip clubs, and the dregs of society. I've never seen another place like it and it holds a special place in my heart. Block doesn't glamorize it and shows it how it is.

Pink Smog is a formidable prequel to Weetzie Bat and I enjoyed reading this blast from the past. As always, Francesca Lia Block's beautiful prose brings the novel to life. I would recommend this to anyone, whether they have read any of the series or not.(less)

like · see review

Aug 03, 2012 Ciara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: incomprehensibly-terrible, kids-books, overrated, read-in-2012

full disclosure: i LOVED the "weetzie bat" books when i was a teenager. just like all other teenage girls who read "sassy" magazine (original recipe) & wore flannels & were born in the 70s. after obsessively devouring them over & over again from the library, i of course bought the bound collection (dangerous angels) when it was released. i tried to read it again when i was like 21 &...wow. even at that young of an age, i was already pretty much completely over francesca lia block...more full disclosure: i LOVED the "weetzie bat" books when i was a teenager. just like all other teenage girls who read "sassy" magazine (original recipe) & wore flannels & were born in the 70s. after obsessively devouring them over & over again from the library, i of course bought the bound collection (dangerous angels) when it was released. i tried to read it again when i was like 21 &...wow. even at that young of an age, i was already pretty much completely over francesca lia block's writing style. i still got a little thrill of nostalgia reading the sentences that i had practically memorized when i was 14 years old & imagining what life could be like had i been born in los angeles instead of toledo, ohio, but unfortunately, block is really more for a younger crowd, one that still thinks that fairies & eating disorders are kind of glamorous.

i checked out pink smog anyway because i am nothing if not an obsessive completist. it is billed as a prequel to weetzie bat, explaining more about why weetzie's dad ran off & how she came to develop her personal style & meet some of the characters that figure prominently into the "weetzie bat" series.

i was disappointed, & probably not just because i was 32 when i read this book & not 15. all of block's usual writing tricks are here...i mean, just consider the title. "pink smog"...rather evocative, isn't it? makes the air quality issues in los angeles seem kind of romantic & mysterious. but i lived in L.A. & can vouch for the fact that really, smoggy days just burn your throat & make your eyes water. the whole book is all pink smog & hollywood glamour & guardian angel mermaids & candy. & all of this is unfortunately at the expense of a plot. block tries to hang everything on a scavenger hunt that weetzie is sent on after her father leaves, but there are big chunks in between where she gets picked on at school & is tormented by a witchy violet-eyed neighbor with a collection of angry dogs, so when the scavenger hunt comes up again, it's kind of like, "oh, this again? i'd forgotten about this. what a snore."

the one character i kind of cares about was weetzie's asian american friend who is suffering from an eating disorder. & this is one of the few characters that isn't actually in the "weetzie" series. at the end of pink smog, she is sent to a rehab center for treatment & is never heard from again. i mean, her character wasn't even very strongly drawn or anything (nor were any of the other characters--if this had been my first introduction to the weetzie world, i would probably have been very confused), but i just really wanted her to get some help. i also wonder if she was shoehorned into the book as penance for the fact that block so often writes about characters suffering from eating disorders & she makes them sound super glamorous & romantic. maybe i am mistaken, but i seem to recall some book where the protagonist has an eating disorder & is so disoriented from hunger that she hallucinates a fairy that becomes her best friend & they have all these adventures together. her relationship with the fairy is the plot of the entire book, & of course there are plenty of scenes where the protagonist has borderline-assault sexual relationships with way older, inappropriate men who are attracted to her fragility. even if i'm imagining this & it's not a real block book, it pretty much sums up her entire oeuvre. feel free to snag this plot, francesca. i'll keep an eye out for the check. (less)

like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For fans of the Weetzie Bat, this prequel will have obvious appeal. But for someone stumbling upon this series for the first time, this book will sound discordant and jumbled. By her teenage years, Weetzie had struck her groove, but this novel finds her in middle school, pleading with teachers to call her by her nickname instead of Louise, suffering humiliation at the hands of the mean girls, and uncertain of the magic around her. Her beloved father Charlie has just driven out of Weetzie’s life...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 26, 2012 Andrew Marcec rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-bit-tweeny, fiction, quirky

I wasn't sure what to think of Pink Smog when I read through the first chapter. It's narrative seemed disjointed, chaotic, and at times focused on items that didn't seem to matter.

