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Stella
Seventeen-year-old Stella Hamilton is the star blazing at the heart of Temperley High. Leader of the maliciously exclusive elite, she is envied and lusted after in equal measure. And in the Hamilton tradition, she is in the final stage of a six-year campaign to achieve her love with her equally popular male equivalent, and a triumphant election to Head Girl. Caitlin Clarke has lived a quietly conformist life in New York City – until, with the collapse of her parents' marriage, she's sent across the Atlantic for a strict English boarding school education. As soon as she arrives at Temperley, she learns that the only important rules are the unwritten ones. The upper echelons of her new society are marked not by neat dresses and Kate Middleton hair, but by skinny jeans, cigarettes and scars. It's a world of the beautiful and the dangerous, and acceptance means staying on the right side of the most beautiful and dangerous of them all. As Caitlin's popularity grows, she discovers that not everyone is happy under Stella's rule – that it might finally be time for a new order among the Stars and the civilians. Fighting the system, however, means Caitlin must tread the same dark path as Stella, where absolute power and absolute destruction are only a breath away . . .
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
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578 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 1, 2014
To be brutally honest with you . . . I didn't feel anything for this book. Nothing whatsoever. While the beginning of the book had started off on a good note and I found myself a little intrigued by this book as well, however, as for the rest of the storyline, especially after the first few chapters, let's just say it went down hill from there on out even though I so wished - SO MUCH - that it didn't for me.
But look out of everything I guess, I think the main problem with this book was not the actual storyline itself, but rather the characters themselves that either made no sense to me or I often found out they were just plain mean and mostly out of control. Plus it didn't help with the ending either that just confused me even more . . . I don't know . . . this book was not really what I expected it to be like.
Overall though, in the long run, 'Stella' is a 50/50 kind of book where you're either going to love it for what it is or - if you were like me - won't love it all so much. On another note, if you like plot-driven books this one may not be for you, but if you ARE looking for a book that has that Mean Girl/Gossip Girl kind of feel to it, than this one might just be the one for you!
* Thanks the publisher on netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
But look out of everything I guess, I think the main problem with this book was not the actual storyline itself, but rather the characters themselves that either made no sense to me or I often found out they were just plain mean and mostly out of control. Plus it didn't help with the ending either that just confused me even more . . . I don't know . . . this book was not really what I expected it to be like.
Overall though, in the long run, 'Stella' is a 50/50 kind of book where you're either going to love it for what it is or - if you were like me - won't love it all so much. On another note, if you like plot-driven books this one may not be for you, but if you ARE looking for a book that has that Mean Girl/Gossip Girl kind of feel to it, than this one might just be the one for you!
* Thanks the publisher on netgalley for providing me with a review copy of this book.
July 24, 2016
This book started out pretty well, but by the end I was so lost and confused and I had no idea what was going on. :/
December 11, 2013
Many have attempted to create a novel that reflect the shallow and brutal popularity contests that can occur within schools. A lot of these attempts fail in comparison to Stella by Helen Eve, which achieves the goal of portraying an everyday school popularity contest, in the form of an election, and what it can lead to mentally and psychologically for the people involved. Was the story ridiculous at times? Yes. But what's a mean girl story without a dash of absurdity?
Helen Eve has taken the conventional boarding school story and somehow carved an intricate, dramatic novel full of depth. Told surprisingly in the dual perspective of the new girl, Caitlin, and queen of the school, Stella herself, these POVs make for an interesting and suspenseful battle of the stars. The menacing prologue sets the atmosphere for the rest of the novel. Gripping, Stella was a page turner from the beginning, although midway through the novel reading it became slightly tedious as the plot became somewhat dull and monotonous. Eventually the pacing picked up again, complete with bitching, backstabbing and betrayal. As the ending arrived, the suspense was high and Stella did not disappoint; going out with a bang. But this is where the confusion began, yes, at the end of the novel. It felt like a big complicated mess, but I was on the edge of my seat. As I turned the last page of the book I felt quite disturbed. A shocking ending, sudden and severe, with so many unanswered questions. Stella leaves a lasting impression.
She's like the moon...you know how it controls the tide and makes people act weird? That's Stella. People can't help themselves around her. She's a force of nature.
Stella is a character-driven novel and the characters are vividly developed, especially the two main protagonists; Stella and Caitlin. Stella is one of my personal favourites. She is unlikable, but you can't help but sympathise with her towards the end of the novel. She is complex, compelling, elaborate. Her thoughts are so intricate. She is a subtle character growing and changing as the story continues. All the characters hold a sense of mystery and it is as if the reader has to piece together their characteristics to discover who they really are. It is refreshing to read a YA novel with such a well-developed set of characters.
At the beginning, the style of writing seems to be too juvenile for the story, but the writing grows throughout the novel and I found it admirable for this kind of novel. Helen Eve weaves the scenes together perfectly, creating a smooth flow of sentences and chapters. The prologue felt slightly disconnected from the rest of the novel, which was frustrating, but the concept of the introduction was very likeable. The writing overall carried a creepy atmosphere, but it also lacked in description at times which didn't help reinforce this.
I am a house of cards. I am the pieces of my sisters, jagged and dysfunctional, and yet fitting me perfectly like wings made of feathers. I am a shooting star turning into a white galaxy of stars. And the light that surrounds me is now benign.
Overall, Stella is not what it seems. Yes, it is a story about a boarding school, yes it is a story about popularity and how shallow the game of popularity is, but Stella is also about personal development, it touches the theme coming-of-age, it portrays how this lethal match to be the controller affects everyone, and how it brings out the very worst in people. It is a psychological thriller, as well as a contemporary, and a drama. And although it isn't perfect, it can be a very enjoyable novel.
For book reviews and more, please visit my book blog, The Book Stop
Helen Eve has taken the conventional boarding school story and somehow carved an intricate, dramatic novel full of depth. Told surprisingly in the dual perspective of the new girl, Caitlin, and queen of the school, Stella herself, these POVs make for an interesting and suspenseful battle of the stars. The menacing prologue sets the atmosphere for the rest of the novel. Gripping, Stella was a page turner from the beginning, although midway through the novel reading it became slightly tedious as the plot became somewhat dull and monotonous. Eventually the pacing picked up again, complete with bitching, backstabbing and betrayal. As the ending arrived, the suspense was high and Stella did not disappoint; going out with a bang. But this is where the confusion began, yes, at the end of the novel. It felt like a big complicated mess, but I was on the edge of my seat. As I turned the last page of the book I felt quite disturbed. A shocking ending, sudden and severe, with so many unanswered questions. Stella leaves a lasting impression.
She's like the moon...you know how it controls the tide and makes people act weird? That's Stella. People can't help themselves around her. She's a force of nature.
Stella is a character-driven novel and the characters are vividly developed, especially the two main protagonists; Stella and Caitlin. Stella is one of my personal favourites. She is unlikable, but you can't help but sympathise with her towards the end of the novel. She is complex, compelling, elaborate. Her thoughts are so intricate. She is a subtle character growing and changing as the story continues. All the characters hold a sense of mystery and it is as if the reader has to piece together their characteristics to discover who they really are. It is refreshing to read a YA novel with such a well-developed set of characters.
