"The Lonely Hearts Club", Elizabeth Eulberg

After her childhood friend and long-time crush Nate cheats on her by sleeping with someone else, Penny vows to never date another boy during her remaining two years at McKinley High. Brought up by Beatle fanatics for parents, she decides to start a club for heart-broken girls fed up with cheating boyfriends, naming it after Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Penny also has other dramas aside from boys. She reconciles with ex-best friend Diane, who dropped their friendship for a boy many years ago. Now that Diane and Ryan, after dating for four years, have just broken up, she comes back to Penny, eager to rebuild their friendship. But Penny’s best friend Tracy, who stepped in after Diane bailed, is reluctant to let her into their group at first, but soon the three become inseparable friends.  

Soon this Lonely Hearts Club grows into a phenomenon at her school. She is leading a feminist movement and her valour is acquiring more respect from the other girls every day. However, it is not smooth sailing. Principal Braddock is concerned that this club has caused gender division among his students. Some like Missy, the snobbish freshman, and Todd, Ryan’s sleazy friend, hate Penny for her club and its principles. But perhaps Penny’s biggest dilemma is her undeniable attraction to Ryan and his open interest in her. After all, going out with Diane’s ex-boyfriend not only threatens her renewed friendship with her but also reeks of hypocrisy considering she leads a group of girls who have temporarily sworn off guys.

Penny is a determined girl who is not afraid to explore her ideas and emotions. Whilst she does make some unwise choices, her best friends are always there to support her. Penny’s loyal girlfriends emphasize the importance of friendship in one’s life. Ryan and Penny’s light banters are adorable and add a touch of romance and glimpse of hope to this light-hearted, yet slightly pessimistic novel about love.

There were a few stereotypes in the novel but many of the characters turned out to by dynamic and complex. Ryan appears to be the biggest cliché at the beginning: a star athlete with excellent grades and gorgeous looks. Diane, his classic girlfriend, was the standard cheerleader/student council president type. But after they separated and chose to be friends instead, both turned out to be completely different, in a positive way. Nate and Todd, on the other hand, are portrayed as total players who use girls and dare to treat Penny badly.

This novel is largely about female empowerment and displaying courage for you own conviction. Eulberg has constructed a humorous YA novel that is highly original in plot and is filled with all the drama and romance that makes a perfect afternoon read.

Rating:

OK GOOD GREAT EXCELLENT

Scarlette xoxo