Power

The novel works to present power as a force that breeds corruption. Jill joins the Players when she is a freshman and enjoys the perks that come with being in the secret organization. Although she has to do pops, or hazing activities, that make her feel uncomfortable—like stripping to a bikini in a grocery store, kissing a girl, and being locked in a dark room for four hours—Jill thinks that the humiliation is worth belonging to the Players, who are the coolest and most connected students in the entire Prep school. They throw the biggest parties and have complete access to all the answers to every test, essay, and college admission question in the school. To Jill, who craves belonging, attention, and security—the Players are everything.

Jill goes through her entire high school career as a Player, but during the final months of...