Friday Spines Book Review Number 14:
The Mysterious Benedict Society, at first glance, seems like a book written for a very specific group
of readers, most likely excluding you. Buy the book for your ten-year-old son,
daughter, niece or nephew—and don’t be surprised if they ask you for the
sequels, as well as a big red bucket—but read it first.
Reynie Muldoon, Kate
Wetherall, Sticky Washington, and Constance Contraire are perhaps the four
unlikeliest children to pass a series of extraordinarily difficult tests, set
by them by the mysterious Mr. Benedict, and qualify for an extraordinarily
difficult and dangerous mission. Then again, as he reminds them, they are
extraordinary children. Sticky, who’s 11, is an oddly bald boy with huge
spectacles who remembers everything he sees. Reynie—also 11—is quite average
looking, but has an uncanny ability to read people, and a knack for doing the
right thing. Kate is 12, and has long blonde hair, more flexibility than anyone
besides her could know what to do with, and a red bucket (in which she stores
rope, an extra-strength magnet, a slingshot and bag of marbles, a spyglass
disguised with a kaleidoscope, and other useful things). Constance is a tiny
blonde girl, who is always crabby and doesn’t seem to be good at anything
besides making up annoying poetry. All four children answer an advertisement in
the newspaper (“ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?”)
and, after being singled out through several tests, are brought together in a
creaky old house and told that they are the last hope of the world.
“The Emergency” that has been
occupying newspaper headlines, adult conversations and government meetings for
several years is apparently all a hoax, according to the eccentric but
compelling Mr. Benedict. A man named Mr. Curtain has orchestrated the troubling
worldwide situation to gain control of the world, and strangely enough, the
people he disdains the most—children—are the only people who can put his plan
into place. And the only people who can stop him.
So the newly formed
Mysterious Benedict Society, after much education, discussion, and rhyming
complaints—on Constance’s part—sets out for the sinister Learning Institute for
the Very Enlightened (LIVE; or EVIL spelled backwards as Reynie points out) a
school on Nomansan Island. Their mission: To infiltrate the eerie Institute,
and find out as much as possible without being noticed. This is easy for
Reynie, who is used to being ordinary; he and adventurous Kate, irritable—and
irritating—Constance and shy but brilliant Sticky learn much more than the
reason behind Mr. Curtain’s menacing behavior and how to get on the bad side of
nasty Executives.
Now go read the book.
...
You didn't. You're still here. As much as I appreciate your utter devotion to my blog, dear reader, this is a book that you really must read, and you won't do it on your own! I was reluctant to pick this book up ("Oh, it's so long; there's too many characters to keep straight; I should have read it years ago, it'll be boring now!") but once I did start reading I didn't put it down until I finished it. Admittedly if that doesn't happen to me it's rather a bad book, but even so.
The writing is compelling in a way that keeps you completely engaged in the story without even realizing that you've set the house on fire (with you in it), sucks you across Stonetown Harbor to the Institute while you're actually stuck on a 10 hour flight to somewhere cold and wet, makes you late for appointments and keeps you up all night. And once you've finished the first book, you'll drop everything to get the second. And third. And wait in line for the fourth (possibly coming out in April 2012). You get my point.
This book has no inappropriate content. I recommend it for ages 10 and up (hint hint) but only because younger children might have a harder time understanding the story. On the other hand, read the book yourself and see if it's appropriate for the 8-year-old you had in mind!
Other things I liked about this book:
...
You didn't. You're still here. As much as I appreciate your utter devotion to my blog, dear reader, this is a book that you really must read, and you won't do it on your own! I was reluctant to pick this book up ("Oh, it's so long; there's too many characters to keep straight; I should have read it years ago, it'll be boring now!") but once I did start reading I didn't put it down until I finished it. Admittedly if that doesn't happen to me it's rather a bad book, but even so.
The writing is compelling in a way that keeps you completely engaged in the story without even realizing that you've set the house on fire (with you in it), sucks you across Stonetown Harbor to the Institute while you're actually stuck on a 10 hour flight to somewhere cold and wet, makes you late for appointments and keeps you up all night. And once you've finished the first book, you'll drop everything to get the second. And third. And wait in line for the fourth (possibly coming out in April 2012). You get my point.
This book has no inappropriate content. I recommend it for ages 10 and up (hint hint) but only because younger children might have a harder time understanding the story. On the other hand, read the book yourself and see if it's appropriate for the 8-year-old you had in mind!
Other things I liked about this book:
- The few stereotypes that are in this book are quickly and thoroughly smashed: The girls are self-sufficient, and the evil people aren't bad all the way through (but there aren't a lot of cheesy changes of heart).
- Unlike many popular books for children, the younger characters in this book take the adults seriously, and respect their advice.
- It's paced fast enough that you're drawn in, but not fast enough that your neck gets tense and you forget to blink.
- The characters don't always make the right decisions, or find the solution to problems immidiately: They're human enough to identify with, but smart enough to look up to.
Other books you might like: To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee; The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick; Rule of the Road, by Joan Bauer.
All links lead to Goodreads except for the one below.
Happy reading!
M. Gabrielle
1 comment:
great review!
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