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Available
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Publication
Simon Pulse (2010), Kindle Edition, 276 pages
Description
In eighth grade, Lauren publicly betrayed her best friend Helen and humiliated her so badly that Helen moved away, but as Lauren starts her senior year of high school, Helen returns with a new appearance and a plot to get revenge.
User reviews
LibraryThing member stephxsu
At the end of eighth grade, Lauren Wood humiliated Helen Worthington so completely that Helen’s social life would have been obliterated had her family not moved away. Helen spends all of high school hating her ex-best friend and tracking her every move. When given the opportunity to move back to
As Helen slowly realizes, however, some parts of revenge are remarkably easy, while others are much more complicated. Helen’s hatred of Lauren has driven her for the past three years; does Helen even know who she herself is anymore? What happens if getting revenge on Lauren Wood doesn’t turn out to be all that Helen has longed for?
GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD is a surprisingly engaging read, the classic tale of revenge translated perfectly into the modern high school setting of popularity and backstabbing. With swift, smart writing and a plot that’s never boring, this book is perfect for anyone who loves the movie Mean Girls and/or was floored by the way that Alexandre Dumas set up the intricate and unbeatable revenge plan in The Count of Monte Cristo.
I love when authors successfully write “mean girls” who are realistically a pain in the butt and/or whose actions are justified. Helen’s perfection (and hilariously accurate analysis) of popularity hits all the right notes, from the stinging one-liners to carefully sown seeds of destruction. We all know the character of Lauren Wood, that nasty bee-yotch who deserves to be brought low by the hands of an avenging destroyer. Helen is scarily perfect for that job, the everygirl who’s resourceful and determined to the death, and yet I loved that she also learns a few things about herself along the way.
If your preconceptions about this book are that it is a fluffy chick lit read or a typical addictive-like-candy mean-girl story, well, I hate to break it to you, but you’re wrong. GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD is a bitingly entertaining novel with bold characters and an even bolder plot. Indeed, if you love smart teen silver-screen classics such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Mean Girls, you will get a kick out of reading this book. Vive le revenge!
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town with a new name and look, Helen realizes this is the perfect time to enact her revenge on Lauren Wood. Helen’s revenge will be so utterly thorough that Lauren will be ruined forever, and Helen relishes the thought.As Helen slowly realizes, however, some parts of revenge are remarkably easy, while others are much more complicated. Helen’s hatred of Lauren has driven her for the past three years; does Helen even know who she herself is anymore? What happens if getting revenge on Lauren Wood doesn’t turn out to be all that Helen has longed for?
GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD is a surprisingly engaging read, the classic tale of revenge translated perfectly into the modern high school setting of popularity and backstabbing. With swift, smart writing and a plot that’s never boring, this book is perfect for anyone who loves the movie Mean Girls and/or was floored by the way that Alexandre Dumas set up the intricate and unbeatable revenge plan in The Count of Monte Cristo.
I love when authors successfully write “mean girls” who are realistically a pain in the butt and/or whose actions are justified. Helen’s perfection (and hilariously accurate analysis) of popularity hits all the right notes, from the stinging one-liners to carefully sown seeds of destruction. We all know the character of Lauren Wood, that nasty bee-yotch who deserves to be brought low by the hands of an avenging destroyer. Helen is scarily perfect for that job, the everygirl who’s resourceful and determined to the death, and yet I loved that she also learns a few things about herself along the way.
If your preconceptions about this book are that it is a fluffy chick lit read or a typical addictive-like-candy mean-girl story, well, I hate to break it to you, but you’re wrong. GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD is a bitingly entertaining novel with bold characters and an even bolder plot. Indeed, if you love smart teen silver-screen classics such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Mean Girls, you will get a kick out of reading this book. Vive le revenge!
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LibraryThing member PureImagination
With high school looming on the horizon, Helen wasn't worried. She has her best friend Lauren and that's all she needs. Lauren had other plans. She wants to be popular so if that means dumping her best friend and spreading terrible lies, so be it. But for Helen it revenge!
I really loved this book!
Lauren was definitely one of those girls. You know, we all had one in high school. The one girl that just makes life a living hell for you. There's a little of Helen in all of us I think. The only difference is Helen goes out and gets her revenge. She doesn't just sit around and think about it. If you are not sure about reading this book, then read it just for the revenge tactics that Helen uses. They are genius! I would have never thought of them in a million years but they would work perfectly on any mean girl.