However, it wasn't until I had gotten about halfway through the book and learned more about the characters, that I realized what Francesca did, and I was engrossed with this book until the end.

What she did, and did incredible subtly, was perfectly write this book from the view of a thirteen year old girl. Now I have n...more I wasn't sure what to think of Pink Smog when I read through the first chapter. It's narrative seemed disjointed, chaotic, and at times focused on items that didn't seem to matter.

However, it wasn't until I had gotten about halfway through the book and learned more about the characters, that I realized what Francesca did, and I was engrossed with this book until the end.

What she did, and did incredible subtly, was perfectly write this book from the view of a thirteen year old girl. Now I have no idea what being a thirteen year old girl is like, but thinking back on my time as a teen I remembered how chaotic things were. How important the little things like clothes, music, and what brand of bike you rode mattered. Those first few chapters suddenly fit perfectly with this story, and perfectly introduced the character who came to be Weetzie Bat.

On the surface, this book appeared to be your standard coming of age story. A girl, Weetzie, is taking care of her former actress and current drunk mother after her father leaves. This book strays from the typical formula where the protagonist finds a significant other who helps them realize that life is worth living, and instead focuses on a child realizing her own inner strength in the face of not only adversity, but in the face of life in general.

She not only has to learn to cope with these feelings of abandonment, but also discovers that though her situation is unfortunate, she is not alone in her struggle to survive in life. Her two friends show her that they are just as troubled as she is.

Francesca's writing style was incredible. Not only does she have an excellent flow to her writing, but she did something I find not many authors can do. She piqued my curiosity about specific items in this book, and genuinley makes me want to know what the outcome will be. She built these characters, so that you will actually care what happens to them in the end...even if each character's end isn't the one you want for them.

All-in-all, though the book is categorized as "teen", I would recommend this as a read for anyone. I think you will all walk away being thoroughly entertained.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2012 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

OK, so, back story: My 8th grade year, I found the first Weetzie Bat book in the abandoned Lost-and-Found box in the water boiler room of my middle school and it was sort of like a guiding light for adolescent me (I later found out who it belonged to, but not until I lent the book to like 3 other people). I really, really loved Francesca Lia Block's whole world in middle and high school but stopped reading her when her books became more fairy tale/Tori Amos-y - all of those books were a little t...more

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 La Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-things-reviews

HERE THERE BE SPOILERS

5 Things About...Pink Smog

1. I've been reading Francesca Lia Block's books since high school. I was a big fan of the books that made up Dangerous Angels. I also thought quite a bit of her other solo pieces. That being said, I did not feel like this book was as strong as those. It was all a little too straightforward, a little less magical, a little more 'this is a book that you will only appreciate if you are around that age.' It's the first book I've read by her that's act...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2012 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: baya-review

like · see review

Dec 05, 2011 Book Twirps rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Things aren't easy for young Louise "Weetzie" Bat. Her father and mother fight incessantly and she's tired of the bullying at school. When her father leaves, her life seems to crash down around her. Her father was everything to her, and now he's disappeared without a trace. Weetzie holds out hope that he'll come back after a few days, just as he always does, but as the days pass by it becomes evident that he may never return.

The night her father left, he and her mother had their biggest fight ye...more Things aren't easy for young Louise "Weetzie" Bat. Her father and mother fight incessantly and she's tired of the bullying at school. When her father leaves, her life seems to crash down around her. Her father was everything to her, and now he's disappeared without a trace. Weetzie holds out hope that he'll come back after a few days, just as he always does, but as the days pass by it becomes evident that he may never return.

The night her father left, he and her mother had their biggest fight yet, and her drunk mother passed out and fell into the swimming pool. A handsome young man saves her, and Weetzie sets out to find him, convinced he may be her guardian angel. When Weetzie finally meets the mysterious young man (Winter), she can't help but develop a crush on him. When he tells her that her father asked him to watch over Weetzie, she develops an even stronger bond with him, but there's something very strange about Winter's family. His sister seems hell-bent on terrorizing her, and his mother may have something to do with constant tension between Weetzie's parents. As the bullying at school persists, and Weetzie continues searching for answers around her father's disappearance, she learns things about herself that will shape the young woman she is meant to become.

