Before you read any further, I assure you, there are NO spoilers. Be very careful when reading other reviews of this book, however. There is a big twist, you don't want it ruined for you...Ok, carry on.
When I first started reading about Hamilton and her clique of friends during their senior year of high school, I couldn't help but think back to great 80s movies like "Heathers" or "Pretty In Pink". The popular girls in school weren't always the most beautiful, the wealthiest or had the hottest boyfriends...but they all had a queen.
In POPULAR, the queen is Hamilton. She throws the best parties, to which a guest list is posted a few days before the party. To be on the guest list is a badge of honor, a symbol of popularity. Girlfriends will ditch their boyfriends to go to one of Hamilton's parties, best friends will lie to one another to go, because you can't turn down the opportunity to go to one of Hamilton's parties once you've been chosen.
Hamilton's parties begin to change, the guest lists are out of the ordinary. Is The Clique breaking down? Is The Clique starting to turn on its queen? Hamilton might not be as together as everything thinks.
Whatever you do, don't assume that this is some shallow book about popular girls. It's more than that. SO much more...
Alissa Grosso delivers one of the most complex cast of characters I have read in a YA book in a long time. She writes Popular from five different points of view, the voices of the five girls in The Clique. Each point of view delivers a unique voice, each one more interesting than the next.
I really don't want to give anything away, and I'm afraid I've already said too much. All I can tell you is that you don't want to miss Popular. It is unlike anything you will ever read this year.
Book Extras:
Alissa Grosso's web page
Alissa on Twitter
Alissa on Facebook
Alissa on Goodreads
Flux website
Elevensies Website - 2011 debut authors
Class of 2k11 - 2011 debut authors
About the Book:
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (May 8, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0738727997
ISBN-13: 978-0738727998
About the Author:
Alissa Grosso's first novel, POPULAR, will be published in May 2011 by Flux. At various points in her working life she has been a tavern wench, a term paper writer, a newspaper editor and a children's librarian. She owns very few garments that aren't covered with cat or dog hair. She lives in New Jersey.
Purchase a copy of Popular HERE.
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Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
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5 comments:
This sounds like a winner to me!
This does sound like the kind of book I could really get invested in, so thanks for sharing your thoughts on it with us. Going to hop on over right now and enter the giveaway!
This sounds really good! You had me at the comparisons between some of the 80s teen movies and Hamilton's clique. I love those movies! I can't wait to read this one!
What an interesting premise. I loved your Spoiler Free review.
Thanks,
Pam
Great review! Sounds like a great book.
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