The Julian Game by Adele Griffin Review

Monday, August 12, 2013

Title: The Julian Game
Author: Adele Griffin (Twitter)
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Publish Date: August 26, 2010
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Pages: 200
Source: Personal Copy

All new girl Raye Archer wants is a way into the in crowd, so when ice-queen Ella Parker picks her to get back at her ex, the gorgeous Julian Kilgarry, Raye is more than game. Even if it means creating a fake Facebook identity so she can learn enough about Julian to sabotage him. It's a fun and dangerous thrill at first, but Raye hadn't counted on falling for Julian herself-and igniting Ella's rage.

As Raye works to reconcile the temptress Elizabeth with her real-life self, Ella serves up her own revenge, creating an online smear campaign of nasty rumors and trashy photographs. Suddenly notorious, Raye has to find a way out of the web of deceit that she's helped to build, and back to the relationships that matter.
Raye doesn't fit in in her new school. While most students at the all-girls prep school are there because of their parents' wealthy status, Raye is on scholarship. And, what's more, all Raye really wants is to fit in with a few friends. On a whim, she and her friend, Natalya, create an online profile that embodies everything they're not - witty, popular, sexy and wanted. But their harmless prank goes horribly awry when Raye falls into the clutches of mean girl, Ella. But Raye realizes quickly that things on the internet never really disappear, and sometimes the scheming sorts of bullying are worse than outright treachery.

I bought this book a long time ago and, if I'm being entirely honest, I never really put two and two together to figure out that this is by Adele Griffin, also known as one of my favourite authors. The Julian Game is a cloak and dagger maze of lies, ambition, bullying and the thin, deceitful veil of the virtual world. Giving readers a taste of revenge, a hearty dose of resentment and a topping of malice and melee, this book blows the doors wide open on cyber-bullying. Offering a fast pace, steady drama and characters worth fighting for, The Julian Game plays its cards right.

I had some hesitations when it came to reviewing The Julian Game because most of the reviews I've seen for it average around three stars. Nevertheless, I've been challenging myself to read more contemporary novels, so this one definitely fit the bill. Raye was a great character to make this novel revolve around. Though she's a social outcast, she's never really self-deprecating or pathetic. Rather, she's like every other teenage girl - just trying to find the social circle in which to survive high school. The beauty of her character is that she doesn't really feel the need to stretch the bounds though. Yes, she wishes she could fit in, but she's also content with her life as it is. I did feel as though I lost her slightly when Ella's offer to bring her into the fold started to sway her, but it was believable above all else. Many a teen would do the same thing. Ella was the stereotypical mean girl that we've all heard of, but she kicks it up a notch with her scheming, backstabbing and deceit. She was willing to step on and walk all over anyone to remain at the top. While I've never really encountered an Ella in my life, I know many people who have, and her vindictive nature left an acrid taste in my mouth page after page. I do like that, at times, we feel something other than blind hatred for the girl, but I also like the fact that The Julian Game never actually makes an excuse for her actions. The plot, itself, is decidedly malicious, but it reads well for the young adult crowd. It never felt over-the-top or cloying, and the novel definitely made a case harder repercussions for cyberbullying. While spoken words sting and last for a while, eventually the wounds heal. Bullying on the internet lasts forever, and The Julian Game slyly shows us that it will never truly end once it hits the web. 

Overall, The Julian Game was a well-written, quick read about a very relevant topic in our day and age. It's a fast read, and the author's signature prose will capture you from the start, leading you into a thoughtful, articulate and engaging web of lies. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I definitely recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy contemporary fiction.

19 comments:

  1. I should really read this. I won it in a giveaway a long time ago. Who did I win it from? I can't remember. Small Review maybe. Anyway...I'm interested in how you say that she's content with her life. Not something you see too often. And surprisingly, I haven't read many cyberbullying stories.

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    1. Yes, please do read it sometime! It's a really good book with strong characters that fill their roles really well. I was definitely thoroughly impressed :)

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  2. This is one of those books that I walked past in the store a bazillion times because of that cover. And it was wildly discounted! And then I saw a glowing review of it on a blog that I REALLY love and trust, so I went back to the store to pick it up and it was GONE GONE GONE. BOO ME. But you know that I'm a first impressions/cover girl, and this one is just strange to me. Anyway, I've heard good things and perhaps one day I'll get around to it! Love that you loved it, Melissa dear. I've yet to read an Adele Griffin book but hope to rectify that!

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    1. You absolutely MUST read some of Adele's books! I've yet to be disappointed...and this one is a gem! :)

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  3. I really like the cover of this book. I don't how, but I've never heard of this book before today.
    It sounds like it's a really interesting read although I can tell that the mean girl is going to get on my nerves.
    Not only is she mean, but she's also a vindictive backstabber? She sure seems like a piece of work.
    I don't think I've ever read a book on cyberbullying, so I'll be sure to add this to my list.
    Lovely review, Melissa! :)

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    1. I always thought it was some sort of forensic medical mystery based on the cover haha I'm an idiot ;)

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  4. Oh, this one was on my wishlist from a while ago. Not sure why I never picked it up (probably a case of too many books, too little time). I like that Rayne is happy with who she is and, even though she'd like more, it doesn't change the way she views the world.

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    1. Yeah, Raye was definitely a sympathetic protagonist, and I felt that I could easily step in her shoes to understand the book. It's really, really well done!

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  5. I've never encountered an Ella in my life either Melissa, but like you, know many who have. Those types of people never fail to piss me off, but in books I absolutely love them. I love to hate them and wish much violence on them ;-) Not sure what that says about me, but villains never fail to draw me into a story and ensure I'm invested. I'm already invested just after reading about her in your review! Fantastic review my friend:)

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    1. Yeah, I was shooting daggers out of my eyes at the pages every time Ella's name was mentioned haha whoops ;) we're evil, I guess.

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  6. I've never heard of this one before, but it sounds really interesting. I really like how it tackles lots of important issues, so I'll hopefully find time to give this a try. Great review, Melissa!

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    1. Thanks, Keertana! It's a really well-written book, and if you haven't read anything by Adele yet, this is a great place to start, for sure! :)

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  7. The Julian Game sounds like it could be a great teaching tool, too, about the effects of cyber-bullying. I've never heard of Adele Griffin, but I'm definitely going to check her out. Thanks for the suggestion.

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  8. I LOVE this one's cover, though I never really stopped to see what the book is about. But I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I have to check this one out to see for myself! I'm looking to read more contemp too, and this sounds awesome.

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  9. I remember this one, the cover is so memorable. I didn't remember what it was about. Adele Griffin was right on top of things with this one. I think I still have this on my TBR list. I'll have to see if I can find a copy somewhere since it's a quick read. Love the review!

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  10. I think this is the first time I've actually read a review for this book - an interesting and definitely timely concept. I'll have to check this out, especially since I've been meaning to pick up more contemporary novels!

    Great review :)

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  11. Love your review Melissa, but have to admit that as someone who;s been a victim of bullying, I often find myself shying away from books that tackle this topic. I know that it is empowering, but for me, reading about mean and vicious girls like Ella (and from your review, she sounds like a real piece of work), only reminds me of my past. I don't want to forget about my years of being bullied, but I do want to move on - and I guess that is the reason that I prefer not reading books that deal with this topic. I'm glad you found it to be such a gripping read though!

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  12. So glad to see a review of this! I read it a few years ago upon the urging of Small Review and it helped turn me into an Adele Griffin fan. I really like her unique takes on plots as I feel like all of her books just have such distinct settings, plots, and characters.

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  13. In the process of the playing the online Games it is important not to get too caught up in the activity and play for extensive periods of time, since this can be detrimental to the overall well-being.

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