Gang Girl

Gang Girl is the story of Sasha, a teenaged computer hacker from Russia who, along with her mother, has recently moved to Canada after becoming involved in dangerous online activity. Upon arriving at her new school, Sasha becomes aware of the presence of the CREW, a group of girls who pretend to be raising money for charitable organizations and other good causes but in reality are thieves who take advantage of anyone they can. When the CREW learn about Sasha’s skills, they make it impossible for her to fit in at her new school without joining them.

Miller keeps the description in this novel to a minimum, ensuring that the plot moves forward quickly. It seems Sasha has only just arrived and immediately finds herself in trouble. In what feels like no time, she has found a solution, freed herself from under the thumb of the CREW, and gotten her revenge on the leader. It is very much a blink-and-you’ll-miss it plot.

The fast pace of this plot sometimes comes at the expense of character development. For example, the lack of development on the part of the love interest, Jake, made it difficult to really care whether Sasha ended up with him or not. While his interest in her was central to the plot, readers never learned much about him-- there just wasn’t time. The same can be said for some of the other CREW members. In a story where this four-member gang is so central, their development felt overlooked.

Gang Girl could certainly have a place in a classroom library; the language is clear and simple for an emerging or struggling reader while the content is suitable for a more mature audience. It may not, however, be suitable for a stronger reader or those who demand more depth from their chosen reading material.