She's So Dead to Us: Review

Title: She's So Dead to Us

Author: Kieran Scott

Release Date: May 2010

Published By: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 278

Goodreads Rating: 4.12

Review: Ally used to live the perfect life with the rest of the trust fund babies at Orchard Hill, but that changed when her father bankrupted her friends' parents' money. She and her mother left town and her father ran away, but now, two years later, she has to move back to town - back to her former best friends, the girls who hate her. Except there's Jake Graydon, the new boy who doesn't know about the scandal, who likes her. One problem: the afore-mentioned ex-friends, who will do anything to keep them apart.

SHE'S SO DEAD TO US opens with an original premise of a girl living in the shame of her father's actions and dealing with the open hatred of most of the town. However, although the plot sets this up to be a sensitive contemporary novel, much of the story drags along at a slow pace, and the largest conflicts are left until the very end to be hastily dealt with, if at all. The romance was lukewarm, and the book ends abruptly with an unsatisfying cliffhanger ending unsuited for the genre.

This is not to say the reading experience was wholly negative. Kieran Scott explored a variety of intriguing themes in a relatively in-depth manner, and Ally was a sympathetic and well-rounded character. She fits squarely as a protagonist that readers can root for, from her strength in bearing everything that has fallen upon her to even the honest flaws and insecurities.. Even when other characters sometimes lacked dimensionality, she remained as alive as any other person off a page.

While ultimately disappointing with its off-kilter pace, Kieran Scott demonstrates her great potential through SHE'S SO DEAD TO US. Her ability to come up with a unique premise, likeable and real protagonist, and excellent themes are all clearly demonstrated through this novel. Even though I would not necessarily recommend this particular book, I will be waiting to read other future books by her.