Book Review: The Ruling Class

More Mean than the Mean Girls

Cat fights aren’t the only deal when girls are pushed to the brink

Fiction: The Ruling Class
Author: Francine Pascal
Genres: Teen, Drama
Rating: 1.5/5

It’s often easy to be swayed by the outward appearance of something to make a faulty judgment of what’s inside. The Ruling Class is like that, a book that at first seemed to be only describing scenes directly from a Mean Girls situation, but turned out to be much more. This book touches on an important issue that plagues almost every girl at least once in her life - bullying. Even though some cases can be more serious than others, it’s something that happens constantly in all age groups. This book – encompassing the backstabbing, intimidation and plain meanness of such people, delivers a riveting account of one girl who isn’t afraid to stand up to them.

Perhaps being a new girl at a rich high school when you’re poor isn’t what most people would consider their best experience in life. In fact, it’s beyond horrible for Twyla Gay Stark, who is constantly being picked on by a group of girls named the Ruling Class. Made up of the stereotypical cheerleaders, superrich snots and a few all too eager suck-ups to Jeanette Sue, their leader, these girls rule the school by terrorizing those they believe are in their way. Unfortunately, Twyla falls into that group. Having been picked on time after time, especially after Jeanette’s boyfriend Ryder shows interest in her, Twyla takes a stand. There is nothing for her to lose anyway.

One of the most outstanding qualities of this book is the feelings it invokes in the reader. As you watch the main character become a target of the Ruling Class, it is hard to extricate yourself from your personal emotions that compel you to take action along with this brave girl. Exasperated, the only thing to do is to flip another page and continue reading. There is also the feeling of satisfaction when Twyla, at certain times, becomes successful and outsmarts them. The fascinating characters and meaningful plotline are especially attractive to those who love teen drama.

Aside from such good qualities, there are certain aspects of this book that can be frowned upon. The circumstances Twyla is faced with often seem just a bit outrageous, which makes everything less convincing. The climax seems hurried and unexpected, in the sense that you wouldn’t have recognized it except for the number of pages that were still left. The falling action is quite weak, and there could definitely have been more strings to tie up the loose ends. However, these drawbacks do not draw away from the existence of a good story and the impact of an inspirational message.

- Annie