The Mysterious Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart
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Book Reviews of The Mysterious Benedict Society
Book Review: Worth Every Penny
Summary: 5 Stars
Most of us will lead ordinary lives and experience adventure vicariously through the stories of people with names like Harry Potter, Bella Swan, and Lyra Belacqua. With Stewart's wonderful book, you can add the names Reynie Muldoon, George "Sticky" Washington, Kate Weatherall, and Constance Contraire to that list. The story of four orphaned and unusually gifted children out to save the world, "The Mysterious Benedict Society" employs classic themes of young adult literature in ways that are far from exhausted and overdone.
I picked this book up on a whim and enjoyed every moment of it. I am impressed by authors who are capable of creating such imaginative plots and larger-than-life characters, and this novel certainly has both elements. Additionally, it would be an egregious miss on my part were I to neglect mentioning the wonderful illustrations by Carson Ellis throughout the book that really bring the story to life and make it even more charming. Add to that a few brain teasing puzzles and one twisted mystery and you have a successful book worthy of praise from readers of all ages. Some of the best books are the ones that come to you randomly.
Book Review: Difficult to finish
Summary: 2 Stars
I thought this was going to be a clever book, on the order of Harry Potter, but the heavy-handed writing made it more difficult to read. This falls in the category of juvenile fantasy fiction, but in order to be good fantasy, you have to get the reader to believe your fantasy world. In this case, there were too many unbelievable elements. A narcoleptic good man with a narcoleptic evil twin conscripts genius orphans for the purpose of overcoming evil machines that can broadcast brainwashing messages without audible sound. I just couldn't believe it.
Although the book says that the orphan children will solve a puzzle, there was no real puzzle. There was a weakened sense of good vs. evil, because you were never quite sure who the bad guys were. The reader never witnesses the "scary" parts of the story. A mudroom punishment is portrayed by a muddy child returning, saying "Oh, I was so scared." What was so scary? Suspense wasn't suspense, and the epilogue portion kept winding on and on...and on...
In the end, I had to force myself to keep going through the last 100 pages.
Book Review: Charming
Summary: 4 Stars
I must say this is one enchanting little book. I was drawn in right from the beginning by the whimsical aura and all the clever little riddles that define the book's delightful characters. It's rather old-school and classic in its way with a focus on brilliant orphans and spooky mysteries.
Four brilliant children showing different kinds of genius are recruited by the mysterious Mr. Benedict to infiltrate a strange boarding school believed to be the source of a national crisis. In the spirit of all those other super-kid book series out there, our heroes accept, and thus begins an intriguing story.
However, I do have a few complaints. The dangerous plot of the book was to me a little vague. It was sinister, yes, but I'm still not sure exactly what was going on with it. I also felt that while the characters were wonderfully introduced, their intrigue plateaued after that.
But still, there is plenty of heart, plot, and action to make this a worthy recommendation. I eagerly look forward to reading the next books of the series.
Book Review: A Review for Adults Who Like Kids' Lit
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this for my son (who has yet to start it) and was surprised to find it was such a thick, detailed book. (I had been expecting something flimsy along the lines of a Lemony Snicket book.)
Parts of this book hew to Snicket (intrepid orphans in trouble); part to Harriet the Spy (girl who carries a lot of gadgets around); part to Harry Potter (kid who's good at figuring out puzzles) but in general this is a very good book. I have to say that for me, the "girl who is not Harriet" bothered me the most, because she was very intrepid with her gadgetry but otherwise a bit slow. The two boys are the smart ones. As a girl this bothers me (and also because my memories of Harriet are that she had a good brain).
Still, although some of the confusing points are grasped unreasonably quickly by the characters (IMHO) and some of the panic situations are dealt with calmly (almost lethargically) the characterization was good and has me looking forward to more volumes about the Mysterious Benedict Society.
Book Review: modern children's lit classic
Summary: 4 Stars
File this under "I am a grown-up and I liked Harry Potter." Santa brought this for my not-quite 10 year old (who is currently reading another fave in children's literature, The Phantom Tollbooth), but as I like to read what he is reading (usually slightly before he reads it...) I picked it up over the weekend and read it cover to cover. Reminds me somewhat of Harry Potter, Phantom Tollbooth, the early books in Series of Unfortunate Events, and even some Roald Dahl and George Orwell... A modern classic in children's literature; it deserves a place on erudite children's bookshelves. It is somewhat long, and the size of the book may be somewhat intimidating for young readers, but this one was a joy to read. I found the character of Constance unbearable... until the end (no spoiler here), but otherwise identified with the other three young heroes of the book. If you have a child who loves to read, or if you WERE a child who loves to read, pick this one up. I think you'll be glad you did; I was!