(I've read a couple books from the series so this isn't only a review on the first one.)I admit that this book is entertaining, watching girls throw around their money without a second thought about the starving kids in Africa (yes I know that everyone's tired of the phrase but it's true, and only a visit to a third world country can make you realize that.) - but that's all I can really get from it. 1. Great detail that can give the reader a sharp and vivid image in their minds and a series of twist and turns to keep them interested, but in the end, it all just comes down to pretty, popular, rich girls whose only goals in life is to date the cute boys, and take trips to the mall every. single. frickin'. day. "Ehmahgaa~wd!" (Sp? Forgive me, I don't speak bimbo.) How original! Really! "Mean Girls" anyone? Only here's the borderline between the two - "Mean Girls" actually had a POINT and a MORAL. What was Clique's point? Acting like a bitch gets you somewhere in life? Bring other people down just to make yourself feel better? Friends are fakes? Shows how bright and cheery our beautiful world of teenagers really is, huh? 2. Somehow I find these characters (who are only thirteen and think that they can control the universe) are very unrealistic. But then again, I've never been into materialism so it's hard for me to understand why a girl would only think of "Chanel. Chanel. Chanel. Prada. Prada. Prada. Blah. Blah. Blah. Designer. Designer. Designer." (Makes me wonder what their grades are in school.) But then again, they're middle schoolers, and they come from wealthy families, so no wonder they don't really think about their futures. (Or rather, they fantasize about their future careers.)3. Clique is also a bad influence for middle schoolers, which I believe is the main group of people the book is aiming to interest. And I'm not just saying that out of assumption. I've met preteens and kids in their early teen years gushing over Massie and her awesomeness, and then bragging about their OWN wealth. "My family owns (insert a double digit number here) acres of laa~and!" "My daddy owns a huuuge company~!" "My room is twice the size of youuur bedroom~" Blah. Blah. Blah. That's *wonderful* kids. Guess how many people in the world don't even HAVE a place to call home? (And Massie isn't really the best role model/character to look up to...) I realize that the series isn't finished yet, so maybe the lesson of this whole whatever will reveal itself in the final chapters. Too bad I won't be reading those last few pages because I'd rather read books that are worth my time. But I hope that in the end, "Kuh-laire" will realize what a bunch of losers her so called "friends" are and will gain a lot more self-confidence (after LEAVING them and their stupid club!)(PS - In case you were wondering, I numbered the paragraphs to show my different points. I can't type persuasive essays because I always ramble on to something different.)
Ehmagod.Reading The Clique is like attending an All-You-Can-Eat Cupcake Buffet where the hosts force you to gorge for three hours straight.Upon receiving the invitation, you become immediately aware that the concept works better on paper than it does in execution. In fact, you might find yourself justifying your very intentions for participating, but still feel a guilty pleasure in the undertaking. Who knows? You might wind up enjoying yourself... even if you have to hide it from your friends. And if you hate yourself in the morning? That's okay. Life is for the living, and this is going to be an experience! So you put on a bib and enter the buffet, only to realize that the cupcakes aren't from a lavish gourmet bakery. They're store-bought Entenmann's. But you've signed up to participate! You can't back out now! Steeling your willpower, you grab the first artificially-flavored cupcake and nibble on the grade-D quality icing. You think, for the first and only time, "Yeah, this isn't going to be pleasant, but I can do it. I'll just pace myself." Nibble, nibble.And that's when the host mashes the cupcake into your mouth and screams, "Eat it, you filthy pig! Eat it!" And with tears streaming down your face and pounds of terrible, gritty cake in your mouth, you come to the horrifying realization that if you had only trusted your gut instinct, you wouldn't be choking to death. Hour Two hits, and your stomach is in full-on revolution mode. Every time your barf gland is irritated, another damned Entemann's is slammed down your gullet, preventing anything from coming up. You plead for mercy. You promise your first born child. You question the existence of God. You question your own morals. You choke down another cupcake. Another plaid-clad, bitchy cupcake."This is disgusting," you think. "This is base! There's no point to any of this!" You begin to slide out of consciousness, but another frosted Hell Cake is shoved into your mouth. Time, however, is soon on your side. The minutes are closing in, the seconds are ticking by... your three hours are almost up. The alarm rings. You vomit.And you want to buy yourself a Burberry scarf.
What do You think about The Clique (2004)?
These books should be banned from distribution. Looking back at the time I read some of these books, I now see that the characters in this books are so incredibly shallow and one-dimensional, showing no personal growth or empathy throughout the actions they take to bully and belittle less "popular" kids in their age group. We all know or have known people like the main character, Massie Block, and the fact that such a narcisist has such a spotlight shone on her in these books does nothing but promote the idea that some people are truly better than others, which I'm sure is EXACTLY the lesson kids (and adults!) should be learning.. Please. We all know Massie and her friends are going to grow up to become one of two things; anorexic trophy wives, or fat, bitter cat ladies. The one hope in these books was introduced as a victim of Massie and her friends, named Claire. Unfortunately the path Harrison could've taken with these books to illustrate strength and perseverance by having Claire deal with her bullies and become something of a role model for kids, didn't happen as far as I know. Instead, Claire befriends the girls, continues to take their crap, and stands by while they continue doling it out to others in their pursuits of inconsequential goals such as boys or special lunch rooms. Woo hoo.
—Bailey
this book is about a group of girls getting ready to go back to school after a supposed-to-be awe-sooome weekend, when a new girl and her obnoxious family comes to ruin it. massie and her crew completely torture claire until claire is ready to cry her face out. the language in this book is mainly for preteens and teens. it fits perfectly...and i would know...cuz..like...i am a preteen at the age of only 12. hhahaha. well...i guess thats it...read the book..its pretty goooooodd...welll not pretty
—K
*PARENTS:* read the bottom half of this before letting your middle schoolers read it.These books are an awful influence. I am in High School now, and I read all of them in the seventh grade religiously. I told people that I read them because I thought that they were funny, and that's actually what I told myself. One of the main problems in this book is that there is so sense of right and wrong. The "clique" is glorified and the average girls who just be themselves are tortured. Absolutely NO consequences, the clique just goes on untouched and is worshipped by everyone, including what seems like the author. Middle school years are cliquey, and its all about what clique you're in. These books actually crushed my confidence because I knew that I couldn't act like or afford to dress like any of those girls. Whatever the case was, I continued to read these books and stuck post-it notes in pages where Massie Block said something cool or witty. In the defining years of middle school, these books give the total wrong impression. I am SO happy to be in High School, by the way.====You think I'm being dramatic? Look at some of the things my middle school friend wrote recently. Also keep in mind that she was an EXTREMELY intelligent, confident, and thoughtful girl before this.:"Ehmagawd. Kayla is in the same class as Harry which is totally not good! And to make it worse, Mary is in the class too! Harry's girlfriend! I mean what the hay!""OMG, Molly soooo likes Danny! I mean he's crushing on her and she always talks about how he luvvvvvvsss her SO much. SO AH-NOYING! OMG- NERD-ALERT!!"about an overweight girl in her class: "Oh yeah! I have the perf name for Janie Kelly:Jiggly Janie. It's like Hefty Hannah from Pretty Little Liars! I won't call her that to her face but stuh-ill! Total Jiggle monster! Ehmagawd, I kinda hope she is considered a loser next year! LOL! Asta la Vista Jiggly Janie!""I am in DESPERATE need of a new wardrobe makeover! I mean, ew! I want to be popular next year, totally cah-yute! THAT is my goal for next year- BYE BYE old, boring me and HELLO new one! xoxoxooxoxoox""Remember: don't keep forgiving."
—Louisa
