This is a great history of the making of Mean Girls and it’s long-lasting societal impact. The author doesn’t over glorify the movie/musical/movie musical and points out it’s failings, like racism (specifically towards Asians). The section on the fall of Lindsay Lohan felt a bit long, especially given the space given to other stars. The opposite was then true for her recent rise. For someone who’s downfall is catalogued so specifically, her redemption is just a few short lines. Overall, an interesting read if you’ve watched Mean Girls (and maybe also if you haven’t, given it’s massive impact on the zeitgeist.)

“On Wednesdays we wear pink,” “Why are you so obsessed with me?” “Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by Regina George,” “Four for you, Glen Coco, You go, Glen Coco!”

Cady Heron, a sixteen year old girl homeschooled in Africa moves to the Chicago suburbs and comes face to face with the chilling world of modern teenage life in America….the Plastics. The movie was released in 2004 but still resonates with teens today (as seen by the box office success of the new version.) Why the staying power? Well, in 2004 no one was doing smart comedy quite like Tina Fey and here she shows she knows the hearts and minds of teens, the evil Plastics, the misfits Damien and Janis, the mathletes and more. The movie also has some great adult performances including Fey as a teacher who must work at a Friday’s knockoff to pay the bills and Amy Poehler as Regina’s insane mother.

The movie also works because of the “Queen Bees and Wanna Bees” vibe and, in fact, Fey optioned the book for the movie. Note that the movie focuses primarily on girls relationships with each other, not with boys, which distinguishes it from other teen movies.

The movie made a huge star of Lindsay Lohan who, unfortunately, spent most of the Toronto shoot with no adult supervision (even though at 17, she should have had some.)

According to the author what is distinctive about “Mean Girls” is that the viewer learns that social dominance among girls is a “legitimate survival technique….in a patriarchal society,” and that unlike in other movies the main character can choose to totally leave the system. In addition, she does all this while remaining traditionally feminine while still embracing a feminist framework. Wow, who knew it was all so weighty?

I enjoyed this book. I love the movie and found the book to be a fun, deeper exploration into it. Recommended.

The Groolest book about everything Mean Girls! This is a deep dive into everything about the movie-from the beginning of its conception with the Queen Bees and Wannabes book and Tina Fey/SNL-involvement, to casting and location selection, the soundtrack, and even what changes were made to take the film from an R-rating to PG-13. It gives great detail into what was going on in all the actors' lives before, during, and after filming (including a lot of the side characters like Kevin G!), and the impact the film had on all their careers. As you can imagine, Lindsay Lohan and Tina Fey were the main focus of that part. The book even goes further with discussing the creation of the musical, and the new musical film! All in all, if you're as obsessed with Mean Girls (why are you obsessed with me?!) as I am, you will love this! I only gave it 4 stars because it was so detailed that some of the parts were daunting to get through, but it was mostly very interesting. Thanks, NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC!

This book is required reading (as Mean Girls is required viewing!) for every millennial.

I love a behind-the-scenes take, but this book had the BTS facts paired perfectly with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's assessment of why these BTS moments mattered. She's both bright and 'in-touch with the times' in a way that made this book feel like you were gossiping about the movie and cultural implications with your smartest friend over a glass of wine. THAT"S what made this book such an enjoyable read.

What I found the most shocking were the moments that seemed so small at the time but ended up being pivotal to the success of this movie - - including casting decisions, timing outside of production's control, and Tina Fey's commitment to certain moments making it to the big screen. I saw this movie in theaters multiple times opening weekend as a teenager and reading this book as an adult was really a full circle moment.

Adored. Loved. 10/10 Recommend!

This was so fun! I’ve been a die-hard Mean Girls fan since I was 7, and now I feel like I’ve escalated into the upper echelon of the fandom. I can’t wait to watch Mean Girls with my friends and bombard them with everything I learned from So Fetch!

So Fetch is fun, easy, and informative. If you’re looking for lighthearted pop culture nonfiction, this is perfect!

