Cover Image: The Classmate

The Classmate

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This is a spooky adventure for kids who like that monster of the week type of book such as Goosebumps.

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I enjoyed the book and found it quiet exiting to read. But what actually captured my attention was the title and cover. It was actually my favourite part about the book

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This middle-grade novel is an expansion of Will McIntosh's 2018 novelette "What is Eve?" Middle-grade and YA books aren't normally my thing, but I really enjoyed this story when it was first published in Lightspeed, and I generally find McIntosh's writing engaging and funny, and he is skilled in making thoughtful and succinct points about society and culture through a speculative lens.
Much of what was enjoyable in "What is Eve?" remains in this short novel. It is the story of Benjamin, an eigth grader who is unceremoniously pulled from his school and sent to a "special" boarding school for mysterious reasons. When he arrives, he and the other students are given earpieces, through which they are told they must exactly follow the instructions relayed to them. Ben and the others are then taken to their classroom where they learn they have a "special" classmate - a hideous, purple-skinned monster with deadly spikes all over its body called Eve. Ben is supposed to obey the voice in his head and make the creature feel "included", but he soon learns that Eve has developed a finely-honed BS detector and he starts ignoring his handlers in a genuine attempt to befriend Eve. The first half of the novel is propelled by both the absurdity of Ben's circumstances and the hilarious (and somewhat terrifying) interactions between Eve and her fellow student, while the back half of the novel is more of a thriller, as Ben learns the truth about what Eve is and why her successful integration in school is vital to no less than the future of the human race.
I can't ignore that my response to this book is colored by my preference for the story it is based on, which is more tightly paced. Mcintosh expands the narrative with set pieces (such as a cafeteria food fight) that are clearly meant to appeal to its target audience of tweens but seem more like space fillers than integral parts of the plot. Also, in spending more time in Benjamin's head, the character comes off as far wiser and world-wearier than one would expect from a 13-year-old. I still enjoyed it enough to give it a passing grade, though I am certain younger readers (whom I doubt are regular readers of Lightspeed) will find it even more to their liking.

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Je n'ai malheureusement pas eu le temps de lire ce livre mais l'intrigue me plait tout particulièrement.

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I did not know what to expect from the book. I didn’t quite know what was happened at first but once the layers started pulling back I could not stop reading the book. I definitely enjoyed the connection between Benjamin and Eve and how he started to understand her better. I also enjoyed how the story of friendship and honesty plays a major role.

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With only two day's notice, Ben was told he was transferring from school to an elite program that would make a huge difference in his future. At 13, he was skeptical. For good reason. On the first day of class, he was seated next to Eve, and her temper was almost as scary as her expression. There was more about this special classmate the kids hadn't experienced yet, and Ben was specifically told to befriend her. But he has a chronic hyper-anxiety disorder. Was this a big mistake?

As Ben and his friends learn more about the school and the reason for it, they note the odd curriculum and dangers. Plus, they feel some unexpected sympathy for Eve.

This story is a mystery, adventure, middle-grade friendship comedy drama with a touch of one or two other things. They all mesh together with a reluctant hero who might be perfect for this. If he lives long enough.

I recommend this book to any reader who has made mistakes or doubted themselves, or
felt that anxiety was too big to get beyond.

4/5 Stars

Thanks to BooksGoSocial, Future House Publishing, and NetGalley, for the preview of this ebook; the review is voluntary.

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The Classmate is a great middle-grade read about a boy named Ben who gets sent to a secretive school. There he finds the classes odd and one fellow student super scary. Eve, as she is known, does not look to be human but nobody will say precisely what Eve is, and asking is out of the question because she gets violent. As time goes on we find out a lot more about Eve and this strange school. I think this story really hits all the marks of a story that kids will love. It has great characters and a solid mystery. It is very well-written and I really hope that we get a second book to expand the story a bit.

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Always wonderful to include and read a middle grade book as a palate cleanser in between dense books and this is an equally enjoying and a tense free read.

A story of friendship, mystery and intrigue written in fast pace and good quality, and really good fun and short enough to just sit and read in a day. Will keep an eye out for the next one in this series.