At the beginning, the style of writing seems to be too juvenile for the story, but the writing grows throughout the novel and I found it admirable for this kind of novel. Helen Eve weaves the scenes together perfectly, creating a smooth flow of sentences and chapters. The prologue felt slightly disconnected from the rest of the novel, which was frustrating, but the concept of the introduction was very likeable. The writing overall carried a creepy atmosphere, but it also lacked in description at times which didn't help reinforce this.
I am a house of cards. I am the pieces of my sisters, jagged and dysfunctional, and yet fitting me perfectly like wings made of feathers. I am a shooting star turning into a white galaxy of stars. And the light that surrounds me is now benign.
Overall, Stella is not what it seems. Yes, it is a story about a boarding school, yes it is a story about popularity and how shallow the game of popularity is, but Stella is also about personal development, it touches the theme coming-of-age, it portrays how this lethal match to be the controller affects everyone, and how it brings out the very worst in people. It is a psychological thriller, as well as a contemporary, and a drama. And although it isn't perfect, it can be a very enjoyable novel.
For book reviews and more, please visit my book blog, The Book Stop
December 18, 2013
Read more of my reviews at www.themilelongbookshelf.com
Hmm...where to begin. The summary is long and detailed enough that I'm just going to jump straight in with what I thought about Stella, and wow, do I have a lot of thoughts on the matter.
Stella started off promisingly with a fresh voice that took me pleasantly by surprise and my first thought was 'This is good!' Sadly, it all went downhill from there and the prologue was honestly the only bit of the book I found myself enjoying.
The language in this book is more Middle-Grade than YA - it was boring and flat, and more often than not I found myself drifting back onto Twitter which doesn't happen when you're reading a good book! Good books keep you engrossed in the story and sadly, this book just didn't deliver. I didn't care about any of the characters; I'd liked Caitlin at first but to see her change into such an annoying and transparent character was almost unbearable. All of the little love triangles were confusing, too. Luke, Edward; a countless amount of boys whom Stella was either dating or secretly liked. She had a secret agenda with each of them - some of them she used to get more popular, some of them she used to help her in the school election - and I'm still not overly sure whether she actually liked any of them.
When writing a book, there's generally a rule: 'Don't give characters similar names." This book was plagued with similar names and I now understand why that rule is in place - it's so confusing! All of the names in Stella's family begin with S. There's her mother, Seraphina, and her sisters Siena and Syrena. For half of the book I thought Siena was Stella's younger sister, but she's actually older, so there's a hint for you if you're going to read it. Another confusing thing about this book is that towards the end, Caitlin, Stella, Siena and Syrena kind of merged together in the way they looked, which made it very difficult to tell them apart. There's a particular scene where no names are mentioned and we can only tell who is who by the way they are described. Well, guess what? They all look the same and it's not like either of them had their own voice.
Quite frankly, this book is boring. If you've been reading this blog from the start, you'll know how much I hate writing negative reviews. I always try to point out positives so the review ends up balanced, but I just can't with this book. I really don't recommend it at all and I feel like reading it was a complete waste of time. If you like plot driven books then Stella isn't for you, but then again there isn't much description either. It's really quite bland, like cornflakes. This book did have some funny, snappy one-liners but that hardly makes up for the lack of enjoyment I had whilst reading this. At the time of writing this review (December 11th) the book has an average rating of 1/5 on Goodreads and I can't say I'm at all surprised.
Hmm...where to begin. The summary is long and detailed enough that I'm just going to jump straight in with what I thought about Stella, and wow, do I have a lot of thoughts on the matter.
Stella started off promisingly with a fresh voice that took me pleasantly by surprise and my first thought was 'This is good!' Sadly, it all went downhill from there and the prologue was honestly the only bit of the book I found myself enjoying.
The language in this book is more Middle-Grade than YA - it was boring and flat, and more often than not I found myself drifting back onto Twitter which doesn't happen when you're reading a good book! Good books keep you engrossed in the story and sadly, this book just didn't deliver. I didn't care about any of the characters; I'd liked Caitlin at first but to see her change into such an annoying and transparent character was almost unbearable. All of the little love triangles were confusing, too. Luke, Edward; a countless amount of boys whom Stella was either dating or secretly liked. She had a secret agenda with each of them - some of them she used to get more popular, some of them she used to help her in the school election - and I'm still not overly sure whether she actually liked any of them.
When writing a book, there's generally a rule: 'Don't give characters similar names." This book was plagued with similar names and I now understand why that rule is in place - it's so confusing! All of the names in Stella's family begin with S. There's her mother, Seraphina, and her sisters Siena and Syrena. For half of the book I thought Siena was Stella's younger sister, but she's actually older, so there's a hint for you if you're going to read it. Another confusing thing about this book is that towards the end, Caitlin, Stella, Siena and Syrena kind of merged together in the way they looked, which made it very difficult to tell them apart. There's a particular scene where no names are mentioned and we can only tell who is who by the way they are described. Well, guess what? They all look the same and it's not like either of them had their own voice.
Quite frankly, this book is boring. If you've been reading this blog from the start, you'll know how much I hate writing negative reviews. I always try to point out positives so the review ends up balanced, but I just can't with this book. I really don't recommend it at all and I feel like reading it was a complete waste of time. If you like plot driven books then Stella isn't for you, but then again there isn't much description either. It's really quite bland, like cornflakes. This book did have some funny, snappy one-liners but that hardly makes up for the lack of enjoyment I had whilst reading this. At the time of writing this review (December 11th) the book has an average rating of 1/5 on Goodreads and I can't say I'm at all surprised.
May 27, 2015
:/ Two bad books in a row! I have angered the reading gods. I know that's probably normal for most people, but I'm generally a high rater so it kind of sucks. Firstly, all the 'S' names in this book are damn confusing. I thought I had this book sorted and then there was a WTF ending that I admit was hinted at twice, but just felt confusing. Also, all the characters seemed to swap personalities like clothes. They are all essentially the same character with different nams, and this was partly a plot device, but mainly just caused more confusion. There isn't much of a plot either.
To begin with, we're told not to think of Stella a having flaws, or to pity her, but by the end the reader does both. Caitlan begins as a likable, down to earth character and morphs into a detestable, spoiled brat. Stella starts as flawless and ends up an emotional wreck. Don't get me started on anyone else, because no one except the bigger girl and Lucy can remain even close to the characters they begin the book representing.
I found the plot lacking in interest and credibility. I kept checking how many pages I had left, and that's never a good sign. This book doesn't have many reviews, but they vary wildly. Maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did? :/
To begin with, we're told not to think of Stella a having flaws, or to pity her, but by the end the reader does both. Caitlan begins as a likable, down to earth character and morphs into a detestable, spoiled brat. Stella starts as flawless and ends up an emotional wreck. Don't get me started on anyone else, because no one except the bigger girl and Lucy can remain even close to the characters they begin the book representing.
