[.ca] Shattering Glass (ISBN 0689858000)

From Amazon.com:
Fat, clumsy Simon Glass is a textbook geek, and all three of Rob's posse hates him, each for his own reasons. But Rob is driven by the need to prove his power, and so he decrees that they will take on the seemingly impossible task of making Simon popular. They take him shopping for a better look, get his hair styled, teach him how to behave. Rob extracts painful sacrifices and uneasy moral compromises to achieve the goal, but each of his followers has a hidden empty place and a related secret that holds them in bondage to his manipulations. Soon Simon is on his reluctant way to becoming Class Favorite, but then he begins to show a dark, cruel side, and an ability to do what the others can't--defy Rob. The complex interlocking motivations of these five move the story inexorably to a startling bloody catharsis. In an enthralling first novel that evokes William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War, Gail Giles's Shattering Glass employs a brilliantly original structure to layer present and future in an exploration of the consequences of following a charismatic but amoral leader. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell

Total Rip Off:
First of all -- it's a total rip off of varios made for TV movies, Dawson's Creek, etc. The characters are totally unbelievable and the dialogue is full of clunky phrases -- the author obviously did not read this aloud. I can't believe an editor let this go to publishing... I was utterly ripped off. Furthermore, there is plenty of gratuitous profanity which adds nothing but makes the book a poor choice for most teens. Money poorly spent.

Shattering Glass That Can't Be Replaced:
This book is excellent. It gets you hooked and you literally can't stop. From the first page it tells you that they're going to kill Simon Glass, the despised-nerd of their high school. Popular Rob and his three friends decide to turn him from geek to great and get him to be Class Favorite. At the beginning of every chapter it gives you a peak of after the murder while you read the story preceding it. Young Steward throughout the book is creeped out by Simon as he falls in love, loses love, and realizes he may be being strung along by his "best friend". Only he seems to see Simon's devious side. And when they others do, it's far too late. Read it today, it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Really really good:
this book was really really good. like the other guy said, a lot of tension was built up. the best book i have read. you should definetley read it. you should. trust me. its good. really really good.

DHS Student, Grade 9:
Shattering Glass, written by Gail Giles was one of the best mystery books I have read. This book is not only teenage material but also young adult. The setting takes place in a hometown like my own mostly in a High School area. Simon Glass is the main character along with Young. Young is the boy who tries to change Simon from being the geekiest kid in school to the most popular. Young's best friend Rob has been lying to them since he has moved there. As they find everything out, they end up just leaving things as is with Rob. Simon worked hard to change for his buddies and it really payed off at the end of the book. I believe this book is written for young teens just going through highschool or younger years of college. This book really shows the other side of teenagers while around friends and trying to act as if you are someone else. It deals with love, lies and the "leader" of your click. The author made this book interesting to read. She kept everything until the end of the book. This made you read more and more of the book. The author had a good view of the teenagers personality. It was easy to read because most of us teenagers go through peer pressure everyday. She made a great visual perspective. She made it believable by the expressions and the dialog. The voice of the characters was strong and demanding at times but that made you read on. This book will grab your heart and hold onto it if you read it long enough. I am the type of reader who judges the book by its cover. If it looks old, I don't read it. When I began to read this, it really showed me how good of friends they were. How far would your friends go for you? You may never know.

A Shattering Tale of Reality:
Power hungry Alpha-Male Rob Hynes, along with his crew girl-attracting Bobster, intellectual Young (who narrates the story), and sweet athletic Coop take on the seeming impossible job of turning type A-nerd Simon Glass into class Favorite. Along the way to popularity Simon finds his devious new courage to stand on his own two feet. He snoops his way into Rob's overly private backround to find what will be a deadly secret. When Simon takes over Rob's control of votes for class favorite and confronts the group with Rob's past, it results in a "shattering" conclusion. This is a great book with relatable situations. It is so realistic and well written with words that bring the scene to life, that you feel like you are a spectator watching it all happen. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are good insight to what happened in the end of the book and keep you guessing right down to the last page.