I'm going to (shamefully) admit upfront that I've never read a Weetzie Bat book. I was in college when they came out and pretty much everything I read at that time was a textbook. This book was my introduction to the writing of Ms. Block, and I will admit I am now a fan. I loved seeing 1970's L.A. through Weetzie's eyes. The entire book is a literary love-affair with the city as experienced by a thirteen-year-old. The writing is fluid and the characters, especially Weetzie, are extremely engaging. I especially loved the spatters of magical realism that Ms. Block uses to enhance Weetzie's story. Pink Smog is a quick read at just under 200 pages, but it is well worth the time. After reading this, I'll definitely be purchasing the other Weetzie books.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As soon as I finished rereading Dangerous Angels, I discovered that this book existed -- a prequel to Weetzie Bat. I was a bit wary at first, because I hated the sequel to the series (Necklace of Kisses), and I wasn't sure if Francesca Lia Block was really still capable of connecting with these characters she created so long ago. But I took a chance on this anyway, and I'm very glad I did. There are a few odd moments (like the creepy concentration on Weetzie's Elektra complex), and some places w...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2012 Summer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, 2012

I won Pink Smog in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway.

I had never read any of the Weetzie Bat books before reading this one, so I was completely new to the Weetzie Bat experience.

Pink Smog was a bit quirky in kind of a urban-cool, retro sort of way. It's sort of like She's All That where the main gal is cute and quirky yet tragically picked on by her peers, but at the end of the day she's still a little darling. Well, I'm not sure I would call Weetzie a "darling" but I thought she was a very inte...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 07, 2012 Kris rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I adore anything written by Francesca Lia Block, especially Weetzie’s lyrical world of art, magic and love. It was interesting to see Weetzie before she became a confident woman. In Pink Smog, she is a insecure 13-year-old named Louise who’s father just left and her mother has a serious drinking problem. She is bullied by mean girls and her best friends have moved away. A mysterious family lives in her apartment complex. The boy is like an angel who saves Weetzie and claims to know her dad. The...more

like · see review

Mar 01, 2012 Rachael Smyczak rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At first I was a little concerned when I saw that a prequel to the Weetzie Bat books was coming out. The thing that really threw me off was that the description said Louise couldn't get anyone to call her Weetzie, a nickname her father gave her. Wasn't it heavily implied in the original series that Weetzie was her real name? In fact, doesn't Weerzie, when asked about her strange name, exclaim, "Weetzie, Weetzie, Weetzie! I don't know. Crazy parents!"

But I am delighted to report that I loved this...more

like · see review

Apr 13, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, 2012-ya, california-setting, 4anna, alcoholism, bullies, divorce, family-issues, fathers, friendship, coming-of-age, young-adult, kdbc-own-young-adult

I love Block's brand of magic realism -- sadness, magic, wonder, evil mixing it up in L.A. This prequel to Weetzie Bat is about overcoming bad things - a parent's alcholism, another parent's desertion, bullies, the doubts of one's own heart -- and coming out the other side strong and happy because you've learned to love yourself. Weetzie's such a wonderful character. You want to be her friend and give her a hug. And Block's love for L.A. in all its crazy beauty is so beautifully rendered -- I co...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 25, 2012 Tawni (The Book Worms) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Quick review: OK - So its more along the lines of a 3 STAR, but I made the mistake of reading this before the Weetzie Bat books. I really loved the writing, so give it a shot. I'm really interested in Dangerous Angels now!!!

Pink Smog was not bad by any means. It wasn't anything in particular or special...it just was. I was left completely unsatisfied. I really hoped for more out of this book, but then again, it is a prequel and the good stuff is the whole series, I'm sure.

Weetize kept growing an...more

like · see review

Feb 09, 2012 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

♥
I have a really soft spot in my heart for Weetzie Bat. When I was in tenth grade, I bought the bind-up of the Weetzie Bat books which was called Dangerous Angels and it became something of my security blanket. I took it with me most places and read my favorite parts over and over. I wrote down all my favorite quotes and drank up FLB's writing like it was the last cup of water in the desert. It was everything to a messed up fifteen year old. I haven't read it since, just because I don't want to...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 07, 2013 Melissa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013

I've been a longtime fan of this author and while I feel like it's not on the same level as her older writing, it's far better than the newer stuff (ie: Pretty Dead and The Frenzy).

