The Elite (Paperback)

by Jennifer Banash (Author) "Casey McCloy pushed through the revolving glass doors of The Bramfordan exclusive high-rise apartment building in the Carnegie Hill district of Manhattan's Upper East Side,..." (more)
Key Phrases: ballet flats, Upper East Side, Dining Hall, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up—When her mother moves to London to do research, Casey finds herself living with her grandmother in a rent-stabilized apartment in a posh building on the Upper East Side of New York City. The Bram is the home to an assortment of the rich and fabulous, including Madison, Phoebe, and Sophie, three of Casey's new classmates at the exclusive Meadowlark Academy. Casey quickly finds that her clothes and her pocketbook are not in the same league with those of the Bram Girls, but they form a wary friendship that will be tested by her budding interest in Madison's on-again, off-again boyfriend Drew. Switching points of view among Casey, the Bram Girls, and Drew, Banash tries to cram too much into the pages, and her characters suffer. Solutions to Casey's boy and money problems magically appear when needed. Sophie's struggle to accept the news that she is adopted takes place largely off-page, and her cutting habit is mentioned only in passing. Phoebe's adulterous mother is forgettable. Madison's sob story of disastrous first sex actually makes her more interesting than most. Furthermore, Banash's research is lacking. Her school scenes are unrealistic (AP Algebra?), her grannies play bridge like it's poker, and her name-dropping of clothing labels with every new outfit (from exclusive designers to Target brands) is quickly annoying. Fans of "Gossip Girl" who can't get enough of rich kids might enjoy this first in a series, but there are better offerings to be had.—Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library
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Review
“Banash is destined for great things.”
—Scott Bradfield, author of The History of Luminous Motion

“If you love all the drama, scandal, and high-end fashion of Gossip Girl as much as we do, chances are you'll want to check out author and Manhattan native, Jennifer Banash's new fiction novel The Elite...The novel, set in Manhattan, will introduce girls into the super-exclusive world of New York City's high-society teen cliques. In The Elite, the first novel in the new series, girls will meet Casey McCloy, who moves to a luxury Manhattan apartment from the midwest to live with her grandmother and attend Meadowlark Academy, which is run by it girl Madison MacAllister. Madison, complete with popularity, a pretty face, and platinum blonde hair reigns as Casey's classmate and neighbor, and something tells us Casey's city transformation will only go as far as Madison lets it.”
--Seventeen.com

“The Elite is Pretty in Pink for the millennium generation, somewhat akin to the television show Gossip Girl. Casey is a small town girl, used to shopping at Target and department stores. Living with the elite of Manhattan, for whom money is no object, is a definite challenge. But she's met three potential new friends, Madison, Sophie, and Phoebe, and, even better, a potential new boyfriend, Drew! Unfortunately, Drew is still somewhat dating Madison, which immediately puts Casey in Madison's bad books. But before you think Mean Girls, Ms. Banash humanizes all of the characters, and readers get a glimpse into Madison's psyche just as much as they do Casey's. At the end of the day, money can do many things, but it can't help you escape from life or heartbreak.”
--Romance Reviews Today

“The Elite is a great start to a new series by Jennifer Banash! It was a bit heavy on the fashion brands and the language is a bit strong (but that’s how it is for many teens nowadays in the US) but the characters all had some very interesting stories to tell. I loved how the point of view switched between the characters so that we could get a bigger picture of their lives. Most of them deal with issues that plenty of teens have and it was nice to get to know more about the others, besides Casey—it definitely helped develop the characters more, and readers will find it easier to understand these dynamic teens! They all had realistic, believable feelings and actions that were wonderfully expressed throughout the novel! It was also great to see down-to-earth Casey shine and show that you don’t need to be rolling in gold to be happy with yourself. There’s more to even the rich and popular kids than all that glitz and glamour they live with! And it would seem that Casey has it easy with just her frizzy-hair problems, after seeing what some of those oh-so-perfect teens have to deal with, behind their sophisticated and happy façade…wealth may not necessarily guarantee happiness…”
--The Book Vault Blog

“This book was awesome. I couldn't put it down…The characters are extremely real and, in most cases, likeable. Yes, the girls were rich, but money wasn't the main focal point of the story…I found myself laughing out loud a lot and just smiling at what Sophie would say, or how Casey would act. This was a great first novel from Jennifer Banash and I desperately wish that the sequel, In Too Deep, was already on my bookshelf”
--www.teensreadtoo.com

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425221571
• ISBN-13: 978-0425221570
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #314,799 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Way Better Than Gossip Girl, June 10, 2008

By	The Book Muncher - See all my reviews

Casey McCloy is the new girl in town, New York City that is. From the first moment she steps into her new home, the Bramford, she realizes how out of place she is. So when she finds out that the girl to know is Madison Macallister, she tries to become friends with her. But being recently transplanted from Normal, Illinois to the Big Apple isn't helping her at all, and neither are her frizzy hair and not-expensive-enough wardrobe.

Madison, the it girl who gets anything and everything she wants, in a rare act of kindness, helps Casey out a bit. Madison's two closest friends, Sophie and Phoebe, are slightly more welcoming. But they've all got problems of their own. Sophie has always felt like an outsider ever since she skipped a grade, and because she looks nothing like the rest of her family. Phoebe yearns for her mother to stop being so jealous of Phoebe's beauty. And Madison's got problems too when her ex Drew shows interest in newcomer Casey.

