The Elite #01

Grade 9 Up—When her mother moves to London to do research, Casey finds herself living with her grandmother in a rent-stabilized apartment in a posh building on the Upper East Side of New York City. The Bram is the home to an assortment of the rich and fabulous, including Madison, Phoebe, and Sophie, three of Casey's new classmates at the exclusive Meadowlark Academy. Casey quickly finds that her clothes and her pocketbook are not in the same league with those of the Bram Girls, but they form a wary friendship that will be tested by her budding interest in Madison's on-again, off-again boyfriend Drew. Switching points of view among Casey, the Bram Girls, and Drew, Banash tries to cram too much into the pages, and her characters suffer. Solutions to Casey's boy and money problems magically appear when needed. Sophie's struggle to accept the news that she is adopted takes place largely off-page, and her cutting habit is mentioned only in passing. Phoebe's adulterous mother is forgettable. Madison's sob story of disastrous first sex actually makes her more interesting than most. Furthermore, Banash's research is lacking. Her school scenes are unrealistic (AP Algebra?), her grannies play bridge like it's poker, and her name-dropping of clothing labels with every new outfit (from exclusive designers to Target brands) is quickly annoying. Fans of "Gossip Girl" who can't get enough of rich kids might enjoy this first in a series, but there are better offerings to be had.—Cara von Wrangel Kinsey, New York Public Library.