Overall this was a fun quick read that I recommend to everyone that didn't like high school. I will definitely be reading more by Eileen Cook.
I really loved this book!
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I try not to start off my reviews by saying that but I had to! It was a witty and intelligent tale of what revenge and popularity can do to people. It was also scandalous but still had a great message in the end.Lauren was definitely one of those girls. You know, we all had one in high school. The one girl that just makes life a living hell for you. There's a little of Helen in all of us I think. The only difference is Helen goes out and gets her revenge. She doesn't just sit around and think about it. If you are not sure about reading this book, then read it just for the revenge tactics that Helen uses. They are genius! I would have never thought of them in a million years but they would work perfectly on any mean girl.
Overall this was a fun quick read that I recommend to everyone that didn't like high school. I will definitely be reading more by Eileen Cook.
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LibraryThing member Awesomeness1
I most likely wouldn't have read this book if it wasn't offered to me free. But the title was so blunt and the cover so funny that I couldn't turn it down. I went into this book expecting nothing more than your typical shallow chick-lit.
The title and cover pretty much explains the plot. Helen and
Despite myself, I liked this book. It's not winning any rewards and isn't particularly original, but it was fun. The best part of it was that it wasn't painful to read. Some young adult novels nowadays try too hard to sound like teenagers, but I didn't get that impression from this book. The characters are two-dimensional and stereotypical, but not unpleasant. It was also pretty clean- no swearing or sex. And of course the heroine realizes her mistakes by the end and does the right thing, proving some morals. This book was fun and undemanding, a nice little tribute to The Count of Monte Cristo.
The title and cover pretty much explains the plot. Helen and
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Lauren have been best friends their entire lives. That all changes at the end of eighth grade when Lauren betrays her best friend for the sake of popularity. Helen moves away and returns three years later with a new look, new name, and a new attitude. Watch out Lauren- Helen is looking for revenge. Despite myself, I liked this book. It's not winning any rewards and isn't particularly original, but it was fun. The best part of it was that it wasn't painful to read. Some young adult novels nowadays try too hard to sound like teenagers, but I didn't get that impression from this book. The characters are two-dimensional and stereotypical, but not unpleasant. It was also pretty clean- no swearing or sex. And of course the heroine realizes her mistakes by the end and does the right thing, proving some morals. This book was fun and undemanding, a nice little tribute to The Count of Monte Cristo.
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LibraryThing member Jac8604
Helen is funny as hell! Sometimes she strays a bit too close to being unlikable, but then her wit redeems her (and cracks me up).
LibraryThing member peaceloveandpat
Rate: 3.5
I am all about the mean girl and teenage angst as long as it is made into a comedy and less of a horror story that involves some of the characters dying, ending up in an asylum or worst permanently screwed up. Lauren Wood is your typical high school Queen Bee, she'll use every one
I am all about the mean girl and teenage angst as long as it is made into a comedy and less of a horror story that involves some of the characters dying, ending up in an asylum or worst permanently screwed up. Lauren Wood is your typical high school Queen Bee, she'll use every one
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important to her to get what she wants. Gossip Girl, Mean girls, It Girls, we are all familiar on how they are and what they are capable of. I will try the lip gloss and mascarra thing next time as an evil prank and see if it will work. The only thing that did not work out was the ending. What. was. that. all about? I feel like it was totally rushed and that none of them completely learned their lessons. I wanted to know if Bailey and the other Lauren pose remain friends with her, how Brenda did with the whole drama thing and if Helen figured out what she want with her life now that she stopped obsessing about Lauren and if Queen bitch decided to mellow out... Show Less
LibraryThing member sithereandread
GETTING REVENGE ON LAUREN WOOD, by Eileen Cook, was high school revenge at its worst (and best). With healthy doses of bitchy-ness and secret identites, this book is the ultimate rule-book for female payback.
This book took girl-revenge to a whole other level. Lauren Wood, former best friend of
While reading, I had a flashback of the movie, Mean Girls, and the striking similarities both this book and the movie possessed. In both instances, a girl wanted revenge on a popular girl and chose to *take out* her prized objects. But along with the similarities, there were unique differences that made this book its own. For instance, Helen already knowing the high school popularity rules and playing them like a violin. I enjoyed the ride that Cook took me on in the quest for Helen to exact her revenge, and I liked the lessons that Helen learned in the process. The presence of karma was always in Helen's mind but most of the time she persuaded herself that she was performing a service to those affected by Lauren. Helen really learned through this process who she was and who she wanted to be, but to actually create that life for herself was quite difficult.