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The Classmate is my first read from Will McIntosh and I am really happy with my decision to go blind without read the burb. I started this sci-fi middle grade without expectation and ended with full excitements to all revealed twists and turn.
Our MC Ben is relatable hero who conquered his own anxiety disorder and open mind to accept his "different" classmate, Eve. The fast pace of the plot successfully gripped my attention with suspension. I adore synergy between Ben, Lorena and Persephone to make Eve feel safe and happy. This book is short but filled with meaningful messages about trust, acceptance and friendship. Would love to recommend it to friends!

Thank you Netgalley, the author and Future House Publishing for providing me with this copy. I am grateful but my thoughts are my own.

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I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Middle grade reads are not my usual fare, but I do enjoy them from time to time. I was definitely drawn to the premise of this one... kid plucked from his home to go to some secret boarding school with... a monster? Yes.

This was a quick read, but it took me a while to get into it. I liked the main character and his two new friends, but wanted more personality from them. It was about 1/4 of the way through before it started grabbing my attention.

Understanding I am not the key demographic for this book, a younger reader may not have the same feelings.

I thought this was interesting and imaginative. The story has heart and adventure. It deals with real-world themes in a fantasy-adjacent setting. I definitely think young readers will find this worth reading.

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I am a huge fan of Hugo award winning science fiction Will McIntosh who is equally skilled writing for adults as he is kids and young teens. His 2014 novel Defenders is, hands down, one of my favourite ever SF novels and involves (in a roundabout way) the destruction of Earth after an alien invasion. The level of brutality on show in this mesmerising novel tops most horror novels and I cannot recommend this awesome novel highly enough. Burning Midnight (2016) is my favourite of his kids books and it is incredibly popular in my school library with everybody searching for mysterious orbs which give different (and unpredictable) special powers. If you have a reluctant reader who might like a blend of science fiction, fantasy and action Burning Midnight is an essential top tip. In recent years Will has been concentrating on his kids fiction with Watchdog (2017) The Future Will Be BS-Free (2018) also worth investigating.

The Classmate was a terrific little book and I am not ashamed to say I shed a few tears at the end! Thirteen-year-old Ben is selected to take part in a special school program for gifted children and is sent to boarding school. He quickly realises that this is not a normal school as there is an angry spiky and very dangerous looking creature in the class who the teachers also treat as a pupil. Bizarrely, all pupils are fed instructions through an earbud, much of which involve how to interact with the creature, who is called Evie. Will it be possible to become friends with Evie? Go to the cinema with her any other normal stuff? Ben is an anxious boy and he finds himself becoming friends with Evie, without knowing the much bigger picture, which might involve the end of the world. This was a terrific book about friendship, acceptance, overcoming fears and has some really great sequences along the way. It finishes on a cliff-hanger and I really hope everything goes well for Evie. I totally loved this book. AGE RANGE 9-13.

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My first thought when this book ended was.,.. Oh that was good... and sort of a happy ending. You can read many things into this book, is Eve just a frightened teen ? A monster ? An experiment ? But anyone who has ever felt different or not able to control their emotions , life and environment would easily understand this tale. Ultimately it is a story of friendship but it is beautifully done. Hope there is a follow up book.

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thanks to NetGalley and Future House Publishing for providing me with an early copy of this wonderfully strange little book!

where do i even start with this? this was a super fun combination of Stranger Things and E.T. and it was such a fun ride that i read it in two sittings! this is one of the better middle grade sci-fi novels ive read for sure.

it starts off as a mysterious, unsettling head-first dive into an off-putting and way too secure boarding school and turns into a wonderful story of friendship, body image, and self-worth that kids of any age with really enjoy. i might recommend this to the kids who’ve read all the goosebumps books and want to move on to something more complex and bigger than those.

this was ridiculously fun and made me feel all warm and fuzzy. highly recommend.

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My daughter enjoyed this book. It kept her interest and she said it was easy to read. She liked the characters.

