The Clique

I didn't even finish it. I couldn't bring myself to do so. Right from the opening pages, this book was shallow, unkind, and flimsy. The plot was unrealistic, as were the characterizations, and the overall importance was placed on all the wrong things for the target audience. What I learned was that you have to be immaculately dressed in all the latest fashions and go to the most exclusive schools (although you don't need to actually get good grades or learn anything) or else you will be socially ostracized. God help you if you wear something used, out of fashion, or simply from a store other than the chosen few (whose prices are accordingly extravagant). This book imparts to young girls the importance of getting everything right in order to be accepted. It's okay to be mean to others -- they're not doing it right! It's okay to exclude people. It's okay to forget about being bullied yourself once you get into the clique. No. These things are not okay and it's deplorable that such a popular book condones them. I am not shocked to find this out, nor does it surprise me when I see some of the girls who go to the local high school, who drive expensive cars and are given weekly shopping allowances that are more than what I make in a week. For the average girl, this world is unobtainable. It will only lower their self-esteem further to read this book and given the current crisis of girls and their ever declining self-esteem, why feed the monster? Go pick up something worthwhile instead.