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librarybookfamily's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Ben is recruited to a CIA middle school. Excited to learn new skills and ave the world he quickly realizes he is in over his head. Bullies with high tech gear, assassins, bombs and more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Gun violence
shirarweiss's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wanted to love this book. It was recommended to me by a third grader and I totally would have picked this up at his age. The way the narrator talked about girls (at age 12) was uncomfy and weird, and that just kept happening, didn’t love that… and also the weird moments of racism/racial stereotyping. There were other parts of it that were just too absurd (like the parents just letting their child go off to a special school with some guy) and annoyed me - maybe more than your typical middle grade novel? That being said, the twists! The reveals! They just kept coming. I saw some of them coming, but some did surprise me. This was a fun middle grade thriller that kept me turning the pages so I finished it in one day.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence