Common Sense Media Review
By Terreece Clarke
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Mystery overshadowed by mean-girl vibe, shopping.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
Based on 29 kid reviews
Kids say that this book offers a mix of intriguing storylines and relatable teen issues, making it a compelling read for many young audiences, though it does contain mature content including language and themes surrounding drugs and relationships. Reviews highlight the series' positive messages about personal growth and consequences while also noting that it may not be suitable for younger readers without parental guidance.
- entertaining content
- relatable issues
- mature themes
- positive messages
- reader age suitability
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Four ex-BFFs have typical privileged-girl problems and one more serious problem: the murder of the leader of their disbanded clique in the 7th grade is still unsolved. Ali was the meanest of them all and many admit they are happy she's gone. But did they have a hand in her death? It seems someone thinks so -- a mysterious \"A\" is stalking the girls that are left, exposing their deepest secrets to the world.
Is It Any Good?
The book had potential, the cliffhanger ending was great, and the scary omnipotence of the mysterious character called "A" could have been unnerving. Instead, "A" comes off as annoying and the book is so full of name brands that it detracts from the rest of the story. Many teen girls will love the drama and fashion of the book, while parents will probably roll their eyes and worry about the bad behavior and materialism on display.
PERFECT is the third installment in the Pretty Little Liars series. Set against a backdrop of luxury and privilege, this novel has typical mean girls and their problems. Hanna's bulimic, Aria's having an affair with her teacher, Spencer's having flashbacks that make her look nuts, and Emily's having trouble coming to terms with being a lesbian.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about commercialism. Does material wealth make you happy? Why is there so much emphasis on branding in this book? Does it help or hurt the story?
What are the repercussions for behaving the way the characters do? What involvement do the characters' parents have?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTeen
- Publication date : August 21, 2007
- Number of pages : 320
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate