The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey Quotes

“May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Did the men steal the papers?" Reynie asked, fearing her response.
No, because they are fools," Sophie said bitterly. "They demanded to see the papers, and when I did not answer fast enough -- they were very frightening, you see -- they hurt me so that I was not awake. . . . When I opened my eyes they were still trying to find the papers. They did not understand how we organize the library, you see. They were angry and creating a bad mess. . . . The police were coming and the men decided they must leave. I shouted at them as they left: 'It is a free and public library! All you had to do was ask!”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Kate seemed to have doubled in size. She had drawn back her broad shoulders and set her jaw, and something in the stance called to mind the contained ferocity of a lioness. But it was the fierceness in Kate's bright blue eyes that had the most striking effect. The sort of look that made you thankful she wasn't your enemy. "It's not going to be over," Kate said firmly "Until we say so.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“I hope you haven't given up on the S.Q.'s of the world, Reynie. As you see, there are a great many sheep in wolves' clothing. If not for S.Q.'s good nature, we'd never have escaped.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“You know what i like about buttons? They're very small things that hold bigger things together. Awfully important, buttons - little but strong.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“You were brave to do what you did," he said slowly. "And I know you did it out of live for our friends. But if you ever do something like this again, I can promise you that Ten Men and Executives are going to be the least of your worries- do you understand?" His espression was very severe, his jaw was set, and his words were clipped and terse as if spoken with much suppressed anger. Kate burst out laughing. "Milligan," she said, "I'll bet you scare the wits out of bad guys, but as a dad you don't scare anyone very much." "She's right." Constance said. "I can tell you aren't really angry." Milligan frowned and looked at Reynie, but Reynie averted his eyes to avoid disappointing him- for he, too, had been unfazed by Milligan's stern admonition. Only Sticky, furiously polishing his spectacles in the back seat, showed the effect Milligan had hoped for. But Sticky was easily unnerved and could hardly be used as a measure. "Well," Milligan said, his face relaxing. "At least I tried."

"... Speaking of which, the boys weren't actually touching the breifcases in the trunk, I hope?" Wondering how Milligan knew, Kate stuck her head out the office door and gave Reynie and Sticky a warning look. They nodded and tried to close the trunk as quietly as possible. "They aren't now anyway." "Good," Milligan said, picking up his duffel bag. "I'd hate to have to speak sternly to them again. It embarasses me to be so ineffective.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Good grief! They're going to call us inside soon, and Sticky hasn't even met Madge yet!"
"Who's Madge?" Sticky asked.
"Her Majesty the Queen!”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“So began one of the fiercest and strangest battles ever fought, a battle that involved all manner of business supplies, elegant clothing and accessories, and no shortage of trickery and taunts.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“It's not going to be over until we say so.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“And I realize there's no shortage of wickedness in the world," said Mr. Benedict, with a significant look at Reynie, "but is it not heartening to know that so many are willing to fight for the good?”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“There was a unique pleasure in knowing a friend so well, Reynie reflected, rather like sharing a secret code.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“And where most people see mirrors, you, my friend, see windows. By which I mean there is always something beyond the glass. You have seen it and will always see it now, though others may not. I would have spared you that vision at such a young age. But it's been given you, and it will be up to you to decide whether it's a blessing or a curse.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“but is it not heartening to know that so many are willing to fight for the good? Think of that young librarian, Sophie, who made certain you escaped. Think of S.Q., who risked my brother’s wrath to make me more comfortable. Think of Captain Noland, and Joe Shooter, and all the others – even strangers – who were prepared to sacrifice their safety, perhaps even their lives, on our behalf. That’s something, is it not?”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Sights, smells, temperature changes—all sorts of stuff. We notice it without consciously thinking about it. He says we may not be paying attention, but our brains are recording and processing it all the same, and these… these observations, or whatever you want to call them, make up a pattern. So if you’re good with patterns, the way Mr. Benedict says I am, you can sometimes predict things.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“It’s not going to be over,” Kate said firmly, “until we say so.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“It’s natural that you feel as you do, Reynie. There is much more to the world than most children—indeed, most adults—ever see or know. And where most people see mirrors, you, my friend, see windows. By which I mean there is always something beyond the glass.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Even houses change, Reynie had thought, and it had caused an odd flutter in his stomach. Weren't houses supposed to represent stability? Sure, the Society had changed a lot of things about Mr. Benedict's house on purpose, but some things, Reynie realized, they had changed simply by being there. A thousand footsteps on that particular board, and now it creaked.
Every member of the Society, too, bore a thousand hidden footsteps: effects of a different kind, many impossible to have predicted.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Let me ask you: Have you ever had a dream in which, having spied a deadly snake at your feet, you suddenly begin to see snakes everywhere – suddenly realize, in fact, that you're surrounded by them?"
Reynie was surprised. "I have had that dream. It's a nightmare."
"Indeed. And it strikes me as being rather like when a person first realizes the extent of wickedness in the world. That vision can become all-consuming – and in a way, it, too, is a nightmare, by which I mean that it is not quite a proper assessment of the state of things. For someone as observant as you, Reynie, deadly serpents always catch the eye. But if you find that serpents are all you see, you may not be looking hard enough.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“I miss those days, don’t you? I mean, except for the terrible parts.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Given the state of her room, it would have been no surprise to find her chest of drawers utterly empty;”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey: book 2 in the New York Times-bestselling series for junior sleuths

“Everyone looked at the envelope then, wondering where in the world—and into what unknown dangers—it was to take them.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Have you considered the possibility, Reynie, that wickedness is simply more noticeable than goodness? That wickedness stands out, as it were?”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“where most people see mirrors, you, my friend, see windows. By which I mean there is always something beyond the glass.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“The fact that Sticky had briefly had a girlfriend, for instance, until she broke up with him for remarking upon her pulchritude. (“She didn’t believe me when I told her it meant ‘beauty,’” Sticky said. Kate shook her head. “It’s always best to stick to small words. If you’d said that to me, I’d have punched you.”)”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“To those who didn't know him, Mr. Benedict might well look like a joker. The thought made Reynie indignant, for the man was not only a genius - he was exceptionally good. And in Reynie's opinion, good people were decidedly rare...

Mr. Benedict himself had disagreed with Reynie about this... 'Have you considered the possibility, Reynie, that wickedness is simply more noticeable than goodness? That wickedness stands out, as it were?”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“The fact was that (Reynie had) memorized every letter he'd received these past six months... even the quirky poetry Constance had mailed him, along with whatever curious button, dustbunny, or paper scrap had struck her fancy on her way to find a stamp.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“You know,' (Kate) said to Sticky as they waited... 'I miss those days, don't you? I mean, except for the terrible parts.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“Because of his injured arm, McCracken couldn't carry both the chair and his briefcase down the steep goat path... yet the chair was too heavy for Mr. Curtain, or indeed for any but the strongest of men, to carry that far. McCracken pointed out that Mr. Curtain wouldn't actually be using the wheelchair much, to which Mr. Curtain replied that McCracken didn't use his brain much, either, but still preferred to keep it with him.”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“I'm fine. A little pain never hurt anybody, did it?”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

“That's another thing, Reynie. You're being too hard on yourself. You can't think of everything all the time - no one can. I can't do any of this alone, neither can Sticky, and neither can you. You know that. Maybe you just forget it because you feel responsible. But you aren't responsible for all of us, you know. I mean we're all responsible, right?”
― Trenton Lee Stewart, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey