The New Girl (novel)
 First edition cover of The New Girl | |
| Author | R. L. Stine |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Fear Street |
| Genre | Horror fiction |
| Published | 1989 Simon Pulse |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Followed by | The Surprise Party |
The New Girl is the first novel in R. L. Stine's Fear Street series. It was written in 1989 and was one of the earliest horror novels Stine wrote. The New Girl is one of the twelve Fear Street books that were reprinted in 2005.
Plot summary
Cory falls in love with Anna, the new girl at school. The only problem is that he can't tell if she's real: most of his friends have never seen her on campus, and she's not listed in the school's files. When he calls her family's home they are strange and evasive.
In desperation, Cory goes to Anna's house—located on Fear Street—and there her brother tells Cory that Anna is dead. But a few nights later, Anna calls him and asks him to meet her. Anna's long kisses convince Cory that his love object is alive.
Cory's friend Lisa finds, in her locker, a dead cat and a warning note on its neck. She suspects that this was done by Anna. However, Cory stays loyal and protests. During prom night, Cory goes to the prom with Lisa. She is pushed down a flight of stairs by Anna's brother, Brad. However, Brad escapes after seeing that Lisa is okay.
Coupled with Anna's begging Cory for help, he now understands Brad is behind all the trouble. Cory angrily travels to Anna's house to confront Brad soon after. He gets there and sees Anna and Brad fighting each other. It is revealed that Anna is actually Willa, Anna's sister. Willa killed Anna out of jealousy, following which she assumed Anna's identity. Willa has told Cory that Brad is insane and possibly her sister's murderer, but Cory now realizes it was the other way round. Brad was always trying to just warn him away.
Cory and Brad manage to subdue "Anna" and call the police. The story has a very happy ending with Cory and his best friend.
Reception
The School Library Journal commented "the vocabulary is simple, the premise interesting, and the plot compelling, making this book one for reluctant readers".[1] However, Publishers Weekly described this book as "a tame offering".[1] R. J. Carter from The Trades commented that this book was "a fine example of the crazed killer tales that teens love to spook each other with in the wee hours of the night".[2]
References
- 1 2 "The New Girl (Fear Street, No. 1)". Amazon.com. Retrieved on November 19, 2010.
- ↑ Carter, R.J. (August 16, 2010). "Book Review: Fear Street: The New Girl". The Trades. Retrieved on November 19, 2010.