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Far an anxious boy like Benjamin, being shipped off to a top secret boarding school with practically no notice is not the best thing his mother has ever done to him. Luckily, on the bus ride there, Lorena decides they are going to be friends so at least he's not alone.
The school is nothing like he was expecting. It is definitely very suspicious that all these kids have suddenly been sent to this school, even stranger is the curriculum, which really doesn't appear to by the kind of thing the brightest kids of the country would be studying! They soon discover something even stranger about the school...
I really wasn't expecting it, but this book actually made me tear up! I loved the growing friendship between Benjamin and the other kids. While I really wanted to carry on reading and find out what would happen next, I actually loved the ending. The writing was gripping and I hope there will be more from this author.

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I really enjoyed this middle grade read. It had some funny, tense and heartwarming moments that left me invested in what happened to Benjamin, Eve, and their friends. I would definitely recommend The Classmate to young and old readers alike!

4.5 stars

[Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the free eARC]

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The book's blurb is more engaging than the book. Benjamin is an anxiety-riddled twelve-year-old (though later he states he's 13) who is sent to a private boarding school with other well-behaved students. Lorena and Persephone quickly become his friends and then we meet Eve. I would love to say that the characters were individuals and engaging, but they're not--they're stereotypes (even the brief descriptions of side characters are stereotypical). From start to finish, the characters remain stagnant despite the momentary breaks in the monotony of the classroom (and there is a lot of daily activity shown in this book). Overall, the plot is okay but not that unique. There are a lot of unanswered questions and "adults being dumb for the sake of the story" but that plays into the stereotypical character development. The ending is more of a cliffhanger than a wrapped package. The story just felt blah and uninspired.

Thank you NetGalley and Future House Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

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This is a very enjoyable read, A mysterious school, a strange classmate..nobody has a clue what is going on….

Ultimately a story of friendship, this is an excellent story, fast paced, and really good fun and short enough to just sit and read in a day.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

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In "The Classmate", Benjamin finds himself put into a new school for 'gifted' children, promising to put him on the fast track to a good college - something he doesn't think is necessary at 13, but his mother has insisted.

When he gets to the school, however, it looks like a prison on the outside, patrolled by armed soldiers, yet with a built-in cinema, fairground, ice cream shop, and any number of amusements. But something doesn't add up, especially when the whole class are given earbuds they're told never to take off, through which unseen adults tell the kids what to do and say.

Things get a little clearer (and more scary) when they head to class and meet their new classmate, Eve - a huge, humanoid creature who can move incredibly fast, has purple skin, and can grow razor sharp spikes when she's angry, scared or upset.

With his new friends, Lorena and Persephone, Benjamin sets out to find out the truth about his strange new school, as well as who - and what - Eve actually is.

The story's told in first person narration through Benjamin's point of view, and the slow reveal of what's actually going on is handled really well. The pacing is good and keeps you engaged, leaving plot breadcrumbs for the reader to follow to the end.

There are serious stakes in the book that provide an element of peril, but this is handled in an age-appropriate way. There is some destruction of property, a few minor injuries, but overall the book is pretty bloodless and violence free.

The characterisation of both kids and adults in the book is done well, though the children are of course given more page time and attention. Eve is also a really interesting character, and you can't help but sympathise with her the more you find out about her story.

Like a lot of middle-grade fiction, The Classmate does have a didactic element to it, but the lessons for young readers are that adults don't have all the answers, that it's good to stand up for yourself and others when you don't agree with something, and that compassion and understanding, especially for those who are different from us, can literally help us change the fate of the world.

This is a short novel, with a satisfying conclusion, that I think would appeal to readers of any age.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC.

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I don't often read middle grade, so I'm really pleased when I find one that is a home run. This is a strange and wonderful story about an anxious 13-year-old, Benjamin, who has been sent to a mysterious super-secret boarding school where all the children are constantly fed instructions via earbud as they are led to interact with Eve, an angry, large, definitely-not-human classmate. At school, Benjamin makes real friends for the first time, and as they band together to find out what the adults are up to, they also start to forge a tentative bond with Eve. Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial/Future House Publishing for this digital review copy.

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