The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1)

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The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society #1)

by Trenton Lee Stewart (Goodreads Author), Carson Ellis (Illustrator)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 36,095 ratings · 5,212 reviews

"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" ad attracts dozens for mind-bending tests readers may try. Only two boys and two girls succeed for a secret mission, undercover and underground into hidden tunnels. At the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, the only rule is - there are no rules.

Paperback, 485 pages

Published April 1st 2008 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (first published February 20th 2007)

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Dec 09, 2007 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How do librarians decide what children's book they want to read next? Well, there are professional reviews, online reviews, and good old-fashioned word of mouth. And when it came to "The Mysterious Benedict Society", I picked up this 486-page tome, turned it about, and then needed a quickie confirmation from somebody as to whether or not I should shell out a significant portion of time to read this puppy. As it happened, a librarian I knew and trusted assured me that it wasn't all that good and...more How do librarians decide what children's book they want to read next? Well, there are professional reviews, online reviews, and good old-fashioned word of mouth. And when it came to "The Mysterious Benedict Society", I picked up this 486-page tome, turned it about, and then needed a quickie confirmation from somebody as to whether or not I should shell out a significant portion of time to read this puppy. As it happened, a librarian I knew and trusted assured me that it wasn't all that good and that I shouldn't waste my days. Fair enough. I gave away my copy and decided to forget all about it. But then the book's name kept cropping up left and right. Oh, I should really read it! Oh, it's really good! Oh, you haven't read it? What's wrong with you? Eventually, the pressure got to be too much. I couldn't take it any more. As far as I could ascertain I was the only children's librarian in the WORLD who hadn't read "The Mysterious Benedict Society", and that was going to have to change. So I borrowed a library copy, took it home, and fell in love. Once in a while you just want to read a book that's fun. This book is precisely that. Smart and thoroughly a good good read.

Reynie Muldoon doesn't think of himself as extraordinary. He thinks of himself as weird and out of place. An orphan, Reynie and his tutor one day spot an advertisement that reads, "ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES?" He is, as it happens, and that means taking a series of tests. Odd tests. Odd, increasingly peculiar tests that go beyond the classroom, or even the realm of the normal. By the end of the puzzles Reynie has passed, as have three other rather remarkable children. Sticky Washington is a bit of a bookworm, but the kind of kid who never forgets a single fact that he reads. Kate Wetherall is an athletic type who carries a handy bucket with her wherever it is that she goes. And Constance Contraire is very small, very rude, and very stubborn. Together, these kids have been recruited by a Mr. Benedict to infiltrate the very prestigious Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened and discover what it is that the school's devious head is planning. They know that it's evil and dangerous, but beyond that they are out of information. So it is that our four heroes become spies and set out to save the world using their very individual abilities.

I've heard this book referred to as two different stories smooshed together into a single tale. That's not exactly how I'd chose to describe it, but it's a fair assessment. This actually isn't a problem either. If you like the first portion then you are bound to like the second. I was fond of the writing too. Never twee or coy, it comes right to the point of things without sacrificing emotion or character. It can get away with sentences like, "She announced her age right away, for children consider their ages every bit as important as their names." because they are straightforward and true. Stewart can get stuff across without a bunch of overwrought flowery language. "Their mouths went dry as bones," needs no further explanation.

In terms of the sequel, one person I discussed the book with said of it, "I don't feel I need to go back to that world." I agree, in a way. Stewart wraps up his loose ends nicely. Unlike some series for kids, you aren't left with many holes or gaps in the plot. There is certainly room for a follow-up, but if you don't read it you won't feel you've missed something. The important thing to remember is that clever kids like clever tales. For children who like everything from The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin to The Puzzling World of Winston Breen, by Eric Berlin, this is the book for them. Consistently fun and fine, the book whizzes through its 400+ pages so fast that you'll be shocked at how quickly you find yourself at the end.(less)

66 likes · like · see review

Sep 18, 2011 Stephen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, audiobook, 2006-2010, mystery, ya, science-fiction

I appreciated this book at 500 pages, but would've been REALLY fond of it at only 250. Remove some plod-along-ploddy sections and tighten up a few narrative side tracks and I think you have yourself a big winner for both YA's and those YA at heart.

