Tolog Review: The Ashleys

The Ashleys
by Melissa de la Cruz
reviewed by Alyssa Noriega, class of 2015

The Ashleys details the problem of cliques in an all girl’s school, and is very much based off of real world issues that girls in every type of school or grade can face from other girls around them. The main character, Lauren, is the stereotypical girl with low self-esteem who was an outcast until she spent a lot of money to change her physical appearance in order to fit in with the popular group of girls known as “The Ashleys.” However, Lauren has a dark side because her intentions were not just to be able to become friends with these girls, but to be able to infiltrate and destroy their clique. Lauren represents the bullied girl who was marginalized to the point that she developed a hatred toward the Ashleys, which fueled her desire to take them down. The marginalization she experiences from these girls goes back to Kindergarten when they forced her to eat mud. Lauren is successful by transforming herself to be more like them and in the process learns that not all of the Ashleys are happy so she uses them against each other to get what she wants. Her attempts to get back at the girls are representative of the fact that she felt so bad about herself because of them that she took it out on them. This shows how she may have transformed superficially, but she is no better on the inside than the other girls are. The book shows how vicious girls can be toward one another and how desperate the need to be accepted can become that some girls will go to any length to try to achieve. The Ashleys makes one think about how actions can have major negative effects on others’ lives years down the line, and that it can lead to unexpected consequences like a hatred that cannot be stopped. The moral of the story is to treat others the way one expects to be treated and that sometimes revenge is not so sweet. The Ashleys would mainly appeal to teenage girls since the main character is a teenage girl who is dealing with the social problems that any teenage girl could encounter. The book is a good reference to any girl who struggles with self-esteem issues because it allows them to identify with the main character. If you liked the movie "Mean Girls," then you'll love this book!