I found the plot lacking in interest and credibility. I kept checking how many pages I had left, and that's never a good sign. This book doesn't have many reviews, but they vary wildly. Maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did? :/
March 29, 2014
I have to be honest, I’m sitting here having just finished Stella by Helen Eve and I’m just sort of wondering what in the WORLD to say. My mind is literally spinning with the events at the end of the novel. I just WHAT. WHAT THE WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Where is a WTF GIF when you need one, and I am not the type to use GIFs in my reviews, but right now? I could use a few. My head literally feels full to bursting with everything that just happened, and makes me SO bloody glad I requested this book on Netgalley. I hmmmed and harred about it for a while, but eventually clicked ‘Request’ and oh, dear, God, thank God I did! Stella is like Mean Girls on Speed.
Stella is like no other book you will ever read, at least I don’t think so. It opens in the most astounding way, with one of the most self-assured Prologue’s you will ever read – with the protagonist warning you that you will not like them, and you will most certainly not be getting any kind of tale of redemption out of them. The trouble is, I actually have my doubts now about who wrote the Prologue. I suspect Stella, and I think it is, having gone back and re-read it, but it is not attributed to either Stella or Caitlin, and there is reasonable doubt, but I’m fairly certain. From there, you sort of know you’re not getting the kind of story you might usually get when you pick up a book. This isn’t a book about good people, there isn’t going to be a happy ending, and you’re probably not going to like any of the girls you’re about to meet. MY KIND OF NOVEL.
Novels set in schools are my favourite kind. I never got to finish school, my school up until I was there didn’t really have overly popular kids, not kids like Stella or the Stars anyway, so I’m always fascinated by schools that do. I mean, I was hardly popular at school (I SO WASN’T, I was a swot, and happy to be so, I’ll be honest) and I didn’t have many friends so I do like reading about kids who are popular and who do rule the school, because let’s be honest, if we all had that chance to do that, wouldn’t we jump at it? I know I would. Just to experience it. And anyone who answers that question differently is lying. Everyone at school wants to be popular, wants to be Queen Bee and Stella Hamilton runs Temperley High. She’s following in the footsteps of her sister Siena, and she’s going to be Head Girl, no doubt about. Until Caitlin Clark arrives, fresh from America, and perfect to fill the recently vacated spot in the Stars line-up, after the exclusion of Ruby. Stella’s got it all figured out, until it all starts going drastically wrong, and soon the Stars find themselves on opposites sides, and the battle for Head Girl is about to go disastrously wrong.
Stella actually really surprised me. The Prologue had me hooked – I liked the refreshing honesty, and from there I was sucked in. I didn’t expect the two narratives, from Caitlin and Stella, but I found it was quite fresh, because Caitlin and Stella were such polar opposites, until Caitlin started morphing into Stella before my eyes. I have to be honest, I never really hated Stella. Sure, she’s hardly an angel, and sure, she might tell some porky pies, but I never got the feeling that she was bad to the bone, and as the novel wore on, I started feeling sympathy for her and actually came around to liking her. Whereas the exact opposite happened with Caitlin. I loved her initially, until she started treating her first proper friends Lucy and Hannah horribly, and began her transformation into Stella. If I’m being brutally honest, I think Caitlin went way too far, and that’s why I probably ended up actually sympathising with Stella, which was a total turn up for the books as far as I was concerned. I didn’t expect it at all.
The ending of Stella was mind-boggling. If I’m honest, it probably could have been dumbed down a little bit just to make more sense, there’s a chapter that just sounded like gobbledy-gook, but that could be because I was trying desperately to find out just what the hell had happened. It was insane. It was like the book was awesome already, and then it all just EXPLODED into craziness I can’t even explain into words. IT WAS JUST CRAZY. Like, boom! My mind exploded. I really would like to shake Helen Eve’s hand on managing to make me gabble like a loon while I tried to decipher everything. It’s an ending to be proud of. I still can’t get my head around it. Mind = boggled. Helen Eve is a stunning writer, she really is. She’s crafted such an amazing tale, with two fantastic lead characters – I may not have liked them at times, but they were amazing and really held their own against each other. I loved the idea of the Stars, and liked getting to know the other girls. The only thing I perhaps didn’t care for was the romance because it was all a bit love-your-neighbour, with everyone going out with everyone else, although I did personally prefer Luke over Edward. I loved this book a lot. So much. It may even require a paperback copy for my keepers shelf. I can’t wait to see what Helen Eve writes next because she’s a genius.
Stella is like no other book you will ever read, at least I don’t think so. It opens in the most astounding way, with one of the most self-assured Prologue’s you will ever read – with the protagonist warning you that you will not like them, and you will most certainly not be getting any kind of tale of redemption out of them. The trouble is, I actually have my doubts now about who wrote the Prologue. I suspect Stella, and I think it is, having gone back and re-read it, but it is not attributed to either Stella or Caitlin, and there is reasonable doubt, but I’m fairly certain. From there, you sort of know you’re not getting the kind of story you might usually get when you pick up a book. This isn’t a book about good people, there isn’t going to be a happy ending, and you’re probably not going to like any of the girls you’re about to meet. MY KIND OF NOVEL.
Novels set in schools are my favourite kind. I never got to finish school, my school up until I was there didn’t really have overly popular kids, not kids like Stella or the Stars anyway, so I’m always fascinated by schools that do. I mean, I was hardly popular at school (I SO WASN’T, I was a swot, and happy to be so, I’ll be honest) and I didn’t have many friends so I do like reading about kids who are popular and who do rule the school, because let’s be honest, if we all had that chance to do that, wouldn’t we jump at it? I know I would. Just to experience it. And anyone who answers that question differently is lying. Everyone at school wants to be popular, wants to be Queen Bee and Stella Hamilton runs Temperley High. She’s following in the footsteps of her sister Siena, and she’s going to be Head Girl, no doubt about. Until Caitlin Clark arrives, fresh from America, and perfect to fill the recently vacated spot in the Stars line-up, after the exclusion of Ruby. Stella’s got it all figured out, until it all starts going drastically wrong, and soon the Stars find themselves on opposites sides, and the battle for Head Girl is about to go disastrously wrong.
Stella actually really surprised me. The Prologue had me hooked – I liked the refreshing honesty, and from there I was sucked in. I didn’t expect the two narratives, from Caitlin and Stella, but I found it was quite fresh, because Caitlin and Stella were such polar opposites, until Caitlin started morphing into Stella before my eyes. I have to be honest, I never really hated Stella. Sure, she’s hardly an angel, and sure, she might tell some porky pies, but I never got the feeling that she was bad to the bone, and as the novel wore on, I started feeling sympathy for her and actually came around to liking her. Whereas the exact opposite happened with Caitlin. I loved her initially, until she started treating her first proper friends Lucy and Hannah horribly, and began her transformation into Stella. If I’m being brutally honest, I think Caitlin went way too far, and that’s why I probably ended up actually sympathising with Stella, which was a total turn up for the books as far as I was concerned. I didn’t expect it at all.
