Customer Reviews

The Clique (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) (Clique (Prebound))

5 star:		(195)
4 star:		(79)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(36)

 

 

Reading is like magic, you get sucked into the book. This book in really well written, interesting, and some parts are funny. However, when you put the book down to go to dinner and you take another look at your un-manicured nails and your limited clothes selection, it makes you dissapointed. Massie Block, Dylan Marvil, and Alicia Rivera live the lives of the rich. When I first put the book down for a break my mind was thinking, "Wow, Claire is really poor and dorky" and then I remembered the fact that I own Keds, I shop at the GAP, and I only throw clothes away when they get stained or don't fit me. The book made me feel bad about the fact that my favorite shirt is my one of only 3 Abercrombie & Fitch shirts because it was a little too pricy. I know that as a teen (which I am) these books can be fun to read because when you are reading it and it focuses on Massie, you feel like you are in her shoes. The book was good, really, but approach with caution.

Lisi Harrison's debut novel introduces us to THE CLIQUE - a quartet of popular girls attending private school in New York. These girls are wise (and rich) beyond their twelve years, valuing their designer clothes, sparkling homes, and precious cell phones above all else. At the top of the clique is Massie, a girl whose room is modeled after an all-white posh hotel suite.

When her father's longtime friend has a stroke of bad luck, Massie's dad lets his friend, his friend's wife and his daughter stay in the guesthouse. This girl may be Massie's peer and new classmate, but, since she is clad in overalls and Keds, Massie is reluctant to make friends.

What follows is a somewhat predictable but squeaky clean story, appropriate for middle grades to read. Think a G-rated version of Gossip Girl: money talks, clothes matter, but friendship and backstabbing are the main issues instead of dating and, ahem, other more adult things. In other words, if you like the movie Mean Girls, you'll like this book.

Unfortunately these books celebrate the worst in our socieity. Consumerism and shallowness run rampant. The characters in these books have party planners and limos; they lose their Gucci wallets when they switch from their Prada bag to their Vitton bag. They believe they have absolute authority to judge others. I could accept these books if the characters would experience some type of growth or epiphany at the conclusion, but they just go on to spread more hate and discontent. These books condone and encourage in worst in our society. The author clearly cares only for increasing her balance sheet and not at all for her readers.

1. The writing is terrible. Phrases such as "he/she was refering to" are repeated multiple times and "ehmigod" is used frequently in the dialogue. And, seriously, hasn't this author ever heard of "Said is Dead"? There is no writer's craft or emotion. The writing is very plain.

2. Massie, the main character, is the most pathetic person I've ever seen. Her biggest problem is "Ehmigod, my Jimmy Choo shoes are, like, stuck in the grass. Ewwww!!" She won't wear anything unless it was made by a famous fashion designer.She cried herself to sleep the night her mother said she couldn't go shopping for clothes she didn't even need.

3. This story is very unrealistic. It said that Octavian Country Day School is a private school. Obviously Massie's family would be able to afford it, but what about Claire's? If her parents had that kind of money, they wouldn't be living in the Blocks' guesthouse. Also, how many schools have a Starbucks inside of them, and how would the girls have that much time between periods to get coffee?

4. Massie didn't even give Claire a chance. Even before she arrived it said that "Massie had no intention of becoming friends with Claire". After they met, it only became worse. I don't think there's a single person on Earth who would look at a girl, see she wears Gap overalls, and decide they don't like her. Then Massie and her friends started being very cruel to Claire. They spilled red paint on her jeans to make it look like she had her period, for example. I think this behavior is inappropriate for girls at this age and shouldn't be promoted in a children's book.



I could write many more points, but I would be writing for many hours. Anyway, I think you get the idea.

All my friends had been talking about how great these books were, so I was really anxious to start the first one. I am a fifteen year old girl, so I am in the age group for this book, and I was appalled at some of the content. There was some mild foul language in it, the girls have all the wrong kind of morals, and the plot is completely ludicrous! I cannot believe that parents let their daughters read this! It teaches girls that the only way to be accepted is to wear designer clothes and be promiscuous with much older boys at TWELVE YEARS OLD! I go to a private school, am a cheerleader, have an older boyfriend, and considers myself pretty popular...and I do not partake in any of the activities that these girls do. It is a pile of crap and I am so ashamed for even reading it. Don't waste your money.

My friend recommended me this book and said "This is the best book ever!! You HAVE to read it!" Literally. She said those words. I am now proving her wrong.

