Review Detail

The Clique is a drama-filled, fashion-heavy story about popularity, status, and what it’s like trying to fit in at a new school (similar to the Mean Girls movie).

It follows Claire, who moves to a super wealthy area and ends up attending an elite private school where social rules matter just as much as academics. Things get even more awkward because her family is staying on the property of Massie, the most popular girl at school, who is not happy about it at all. From the start, there’s competition, and a lot of petty drama as Claire tries to figure out where she fits while dealing with a group that clearly doesn’t want her there.

My book group actually recommended this to me because I loved Mean Girls, and I can definitely see the similarities. It has that same focus on cliques, unspoken rules, and the pressure to look and act a certain way to be accepted. What I liked is that it doesn’t pretend the characters are perfect. Massie is controlling and harsh, Claire can be awkward and unsure, and the rest of the group has their own issues. It makes the story feel more real, even when the situations are a little over the top. I also liked how much attention is given to fashion and social status, because it really shows how intense that world can feel, especially at that age.

At the same time, some of the characters can be frustrating, especially with how mean they are to each other over small things. There were moments where I just wanted Claire to stand up for herself more instead of trying so hard to fit in. Still, that’s kind of the point of the story, showing how hard it can be to stay true to yourself when you just want to belong. My favorite parts were the moments where the drama builds up between Claire and Massie, because that tension really carries the book and keeps it interesting. Overall, it’s a fun, dramatic read if you like stories about popularity, friendship struggles, and a bit of chaos.