The ending of Stella was mind-boggling. If I’m honest, it probably could have been dumbed down a little bit just to make more sense, there’s a chapter that just sounded like gobbledy-gook, but that could be because I was trying desperately to find out just what the hell had happened. It was insane. It was like the book was awesome already, and then it all just EXPLODED into craziness I can’t even explain into words. IT WAS JUST CRAZY. Like, boom! My mind exploded. I really would like to shake Helen Eve’s hand on managing to make me gabble like a loon while I tried to decipher everything. It’s an ending to be proud of. I still can’t get my head around it. Mind = boggled. Helen Eve is a stunning writer, she really is. She’s crafted such an amazing tale, with two fantastic lead characters – I may not have liked them at times, but they were amazing and really held their own against each other. I loved the idea of the Stars, and liked getting to know the other girls. The only thing I perhaps didn’t care for was the romance because it was all a bit love-your-neighbour, with everyone going out with everyone else, although I did personally prefer Luke over Edward. I loved this book a lot. So much. It may even require a paperback copy for my keepers shelf. I can’t wait to see what Helen Eve writes next because she’s a genius.
February 14, 2014
Stella Hamilton is the star of Temperley High School. Literally. She is the leader of an elite group of Stars who rule the school and set the standard for all other girls and is in the final stage of her campaign of supreme reign: love with her male counterpart and win position of Head Girl.
Caitlin Clarke is the new girl at Temperley and has a lived a quiet life compared to Stella. After her parents separation, she travelled with her father from New York to England to attend school and had to say goodbye to the little brother she adores. Caitlin quickly learns that those in charge at Temperley aren’t necessarily the teachers and the most important rules are the ones no one tells you about.
When Stella takes Caitlin under wing, Caitlin blossoms. She sees what life is like on the beautiful side and she doesn’t ever want to go back. Life in the popular circle isn’t always sunshine and happiness. Some aren’t happy to be under Stella’s rule but going against the system means doing things like Stella would. And if you fall, it’s a long way to the bottom.
I absolutely loved this book. It is one of the rare books that has me switching allegiances gradually throughout. It is fraught with the perils of teenage politics and drips elegance of wealth and luxury. At times the story did go that stretch too far to be believable, but it’s largeness only made it more fascinating.
As the story progressed each girl grips furiously to what she has claimed at the school and neither will admit defeat, and even becomes a little unhinged in their mental state. There has been a lot of comparison with the Cecily von Ziegesar books, Mean Girls and Great Expectations and I can see why, but also, Stella stands up pretty well all on its own.
Read it and be glad you never went to this school.
Caitlin Clarke is the new girl at Temperley and has a lived a quiet life compared to Stella. After her parents separation, she travelled with her father from New York to England to attend school and had to say goodbye to the little brother she adores. Caitlin quickly learns that those in charge at Temperley aren’t necessarily the teachers and the most important rules are the ones no one tells you about.
When Stella takes Caitlin under wing, Caitlin blossoms. She sees what life is like on the beautiful side and she doesn’t ever want to go back. Life in the popular circle isn’t always sunshine and happiness. Some aren’t happy to be under Stella’s rule but going against the system means doing things like Stella would. And if you fall, it’s a long way to the bottom.
I absolutely loved this book. It is one of the rare books that has me switching allegiances gradually throughout. It is fraught with the perils of teenage politics and drips elegance of wealth and luxury. At times the story did go that stretch too far to be believable, but it’s largeness only made it more fascinating.
As the story progressed each girl grips furiously to what she has claimed at the school and neither will admit defeat, and even becomes a little unhinged in their mental state. There has been a lot of comparison with the Cecily von Ziegesar books, Mean Girls and Great Expectations and I can see why, but also, Stella stands up pretty well all on its own.
Read it and be glad you never went to this school.
January 26, 2014
I knew from the very beginning that I was not the target demographic for this, the first novel from Helen Eve. I came across it because Helen is an alumnus of the MA Creative Writing course where I work.
On the face of it, this is a story of girls' adolescence at a public school, but it is more than that. It begins with an epitaph taken from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations that quotes Estella Haversham, and the similarities between that character and this book's lead, Stella Hamilton, are obvious. We are even told, explicitly and directly, in the first page that we are not to like our title character.
For myself the book does lurch between chapters that detail the minutia of girls' lives at a Public boarding school and the politics that ensue when new girl Caitlin arrives from New York, to other chapters of genuine mystery and intrigue that hint of something darker.
References to Great Expectations continue, but I felt that the book owed a lot too, to Dangerous Liaisons and its modern-day Hollywood retelling that is Cruel Intentions. The book was a very powerfully written, accomplished tale that despite not being my usual cup of tea, I did enjoy.
On the face of it, this is a story of girls' adolescence at a public school, but it is more than that. It begins with an epitaph taken from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations that quotes Estella Haversham, and the similarities between that character and this book's lead, Stella Hamilton, are obvious. We are even told, explicitly and directly, in the first page that we are not to like our title character.
For myself the book does lurch between chapters that detail the minutia of girls' lives at a Public boarding school and the politics that ensue when new girl Caitlin arrives from New York, to other chapters of genuine mystery and intrigue that hint of something darker.
References to Great Expectations continue, but I felt that the book owed a lot too, to Dangerous Liaisons and its modern-day Hollywood retelling that is Cruel Intentions. The book was a very powerfully written, accomplished tale that despite not being my usual cup of tea, I did enjoy.
January 23, 2016
Stella has everything, or so everyone thinks. She goes to a prestigious boarding school, is extremely beautiful, and is part of an exclusive clique of girls that call themselves the Stars. Caitlin’s dad decides to send her to boarding school, gets her a personal stylist, and sends her off. Caitlin is from New York and has cute clothes, so Stella deems her a worthy friend. The two become inseparable, but Caitlin starts to morph into a better, smarter, meaner version of Stella. She drops weight, dyes her hair, and takes over the Stars. She steals Stella’s boyfriend just to prove she can. Near the end of the book, Stella dies saving her younger sister from a fire and Caitlin takes over the school.
I liked this book because it was very realistic. It didn’t end happily, but there wasn’t really a happy way to end the story. Stella’s kindness actually ended up hurting her in the end, while Caitlin’s malice got her everything she wanted. However, Stella lived a happier life. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good book who doesn’t mind the main character dyeing.
I liked this book because it was very realistic. It didn’t end happily, but there wasn’t really a happy way to end the story. Stella’s kindness actually ended up hurting her in the end, while Caitlin’s malice got her everything she wanted. However, Stella lived a happier life. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good book who doesn’t mind the main character dyeing.
June 12, 2014
Before I read this book, I thought I was going to love it. After, I have mixed feelings. The beginning was great but then towards the middle of the book I felt that the plot was over. From then on Catelin kept getting worse and worse. I started to hate her because he was turning into Stella. Stella got her closure but not in the was I had wanted. I guess I'm the type that likes happy endings. Instead, the "under dog" (Catelin) ending up with the happy ending, she didn't. She didn't get Luke even though she wanted him for the wrong reasons. I still had hope she could regain her innocence. I also had hope that Stella could regain her innocence that only Luke had known. I was left disappointed but I'm glad I read it. Not everything can have a happy ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2017
This book is a tough one to rate. It wasn't necessarily bad, kept my interest and had lots of potential but it just sort of devolved into a muddled mess.
