Set in a fictionalised Australian suburb, the book examines the pressures of growing up through the brutally comedic lens of school-girl rivalries and insecurities.

Erica Yurken is an arrogant girl who believes herself superior to everyone in Barringa East, a council town that is dilapidated and mostly vandalised.

With dreams of becoming a famous theatrical actress, Erica often creates highly exaggerated stories about herself to impress her classmates and hide the true lack of class in her family, and is a hypochondriac, constantly visiting the School sickbay for made-up ailments.

She outshines her classmates by putting effort in her projects, and just as her ego begins to bloom, a section of one of the upper-class estates surrounding Barringa East is reclassified as part of their suburb, and due to the zoning system a new student, Alison Ashley, is placed in Erica's class.

Alison Ashley is a beautiful, rich, neat and intelligent girl, traits that Erica instantly grows envious of.