Ignoring the size for a moment (yes, yes, it matters and we will return to it)...this is charming, smart, well-written story that had me thinking Dickens for Kids based on its engaging yet restrained prose style. It has that cozy feel of well-mannered...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, read-aloud-to-t-and-j-too-sort-of

There's something a bit Roald Dahl-ish about this book in that it has a fairly preposterous story (children infiltrating an institute run by an evil genious baddie, to thwart his plan to take over the world), and a rather light tone. Yet it's also not quite Dahl-ish in a couple ways; despite the evil genious plot the book is permeated with a sense of kindness and is full of deeply nice people (which is good). It's also long and rambling (less good). Dahl could have wrapped the story up neatly an...more

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Dec 22, 2007 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries, fantasy, actionadventure, sci-fi, katie-and-annie-bookclub, young-adult

What a delightful story! It was very difficult to choose a shelf for this book - it's not truly fantasy, but its not just adventure or mystery either. Perhaps a little Sci-Fi more than fantasy? Well, anyway, it was a wonderful book about four children who agree to help save the world. It sounds a little over-done, I know, but it’s really quite sweet and charming. Well-written and with loveable characters and a kindness throughout the book I was enthralled from the first page.
The book isn’t incr...more

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Apr 04, 2008 Marya rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-mystery

In the Mysterious Benedict Society, four children with four different problem solving skill sets come together to solve a mystery. Those four children consist of the reader, who has the amazing ability to memorize things; the engineer, who has the amazing ability to create anything to solve the task at hand from materials she carries with her; the baby, whose chief attribute is to be unpredictable and not listen to the rules much less follow them; and the professional puzzle solver, who looks at...more

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Aug 10, 2008 Gregory Baird rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events

Shelves: 2008-booklist, intermediate

"The Mysterious Benedict Society" owes a large debt to Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. It is written in the same Dickens-meets-Roald-Dahl style (although it does emphasize Dahl's whimsy over Dickens' occasional bleakness). It features an oddball cast with a broad spectrum of eccentricities and unique physical features. The plot even centers around a group of kids from orphanages attempting to foil the dastardly plans of a villain who seeks to exploit them in his mad quest for domi...more "The Mysterious Benedict Society" owes a large debt to Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events. It is written in the same Dickens-meets-Roald-Dahl style (although it does emphasize Dahl's whimsy over Dickens' occasional bleakness). It features an oddball cast with a broad spectrum of eccentricities and unique physical features. The plot even centers around a group of kids from orphanages attempting to foil the dastardly plans of a villain who seeks to exploit them in his mad quest for domination.

There are good qualities to be found. The first hundred pages or so are very charming, managing to capture the better aspects of its inspirations with ease. Stewart is certainly a capable writer with a great imagination and sense of wit.

But once the titular group has been established and sets off on its first mission things begin to go downhill at an alarming rate. First, things start to get a little too quirky (The villain's dastardly plot for world domination is what now? Wait, another bizarre character/situation/setting for our intrepid heroes to contend with?). Second, said quirks become limiting and mildly irritating (could Constance please stop grumbling for just a second? And while the use of narcolepsy is only slightly amusing at first it gets tiring when both the group's benefactor and the villain keep passing out at key moments. Stewart really should have re-thought that as a character trait). Third, you realize that the book is overly long and overly complex. Yet somehow, despite the myriad twists, turns, and complications, the M.B.S. is remarkably capable of making incredible logical leaps to figure out what is going on. For crying out loud, how long is this charade going to get dragged out, anyway? Then comes the hot mess of an ending. I don't want to spoil anything for those who intend to read this book, so let's just say that the realizations come a little too easily, the escapes are a touch too clean, and the happy endings aren't tacked on so much as beaten in with a sledgehammer. Yet Stewart must also have realized that if he intends this book to become a series he can't tie everything up too neatly, so naturally things are open-ended enough to allow for a sequel. Which is now available in bookstores everywhere ...