There seemed to be no believable transition for one of the main character's transformation into a meangirl and for the meangirls to become somewhat empathetic. it was never very clear to me precisely what the issue with Stella was.
I'm guessing the author was trying to show some depth of character, but they never delved deep enough into a backstory for the reader (at least this reader) to get it.
I found I had to reread some areas to even begin to decipher the confused writing and, granted, I've not been in high school for a while, but the way the overall premise was presented seemed a bit far fetched. I do think there was some potential...loved the reference to "Heathers", but if that's what the author was aiming for, they fell disappointingly short.
There seemed to be no believable transition for one of the main character's transformation into a meangirl and for the meangirls to become somewhat empathetic. it was never very clear to me precisely what the issue with Stella was.
I'm guessing the author was trying to show some depth of character, but they never delved deep enough into a backstory for the reader (at least this reader) to get it.
I found I had to reread some areas to even begin to decipher the confused writing and, granted, I've not been in high school for a while, but the way the overall premise was presented seemed a bit far fetched. I do think there was some potential...loved the reference to "Heathers", but if that's what the author was aiming for, they fell disappointingly short.
April 3, 2014
I won this book from Goodreads.
Although it's a fictional story, it's a good look at what goes on in a private school in the UK.
Stella is both beautiful and smart. She's head of the STARS, the most perfectly coiffed, looked up to, admired & envied bunch that ever set designer shoe to school grounds.
Caitlin is a pretty & smart American girl, uprooted by her divorcing father, separated from her younger brother, and plopped down in 6th form (upper high school) with - STELLA.
The whole world revolves around Stella & that idea seems to be a shallow one.
I was surprised how Caitlin decided that being a part of Stella's world became important to her.
I was more surprised when I began to understand Stella.
Is it a good or a bad idea for Caitlin to try to take Stella out of power? Hmmmm..........
This is a book for girls - middle or high school.
Although it's a fictional story, it's a good look at what goes on in a private school in the UK.
Stella is both beautiful and smart. She's head of the STARS, the most perfectly coiffed, looked up to, admired & envied bunch that ever set designer shoe to school grounds.
Caitlin is a pretty & smart American girl, uprooted by her divorcing father, separated from her younger brother, and plopped down in 6th form (upper high school) with - STELLA.
The whole world revolves around Stella & that idea seems to be a shallow one.
I was surprised how Caitlin decided that being a part of Stella's world became important to her.
I was more surprised when I began to understand Stella.
Is it a good or a bad idea for Caitlin to try to take Stella out of power? Hmmmm..........
This is a book for girls - middle or high school.
February 19, 2014
This is a fantastic YA thriller - think Mean Girls meets Pretty Little Liars with a heck of a lot more venom thrown in!
The dual narrative by Stella and Caitlin was brilliant, it allowed insight into each characters thoughts as things got more and more complicated and heated. Each chapter provides more revelations into Stella's past and Caitlin's developing character and your alliances to characters change consistently.
This is a really dark tale of friendship, romance, obsession and power play... I loved it!
The dual narrative by Stella and Caitlin was brilliant, it allowed insight into each characters thoughts as things got more and more complicated and heated. Each chapter provides more revelations into Stella's past and Caitlin's developing character and your alliances to characters change consistently.
This is a really dark tale of friendship, romance, obsession and power play... I loved it!
May 14, 2014
When I first started this book, I thought that Caitlin would be the 'good' one and Stella the 'bad'. Truth is, in the end Stella was the one who sacrificed her life, like her sister Siena, to stop her sister from following the same footsteps as her. Not like that prevented her from following. So anyway, Stella turned out to be the good person and as for Caitlin, well, I don't really know how to describe it so it's best if you read it yourself :)
Happy reading!
Happy reading!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2020
I have just consisted reading the book and my head is whirling like mad.....
G.O.D.
That was unexpected.
The book started off quite well, the theme of an unworldly popular girl and the typical new girl who struggles to fit in. I quite enjoyed the first few chapters. But then I started to lose what I’m reading.
First of all Caitlin’s character has changed so much. At first I felt a bit sorry for her cos of her parents and of her going to a completely new school on the other side of the world. But then gradually everything about her began to change.
She stopped caring and thinking of her family, fallen head over heels to be a member of the Stars, and had this weird obsession with Stella. The change of her character from this innocent sweet girl to this envious mean whore is too overwhelming for me. Although Stella was pretty horrible and not to mention creepy (her strange obsession with Siena), I still like her better than Caitlin.
Another thing is that everything got extremely confusing towards the end, especially in the last couple of chapters. Since I strongly suspect that everybody in this book has at least one mental issue or the other, I had a hard time separating what’s the character’s hallucinations or the reality, especially I’m not even sure which one of the girls who had to look so damn alike to each other: Stella, Caitlin, Syrena or evening Sieana’s ghost.....
Although the characters aren’t that likeable and the storyline can be outright confusing, it was still a book that kept me up at night desperate to find out what happened next.
G.O.D.
That was unexpected.
The book started off quite well, the theme of an unworldly popular girl and the typical new girl who struggles to fit in. I quite enjoyed the first few chapters. But then I started to lose what I’m reading.
First of all Caitlin’s character has changed so much. At first I felt a bit sorry for her cos of her parents and of her going to a completely new school on the other side of the world. But then gradually everything about her began to change.
She stopped caring and thinking of her family, fallen head over heels to be a member of the Stars, and had this weird obsession with Stella. The change of her character from this innocent sweet girl to this envious mean whore is too overwhelming for me. Although Stella was pretty horrible and not to mention creepy (her strange obsession with Siena), I still like her better than Caitlin.
Another thing is that everything got extremely confusing towards the end, especially in the last couple of chapters. Since I strongly suspect that everybody in this book has at least one mental issue or the other, I had a hard time separating what’s the character’s hallucinations or the reality, especially I’m not even sure which one of the girls who had to look so damn alike to each other: Stella, Caitlin, Syrena or evening Sieana’s ghost.....
Although the characters aren’t that likeable and the storyline can be outright confusing, it was still a book that kept me up at night desperate to find out what happened next.
September 19, 2022
“for a moment the winter sunlight surrounds her in a flaming halo. she is golden in the gloom of the hallway, laughing and unspeakably lovely and forever seventeen.”
i aspire to write a ya book set in a british boarding school about mean girls with parallels drawn from a charles dickens novel
i could talk about this book for hours
first read when i was 13 but i decided to reread just to realise this was not appropriate for a 13 year old
and i wasn’t going to write a review cus i wanted to gatekeep but who cares this came out in 2014
i aspire to write a ya book set in a british boarding school about mean girls with parallels drawn from a charles dickens novel
i could talk about this book for hours
first read when i was 13 but i decided to reread just to realise this was not appropriate for a 13 year old
and i wasn’t going to write a review cus i wanted to gatekeep but who cares this came out in 2014
September 26, 2017
it is a really good book I think you should read it if you like romance, umm, drama big time and or, sex
she falls in love
she falls in love
September 28, 2019
It started out as a pretty good book but as it went along I felt like the plot got drawn out and eventually I just got bored with the book. I feel kind of bad that I couldn't finish but I guess some books just aren't for us but that doesn't mean that someone else shouldn't read it.