Okay... So... Why would Lisi Harrison even consider writing such a ghastly book? Now don't say that this is the work of fiction. Well, it is, but I've been reading the reviews here and some kids are saying that this "totally" relates to them! Ehmagod!! Now... Why would a "12-13" year-old girl be obsessed with high heels, halter tops, wahat suimsuits to wear, or if that mini skirt looks totally "fab" on them? Do they even care about their schooling? And how about those parents of theirs? THEY are the ones who are "dishing out the dough" to their daughters to buy these totally inappropriate clothes for their daughters!

Parents... Would you like to have your daughter be obsessed with clothes, and having tantrums over you not buying clothes for them that they really don't need?

And also, this is an ABSURD fantasy world! This is so giving the wrong idea to people.

The Clique by Lisi Harrison was very disappointing. A lot of my friends in my class read this book and were absolutley blown away. My "book twin" read this book and fell in love. If my "book twin" thought this book was good, I was sure I was going to love it. Wow, how wrong I was.
Claire Lyons moves to wealthy Westchester County, NY. The family stays with Mr. Lyons college buddy, who has a daughter the same age as Claire. Massie, the daughter of Mr. Lyons college buddy, doesn't welcome Claire. She makes Claire's life miserable, and the only reason why is because Claire is the new girl.
Massie and her "clique" are your typical snobby people you do not want to hang out with. They cannot live without their designer clothes, having an allowance crazier than believeable, and just plain snobby.
This book reminded me so much of the movie Mean Girls. The only diference is that instead of the "clique" being nice to the new girl, they are horrible. Both book and movie have many similar qualities, except that the movie was much better. Maybe that is because they added some humor into the movie, and the book was just plain cruel.
When I read the back of the book I was a little suspicious, but I decided to be daring. When I was finished with the book, only took one hour, I called up my "book twin" and asked her how in the world did she like this book. I mean I know this stuff is real in like high school but not for 12-13 years old. I thought this book was too fake and just not realistic for me to relate to.

After several of my friends reccommended this book to me, I was tempted to buy the first book. But when I finished reading The Clique, I was disgusted.

The Clique zooms in on the many social issues girls about age eleven and up face - the cool people, fashion, what's in and out, and whether you're 'worthy' of being considered even a half-decent person. But instead of going against these issues that cause many girls tears and stress, the book promotes them. Yes - it promotes picking on unfashionable people, being a reckless spendthrift, and practically living for spending time with your friends trying to become beautiful. Some might argue with me, saying that the book doesn't straight-out declare that these things are good, but the fact that all the main characters do these things and easily handle them could inspire any girl to do the same thing. There's already too many things in the media saying that you must be beautiful to be a decent person without a book series saying the same thing. And the story is just like those annoying advertisements on television. The most beautiful, most fashionable girls live in the most lovely houses, while the least fashionable girl is forced to live in one of their guest houses. Why should we make more people think that by spending all your money, you'll become rich?

In conclusion, if you're one of the minority of the preteen-teen female population that thinks beauty, wealth, attitude, bullying and vanity aren't the ideal qualities in a girl (are they even 'qualities' in themselves?), then stay away from The Clique. Chances are, you'll be grateful for doing so.

The characters in this book are spiteful, manipulative, and shallow. But even worse than that, I feel sorry for them, and sorry for any girl who feels like she has to be fake in order to have friends. How terrible that people won't like them for who they really are.. and how awful that must feel to think that one wrong move and your best friend is now your worst enemy. The author of these books has glorified being cruel and encouraged young girls to be scared of who they are. What a heartbreaking message to send girls as they try to discover who they are. Being kind, compassionate, funny, adventurous -these are the sorts of things that maintain a friendship. Under all the glam and the glitz, Massie's character seems so lonely. She is afraid to be real with her friends, her family, and herself. Girls thinking of buying this book: you are better than this. Love yourself enough to be proud of who you are and read books that encourage you to be the incredible girl you are! Parents, if you love your daughter, pay her not to read this.

This book, "The Clique", overall is a charming story about tweens ganging up on the "new girl" who is less fortunate than these upper crust Westchester snobs. Even the cover should give away some information about the story since its bearing the classic Burberry print.
However, I didn't think that the 7th grade girls were portrayed accurately. I don't think any 7th grader would act that mature. I know because my daughter goes to a New York City all-girls private school. I read this book because I wanted to learn more about how girls interacted with each other this day in age. I chose this book because it seemed the most appealing the time. When I finished this book my daughter found it, read it, and told me it was mixture of: Gossip Girl (how money, wealth, and designers are incorporated) + Mean Girls (how the girls acted and the strategies they used against each other) + lastly, the A-List & the sequel Girls on Film (the insecurites of the girls and wealth).