The Elite

by Jennifer Banash

Book Overview

From the top, you can see everything-except yourself.

When Casey McCloy steps into the elegant Bramford building, she's overwhelmed. Fresh from the Midwest, she's moved to New York's Upper East Side to live with her grandmother and attend the prestigious Meadowlark Academy. Here all that matters is who you know. The girl to know is Madison Macallister: popular, pretty, platinumblond. She's not just Casey's new classmate and neighbor;...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425221571
• ISBN13: 9780425221570
• Release Date: June 2008
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

For Anyone Looking For A Fun, Drama-Filled Read

Casey have just moved from the simple, country town of Normal to the sophsticated city of Manhattan to live with her grandma while attending a prestigious academic prep school. On her first day in the city, before she's even been to her new apartment to see her grandma, Casey has already met the Upper East Side's most powerful and snobby high school girls. And she's been asked to come with them to the Park. But Casey soon realizes that she doesn't quite fit in with that crowd, especially with Madison, the Queen Bee of it. Though her new frenemies, who are definitely more enemy than friend, can be horrible to her, Casey realizes she can't give them up. Without them, she is nobody and being with them does have perks. Who else would take her on countless fashion trips to the mall? Then there's the matter of Drew... Madison's sort-of-ex-boyfriend that continues to flirt with Casey. With all of the books out there about snobby, rich girls in big cities and the poorer, small-town girls who end up in big cities without a clue about fashion, there's obviously some competition. By giving each of the characters a background, a history, and their own problems, Jennifer Banash blows the competition away. That's not to say that The Elite is perfect, for I did find some irritating things in it, but it was definitely a fun read. The entire cast of snobby, rich girls each had their own unique personality and personal problems. They were not just self-center, snobby, fashion addicts, though they were certainly that in addition. The writing style was light and fun and the one thing I loved most was how the chapters were told in alternating points of views. I definitely enjoyed seeing things from Drew's perspective and I think Jennifer did a great job getting inside of a boy's head because I could picture my guy friends thinking and feeling the same exact way. The drama unfolded realistically and for once, I could actually picture and relate to what was happening. Even the love triangle seemed real and you knew it wasn't just thrown in there to add more drama. The one thing I didn't like was the ending. It was just too abrupt. I would've liked a few more paragraphs or something to give more closure to the end of the scene. Luckily, a sequel will be coming out in just a few months so it won't be such a big deal. I recommend this to fans of Frenemies, Gossip Girl, The Clique, or any of those books about snobby, rich girls. Actually, I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, drama-filled read.

AMAZING!

This book was amazing! Both the main and secondary characters we beautifully written and had a lot of depth that you really connect to them. I found myself liking all the characters and wanting to know more about them. The plot was great. I think that this new series is was much better than the Gossip Girl series. The characters weren't shallow and they seemed real.I couldn't put this book down.I can't wait for In Too Deep to come out! Jennifer Banash is an amazing author. -Carol [...]

