Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian. (Spoilers)

[symanthagattis13]

The List explores the lives of eight girls when they get flipped upside down by an annual tradition. Every year on the Monday before homecoming a list is plastered all around the school. It declares the names of the four 'prettiest' girls, one from each grade and the four 'ugliest' girls, one from each grade as well. For the girls who aren't picked life goes on as normal, but the eight who are? They're lives are plastered around the school four girls have their popularity skyrocket while the other four may fall from grace or just be teased.

No one knows who writes the list, the only way anyone knows if its the real list or not is based on if the school stamp is on the bottom of the page, the only stamp the school ever owned one that was stolen before anyone could even remember.

This year the author of the list decided to post funny little anecdotes for each girl. This book takes us through the lives of each of the eight girls as they try to cope.

Danielle Demarco, the chosen ugliest freshman, nicknamed by the list as 'Dan the Man' Danielle copes with her boyfriend's reaction to the list and constant teasing from his friends. Danielle makes several mistakes in an attempt to cling to relationship, she's shown to be relationship oriented lashing out at her best friend when she tries to reason with her that the relationship isn't good for her. She even risks a Varsity spot for a boy who allows his friends to humiliate her. In the end she learns to stand up for herself gaining a sense of strength from this crap, keeps her spot and breaks up with Andrew. Good for Danielle! I really didn't like this girl she put this idiot boy above everything and nearly risked her chance of ever making varsity she could stand up to teachers but not other kids?

Abby Warner, the chosen prettiest freshman, her comment on the list was a praise for overcoming genetics. Abby's first concern is excitement of course and then she feels bad however briefly for the chosen ugliest girls, having a second to think of Danielle and then another moment of angst over the fact that it insults her big sister. Abby isn't as smart as her sister Fern so she makes it up with being beautiful. She spends the book coping with a growing anger at her sisters cold and rude attitude. She by far to me was the most believable of the girls. Vain, a little bit selfish, insecure about her intelligence. For her the book mostly focuses on her drive to go to homecoming and worsening relationship with her sister. Luckily the two find a middle ground.

Candace Kincaid, the chosen ugliest Sophomore, her comment was about how beauty isn't only skin deep. Candace's immediate concern is on how she didn't get prettiest. She then starts to sulk and mentally whine about her friends aren't paying attention to her sulking. Really Candace just cares about her popularity she first tries to understand why her friends would flock to Lauren. But as the book progresses she actually grows as a person making a pretty big sacrifice skipping the dance to take care of Lauren. Really I feel like the author should have expanded this book so we could know more about her.

Lauren Finn, the chosen prettiest Sophomore, her comment is everyone's hot for the new girl. Lauren is an innocent, naive and strictly controlled girl who had been homeschooled. She still calls her mom mommy and spends her time blending in. When she's thrust into popularity the first thing she does is revel and then she goes to apologize to Candace for someone calling her ugly. Lauren never gets the whole high school girl thing, she walks a line to keep from freaking out her mom who desperately tries to control every aspect of her daughter. Lauren drastically changes towards the end of her story sneaking out and getting drunk because her mother furious that Lauren has been ranked pretty and gained friends quits her job and decides she's going to sell their house. we don't really get a end for Lauren. All that stuck out to me about her was her psychotic mother.

Sarah Singer, the ugliest Junior, her comment is about how its like she is trying to be as ugly as possible. Sarah is angry at the world, angry at her only friend because his last girlfriend was beautiful and she didn't know. Angry at the school for the list. Just Angry. Her reaction to the list to use absolutely no hygiene for the entire week and go to the dance in the clothes she's worn all week. Really just reading Sarah's sections made me feel disgusting. I would love to know more about her, what had happened freshman year that made her turn on everyone. Sarah sees herself as a warrior, a rebel who will cause a large rebellion until the school sees the truth of themselves. Really all Sarah does is shut the world out until Milo forces her to shower.

Bridget Honeycutt, the prettiest Junior, her comment is about how big a difference a summer can make. What a difference is can, the start of the summer takes us to the start of Bridget's eating disorder. The list encourages this disorder, tells her everything was wrong with her before she started this. For Bridget the list, the claim of being the prettiest junior is a life sentence. Like Abby, Bridget suffers through a lowering relationship with her sister, ironically Abby's best friend. I hated how the book left Bridget, still anorexic and happy with how disgustingly small she was. I actually really hated the way the book portrayed her it was almost like an approval of being anorexic.

Jennifer Briggis, For the fourth year in a row Jennifer is named the ugliest of her class, her comment is congratulating her on her four-peat landing on the list. Jennifer's first year on the list led to her crying so hard she threw up on herself, since then she has handled it with grace. Accepting it like a crown this year. Jennifer's chapters show us something isn't right about this girl. She seems almost obsessed with the prettiest senior and again and again laments that the girl only left their friendship due to the fact that Jennifer was not as pretty. Margo's friends take Jennifer in and put her up for Homecoming Queen.

Margo Gable, Prettiest Senior, shoe-in for homecoming queen with this title. Margo is happy, but worries about being placed on the list opposite of Jennifer as she had been freshman year. Margo seems rather terrified of Jennifer, alienating herself from her friends who suddenly want to welcome Jennifer with open arms. Through Margo we learn that her life is not all right, she feels guilt and fear about Jennifer and pain from the fact that her mother seems to enjoy reminding her about how she abandoned Jennifer and her sister has abandoned her. We learn of her long time crush on her friend Matthew as well and get to see that bud when he informs her that unlike everyone else he doesn't think she wrote the list.

The book ends at Homecoming but the interesting part happens before homecoming dance. We learn how Margo's sister Maureen was the list holder before and there should be no list now. We learn how Maureen went to Jennifer and apologized for putting her on the list and how she promised there would be no more list and threw the stamp away. Which leads Margo and Maureen to realizing Jennifer wrote the list and was happy to let the entire school believe it was Margo. We learn she read Margo's diary and new in advance that Margo was planning to leave the friendship and she would use Margo's insecurities against her thinking it would keep Margo beside her. Striking a deal Jennifer agrees to give Margo the stamp, let her end the tradition forever if she can attend the dance.

At the dance we see Dana and Rachel, Margo's friends start to regret their choices and cause Jennifer to feel alienated again after she's tried desperately to get Margo's attention again and again. While waiting to see who is the Queen we learn her real reasons for choosing every girl. The book ends with the Queen announcement.


Sorry if this was too detailed, it's my first real review. I would love anyones opinions and thoughts on this book.