It's like that show The Carrie Diaries versus Sex and the City. This book was obviously wrote in a voice of a much younger girl. Perhaps I've lost that girl in myself and that's why I couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to. There's something lost when you create this BIG wonderful book and then try to go back to...more

like · see review

May 19, 2012 Deborah Markus rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Weetzie Bat and Witch Baby are little modern classics of YA lit. I've read some of Block's other books, and they just aren't as strong. I was still excited to see this one, but was disappointed almost immediately -- it's in first person, Block's weakest voice. The story has started to grab me (plus it's a short book) so I'll go ahead and finish it, but can I put in my usual, useless protest regarding books for young readers? I didn't like vividly disgusting descriptions when *I* was a young read...more

like · see review

May 29, 2012 Jen Schiller rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, to be fair, Dangerous Angels is my favorite book of all time. I'm not sure if that means I had extra love for this book, or if I was extra critical of it...either way I'm in love. "Pink Smog" is a pretty perfect prequel to Weetzie's adventures. Block nails the voice of a middle-schooler without losing that signature Weetzie flair. It's great to get inside her head as a young one and start to understand how she gets to the point she's at in Dangerous Angels.

I can't say enough about how ins...more

like · see review

Mar 30, 2012 Kristen Byers rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have found I am not a huge fan of FLB's recent works. It's difficult for me to tell if I am outgrowing her as an author or if her writing style has really changed that much. Pink Smog lacked her usual lyrical prose, and I wasn't transported back to my middle school days the way I expected to be (even now when I reread Weetzie Bat, I instantly remember what it was like to be an angsty high schooler).

Pink Smog focuses a lot on the relationship between Weetzie and her father, Charlie Bat. I thou...more

like · see review

Feb 26, 2012 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: alcoholism, divorce, self-reliance, ya-fiction, school, identity, single-parent-family, eating-disorders

Ah...those turbulent teenage years. Sweet little girls become bullies, beautiful mothers drink themselves into oblivion, fathers leave, and friends are both confusing and steadfast. Weetzie Bat wallows in self-pity until she finally begins to see the beauty in all things, good and bad.

Weetzie is trying to make sense of it all...picking the angels out amongst the demons. Who is to blame for all the madness? Eventually she comes into her own and takes what she can from her lonely situation.

Pink...more

like · see review

Sep 11, 2012 Natlukens rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am going to have to reread and rethink these books. These were my absolute favorite YA books when I was a YA. When I saw there was a new Weetzie book I had to read it. This one is a prequel to the series and, to me at least, was pretty sad and dark, almost didn't really fit in with the other books at all. Even the title seems like it doesn't really go to me. Francesca Lia Block is one of the few authors whose books I have read almost all of, and whose books I own most of. I generally will not...more

like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Jenn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read FLB since I was 12 or 13, so for more than half of my life. Some of her books are hard for me to read now, lush with words and imagery, but full of the kind of angst I lived as a teen. Until this book, I would argue that the Weetzie books are the except to that rule. Yes, Weetzie had problems, but she always had her city and her friends to get her through. Even in Necklace of Kisses, which I read when I was approximately the same age as the character, her journey to discovery was still...more

like · see review

Mar 09, 2012 Keri rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Keri McLucas
Contemporary realistic fiction

Louise Bat is 13 years old and lives in Las Angeles, California. Pink is the color of the sky in L.A. at dusk, through the smog. Her father, Charlie, recently left Louise and her mother-leaving Louise longing to be called Weetzie, the nickname her father gave to her. Weetzie is in the ugly-duckling stage of growth. She feels insecure and is searching for her own identity. At the same time, abandonment is deepened by her mother’s obsessive drinking. Weet...more

1 like · like · see review

May 05, 2012 Stefanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: washyarg-reviews, magical-reality, ya

