This darkly comic debut novel by an award-winning playwright is like Mean Girls meets Heathers with a splash of Bring it On.
Jenna Watson is a cheerleader. But it’s not some Hollywood crap. Cheerleaders are not every guy’s fantasy; they are not the “popular girls” or the “mean girls” of Marsen High School. They’re too busy for that. They're literally just some human females trying to live their lives and do a perfect toe touch. But that all changed after Raejean stopped talking to Jenna and started hanging out with Meghan Finnegan. Jenna stopped getting invited out with the rest of the squad and she couldn’t tell if it was on purpose or if it was all in her head. At times heartbreaking, at others hilarious, Squad follows Jenna through her attempts to get revenge on Raejean and invent a new post-cheer life for herself through LARPING (live action role-playing) and a relationship with a trans guy that feels like love—but isn't. In the, end Jenna discovers that who she is is not defined by which squad she's in. I was drawn in by "darkly comic," but didn't find either of those in Squad. Luckily, other elements of the book made up for it. The good: MacCarthy nailed the high school hierarchy, and how to work around it and change your place in it. She subverted the usual mindset that is against social mobility, which I approve of. Her messaging in Jenna's characterization around combining interests (cheerleading and LARPing are stereotypically incompatible) and Jenna's path towards viewing herself as a whole was really valuable and I appreciated it. Good messaging! Very true to life around being a teenage girl. MacCarthy also nailed the mindset of a girl who's been frozen out without a reason, the anxiety and questioning. Jenna's reactions were questionable, and I sometimes found her an unrealistic character because of what lengths she went to, but in all I liked this aspect. The bad: Jenna's reactions! Some of her actions were just plain weird, and I was thrown. I think in order for a character to be morally grey, her "negative" actions must still be somewhat realistic, and Jenna's weren't. As an antagonist towards other characters, she crossed boundaries in a strange way that I didn't quite enjoy, and it was uncomfortable. Overall: 3/5 stars. Recommended for those interested in a coming-of-age story and female characters with depth.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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