The Lifeboat Clique by Kathy Parks

Publication: March 1st, 2016 

by: Katherine Tegen Books

Genres: Young- Adult, Contemporary

Format: ARC

Source: Trade

My Rating: 4 Stars 

Some people might say that Denver had a death wish. Why else would she have dared to sneak into a Malibu beach party where she’d be surrounded by enemies, namely including her ex-BFF Abigail?

Oh yeah. Croix. Denver never thought in a million years he’d ask her out, but who was she to question this miracle of fate? Well, that wasn’t the only surprise fate had in store.

During the party a tsunami hit the coast of California, wiping out everything in its path. Denver and a handful of others escaped death by holding onto the roof of the house and were swept out to sea. Of course, one of her fellow castaways was none other than Abigail, who could barely stand the sight of her.

Now that she’s floating in the ocean, stuck on a small boat with the most popular kids in school and waiting to be rescued, Denver wonders what might kill her first-dehydration, sunstroke, or the girl she used to think of as a sister?

A hilariously dark and twisted story that sparkles with a remarkably fresh voice, The Lifeboat Clique is Kathy Park’s irreverent yet insightful novel about how to survive in the most unthinkable circumstances.

My Thoughts

The Lifeboat Clique is funny, and is definitely one that I didn’t think I’d like this much. Just the idea of “Mean Girls” on a boat, trying to survive, just sounds a little crazy to me. And, while this is a survival story of sorts, the whole book isn’t about that aspect. I love the parts pertaining to the two main characters, Denver and Abigail. Their past history gives you more about their characters, than the present narrative. 

Denver is the outcast. Never in a million years did she think that she’d go to a party and get swept out to sea with the most popular kids in school. (Just so you know, this whole story is laugh-out-loud funny) Denver is quite the character, despite her pariah status. She’s really smart, and she insults you with big words. I really like her as a character, and once I got to know more about her history with Abigail, I liked her even more. There are flashbacks to when Denver and Abigail were friends, and that ultimately led to how they fell apart. 

For the most part, the author did a great job of building Denver’s and Abigail’s characters. However, the other kids were just there. I feel like they could have been cut from the story altogether. They added nothing for me, and when Denver stated her opinions on what to do, she could have easily argued those points with Abigail. So, again, they weren’t needed. Or, if the situation were different, those characters could have really made an impact. So, with the need for tragedy, someone else had to come along for the ride.

Overall, this story is meant to be funny. I think the humor worked for the serious situation. Denver isn’t a perfect character, and that’s what I liked most about this book. She’s an outcast, but she can very much hold her own and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. This story is meant to be mocking, so if you can go into it knowing that, you will have a great time reading it. I spent most of the time laughing, even though some of the situations were anything but funny. Still, I couldn’t resist. Definitely recommended!