So, these books have recently been made into a television show. I know this because I’ve seen the pilot and because it also says so all over the books. I decided to not hold it against them. I was looking for something…well, trashy. Trashy and thoughtless to read while I’m on vacation. Oh, boy did I find what I’m looking for. For the most part, these are stories about thoughtless, terrible people doing hateful things to each other. One of the girls is jonesing for her sister’s boyfriend. One of them has hooked up with her AP English teacher. One of them has remade herself into the high school’s new It girl and little swimmer Emily is just coming to terms with who she is (and is actually pretty sympathetic). They are all involved in a web of secrets and lies and have been since their best friend Alison disappeared 2 years before. The novel progresses, us discovering the secrets that the girls want to keep hidden as they begin to get text messages signed by “A”. They wonder if their friend is back until her body is found. And, now someone is out there, and knows all their secrets and seems determined to make them all pay.
So, this was well written and it was fun. I have some theories about who this mysterious “A” is, and I think the girls are way off. (And, at 15, if they’d just own up they’d get a slap on the wrist and be done with their community service in time for college.) Some of their secrets are the sorts of things that, yes, at 15 you would be freaked out about in a small town but aren’t tragic. And, some of their secrets, well, let’s just say I look forward to some of them getting their comeuppance.
