The Insiders

by J. Minter

Overview

A captivating scandalous look into the privileged and turbulent world of five cool guys living in Manhattan's trendiest neighborhoods. Jonathan is the leader of the pack - but what will happen if the pack falls apart? Arno's way with the girls makes you wonder, "Can boys be sluts?" David is known as the nice guy, but will he stay that way? Mickey is always in trouble - Romeo never fell off a roof impressing Juliet, did he? And Patch is just Missing in Action. They've got rich parents, go to top schools, and are best friends. With so many parties to go to, colleges to impress, girls to win over, and so much money to be spent, who can keep track of it all? And can real friendship shine through in the end? J. Minter's keen eye for urban teens, their dialogue, and the details of New York City's high life make this a guilty pleasure for readers of the Gossip Girl series and other glitterati novels.
Reviews
"Designed to resemble a Gossip Girl entry, this enticingly trashy entrant into the yearly teen beach read sweepstakes attempts to do for lower Manhattan what the Cecily von Ziegesar books have done for the Upper East Side." Publishers Weekly
"Parties, ridiculously expensive men's shoes (for a change), and spontaneous trips to South Beach define this group of boys and the girls who hang with them." School Library Journal
The Insiders made the final YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers listAlso available by this author:
Pass it On ISBN: 1-58234-954-1 Price: $8.95
Take it Off ISBN: 1-58234-994-0 Price: $8.95
About the Author
J. Minter is the writer and former columnist for Seventeen magazine. He lives in New York City.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781582348957
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/03/2004
Series:	Insiders , #1
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.49(w) x 7.43(h) x 0.87(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

J. Minter grew up in New York City and attended Columbia University. He lives in TriBeCa, in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

It's physically impossible not to fall madly, unreasonably in love with each one of the Insiders.” —Cecily von Ziegesar, author of Gossip Girl

From the Publisher

Designed to resemble a Gossip Girl entry, this enticingly trashy entrant into the yearly teen beach read sweepstakes attempts to do for lower Manhattan what the Cecily von Ziegesar books have done for the Upper East Side. Fashion-obsessed private high-schooler Jonathan is less than thrilled when his mother strong-arms him into taking his "country" cousin Kelli (she's visiting from St. Louis) to his friend's party. To Jonathan's surprise and eventual horror, high-energy, Bubblicious-chomping Kelli uses her "Mickey-Mouse-Club-gone-bad" good looks to work her way through his crew of four male buddies and nearly destroys all their relationships in the process. As if that weren't enough, in the single week of her stay, 17-year-old Kelli becomes downtown's newest "It" girl (and makes a triumphal detour to South Beach, too), palling around with models and artists, and even chatting with Calvin Klein. Although the series hangs on the boys-the author is the guys-point-of-view columnist for Seventeen- Kelli's on- and offscreen actions are responsible for nearly all the wit and fun here. A somewhat tacked-on subplot has the boys searching for their coolest friend, who seems to have gone missing. Up-to-the-minute music and fashion references (price tags included) and a thorough knowledge of downtown locales flavor the boys' picaresque meanderings from party to art opening to restaurant to after-hours club and back again, not to mention the obligatory pilgrimage to Barneys. Ages 14-up. (May) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Gr 9 Up-Jonathan and his friends navigate their way through the wealthy, artsy side of Manhattan, and readers get to experience what it's like to be young and foolish and think you're in love. Parties, ridiculously expensive men's shoes (for a change), and spontaneous trips to South Beach define this group of boys and the girls who hang with them. Cecily von Ziegesar's wildly popular "Gossip Girl" series (Little, Brown) has spawned another knockoff, but, unfortunately, this one doesn't have the style and excitement to hold readers. Perhaps it's the teens' lack of cattiness or the fact that readers can't connect with these young men who spend their time wandering from party to party. The rampant drinking and sex may appeal to some teens, but most will be disappointed in the end, and won't care about or really have any interest in these characters and their wasted lifestyle.-Lynn Evarts, Sauk Prairie High School, Prairie du Sac, WI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Fashionista Jonathan, slutty playboy Arno, sensitive basketballer David, impulsive Mickey, and slacker-hippie Patch are the five unlikely filthy-rich best friends who together form the Insiders. Throughout their history, the fab five have adhered to the club's only rule: never cheat with another club member's girl. But when Jonathan's hootchie Midwestern cousin Kelli crashes their New York City party circuit, lust and jealousy threaten the thin bonds that hold the guys together, and Jonathan must devise a plot to rid the Insiders of Kelli before she wreaks havoc on their friendship. Sex, shopping, backstabbing, and laugh-out-loud one-liners run rampant in the group. But Minter's aloof, languid, male viewpoints lack the alluring shamelessness of Gossip Girl's sardonically bitchy, yet multi-dimensional characters, not to mention their naughty eye for comedic overindulgence. And in a genre where luxurious brazenness equals success, this falls just short of Gossip Girl notoriety. But that won't hamper its potential popularity and likelihood of being devoured by that fan base-and romance fans alike. (Fiction. YA)

Kirkus Reviews