The Clique, by Lisi Harrison?

Question

I absolutely hate these books. And I don't care if nobody agrees with me, I'd just like to get my point across.

(and I've read the first 4 books, so I know what I'm talking about)


First of all, nothing that happens in these books is really worth writing about. Massie's friends decide to start a new clique, there's a new girl at their school who's hotter than Massie--so what?? By the 3rd book, Claire gets sucked into this whole popularity thing. Don't you think that sends a bad message--"if you're not popular, you'll get nowhere in life". If these girls are so popular and mature, why do they use childish expressions like "ah-mazing,"loser beyond repair" and "Eternal wannabe"? And would it kill Ms. Harrison to put in ONE character who's not shallow and two dimensinal?

now, I have more points, but...er....my fingers are about to fall off

Nice to see people with strong opinions. Great answers, guys!

Answer 1

>> First of all, nothing that happens in these books is really worth writing about. Massie's friends decide to start a new clique, there's a new girl at their school who's hotter than Massie--so what??

For Massie's world, this is huge and the social consequences are extreme. It certainly is worth writing about when you're writing a story about social politics.

>> By the 3rd book, Claire gets sucked into this whole popularity thing. Don't you think that sends a bad message--"if you're not popular, you'll get nowhere in life". [ And would it kill Ms. Harrison to put in ONE character who's not shallow and two dimensinal?]

Are you saying Claire is shallow and non-dimensional? I would say she has a lot of dimension. She both hates Massie's crowd yet wants to be a part of it. How many people can relate to this same problem when they were 13?

Additionally, there are scenes in the book where Massie and her friends take a look at themselves and don't like what they see. And I'm not talking about their Gucci shoes. The author writes these cleverly. For example, in book one, Massie runs outside to search for Claire and surprises herself that she did that. These types of scenes happen throughout the books. While the author intended them to be caricatures, she did give them a bit of humanity in these scenes and at the same time support her theme that we are genuinely happy when we don't wear masks.

>> If these girls are so popular and mature, why do they use childish expressions like "ah-mazing,"loser beyond repair" and "Eternal wannabe"?

Mature, yet shallow. Even some adults talk like this or compartivately. It's also the language of Massie's crowd and is acceptable within that Clique.

In response to Ohemgee:

>> i live in westchester, new york myself, and this book offends me. sure, we may live in relatively large houses and we may have nice clothes, but everything other than is overly exaggerated. we do NOT go shopping at the westchester mall every day, we do NOT wear Chanel and Coach and Gucci and all that, we do NOT have chauffeurs, we do NOT drive limos, and we do NOT torture 'LBRs'

Please note that Lisi is simply writing a story for entertainment with the theme of social politics. She is not meaning whatsoever to glorify Massie's crowd -- in fact if you read the book and don't laugh at Massie you're missing the social satire. Concerning Westchester, it's simply a story and these exaggerations are only a part of the story -- they're not meant to be realistic.

>> the worshipping is pathetic, too. No sane girl would want to follow the leadership of a girl who is too rich for her own good, uses stupid phrases, and uses up like five hours of her life each day shopping and buying outfits and obsessing about her looks. GET. A. LIFE)

It's satire and should make you laugh. I laughed at Massie's clique on every page. The girls in the story clearly are not normal. The outcasts are the sane ones. Most readers understand this.

>> the plotlines of the book: very fake.

It's a story and aren't meant to be realistic. But within this world the author created it's as real as Hobbitts are real in Lord of the Rings.

It's entertainment and social satire. I can understand that you might not understand that, but when you do I think you would enjoy it.

Answer 2

YESSS!!! Finally someone who agrees with my point of view. I've asked this same question millions of times (you can check my questions list) and everytime I get the same replies from furious girls saying that it is the best series ever and how can you say that?
i need to calm down. haha.

okay, first off, i agree with you utterly and completely.

second, i have some things i need to add about these book (you've got it mostly covered, but..)

-i live in westchester, new york myself, and this book offends me. sure, we may live in relatively large houses and we may have nice clothes, but everything other than is overly exaggerated. we do NOT go shopping at the westchester mall every day, we do NOT wear Chanel and Coach and Gucci and all that, we do NOT have chauffeurs, we do NOT drive limos, and we do NOT torture 'LBRs'

-the first time i read the book (book #1 and #2) i thought, "well, just another typical book about a new girl joining the popular clique and standing up to them and blah blah blah and all that." but then by the end of book five, i thought, "where is the STANDING UP!? Claire seems as stupid, shallow, and materialistic as the rest of em" and they ARE. stupid, shallow, and materialistic. (because really, who uses words like LBR, ah-mazing, ehmagawd, puh-lease, ehmagawd?)

-and middle schoolers DON'T go kissing/making out/sleeping with boys. PLEASE. (the whole MUCK thing was dumb, too)

-the worshipping is pathetic, too. No sane girl would want to follow the leadership of a girl who is too rich for her own good, uses stupid phrases, and uses up like five hours of her life each day shopping and buying outfits and obsessing about her looks. GET. A. LIFE)

-the plotlines of the book: very fake. especially the latest one, that came out like yesterday or somethng. i skimmed through ti and I got the basic details (there is a magical key that the 8th grader alphas have that Massie and her clique MUST get to be popular again next year). a MAGICAL KEY? in a SECRET ROOM? in a PRIVATE MIDDLE SCHOOL? that holds their ultimate popularity? PLEASE.

okay, i have a lot more complaints, but just like you, my fingers are about to fall off.

PHEW.
thanks for letting me get that out of my system.