I, for one, won't be picking it up.(less)

20 likes · like · see review

Dec 23, 2007 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, annie-and-katie-bookclub, childrens-picture-books

I'VE FINISHED THE BOOK: My initial impressions (and review comments) were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. I admit that the second half of the book did not quite live up to my hopes/expectations but I'd still give the book four stars overall (five stars for the beginning--see comments below). I felt that the second half of the story (once the children officially embark on their mission and become The Mysterious Benedict Society) was not as captivating, mainly because I found a great deal of the char...more I'VE FINISHED THE BOOK: My initial impressions (and review comments) were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. I admit that the second half of the book did not quite live up to my hopes/expectations but I'd still give the book four stars overall (five stars for the beginning--see comments below). I felt that the second half of the story (once the children officially embark on their mission and become The Mysterious Benedict Society) was not as captivating, mainly because I found a great deal of the charm in the first half was found in the character descriptions/development and the little mysteries and puzzles the children had to solve. Once they embark on their mission, the characters they encounter become more one-dimensional and also the character development of the children is rather forgotten for awhile in the attempt to describe the great mystery/challenge they must face and thwart (and, also, I was not ultra-engrossed in that particular element of the story). Ultimately, the climax was still interesting and exciting and it had a very tidy and happy ending (much more a typical "children's book" in that respect than, say, Harry Potter) and I would recommend this to those wishing a pleasant and easy read (though a few of the puzzles in the beginning weren't that easy for me!) about a diverse and entertaining group of orphans who must save the world and find a way to feel loved and to belong in it if they do.

UPDATE: ABOUT 2/3 DONE--CONTINUES CHARMING!!!! SO FAR, RECOMMENDED TO ANYONE MISSING STORIES ABOUT CHILDREN AT INTERESTING SCHOOLS NEEDING TO FIGURE OUT A MYSTERY AND "SAVE THE WORLD" (NOT THAT IT'S "HAPPY POTTER" BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, BUT IF YOU MISS HARRY THIS CHRISTMAS, TRY THIS BOOK!) It is sooo captivating, I adore the characters (even if one is highly annoying!) and the mystery/suspense is excellent--tantalizing instead of irritating in its unfolding and (as of yet) relative vagueness. I can't believe that this book simply appeared randomly on Amazon as I was searching for something else--truth is, THIS is the type of book I've been looking for! So far, it is a good consolation for missing Harry Potter--it's not really similar, yet has its own style about students and orphans and children who must do amazing things.
**Intelligent in content yet sweetly simple in style; the characters already seem quite real--this is an author who seems to remember/understand childhood. I'm excited to continue the imaginative journey...**(less)

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Apr 26, 2013 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy

This isn't a bad read for the YA market. The premius is one that I liked but I wonder if kids can follow it (any more). Yes I know...I sound condescending, sorry. The book's protagonists are gifted kids who aren't really interested in TV and think for themselves...wow, if only. They love "truth" (that has become a somewhat flexable word of late).

All kidding aside a nice book. Books where the "outsider" kids are the heroes (like this one)are much more common now. I suppose some of that might be...more

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Sep 19, 2008 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a treat this book was to read! I thoroughly enjoyed it -- the kids were great, the villain and his heinous plot were quite terrifying, and the plot clipped right along. My one small reservation is that somehow I find I am in no rush to read the sequel -- yet this might have simply to do with the fact that the story did clearly end (unlike, say, THE HUNGER GAMES). But basically, I'd recommend MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY to anyone. I plan to give my copy to a bright 11-year old girl I know.

17 likes · like · see review

Feb 27, 2009 Alan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-lit

This is by far the best YA novel that I have read since the Harry Potter books. Characters are great, thoughtful and like nothing I have read before. Even though this book is almost 500 pages long, I have been reading it aloud to my class and they are loving it! Every day I come into class they are asking if we get to read it for the day. I can't wait to get the second one.

Enjoy!

18 likes · like · see review

Feb 03, 2011 Julie S. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: nice-cover, read-in-2010, favorites, whimsical, own, books-thomas-should-read, series-i-like, smart-kids-and-teens, childrens-and-middle-grade, own-and-would-recommend, funny

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is an example of a children's book that even older people would enjoy, so I am glad that I got it from the public library.

I loved the concept:
Four gifted children (Reynie, Constance, Sticky, and Kate) pass a mysterious test and join forces with lovable Mr. Benedict to foil an evil plot. This evil plot uses the television and radio to transmit messages to control people. Mr. Benedict has determined that a scientist is doing this through schoolchildren at a special school for "the enlightened...more This is an example of a children's book that even older people would enjoy, so I am glad that I got it from the public library.