Way Better Than Gossip Girl

Casey McCloy is the new girl in town, New York City that is. From the first moment she steps into her new home, the Bramford, she realizes how out of place she is. So when she finds out that the girl to know is Madison Macallister, she tries to become friends with her. But being recently transplanted from Normal, Illinois to the Big Apple isn't helping her at all, and neither are her frizzy hair and not-expensive-enough wardrobe. Madison, the it girl who gets anything and everything she wants, in a rare act of kindness, helps Casey out a bit. Madison's two closest friends, Sophie and Phoebe, are slightly more welcoming. But they've all got problems of their own. Sophie has always felt like an outsider ever since she skipped a grade, and because she looks nothing like the rest of her family. Phoebe yearns for her mother to stop being so jealous of Phoebe's beauty. And Madison's got problems too when her ex Drew shows interest in newcomer Casey. At first glance, The Elite seems like another Gossip Girl book, but as the story progressed, it turned into so much more. The Elite is told from alternating points-of-view of the different characters, and that helps provide much insight into their lives. I enjoyed how Jennifer Banash developed all five main characters instead of just focusing on one. What I appreciated the most was how the characters seemed real. Instead of being just stereotyped and/or ruthless, these girls and guy each had a conscience and feelings I could relate to (most of the time). Many times, I felt sympathy for the characters, but at the same time, I didn't because I felt kind of removed from them which is probably because most of us don't experience the lavish life of the wealthy and beautiful as these characters do. The Elite is definitely a step up from the Gossip Girl series. I recommend it is you liked the It Girl series by Cecily con Ziegesar, the A-List series by Zoey Dean, and also the Fast Girls, Hot Boys series by Kylie Adams. Be prepared for a slightly more meaningful story than the ones presented in the series mentioned above though. Jennifer Banash's novel was certainly a worthwhile read, and I look forward to the continuation of The Elite series. [..]

The Elite by Jennifer Banash ~ A must read for all Drama Queens and Divas out there

Casey McCloy had a choice to make, either move in with her dead beat dad while her mom goes to Englad or move to the big city, New York and live with her grandma on the Upper East Side. Of course, she picked the City! Who wouldn't? Especially after living all your life in the middle of Nowhere, oops, I mean Normal, Illinois. Casey, shy, sweaty, nervous and exited all at once finds herself standing on the threshold of the Bram. Ready for a new start, she knows to get in she has to get into her crowd. Who's her you ask? Why only the hottest girl around, Madison Macallister. Flanked by her two besties and followed by drama, will Casey be able to get in with Madison? And who's that adorable guy that's always after Madison? Are they just friends, does Casey have a chance? Find out in The Elite ~ out in stores June 3. I so loved this book! I honestly gobbled it up. What I liked most about the book was how you really got to know Madison. It wasn't just like she was the bitchy girl. You got to understand her a little bit and feel her pain. There's a whole lot of popularity books out there but it always centers around the good girl. Which of course everyone loves the good girl but don't you ever wonder what the bitch has to go through? Don't you sometimes want to understand why she won't give up the guy? I love how Jennifer Banash tells the story. Giving you a view of Madison that you completely understand. The book also had grit which I loved. Alot of the situations were true to what teens in this day are really going through. I totally recomend this book and I expect everyone to run to the stores when this book comes out. I rated this book a 4.5/5. The only thing I lacked was more about Phoebe and Sophie (Madison's besties). I really enjoyed them and hope the sequel will have more on them. Yes, there will be a sequel out in October. Isn't that Fab! I can't wait for it. It's called In Too Deep, I love the title, i'll definitely be at my nearest book store in October for the sequel.

The Compulsive Reader's Reviews

When Illinois girl Casey McCloy's mother gets a temporary job in London, she finds herself standing in front of The Bramford, one of New York City's exclusive apartment buildings, ready to move in with her grandmother. It's here that she meets Madison, Phoebe, and Sophie, who are all filthy rich, and take pity on Casey and befriend her. Well, some of them anyway. Madison hates everything about Casey...from her less expensive wardrobe to the fact that Madison's long time friend and sort-of boyfriend Drew is drawn to Casey, and she's not going to let some small town hick take away what's hers. Things are about to get ugly. Before you start thinking that The Elite is just another novel of its genre, Banash surprises the reader by giving the seemingly perfect rich girls problems and flaws that aren't unfamiliar to Midwestern girls like Casey. It's a hard task to get readers to feel an ounce of empathy for mean girls like Madison, but Banash does it. When Madison is determined to humiliate Casey, rather than beat her at her own game, Casey admirably stands her ground, making her a real role model. But this novel isn't all about nasty remarks and stunning makeovers: it also explores the meaning of family, and the angst that comes with relationships that have run their course. Finally, a novel that isn't all about the materialistic things in life. This absorbing read will fly by quickly.