A fun reminder of the popularity of "girl world" and it's Mean Girls. This story takes you behind the scenes of the ins and outs of putting together the little movie that could. So Fetch explains how the movie Mean Girls took shape, from adaptation to casting to the stage.

Overall it dragged on a bit for me. Not a lot of insight and seemed repetitive, but still interesting at times. Nice to learn more about some of the actors involved.

Pub date: 1/16/24
Genre: nonfiction, pop culture
Quick summary: Mean Girls took 2004 by storm, and twenty years later, everyone is still talking about this pop culture phenomenon. Read all about how the movie continues to make fetch happen.

Mean Girls is one of my favorite movies, so of course I had to read this book. There is A LOT of detail that I (as a fairly big fan of the movie) was not familiar with - author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong really did a deep dive into the background and continued influence of the movie. I really enjoyed the casting and filming details. I think other fans of the movie will enjoy this one too!

Thank you to Dey Street Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Why are you so obsessed with me?"
I didn't know what to expect when I requested to review this book. I just knew I loved the movie Mean Girls and apparently I'm not alone. This book is enjoyable giving a backstage look at the creation without being dry.
Once the movie was made and the released you would think the book would be almost over. 50% of the book is the aftermath. While fame of the actors is interesting the political & feminist angle was not. I really wish the book would have ended after the movie was released and letting us know that happened to the cast. I was bored by the Broadway stuff, I've never seen it so I'm in invested in those actors or production.
I think the last chapter needs to be reworked as the author says a Mean Girls 2 isn't going to happen but a new Mean Girls with a lot of the OG cast is coming out the same month as this book. The book feels out dated by saying that and it hasn't been released yet.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong & HarperCollins Publishers for this ARC. These are my honest opinions. This homage to the Burn Book comes out January 15th.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very well-researched and interesting book about the making of the movie Mean Girls and its success. I love this movie and this book was just chock full of nostalgia and fun facts!

Get in, loser. We're going book reviewing.

I was a late-comer to the wonder that is Mean Girls, and I remember watching it almost immediately after binging Parks and Recreation. The rage of Amy Pohler gave me slight emotional whiplash, and I'm not mad about it.

I will read any and every book on pop culture and love every moment of it. I love learning more about the creation of pop culture icons, how they came to be, and why they have such staying power. And this one raises an excellent question: Why ARE you so obsessed with me?

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to hunt down a copy of Mean Girls for another rewatch.

Thanks, NetGalley!

So Fetch follows the making of the movie Mean Girls and the impact that it had on pop culture.

Mean Girls is one of my favorite movies. This is one of those movies that I can watch over and over and it never gets old. Also, how the heck did this movie come out in 2004? That makes me feel so old lol. If you love the movie like I do I highly suggest this one.

For anyone who’s ever worn pink on a Wednesday.

Armstrong’s So Fetch was So Fun. Who wouldn’t want to read a detailed account of the making of one of the best teen movies ever? Mean Girls helped define a generation and is well on its way to becoming timeless. This book was celebratory with a tiny bit of drama and criticism sprinkled in, making it the perfect read for my pop culture loving heart.

It was a great touch to give many props to the actors who only had one or two (iconic) lines--I very much enjoyed the attention put on local Canadian actors who got to shine in the movie and hearing from them in the present day about how Mean Girls has affected their lives.

Dying to know who the fired Aaron is.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley!

3.5-stars

I received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Dey Street Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a fun and interesting book to read as I loved the movie Mean Girls. The book read more as informational than "tell all" which I appreciated!

It was a well-researched and noted book! A fun read for fans of the Mean Girls movie!!

RECOMMEND

I loved this movie so I was excited to read this book. I didn't even know the movie was based on a book until starting this book. This book was packed with information from Tina Fey writing the script for the movie. How they came up with the cast and what went on behind the scenes on the set. It was interesting to read that Lindsay was first cast as Regina and then switched to play the role she played. Just so eye opening to see all that went on behind the scenes. It just makes you appreciate the movie that much more.

This movie made such an impact and I still find myself quoting it now 20 years later.