December 30, 2021
This book had my full attention on the first few chapters. However, there’s was too much going when I got to the last few pages of the ending chapter. It was confusing and storyline was out of place.
May 30, 2023
DNF @ pg 76
I just couldn’t get into this. The set-up took too long and it is still going 1/3 of the way in. I feel that the author over explains everything and it’s very unnecessary.
Just a bore at this point
I just couldn’t get into this. The set-up took too long and it is still going 1/3 of the way in. I feel that the author over explains everything and it’s very unnecessary.
Just a bore at this point
October 11, 2024
It was good until it wasn't. I felt like the plot twist was very sudden without much foreshadowing. I did find it pretty enjoyable but took off one star for the abrupt change of plot in the last 1/3 of the book.
May 4, 2017
2.5 STARS
June 24, 2017
It's British Mean Girls. I thought it was interesting, but the plot lines aren't engaging enough for me to dive into the next book of this series.
September 28, 2021
I dont't really remember the story but i remember really loving this story. Just writing a review so I can find this book again in the future.
September 9, 2024
I actually really liked Stella. It was the perfect combination of romance and juicy friendship. It was a little confusing, but I thought it was nice.
March 8, 2018
The cover should say Mean Girls with a twisted fate! Not Mean Girls just got meaner lol xD♡! This book was very gripping, and sad and beautiful!!! It makes you say out loud: Awww!!! and Omgg no she didn't!!! And No!! They couldn't have!! All while not wanting to stop reading or come to an end of your Temperley High journey♡♡♡!!
August 1, 2014
Stella is a really fun, interesting and fascinating debut novel that I just couldn’t put down. It reminded me very much of an up to date Mean Girls, with a pretty similar storyline – although Stella was much, much better! Stella really reflects the bitchiness, cruelty and shallowness of today’s society of teenagers – well, most of them. I really had no idea what would happen next whilst reading Stella, and even though I kept guessing what was around the next corner, I was never right. There are so many different twists and turns throughout this book, and an ending that will leave you wanting more, even after the last page has been turned.
Stella is our first main protagonist and to be honest, when I first started reading this novel, I wasn’t sure what to think of her. Of course, Stella is the most popular girl in school and very cliché at that – she’s also very self-centred and is usually rude to everyone, including her friends. However, I found myself becoming very absorbed by her character and personality, and thought she was really interesting to read about. Although she was selfish, I thought that she had a different side to her, one that she didn’t want anyone else to see. A side that’s still grieving for her older sister, and worried about how quickly her younger sister is growing up and how she will turn out. A side where she is able to love passionately, even though she’d never show it. I thought Stella was a really well developed character that I just couldn’t help but love.
Caitlin is the second main protagonist and I very much liked her character at the beginning of the novel. She was very smart, kind and seemed like generally a very nice, decent and honest person. However, as the novel progressed, Caitlin begins to change. It’s really subtle at first, but when you look back over the previous pages – it’s weird to see how different she became in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately, I really didn’t like the person she ended up as. She was rude, too full of herself and quite frankly, she annoyed the hell out of me. I hoped that she’d eventually see the type of person she’d become, but unfortunately she didn’t – and she was just as self-obsessed at the end of the book, which I thought was a real shame. I just didn’t feel like I connected with her character, and if it weren’t for the fact that I liked Stella’s character, the book may have received a lower rating.
I didn’t particularly care for either of the love-interests, Luke and Edward, in Stella either. I thought they were both rather boring and very un-developed. They also both seemed to lack personality and acted like jerks a lot of the time. I was hoping there would be more romance throughout the book, but I realised too late that love is definitely not the main focus of Stella. I did also feel like it was slightly misleading with the statement that it had thriller aspects in the book, because in my opinion – there weren’t any at all. Don’t be deterred by this though, there’s plenty enough of a back-story and mean girl drama to keep anyone occupied whilst reading Stella!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Stella – it was fast-paced and intriguing novel that kept me enthralled until the very end. Although it was a little confusing at times, mainly because I didn’t realise that Stella had two sisters, it was great read that I’d recommend to any contemporary lover who loves a bit of mean girl action! I believe it well and truly deserves the 4/5 star rating – and I think Helen Eve has some amazing writing skills. Although they could be fine-tuned in places, Helen really has a quirky, fun and beautiful writing style. I definitely can’t wait to read more from this author in the future as she really is remarkable.
Stella is our first main protagonist and to be honest, when I first started reading this novel, I wasn’t sure what to think of her. Of course, Stella is the most popular girl in school and very cliché at that – she’s also very self-centred and is usually rude to everyone, including her friends. However, I found myself becoming very absorbed by her character and personality, and thought she was really interesting to read about. Although she was selfish, I thought that she had a different side to her, one that she didn’t want anyone else to see. A side that’s still grieving for her older sister, and worried about how quickly her younger sister is growing up and how she will turn out. A side where she is able to love passionately, even though she’d never show it. I thought Stella was a really well developed character that I just couldn’t help but love.
Caitlin is the second main protagonist and I very much liked her character at the beginning of the novel. She was very smart, kind and seemed like generally a very nice, decent and honest person. However, as the novel progressed, Caitlin begins to change. It’s really subtle at first, but when you look back over the previous pages – it’s weird to see how different she became in such a short amount of time. Unfortunately, I really didn’t like the person she ended up as. She was rude, too full of herself and quite frankly, she annoyed the hell out of me. I hoped that she’d eventually see the type of person she’d become, but unfortunately she didn’t – and she was just as self-obsessed at the end of the book, which I thought was a real shame. I just didn’t feel like I connected with her character, and if it weren’t for the fact that I liked Stella’s character, the book may have received a lower rating.
I didn’t particularly care for either of the love-interests, Luke and Edward, in Stella either. I thought they were both rather boring and very un-developed. They also both seemed to lack personality and acted like jerks a lot of the time. I was hoping there would be more romance throughout the book, but I realised too late that love is definitely not the main focus of Stella. I did also feel like it was slightly misleading with the statement that it had thriller aspects in the book, because in my opinion – there weren’t any at all. Don’t be deterred by this though, there’s plenty enough of a back-story and mean girl drama to keep anyone occupied whilst reading Stella!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Stella – it was fast-paced and intriguing novel that kept me enthralled until the very end. Although it was a little confusing at times, mainly because I didn’t realise that Stella had two sisters, it was great read that I’d recommend to any contemporary lover who loves a bit of mean girl action! I believe it well and truly deserves the 4/5 star rating – and I think Helen Eve has some amazing writing skills. Although they could be fine-tuned in places, Helen really has a quirky, fun and beautiful writing style. I definitely can’t wait to read more from this author in the future as she really is remarkable.