Each chapter furthered the suspense in the final act of how Helen was going to take down Lauren. I laughed and cringed while reading, hoping that Helen would make it through unscathed since her budding friendship with Brenda and relationship with Christopher was hanging in the balance. This was a fun and unforgiving book that did not hold back anything in the pursuit of creating "balance" against evil.
This book took girl-revenge to a whole other level. Lauren Wood, former best friend of
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Helen, made a complete mess of Helen's last few weeks of eighth grade, and Helen never forgot it. When Helen moved back to town, her detailed plan to take down all that Lauren cared about was in full swing. Helen, as Claire, targeted all the things that she thought Lauren couldn't live without, and took them out hard. Helen was such a great character. She was a little obsessed with Lauren, but I think middle school and high school years can really make or break someone, and Helen wanted her vengeance. And Lauren was the epitome of high school royalty. She was the most liked and feared girl, and a worthy opponent for Helen.While reading, I had a flashback of the movie, Mean Girls, and the striking similarities both this book and the movie possessed. In both instances, a girl wanted revenge on a popular girl and chose to *take out* her prized objects. But along with the similarities, there were unique differences that made this book its own. For instance, Helen already knowing the high school popularity rules and playing them like a violin. I enjoyed the ride that Cook took me on in the quest for Helen to exact her revenge, and I liked the lessons that Helen learned in the process. The presence of karma was always in Helen's mind but most of the time she persuaded herself that she was performing a service to those affected by Lauren. Helen really learned through this process who she was and who she wanted to be, but to actually create that life for herself was quite difficult.
Each chapter furthered the suspense in the final act of how Helen was going to take down Lauren. I laughed and cringed while reading, hoping that Helen would make it through unscathed since her budding friendship with Brenda and relationship with Christopher was hanging in the balance. This was a fun and unforgiving book that did not hold back anything in the pursuit of creating "balance" against evil.
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LibraryThing member SJKessel
Cook, E. (2010). Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood. New York: Simon Pulse.
261 pages.
Appetizer: Helen and Lauren were best friends. That is until the end of eighth grade, when Lauren betrayed Helen to launch her own plan to become the most popular girl in their grade. Left behind and bullied by the
But not a day goes by that Helen doesn't think about their lost friendship and Lauren's betrayal. So, when Helen learns that she may have to move back to Terrace, Michigan to live with her grandmother for her senior year, she concocts a plan to finally get the revenge she has been craving.
Helen (who'd lost some weight and had suffered through a broken nose, both altering her appearance) returns to Michigan and begins going by the name Claire, working to become popular so she can better destroy Lauren's perfect life.
As I was reading Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, I was strongly reminded of the movie Mean Girls. The premise is very similar, with an outsider coming in, gaining popularity to destroy a mean girl, using people and potentially losing sight of who they are and why they did what they did. Blah. Blah. Blah.
I'd even say the execution of Mean Girls is better, mostly because of my main problem with Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood: Helen/Claire's characterization.
So, even after Helen/Claire leaves the state, she can't let go of what Lauren did to her. She remains an outsider at her new New York school and stalks Lauren through Facebook. Then, when she moves back to Michigan, with only a bit of research and after spending hours thinking about what makes a person popular and making a popularity scale, she is suddenly an expert on popularity, clothes, designers, hairstyles, etc. She returns and is suddenly the queen of manipulation, with only the occasional pang of guilt.
But, no. No, no, no, no. Her parents couldn't be scientists. Because that's part of the premise of Mean Girls (zoologists).
Damn, I'm gonna go watch Mean Girls.
(I watched it a record four times while reading through this book)
I had a lot of trouble with Helen/Claire's sudden and complete understandings of the high school and fashion worlds. I needed a reason to believe that Helen/Claire could somehow gain all this knowledge into how to analyze groups of people and their behavior. I found myself wishing her parents were anthropologists instead of hippies. Then I could suspend my disbelief.
Plus, when Helen/Claire's character evolves, I didn't quite understand what was triggering those changes either.
