What Is The Clique Novel About?

Imagine 'Mean Girls' if Regina George had a trust fund and a clique that policed fashion crimes like wearing off-brand jeans. That’s 'The Clique.' It’s less about plot and more about the spectacle—designer swag, brutal one-liners ('OMG, she’s so last season'), and the occasional moment where someone almost develops a conscience before doubling down on pettiness. Pure escapism with a side of nostalgia for anyone who survived middle school social wars.

The Clique series by Lisi Harrison is like stepping into a whirlwind of middle school drama, but with way more designer labels and backstacking. It follows a group of elite seventh-grade girls called the Pretty Committee, led by the terrifyingly fabulous Massie Block, who rule their exclusive private school with iron fists (and Louboutin heels). The first book introduces Claire Lyons, a new girl from Florida who crashes into their world and shakes up the social hierarchy. Massie sees her as a threat, and the power plays begin—think 'Gossip Girl' but with younger, pettier villains who still have bedtime.

What makes it addictive isn't just the glitz; it’s the absurdity of how seriously these kids take their social standings. The books are packed with cringe-worthy moments, like when Massie invades Claire’s MySpace (yes, it’s that era) or the time they auction off friendship bracelets. Underneath all the materialism, though, there’s a weirdly relatable core about fitting in and the lengths kids go to feel accepted. I binge-read these as a teen, equal parts horrified and obsessed.

I picked up 'The Clique' expecting shallow fluff, but it’s surprisingly sharp about how kids mirror adult social hierarchies. Massie’s leadership is basically corporate management for tweens: she delegates tasks (like her minion Alicia handling gossip), punishes disloyalty (poor Dylan constantly getting demoted), and even has a 'beta testing' phase for new members. The books don’t shy away from showing how exhausting it is to maintain status—Massie’s obsession with perfection is almost tragic. Meanwhile, Claire’s outsider perspective highlights how ridiculous it all is. The series lost me later with repetitive plots, but those early books? A hilarious time capsule of 2000s excess.

If you ever wanted a manual on how not to behave in middle school, 'The Clique' would be it—but that’s why it’s so Entertaining. Massie and her squad are the kind of girls who’d rather die than be seen in last season’s Uggs, and their world revolves around alpha-status drama. Claire’s arrival throws everything off balance, especially because she’s not rich or 'in' enough for their standards. The series leans hard into satire, with over-the-top antics like sabotaging each other’s crush bids or stealing limelight at bat mitzvahs. It’s shallow in the best way—like junk food for your brain.