I loved the concept:
Four gifted children (Reynie, Constance, Sticky, and Kate) pass a mysterious test and join forces with lovable Mr. Benedict to foil an evil plot. This evil plot uses the television and radio to transmit messages to control people. Mr. Benedict has determined that a scientist is doing this through schoolchildren at a special school for "the enlightened." These four children go undercover to see what they can do to stop this scientist Mr. Curtain.

So I obviously loved that unique plot. The characters were well-written, especially considering this is a children's book. The author used some humor and some suspense.

I also liked the clever tie-in on the hardcover dust jacket. After the end of the story, there was a note from Mr. Benedict saying that the reader could find his first name if they knew the code. Since they used Morse code in the book, I assumed he meant Morse code. Sure enough, there was Morse code meaning "Nicholas" on the dust jacket. That was a fun little reference.

Some quotes from the book:
"That's true, George," said Jillson. "Virtually none, in fact. You can wear whatever you want, just so long as you have on trousers, shoes, and a shirt. You can bathe as often as you like or not at all, provided you're clean every day in class. You can eat whatever and whenever you watnt, as long as it's during meal hours in the cafeteria. You're allowed to keep the lights on in your rooms as late as you wish until ten o'clock each night. And you can go wherever you want around the Institute, so long as you keep to the paths and the yellow-tiled corridors."- pg 171

In certain ways, the Institute did remind them of other schools: Rote memorization of lessons was discourage but required; class participation was encouraged but rarely permitted; and although quizzes were given every day, in every class, there was always at least one student who groaned, another who acted surprised, and another who begged the teacher, in vain, not to give it.- pg 188(less)

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Jun 22, 2009 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-readers, read-in-2008

Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance are four very gifted children with a mission. They call themselves The Mysterious Benedict Society and together they have to infiltrate the nefarious Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened - a psuedo-school run by the evil Mr. Curtain. It's up to these four disimilar and intrepid kids to save the world and of course they are completely up to the task.

I thnk this book will have broad appeal to under-12s. The length of the book threw me off - it was so long...more

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Aug 02, 2008 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Trenton Lee Stewart seems unafraid to pick up a few children’s lit archetypes: four remarkable and lovable children (albeit one slightly less lovable than the others), missing parental figures, the kind male guardian, the boarding house/ evil school scenario, and themes of mind control and world domination. But within the archetypes, Stewart creates his own brand of magic. One becomes fond of Reynie Muldoon’s human perception, Sticky Washington’s nervous glasses cleaning habit, Constance Contrai...more

8 likes · like · see review

Dec 15, 2007 Jackie "the Librarian" rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: puzzle lovers

Shelves: childrensbooks, mysteries, gothic

Four brilliant orphans are recruited by a Mr. Benedict, who needs their help to discover who is behind a plot to rule the world. The best thing about this book are the logic puzzles the kids have to solve to get invited into the Benedict Society - readers can figure out solutions at the same time the characters do. I really found myself rooting for those plucky orphans, each with their own unique personalities and skills. Go orphans! Save the world!

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Jan 28, 2009 Kat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, childrens, books-i-own, fantasy

I kept seeing this book pop up in the bestseller list on Amazon. The title was intriguing, as was the beautiful cover art. I picked up the paperback at Target and decided to dive into this New York Times bestseller.

I've read that this book is often compared to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, but I've never read any of those. So I had no frame of reference and no expectations when reading the book.

The Mysterious Benedict Society follows the adventures of four children, who are al...more

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Feb 16, 2012 April rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, book-group, own, ya

I've been reading the Harry Potter series with my older kids, and I started this book looking for another children's series that I could devour. Unfortunately, this wasn't it for me. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy this book. I did! It was creative and clever. But I never felt like I just couldn't put the book down. That being said, though, I did look forward to reading it. It's just that I felt like I could read a few chapters here and there, and be satisfied for the time being. I suppose...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've been meaning to read The Mysterious Benedict Society for ages -- since all three of my girls have enjoyed it. It's a book for children, but at nearly 500 pages, not for the faint of heart. It reads easily and quickly though, and is full of enough adventure to entice most any child (or adult, for that matter).