I also had trouble with this book because of how stalkery Helen/Claire is. It doesn't end with facebook. Once she's back in town, Helen/Claire's antics involve sabotaging Lauren's possessions and breaking into her house.
Stalker! STALKER! STALKER!
I hadn't planned to have to drag out my stalker scale so often. But I'm quickly learning the difficult lesson that stalkers are EVERYWHERE in YA literature.
Because of the stalker elements and my trouble believing Helen/Claire's characterization, I was left feeling that Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood was pretty so-so. Having said that though, I can see how the book provides some happy escapism for teen girls who weren't popular or who were bullied.
Also, Eileen Cook and I have something in common: We both graduated from Michigan State.
Go green! Go white! Or whatever.
I wasn't there because I was a sports fan. (Although taking pictures of the riots after games was a surprising good time. And now I can say, "Yes, yes, I have been tear gassed." Thank you, MSU!)
Dinner Conversation:
"Last night I dreamed I dissected Lauren Wood in Earth Sciences class. She was wearing her blue and white cheerleader outfit, the pleated skirt fanned out and the sweater cut right down the middle. She lay there, unmoving, staring straight up at the ceiling tiles. She was annoyed. I could tell from the way her jaw thrust forward and her lips pressed together in a thin line. I opened up her chest, peeling her ribs back like a half-opened Christmas present, and the entire class leaned in to get a good look.
"As I suspected," I declared, "no heart." (p. 1).
"Before the incident there hadn't been a single moment of my life without Lauren in it. We were born in the same hospital, her the day before me. They placed us side by side in the nursery, our first sleepover. Helen Worthington right next to Lauren Wood. Even alphabetically, Lauren came before me. Lauren was in every one of my birthday photos--from age one, when she has her fist buried in my cake, to fourteen when we are both posing supermodel style for the camera, Lauren's outstretched arm covering part of my face. Looking back, I can see how she always had to be front and center" (p. 2).
"I want to be invited out. We were always second string, but now I have a chance to make the A-list."
"And that matters so much?"
"Of course it matters." Lauren tossed her hands in the air and paced back and forth. "My mom tells me that the friends you have in high school determine who your friends are in college, and then who your friends are for the rest of your life."
"Well, my mom says you can't buy friendship," I countered" (p 20).
"Nothing is forever, you know. Once I'm popular, we can be friends again and then you'll be popular too. It will all be worth it."
"What makes you think I'll want to be your friend?"
"What makes you think you'll have other options?" (p. 20).
"...Maybe the universe wants you to come back here to teach her a lesson. Lord knows the girl could use it. You know I'm crazy about your mom and dad, but I'm thinking karma could use a helping hand."
I didn't say anything. I just thought about what [grandma'd] said. That was the first time it occurred to me that instead of just thinking about revenge, dreaming about it, I could actually make it happen. Lauren would never see it coming. She would never expect it" (p. 35).
Tasty Rating: !!!
261 pages.
Appetizer: Helen and Lauren were best friends. That is until the end of eighth grade, when Lauren betrayed Helen to launch her own plan to become the most popular girl in their grade. Left behind and bullied by the
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entire eighth grade class, Helen is lucky when her family has to move to New York for her ninth grade year.But not a day goes by that Helen doesn't think about their lost friendship and Lauren's betrayal. So, when Helen learns that she may have to move back to Terrace, Michigan to live with her grandmother for her senior year, she concocts a plan to finally get the revenge she has been craving.
Helen (who'd lost some weight and had suffered through a broken nose, both altering her appearance) returns to Michigan and begins going by the name Claire, working to become popular so she can better destroy Lauren's perfect life.
As I was reading Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood, I was strongly reminded of the movie Mean Girls. The premise is very similar, with an outsider coming in, gaining popularity to destroy a mean girl, using people and potentially losing sight of who they are and why they did what they did. Blah. Blah. Blah.
I'd even say the execution of Mean Girls is better, mostly because of my main problem with Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood: Helen/Claire's characterization.
So, even after Helen/Claire leaves the state, she can't let go of what Lauren did to her. She remains an outsider at her new New York school and stalks Lauren through Facebook. Then, when she moves back to Michigan, with only a bit of research and after spending hours thinking about what makes a person popular and making a popularity scale, she is suddenly an expert on popularity, clothes, designers, hairstyles, etc. She returns and is suddenly the queen of manipulation, with only the occasional pang of guilt.
