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The Mysterious Benedict Society
Has anyone read...
Has anyone read this book? I read it and I thought it was absolutely fantastic. Trenton Lee Stewart really captured the suspense while describing the adventures these kids had to go through. No one I know has read it though. If you did, what did you think and if you read the sequel, how is it? I didnt read it yet, so please no spoilers!
submitted by Eliza G, age 12, New Jersey
(March 21, 2009 - 7:27 pm)
(March 21, 2009 - 7:27 pm)
Oooh, I love The Mysterious Benedict Society. It WAS suspenseful and adventurous without being like, BANG *fights bad guy* BANG *kills bad guy* BANG BANG BANG... I read the sequel... it's ok. I like the first one better.
(March 22, 2009 - 7:00 am)
The sequal is GREAT.
(April 7, 2009 - 9:11 am)
There's a sequel? Hurray!!!!! What's it called? I'll have to look for it!
(April 7, 2009 - 10:50 am)
I think it's 'The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey' or something like that.
(April 7, 2009 - 5:21 pm)
I have!! It was pretty good, but I haven't read the second one yet so don't spoil it, please!
(April 7, 2009 - 12:12 pm)
Another New Jerseyian/er (?)... yay... hi, Eliza... you should introduce yourself to Reuben. :)
Yeah, I read MBS and the sequel... they were sort of unrealistic. I couldn't really relate to anybody. So Reynie (did I get the name right?) is a genius, and okay, I'm pretty smart, but NO kid is that perfect. Kate? WAAAY too casual/nonchalant too be realistic, WAAAY too always ultra-prepared, blah-blah-blah. Sticky was also a genius (two genii? PUH-LEESE), with an encyclopedia in his brain. How unrealistic is that? And Constance? (By the way: "CONTRAIRE" for a last name? If you're going to do names like that, make it a bit less obvious, please.) Another genius who happened to be three years old? That's just sort of sad, that a baby would be pulled in like that. The whole toddler thing was an interesting and surprising resolution to that aspect of the story, but again, unrealistic. Readers like protagonists that they can relate to, and I found that very hard to do.
The books were okay in general but not as splendid as everyone else thinks. *shrug* That's just me.
(April 7, 2009 - 6:21 pm)
Umm, well, it wasn't SUPPOSED to be realistic. It was completely and utterly obviously not real. But if you liked MBS, then try reading The Name of This Book is Secret, and the sequal, If You Are Reading This, Its Too Late. They are both awesome, and in some ways like MBS.
(April 15, 2009 - 7:15 am)
And I forgot to say this on my other post, but all the characters are Mary Sues or... uh, what's the male term?
(April 7, 2009 - 6:25 pm)
Gary Stus. And I disagree. First of all, I don't think we were meant to relate to their genius qualities. We were meant to relate to Reynie's worries about betraying his friends, to Sticky's fears and nervousness, to Constance's moodiness (I mean, we've all felt like a three-year-old at times, haven't we?), and to Kate's insecurities. Second: okay, they're geniuses and not entirely realistic. That's the kind of book it is. If this was a more realistic book, it would be okay, but the whole plot is ridiculously unrealistic. The characters fit the genre. Third: Is Constance really a Mary Sue? Do you think a cranky, whiny brat is perfect?
But everyone's entitled to their own opinion. :)
(April 8, 2009 - 7:29 am)
Gary Stus. I like that. :)
Put that way, it makes a lot more sense, and that's true. However, I still think that they were a little too... I dunno... forced? Is that the word I'm looking for? Kate, for instance. She's so casual that it's NOT casual. She's got that bucket, for instance. And it neverc spills, never gets in the way of all her crazy climbing etc. escapades, even when she's at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened sideways-crawling through a vent! You're kidding me!
And about Constance: a "cranky, whiny brat" is indeed perfect. There are a billion classic examples- Grumpy the dwarf, for instance, or countless others. A bunch of the kid-power, problem-solving etc. groups, or other amalgamated duos, trios, foursomes, etc., often have a grouch. And that's how it should be, because readers like a crotchety but truly good guy at times. So Constance, in a way. However, I will grant you that of the lot, she's the least perfect, by far. If choosing a favorite, she'd be my first choice.
Moving on towards other characters- Rhonda and Number Two were intriguing. Rhonda was nice but predictable, and Number Two just another likably grouchy protagonist. Nothing against them, but not many good things to say either. Milligan, on the other hand, was a splendidly done character, in my opinion, though it was a pity he was lumped in with the rest.
Mr. Benedict himself was okay enough, but a really bad wise-mentor-guy knock-off. His twin Mr. Curtain? Enh. Lukewarm. Villains shouldn't be overdone or underdone, and he wasn't either one, but he wasn't exactly evil. No, don't get me wrong. Yeah, he was evil. But not deliciously terrifying, shiver-down-the-spine, Voldemort-esque type of guy. Overall, though, he was fine.
You (Lena) said the plot was unrealistic in a good way. I think that plot was relatively decent (a bit cliched, but only the whole kids on a quest that they were pulled into thing). It wasn't MAJORLY predictable (though I'll admit I figured some parts out about halfway through) and there were some good plot twists (though some were a teensy bit overdone). The narcolepsy was a good bit. It was really the characters I had a problem with. Sort of flat, you know.
That's just me.
((P.S. Sorry, Administrators, that's really long. :( ))
(April 8, 2009 - 4:21 pm)
That's okay; you make some good points. Yes, the whole twin thing was ridiculous and cliché. How many books/movies have you read/seen where they drag in a twin?
(April 9, 2009 - 8:23 am)
I know, right? By the way, how do you get the little accent mark on the e in cliche? I can never do that, or TNO's umlaut. :`(
(April 9, 2009 - 12:48 pm)
Option e.
And, Mary, not every book has to be a character-self-discovery-journey-heart tugger sort of shebang. So, yah, I enjoyed this book. Sure, the twin thing was forced, but the whole book was fun, and hard to put down. No offense, I totally see your point, and have been in your spot many times when talking to my friends about characters *coughtwilightcough.*
And remember, the kids were supposed to be geniuses--they were picked out of all the others.
(April 9, 2009 - 3:11 pm)
Genii, Poet, the plural is genii.
Yes, though you make a good point- the children were supposed to be genii. But I'm not saying anything about "character-self-discovery-journey-heart-tug"ging books. Where did you get that from?
I would not say that MBS was "hard to put down" at all.
I understand that it is not supposed to be realistic, but my personal opinion is that if a book is not fantasy, it should at least be realistic. If TLS wants to write fantasy, go ahead- he might be better suited at thay, actually, and I can really see MBS flowing a lot better if it was fantasy, come to think of it. But as "realistic" fiction it just seemed forced, as others have put it.
No offense taken, Poet.
P.S. Option e? I don't believe the computer I'm on has an option key, but I think the Administrator, TNO (umlaut!) and I have already been through this on DtE's Vampires. Discuss. No thread, so let's move on.
(April 10, 2009 - 1:45 pm)
As I've learned, PC's don't do umlats or the accent thingies.
(April 10, 2009 - 5:04 pm)