July 25, 2015
So first things first, Stella is a lot like Mean Girls. I mean a lot. The first half or so is so similar that I was sure the book was going to end with Caitlin breaking up a tiara into tiny pieces and distributing it to a crowd. (Spoiler: Unfortunately, that doesn't happen.) The problem with Stella is that when it finally veers off of its obviously Mean Girls-inspired track, it becomes really boring.
A little background -
Stella is, as she tells us on page two, incredibly beautiful. But not only that! No, she's also incredibly smart and she has the most incredibly perfect life. You should want to be her. Everybody else does. Stella's main goal is to follow in her dead sister's footsteps and become the new Head Girl of her boarding school in the end-of-year elections. She's going to use her beauty and wealth and power and cruelty... and the influence of her sister to do it.
Caitlin is the new girl, entering Temperley because her parents are getting divorced and her father wants to give her a fresh start in England because she's too introverted at her Manhattan prep school. (Talk about a terrible father.) In reality, he just wants to hook up with lots of ladies in a new country and he doesn't want to have to deal with his soon to be ex-wife or young son. Caitlin shows up at Temperley thinking she's really plain and boring and stuff, but soon learns that she's actually gorgeous and everybody wants to be friends with her.
Stella brings Caitlin into her group - the Stars - and Caitlin is introduced to a world totally unlike anything she's ever known. The Stars are cruel. They get exactly what they want, when they want it. They're the royalty of Temperley and the girls are all dying to be a member of their clique, and all the boys are dying to date them. After hanging out with the Stars for a few weeks, Caitlin goes from a normal teenage girl to a power hungry crazypants. When she finds out that not everybody is happy under Stella's rule, she realizes that she can use her new power and influence to take over the school.
The problems I had with this book, aside from the obvious borrowings from Mean Girls:
1. The writing is incredibly childish. The author is lauded as graduating with honors from a master's program in creative writing, but I feel like I could have written a better book. Stella and Caitlin have the exact same voice, despite the fact that they're from entirely different countries. The writing would have been much more credible if Caitlin had been written in American English. Am I really supposed to believe that Caitlin has started using British spelling and grammar after being there for one school year? I don't think so.
2. None of the characters were particularly distinctive. All of the other Stars just blended together, and the boys were almost indistinguishable.
3. I thought the ending was ridiculous. Was I supposed to feel something? I didn't, other than gratefulness that the book was done.
To avoid spoiling the few unpredictable plot points, I'll refrain from saying anything else. I do want to highlight at least something positive, though, so I will say that it's an incredibly quick read. I read the majority of it over about two hours on a Friday afternoon. It almost reads like a movie, although not a very good one. My guess, given the wildly varying reviews that this book has, is that I am not the target demographic.
Thank you to Goodreads First Reads and the publisher for the ARC.
A little background -
Stella is, as she tells us on page two, incredibly beautiful. But not only that! No, she's also incredibly smart and she has the most incredibly perfect life. You should want to be her. Everybody else does. Stella's main goal is to follow in her dead sister's footsteps and become the new Head Girl of her boarding school in the end-of-year elections. She's going to use her beauty and wealth and power and cruelty... and the influence of her sister to do it.
Caitlin is the new girl, entering Temperley because her parents are getting divorced and her father wants to give her a fresh start in England because she's too introverted at her Manhattan prep school. (Talk about a terrible father.) In reality, he just wants to hook up with lots of ladies in a new country and he doesn't want to have to deal with his soon to be ex-wife or young son. Caitlin shows up at Temperley thinking she's really plain and boring and stuff, but soon learns that she's actually gorgeous and everybody wants to be friends with her.
Stella brings Caitlin into her group - the Stars - and Caitlin is introduced to a world totally unlike anything she's ever known. The Stars are cruel. They get exactly what they want, when they want it. They're the royalty of Temperley and the girls are all dying to be a member of their clique, and all the boys are dying to date them. After hanging out with the Stars for a few weeks, Caitlin goes from a normal teenage girl to a power hungry crazypants. When she finds out that not everybody is happy under Stella's rule, she realizes that she can use her new power and influence to take over the school.
The problems I had with this book, aside from the obvious borrowings from Mean Girls:
1. The writing is incredibly childish. The author is lauded as graduating with honors from a master's program in creative writing, but I feel like I could have written a better book. Stella and Caitlin have the exact same voice, despite the fact that they're from entirely different countries. The writing would have been much more credible if Caitlin had been written in American English. Am I really supposed to believe that Caitlin has started using British spelling and grammar after being there for one school year? I don't think so.
2. None of the characters were particularly distinctive. All of the other Stars just blended together, and the boys were almost indistinguishable.
3. I thought the ending was ridiculous. Was I supposed to feel something? I didn't, other than gratefulness that the book was done.
To avoid spoiling the few unpredictable plot points, I'll refrain from saying anything else. I do want to highlight at least something positive, though, so I will say that it's an incredibly quick read. I read the majority of it over about two hours on a Friday afternoon. It almost reads like a movie, although not a very good one. My guess, given the wildly varying reviews that this book has, is that I am not the target demographic.
Thank you to Goodreads First Reads and the publisher for the ARC.
April 16, 2014
(3.5 stars)
(From www.pingwings.ca)
Received from the publisher, for free, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
From Goodreads:
This was a book that intrigued me because it seemed to have a few key things that always pique my interest: mean girls, boarding school, and a setting in another country (England). I went into this not really knowing what to expect, and I came out of it not entirely sure how I felt about the book as a whole.
The story was alternately narrated by Stella, the leader of the Stars (our mean girl clique), and Caitlin, new to the school after moving from the USA. I wasn’t expecting to get Stella’s point of view, and I really liked that I got to see into her mind and read about why she acted the way she did (or in some cases, to see that she didn’t entirely understand herself why she behaved certain ways).
Reading about Caitlin’s rise through the ranks of the Stars was interesting, because as much as she disliked Stella’s attitude and behaviour, the reader sees how she begins to think and act like Stella. It was actually pretty fascinating to watch it happen and see how Caitlin seemed to slowly become just like Stella. The effects this had on their clique and on the rest of the school was also interesting, because it isn’t just their fellow Stars who were affected by the change in hierarchy – even the faculty and students who claimed not to like Stella and the Stars treated Caitlin differently after a while.
As much as I liked the two perspectives, I had a difficult time actually connecting to the characters. I didn’t feel invested in the outcome, just curious to see what would happen to Caitlin if she tried to either stand up to or take over from Stella.
The end of the book was somewhat ominous, and while I’m not entirely sure about the plausibility of some of it, I’d be very curious to find out what happens next. Overall, although I didn’t connect to this book or characters in a way that really drew me into the story, I thought it was an interesting, at times dark read and would recommend it to fans of contemporary YA.