The society is made up of 4 kids, each of whom answered a newspaper ad asking, "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Each of the 4 is gifted, but each in their own...more

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Nov 20, 2008 Alexis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-aloud

I'm reading this one aloud to my boys (5 and 7) they are loving it so far. We are about 2/3 of the way through. The first half was excellent. The characters aren't as developed as I would like and the overall plot is dragging a bit right now. But the kids are still captivated. GREAT MORAL LESSONS for kids here; think honesty, good sportsmanship, and especially integrity.

Update: The boys loved it. Both boys gave the book five stars. I gave it three. It got off to a roaring start, excellent charac...more

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Mar 15, 2009 Uci rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buntelan-penerbit

Saya paling suka bagian awal buku ini, ketika anak-anak cerdas itu harus menjawab dan memecahkan berbagai teka-teki sebelum dinyatakan lulus dan kemudian menjadi anggota Persekutuan Misterius Benedict. Tapi setelah itu pikiran saya mulai melayang ke mana-mana alias nggak fokus saat mencoba mengikuti jalan ceritanya sampai habis. Banyak penjelasan yang membingungkan tentang otak, pikiran bawah sadar dan sebagainya. Waduh, sulit banget sih misinya :P

Di tengah jalan, membaca tentang institut khusu...more

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Aug 16, 2008 Beckie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Joseph Kearl and Garret Burnett because they were just like these kids!

What a total romp of fun, mystery and adventure, one of the best kids books besides Harry Potter that I've read in a long time!

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Jan 20, 2009 Ayu Palar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Dini, Tyas

Recommended to Ayu by: Amanda

Shelves: children-books

Basically it’s about four gifted and talented children being secret agents. With the help from Mr. Benedict, a genious old man with narcolepsy, they go to an isolated island, in which a special institute is built. Then they struggle together to solve what’s actually going on in the institute. I won’t talk more about it because this will ruin the enjoyment of the reading. However, the way Stewart builds the characters is very noteworthy. No matter how extraordinary they are, these children are st...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Alexander W rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am currently reading Trenton Lee Stewert's The Mysterious Benedict Society.(view spoiler)...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Lucia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade, read-in-2013

Či už ste mladí, alebo starí príbeh štyroch veľmi nadaných detí vás chytí za srdce. Reyny, Pelendrek, Kate a Anamarie sú jediné štyri deti, ktoré prešli testom pána Benedikta. Všetci sú veľmi šikovní a všetci sú opustení. Pán Benedikt ich vysiela na veľmi nebezpečnú misiu, ktorú môžu zvládnuť len deti. A tak sa naši mladučkí kamaráti ocitnú na ostrove Sirotan vo Vzdelávacom inštitúte pre veľmi osvietených. Dej knihy je prerozprávaný z pohľadu neutrálneho pozorovateľa, pričom sa síce sústreďuje n...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2000s, children

3.5 stars

Ah, I just realised I read this book :D! This brings back memories...

I read this in a bookstore in Taipei. What, the entire book? Yes. Yes, I did, all four-hundred-and-something pages of it (in two sittings though). And then neatly put it back on the shelf (which I kinda felt bad about, but in my defense I had to send boxes of stuff back home as it was, so no more room for extra's...). And I didn't get a single nasty leer from the staff either, which is a thing I love about Taiwanese bo...more 3.5 stars

Ah, I just realised I read this book :D! This brings back memories...

I read this in a bookstore in Taipei. What, the entire book? Yes. Yes, I did, all four-hundred-and-something pages of it (in two sittings though). And then neatly put it back on the shelf (which I kinda felt bad about, but in my defense I had to send boxes of stuff back home as it was, so no more room for extra's...). And I didn't get a single nasty leer from the staff either, which is a thing I love about Taiwanese bookstores.
Lots of people just read in bookstores there, sitting on the floors (in your way) and leaning against the bookcases (that you wanted to look in); just killing some time until their next appointment, or, in some cases that I observed, studying from the books that they did not want to buy. And the staff never makes a problem of this, well, as long as you didn't damage the books too much that is. (Although the crowning moment of awesome for me must have been when a man took a sealed magazine to the counter and asked them to open it for him so he could read it right there, to which the sales clerk replied "Yeah, no problem!"... Haha, still want to try this in Holland once to see what reaction I'll get.)

