Clique Bait Book Analysis
Clique Bait was originally a Wattpad phenomenon written by Ann Valett titled previously as “High School’s Hit List” but upon the fame, it caught the eye of traditional publishing, “Harper Teen” but also Wattpad itself, where it led to the title we have now. For this review though, despite stumbling on the book through the website first, I’m going to use the one published traditionally for reference.
The story starts every chapter with letter entries supposedly to Monica from best friend and also our protagonist, Chloe Whittaker. In each chapter, it’s divided by stages of Chloe’s ways in taking down every one in her hit list. The list involves five not only popular but ridiculously wealthy, elite teenagers (Lola Davenport, Sophie Rutherford, Francis Rutherford, Madeline Danton, Zachary Plympthon, and William Bishop) all of which might or might not be the cause or involved in Monica’s disappearance. Chloe insists on bringing the case of her best friend justice by messing up those said names above.
In this book, we learn that Chloe is a very determined, well-structured girl who thinks of every single thing to detail. She even maps out a chart of the school system, calling it as Level Five, Level Four, Level Three, Level Two, and the highest and untouched of them all, Level One. With her determination in exposing the truth on her best friend and critical thinking but also high on observation skills, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make each of every one on her list pay. Even the one whom she promises will stay on the safe zone, the one who will become her winning or breaking point - that is, if she plays her cards right and sticks to the plan.
Through this scheme that she put out by herself, she learns that the Level One, in spite of how glamorous and powerful it might seem on the outside, is more complicated than she realizes. The more she sticks around, the more secrets that begin to unravel by themselves - be it with the help of Will or her own snooping self. When she finds out that the most golden couple isn’t what they lead people to believe, toxic for lack of a better word. And then there’s Maddy Danton who seems to be excluded by the other two girls, all because she’s always the one who only appears to get drunk in parties and possibly be a next target. One night, Will does something that drives her mad, so mad that she avoids him while still maintains appearances in the hallways. However, this act of silent treatment leads her to have yet another secret - a way to get the plan back in motion. She questions whether or not to it’s a good idea to use that for another leverage in taking all of them down. After all, the cunning, wicked Sophie Rutherford came in with a threat. Her insecurity and mentally unstable self take over that she’s afraid that they may use it against her now that she’s gone down the same rabbit hole, just like her best friend did, especially with her feelings starting to show.
Like any other teenager, Chloe is anything but easy. Her home life, though her parents were just as ridiculously rich, she knows that her mother is in denial about her father’s “business” trips that aren’t necessarily for business. Because of this, she’s the type to have deep trust issues, hence why she doesn’t like when she doesn’t have the upper hand after Will decides to take lead the first time she confronts him. She doesn’t usually rely on anyone, not since Monica anyway. Speaking of which, Monica’s the exact opposite of her. While she’d rather remain off the radar, Monica would want to be in the spotlight, which was what got her to be in a place where she was now, probably. Monica’s perfect and confident - the pretty one - as opposed to her. Sometimes, she mulls over how her best friend can be that way almost all of the time, and that she wishes that Monica would just want to stay invisible just so she could look after her easily. Even she knew that was too much to ask for considering Monica was anything but.
With the Pretty Little Liars twist meet some Gossip Girl, this book is definitely worth checking out, because not only it has the main character plotting to seek for revenge, but it contains a slow-burn romance that might just be your cup of tea. You’ll also find yourself feeling sorry for the supposedly antagonist, Lola Davenport herself, all because she’s actually far more complex and vulnerable than she’s letting on. In the end, no one can really be trusted. Everybody gets what they deserve, even if it’s not what you expect, but it’s for the greater good. As all layers have been lifted, a shocking revelation might just fall on Chloe’s shoulders, making her choose one or the other. Either choices would either make or break her entire plan, it can even break some hearts in the process - even if it’s hers.