But, no. No, no, no, no. Her parents couldn't be scientists. Because that's part of the premise of Mean Girls (zoologists).
Damn, I'm gonna go watch Mean Girls.
(I watched it a record four times while reading through this book)
I had a lot of trouble with Helen/Claire's sudden and complete understandings of the high school and fashion worlds. I needed a reason to believe that Helen/Claire could somehow gain all this knowledge into how to analyze groups of people and their behavior. I found myself wishing her parents were anthropologists instead of hippies. Then I could suspend my disbelief.
Plus, when Helen/Claire's character evolves, I didn't quite understand what was triggering those changes either.
I also had trouble with this book because of how stalkery Helen/Claire is. It doesn't end with facebook. Once she's back in town, Helen/Claire's antics involve sabotaging Lauren's possessions and breaking into her house.
Stalker! STALKER! STALKER!
I hadn't planned to have to drag out my stalker scale so often. But I'm quickly learning the difficult lesson that stalkers are EVERYWHERE in YA literature.
Because of the stalker elements and my trouble believing Helen/Claire's characterization, I was left feeling that Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood was pretty so-so. Having said that though, I can see how the book provides some happy escapism for teen girls who weren't popular or who were bullied.
Also, Eileen Cook and I have something in common: We both graduated from Michigan State.
Go green! Go white! Or whatever.
I wasn't there because I was a sports fan. (Although taking pictures of the riots after games was a surprising good time. And now I can say, "Yes, yes, I have been tear gassed." Thank you, MSU!)
Dinner Conversation:
"Last night I dreamed I dissected Lauren Wood in Earth Sciences class. She was wearing her blue and white cheerleader outfit, the pleated skirt fanned out and the sweater cut right down the middle. She lay there, unmoving, staring straight up at the ceiling tiles. She was annoyed. I could tell from the way her jaw thrust forward and her lips pressed together in a thin line. I opened up her chest, peeling her ribs back like a half-opened Christmas present, and the entire class leaned in to get a good look.
"As I suspected," I declared, "no heart." (p. 1).
"Before the incident there hadn't been a single moment of my life without Lauren in it. We were born in the same hospital, her the day before me. They placed us side by side in the nursery, our first sleepover. Helen Worthington right next to Lauren Wood. Even alphabetically, Lauren came before me. Lauren was in every one of my birthday photos--from age one, when she has her fist buried in my cake, to fourteen when we are both posing supermodel style for the camera, Lauren's outstretched arm covering part of my face. Looking back, I can see how she always had to be front and center" (p. 2).
"I want to be invited out. We were always second string, but now I have a chance to make the A-list."
"And that matters so much?"
"Of course it matters." Lauren tossed her hands in the air and paced back and forth. "My mom tells me that the friends you have in high school determine who your friends are in college, and then who your friends are for the rest of your life."
"Well, my mom says you can't buy friendship," I countered" (p 20).
"Nothing is forever, you know. Once I'm popular, we can be friends again and then you'll be popular too. It will all be worth it."
"What makes you think I'll want to be your friend?"
"What makes you think you'll have other options?" (p. 20).
"...Maybe the universe wants you to come back here to teach her a lesson. Lord knows the girl could use it. You know I'm crazy about your mom and dad, but I'm thinking karma could use a helping hand."
I didn't say anything. I just thought about what [grandma'd] said. That was the first time it occurred to me that instead of just thinking about revenge, dreaming about it, I could actually make it happen. Lauren would never see it coming. She would never expect it" (p. 35).
Tasty Rating: !!!
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Language
ISBN
1416974334 / 9781416974338
Local notes
Helen Worthington and Lauren Wood, both 14, were born a day apart in the same hospital in Michigan and seated together from kindergarten through eighth grade. It was only natural that they would be the closest of friends—until Lauren decides that she needs a fresh start in high school and frames Helen for naming the students who participated in the senior prank. The last days of eighth grade are hell for Helen, and she's in heaven when her dad gets a new job and they move to New York. However, after three years spent reinventing herself, her father gets a grant to study at a meditation camp and Helen finds herself sent back to Terrace for her senior year. She sets out to take her revenge on her ex-friend, which involves taking away the four most important things to Lauren, including her boyfriend and her popularity.
A bit preachy and predictable.
A bit preachy and predictable.