At first glance, The Elite seems like another Gossip Girl book, but as the story progressed, it turned into so much more. The Elite is told from alternating points-of-view of the different characters, and that helps provide much insight into their lives. I enjoyed how Jennifer Banash developed all five main characters instead of just focusing on one. What I appreciated the most was how the characters seemed real. Instead of being just stereotyped and/or ruthless, these girls and guy each had a conscience and feelings I could relate to (most of the time). Many times, I felt sympathy for the characters, but at the same time, I didn't because I felt kind of removed from them which is probably because most of us don't experience the lavish life of the wealthy and beautiful as these characters do.

The Elite is definitely a step up from the Gossip Girl series. I recommend it is you liked the It Girl series by Cecily con Ziegesar, the A-List series by Zoey Dean, and also the Fast Girls, Hot Boys series by Kylie Adams. Be prepared for a slightly more meaningful story than the ones presented in the series mentioned above though. Jennifer Banash's novel was certainly a worthwhile read, and I look forward to the continuation of The Elite series.

[..]

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Elite, June 3, 2008

By	Anidori-Isilee "http://firemustburn.blogspot.com" (away from here) - See all my reviews

Casey McCloy is a normal girl from Normal (no, seriously, she's from Normal, Illinois), and then she moves into the most exclusive apartment building in New York's Upper East Side. Now she's surrounded by wealth and elegance she's only dreamed about. This world is ruled by Madison Macallister. But making friends with the hottest girl and her friends is never easy, as Casey discovers, especially when she might be falling for Madison's sort-of boyfriend.

I really enjoyed "The Elite", though I was doubtful at first. It seemed like it would be a cross between the "Private" series by Kate Brian (a normal girl mixing with the upper class) and "Gossip Girl" (the wealthy of Manhattan). These books normally aren't my sort of reads. So I was expecting "The Elite" to be just some fun, mediocrely written with unlikable and flat charaacters.

But I was wrong.

The five characters at the center of the novel all got their own chapters, so we didn't just see Casey's struggle to fit in or Madison's reactions. We got to know more about Madison's two friends as well as Drew, the love interest. All five characters are well drawn with distinct voices. More than that, they're relatable. Banash gives her characters real problems. Even if you don't have a fortune and live in New York City, you can find some way to empathize with these characters, to care about them, even queen bee Madison.

I also really liked how Casey kept to her values. She never completely gave up who she was to fit in, which I think is admirable and needed in young adult fiction, especially of this sort. It certainly surprised me, as I expected Casey to become a second Madison, or try to. But that never happened.

"The Elite" is also fairly well-written, and some of Banash's descriptions are quite brilliant. The only thing that bothered me was the designer name-dropping. I don't really care about the fashion world, so all the names meant nothing. But that didn't really get in the way of my enjoying this novel.

If you're looking for a book about the upper class but hoping for something more substantial, "The Elite" is definitely the book for you and I for one cannot wait for the release of "In Too Deep".

5.0 out of 5 stars Wickedly Delish!, June 23, 2009

By	The Book Resort "The Book Resort" (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews

Hmmm... Another series about a Midwestern beauty moving to NYC. Another series featuring more rich, beautiful, bratty teens. Excuse me, haven't we done this before? Yes! Unfortunately, many times over! Excessively! Enter Jennifer Banash. JB has skills. Ms. Banash extinguishes the competition w/ her Manolo's then struts down to Bergdorf's to pick up a pair of Corset Bootie 's (Dior), a Stella McCartney Piercing Tote & a Kooba Blake Leather Shoulder Bag (love)! Banash is clearly a rock star & the others pale in comparison screeching karaoke. Like movie theater popcorn w/ extra butta, a foot massage, a sundae w/ caramel, marshmallow & cherries ;P; a shopping spree @ Christian Louboutin, Victoria Secret & Sephora. Jennifer Banash has a sure fire hit w/ her fabulous Elite series. Banash's characters are authentic, unique & interesting. Every player has a tale to tell & it is not just filler... it's substance. Banash was brilliant crafting the chapters in alternating points of view. It brings all the characters front & center. No kibbles & bits for the secondary characters... Banash illuminates every cast member w/ a glow of their own. The Elite isn't just about "poor" Casey & snotty Madison doesn't overshadow the novel w/ her grandstanding & diva tantrums... Jennifer deftly displays every character's voice & allows them to be genuine characters not high society caricatures! Applause! Sophie & Phoebe aren't Madison's accessories they are three dimensional young adults w/ intriguing lives w/ secrets to confront, endure & disclose. Now, I'm not going to leave out the tidbit that the begining of The Elite was a bit slow going but once Banash sets the members up...away we go! Some may grouse @ the designer brands dripping off the pages, but it is a way of life in the world of big bucks! Eventually, Banash eases up on the labels & gives us the true grit. Drama, check! Scandal, of course! Fashionista's, come hither... The Elite is a must to toss into your tote! Kudos to Banash, she didn't wave a La Perla garment & make Casey uber pop. Nah, just wouldn't be believable. Double kudos to Banash for the way she piloted Drew ~ spot on! Jennifer's characters are extremely well developed. Madison is one of the nastiest something ~ somethings, but Banash writes w/ such emotion, you can't help but feel empathy for the bratty prima donna! Madison tells it like it is & remains true to form. Casey seems to lose herself once stepping foot in NYC. She is too easily manipulated & I wondered @ times if she left her smarts back home. Grrr.... I hate when a intelligent female loses sight of herself for a guy or a clique. Weak! Casey needs to toughen up if she's going to make it in the big A. Casey has the backbone to make it... she is just finding her way in Gotham city. Banash has a hit on her hands & a mean pair of stilettos on her feet! Hurry, grab a copy of The Elite.