This is the the story of Weetzie in her early teen years, before the original Weetzie Bat books took place. Like those, it is realistic fiction with magical elements, but that is where the similarities ended. Unlike the others, Pink Smog is told in the first person and describes day to day life for Weetzie, including her feelings and emotions, more specifically than its predecessors. It is less whimsical, less magical. As a standalone it’s not a standout, but Block once again creates a story tha...more

like · see review

Apr 23, 2012 K Nolfi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Did Witch Baby's real name (Lily) come from Weetzie's high school friend? As always I hate Francesca Lia Block's writing about eating disorders. But I liked this new Weetzie book much more than the other books FLB's been writing lately. I loved her books when I was a kid and I read them sometimes when I want to revisit overwrought descriptions of outfits and food. This is a nostalgia read for most of us I assume. If FLB didn't have this hold on me, surely I'd be grossed out by the glamorous vict...more

like · see review

Feb 25, 2012 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fans of Weetzie Bat will appreciate this prequel, but I wasn't a huge fan of Block's series (I know, shame on this librarian!) The writing still has its lyrical moments, and there is plenty of magical realism to confuse me.

Louise is 13 and bullied at school. The mean girls tease her, her mom is a drunk, and her father has left them for some unknown reason recently. With the help of some new friends, Weetzie (as her dad calls her) gains some confidence and is able to get strong enough to survive...more

like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Bradley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, books-i-should-own, young-adult, summer-reading2012

I was super stoked to see this book at my library because I was not aware that Francesca Lia Block had written another Weetzie Bat book. I love the Weetzie Bat character. The first Weetzie Bat book is one of the first books that I can remember reading that referred to male homosexuality in a positive light. Twenty some odd years after the publication of Weetzie Bat, I still have a crush on Dirk.

"Necklace Of Kisses" showed me how an adult Weetzie turned out. "Pink Smog" shows me how Weetzie Bat...more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Mary Skramovsky rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After their house burns down, Louise, who prefers to be called Weetzie, the name her beloved father and first lover of her life Charlie gave her. Weetzie , her mom and dad move to L.A. Her parents fight and it is too much for Charlie who leaves for New York abandoning Weetzie to her alcoholic mother . Ever the survivor, Weetzie becomes friends with Winter who saves Weetzie Bats mom from drowning and becomes Weetzie’s guardian angel. L.A. proves to have its own misfits and Weetzie fits right in....more

like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Atreyu rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you’ve read Dangerous Angels by Block, or even Weetzie Bat, you may be interested in reading her prequel, Pink Smog.

Pink Smog centers around Weetzie at the young age of 13. It covers her life in Jr High and follows her through the difficulties of her parents separation. The sub-title of this book is Becoming Weetzie, which should say enough about what the book is about and get Dangerous Angels lovers excited.

I read the book in two days. It was an easy read, but kind of depressing. If you wer...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 69 70 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
SPSV Mrs. Rodgers...: Aly Ray	1	4	Oct 11, 2012 10:21am

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

Young Adult

55 users

Fantasy

15 users

Magical Realism

6 users

Young Adult > Teen

6 users

Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

4 users

Young Adult > Coming Of Age

3 users

Fantasy > Magic

3 users

Glbt

2 users

Realistic Fiction

2 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Rookie Yearbook One
by Tavi Gevinson
Wanted
by Heidi Ayarbe
Point of Origin
by Amanda Havard
Beneath a Meth Moon
by Jacqueline Woodson
The Children and the Wolves
by Adam Rapp

About Francesca Lia Block

Francesca Lia Block was born in Los Angeles to a poet and a painter, their creativity an obvious influence on her writing. Another influence was her childhood love of Greek mythology and fairy tales.
She has lived in the city all her life, and still resides there with her daughter, Jasmine Angelina (about whom she wrote her book Guarding the Moon), her son Samuel Alexander, and her two dogs: a spr...more

More about Francesca Lia Block...

Books by Francesca Lia Block

The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Pink Smog

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Pink Smog

“The girl in the mirror wasn't who I wanted to be and her life wasn't the one I wanted to have.” — 30 people liked it

“No matter how bad things get, you can always see the beauty in them. The worse things get, the more you have to make yourself see the magic in order to survive.” — 20 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Pink Smog
avg rating	preview: Pink Smog Goodreads rating: 3.63 (628 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7948358-pink-smog?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309917650l/7948358.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7948358-pink-smog?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Pink Smog by Francesca Lia Block[/url]

Pink Smog (Weetzie Bat 0)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website