(From www.pingwings.ca)
Received from the publisher, for free, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
From Goodreads:
Seventeen-year-old Stella Hamilton is the star blazing at the heart of Temperley High. Leader of the maliciously exclusive elite, she is envied and lusted after in equal measure. And in the Hamilton tradition, she is in the final stage of a six-year campaign to achieve her destiny: love with her equally popular male equivalent, and a triumphant election to Head Girl.
Caitlin Clarke has lived a quietly conformist life in New York City – until, with the collapse of her parents’ marriage, she’s sent across the Atlantic for a strict English boarding school education. As soon as she arrives at Temperley, she learns that the only important rules are the unwritten ones. The upper echelons of her new society are marked not by neat dresses and Kate Middleton hair, but by skinny jeans, cigarettes and scars. It’s a world of the beautiful and the dangerous, and acceptance means staying on the right side of the most beautiful and dangerous of them all.
As Caitlin’s popularity grows, she discovers that not everyone is happy under Stella’s rule – that it might finally be time for a new order among the Stars and the civilians. Fighting the system, however, means Caitlin must tread the same dark path as Stella, where absolute power and absolute destruction are only a breath away . . .
This was a book that intrigued me because it seemed to have a few key things that always pique my interest: mean girls, boarding school, and a setting in another country (England). I went into this not really knowing what to expect, and I came out of it not entirely sure how I felt about the book as a whole.
The story was alternately narrated by Stella, the leader of the Stars (our mean girl clique), and Caitlin, new to the school after moving from the USA. I wasn’t expecting to get Stella’s point of view, and I really liked that I got to see into her mind and read about why she acted the way she did (or in some cases, to see that she didn’t entirely understand herself why she behaved certain ways).
Reading about Caitlin’s rise through the ranks of the Stars was interesting, because as much as she disliked Stella’s attitude and behaviour, the reader sees how she begins to think and act like Stella. It was actually pretty fascinating to watch it happen and see how Caitlin seemed to slowly become just like Stella. The effects this had on their clique and on the rest of the school was also interesting, because it isn’t just their fellow Stars who were affected by the change in hierarchy – even the faculty and students who claimed not to like Stella and the Stars treated Caitlin differently after a while.
As much as I liked the two perspectives, I had a difficult time actually connecting to the characters. I didn’t feel invested in the outcome, just curious to see what would happen to Caitlin if she tried to either stand up to or take over from Stella.
The end of the book was somewhat ominous, and while I’m not entirely sure about the plausibility of some of it, I’d be very curious to find out what happens next. Overall, although I didn’t connect to this book or characters in a way that really drew me into the story, I thought it was an interesting, at times dark read and would recommend it to fans of contemporary YA.
March 1, 2015
I received a copy from Netgalley.
I've mentioned in a few of my previous reviews that rich people problems are a favourites guilty pleasure of mine. This book definitely comes under the category of rich people problems, but I did not enjoy this book much at all. Can't fault the writing or the story telling. The writing was actually pretty good, and even fairly moving in certain parts. The story was compelling enough that I need to finish the whole thing to see what happened in the end.
My problem with this book was the chracters. Set at a posh British boarding school the whole thing seems to be about the election to be Head Girl and the clique of pretty perfect popular girls that everyone wants to be part of thst run the school, and the new American girl who comes in half way through the term and throws everything into disarray. I can see the appeal of the clique who call themselves the Stars. Lead by the prettiest, richest girl of all, Stella.
First problem....the prologue. I hated the prologue. Why would you bother writing an intro the book on the most self obsessed, bitcy, most unalikesble character ever with no promise that at least there is some sort of redemption where she gets her commupance? If I had been in a book store and read the prologue before deciding to buy I would have put this book back on the shelf and say no thank you. The characters were all the same, vapid, spoiled idiots with no brains of their own and a cold cruel manipulative leader who manages to make everyone do what she wants while she backstabs and lies regardless of whether or not anyone else actually feels things. And of course there are no consequences to their constant bad behaviour.
They are portrayed as glamourous, good students and just what everyone should inspire to be. And inspire of my utter disdain for these characters, I can actually see the appeal of why so many of the students are desperate to be in this group. Remove the leader, and on their own, the rest of the girls are not that bad. But as they've all been friends their whole lives more or less it's going to be very hard to break the status quo.
There was one character I actually liked, the new girl who comes in, Caitlin. She's from a rich posh Manhattan family who comes into the school, first thought are great, she's going to shake things up compelling and get this Stella bitch knocked off per pedestal. The plot is fairly predictable.
And there are a few moments when you think think that certain characters are finally getting their heads out their asses and realising what idiots their being, but by the time it happens dot was like, so what? It was too little too late. And the one character I liked by the end had had a complete personality change and I ended up hating her.
I didn't see the end coming, but I didn't like the ending at all. It was ridiculously overly dramatic, dumb and enduced some major for fucks sake eye rolling. I will not being continuing with this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for approving my request to view the title, even though this books was not for me.
I've mentioned in a few of my previous reviews that rich people problems are a favourites guilty pleasure of mine. This book definitely comes under the category of rich people problems, but I did not enjoy this book much at all. Can't fault the writing or the story telling. The writing was actually pretty good, and even fairly moving in certain parts. The story was compelling enough that I need to finish the whole thing to see what happened in the end.
My problem with this book was the chracters. Set at a posh British boarding school the whole thing seems to be about the election to be Head Girl and the clique of pretty perfect popular girls that everyone wants to be part of thst run the school, and the new American girl who comes in half way through the term and throws everything into disarray. I can see the appeal of the clique who call themselves the Stars. Lead by the prettiest, richest girl of all, Stella.
First problem....the prologue. I hated the prologue. Why would you bother writing an intro the book on the most self obsessed, bitcy, most unalikesble character ever with no promise that at least there is some sort of redemption where she gets her commupance? If I had been in a book store and read the prologue before deciding to buy I would have put this book back on the shelf and say no thank you. The characters were all the same, vapid, spoiled idiots with no brains of their own and a cold cruel manipulative leader who manages to make everyone do what she wants while she backstabs and lies regardless of whether or not anyone else actually feels things. And of course there are no consequences to their constant bad behaviour.
They are portrayed as glamourous, good students and just what everyone should inspire to be. And inspire of my utter disdain for these characters, I can actually see the appeal of why so many of the students are desperate to be in this group. Remove the leader, and on their own, the rest of the girls are not that bad. But as they've all been friends their whole lives more or less it's going to be very hard to break the status quo.
There was one character I actually liked, the new girl who comes in, Caitlin. She's from a rich posh Manhattan family who comes into the school, first thought are great, she's going to shake things up compelling and get this Stella bitch knocked off per pedestal. The plot is fairly predictable.
And there are a few moments when you think think that certain characters are finally getting their heads out their asses and realising what idiots their being, but by the time it happens dot was like, so what? It was too little too late. And the one character I liked by the end had had a complete personality change and I ended up hating her.
I didn't see the end coming, but I didn't like the ending at all. It was ridiculously overly dramatic, dumb and enduced some major for fucks sake eye rolling. I will not being continuing with this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for approving my request to view the title, even though this books was not for me.
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