But, back to this book. I was wandering through the Eslite bookstore (near 101), browsing the children's section for something short and light to read for a couple of hours, and also admittedly to have a bit of a guiltless-cover-to-cover-reading-in-bookstores-experience myself ahaha (a bit of a no-go in Holland unfortunately), and I ended up finding this. I picked it up because the storyline sounded sufficiently wacky: super-smart kids are recruited to infiltrate a special school for the gifted and investigate some suspicious activities it has going on the side. It sounded like total fun, and it was!
I blasted through the first half and loved every bit of it, the characters, the set-up, the humour. I was very sorry when I killed all the time I had to kill and needed to leave it, but came back within a week to finish it. The second half was still very entertaining but felt slightly less tightly-plotted than the first, it did lose a bit of steam there to me. And for a book that starts off so smart and puzzly I sorely missed the puzzle element in the second half. Everything sort of smoothes out and I thought that our heroes worked through their problems a bit too easily in the end. It wasn't that the last half was really really bad, but after that wonderful first half I was just a bit disappointed there...

But all in all it was still great fun! Just didn't quite keep it at "brilliant" in the end... But who knows, I might pick up the second one anyway :D!

(less)

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Apr 18, 2008 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: mystery lovers, secret society buffs

Shelves: childrensliterature, fantasy, books-in-a-series, crime, friendship, mystery, survival, teamwork

“Are You a Gifted Child looking for Special Opportunities?” reads the newspaper advertisement.

Reynard “Reynie” Muldoon, George “Sticky” Washington, Kate Wetherall (The Great Kate Weather Machine), Constance Contraire, and many other children answer “yes” to this ad and go to the specified location.

Once there they all embark on a series of bizarre tests from which only the four clever orphans–Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance–emerge successful. These four solve the exams using their own particu...more

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May 08, 2007 nicole j. wroblewski rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: unfinished, 7up, orphans

Having quit this book half-way through, you might think I dislike it. I don't. It's a great book, especially if you're, you know, between the ages of eight and twelve. But I'm not. So it felt pretty tedious (example: you know, how at the end of the first three Harry Potter books Dumbledore's all "here, let's take a two chapters to explain everything that just happened" and it feels kinda cheap because you're not braindead and all that? Well, like HP, this is a great story, but there's a wholleee...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Mai rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

For those of you who don't know, my husband passed away recently. That first night without him, I stayed in the room of the 11-year-old daughter of some family friends. I had been reading some vaguely depressing novel on my Kindle prior to the news, and obviously was in no shape to go back to that, but I badly needed an escape from the overwhelming sense of loss. Fortunately, the daughter's bookshelf was crammed with children's/young adult literature, which was the perfect thing for me in my zom...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Happycat rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 05, 2008 sweet pea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

my seven year old friend Abegale passionately loves this book. one day i said (in jest), "i've heard this book sucks" and held up this tome. her and her friend almost killed me. if they had their straight razors, i would be dead now. so, i figured i should probably read the book that almost caused my demise.

i, of course, loved it. all of the characters in this book are excellently envisioned. i love how each of the members of the Mysterious Benedict Society solve the same problem in a different...more

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Dec 10, 2008 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everybody

Shelves: kids-lit

I just finished reading this book and I enjoyed it very much. Although the book is over 485 pages long, the chapters are short, so it's easy to read several at a time. The story is quirky and strange, and filled with riddles and puzzles - very engaging!

You'll even learn a bit of Morse code while you're reading.

In a word: ..-. ..- -.!

4 likes · like · see review

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About Trenton Lee Stewart

Trenton Lee Stewart is the author of the award-winning, bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series for young readers, as well the adult novel Flood Summer. He lives with his family in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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Books by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #2)

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #3)

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #0.5)

The Mysterious Benedict Society Collection (The Mysterious Benedict Society, #1-3)

The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums

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Trivia About The Mysterious Be...

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Quotes from The Mysterious Benedic...

“You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.” — 744 people liked it

“Rules and school are tools for fools! I don't give two mules for rules.” — 153 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2203136.The_Mysterious_Benedict_Society?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1290092078l/2203136.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2203136.The_Mysterious_Benedict_Society?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart[/url]

The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society #1)

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