Get Even

Gr 9 Up—A popular actress, a super brain with sheltered home life, a senator's rebellious daughter, and a top athlete/student leader—Olivia, Margot, Bree, and Kitty are all juniors at a prestigious prep school. They have nothing in common, or so they'd like their classmates to think. The four girls are DGM, (Don't Get Mad) a secret society that enacts revenge for bullied students. They take on everyone, even teachers. The four members' lack of connection helps the group stay anonymous, but when one of their targets is killed, DGM is suddenly in the spotlight, and the girls work to find the real killer before they are exposed. McNeil gives each character a unique voice and point of view and as the narrative switches among them all, the story moves along quickly. The tone is reminiscent of a 1980s teen movie: despite the bullying and murder, the story is rather light and unbelievable. The school administration is dead set on outing the members of DGM, even in the midst of a murder investigation. The principal and one teacher are caricatures of an evil, scheming leader and a bloated, militaristic gym coach. One of the girls has hacking skills that rival the NSA. There are interesting twists, and the mystery is doled out in intriguing tidbits, but once the climax hits there is no payoff, and the complete lack of resolution may make readers feel off balance and unwilling to continue the story in the inevitable sequels.—Geri Diorio, Ridgefield Library, CT