Nice, refreshing read

If you like a refreshing, relaxing read, a bit of whimsey, this might be what you'd want to pick up. Following the the footsteps of first Mysterious Benedict Society book, the youngsters set out on a journey across the ocean to try to solve a puzzle left for them by Mr.Benedict before his kidnapping by his evil twin.

[Thursday, August 28, 2008]

The Adventure Continues.... An Excellent Read for the Family!!!

This is the second book of an absolutely wonderful series that I have read aloud to my family. By reading aloud I have (perhaps inadvertantly) developed and created voices for all the different characters that have stayed with us long after we finished the book (which is quite a task!).

Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance have a short period of time to find and save Mr. Benedict. They travel amazing distances in their adventure, and work together by relying on each of their own strengths. If you have not read the first book, I strongly suggest that you start there because it provides information you should know for this book (but is not necessarily required).

I really liked this book for the story and character development. My, how these kids have matured in their respective ways. In particular, I love how Constance grew (emotionally, of course) in this book and how her special talent is in process of being recognized. There is a wonderful tenderness and vulnerability about her in this book that picks up where the first book ended. As a parent, I found myself near tears when reading some of the lines dedicated to her. But it must be said that all the kids grew in this book. Kate, oh how we love Kate, for her athletic ability and I-can-do-this-despite-the-overwhelming-odds attitude. She shines. She makes us laugh. At the end of the book, she demonstrates great wisdom by making a choice that would be hard for any adult to make (or any modern viewer of action films, for that matter). She is simply amazing. My own daughter has taken to carrying her own version of Kate's bucket everywhere she goes. Really. Reynie, too, has a lot to learn in this book. His lessons are layered and multi-faceted. He is a very special person who wrestles with trust and meaning. That is quite a burden for such a guy. He wants to figure things out NOW! Sticky, on the other hand, was not as well developed in this book as the others were. However, that is not to say he didn't mature, he just was a little more smug after being a year away from their triumph at the institution. Sticky does show great fortitude at the end of this book, fully aware of what he beleives he has done to his friends.

There is a darker side to this book that I believe is necessary. The Ten Men are sinister and represent what is known AND what is unknown about the known. There is a very effective shadow that they cast in this book.
And what is to be said about Mr. Curtain? He has great plans, as always. Not good plans, mind you, but great plans for himself.

I was especially interested in S.Q. He is a likable fellow, who was a bit of comic relief in the first book, but has made some choices that he must now learn to live with. There is an especially poinient and painful moment in this book that surrounds him. I am very curious to see where this goes.

Which, as with any good series, is what these two books have developed into. I feel a bit like I did when the orginal Star Wars movies came out, especially after the second one which left us in limbo. I look forward to the next book in great anticipation at the very elusive Curtain and his schemes supported by his cast Ten Men and other agents. However, I also think these kids must save up their energy for whatever is coming next, and to let our own heart rates slow down a bit. Bravo. Well done! This is an excellent read, and should be on your bookshelves!

[Thursday, August 14, 2008]

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

It's been a year since the Mysterious Benedict Society was last together. Reynie was adopted by his dear tutor, Miss Perumal, Constance was adopted by Mr. Benedict himself, Kate was reunited with her long lost father, Milligan, and Sticky returned to his parents.

Now Mr. Benedict has planned a special surprise for the infantren in honor of their one year anniversary and as a chance for the four friends to see each other again. Everything goes wrong when Mr. Benedict and one of his trusty companions, Number Two, go missing. The infantren know that this is the dastardly deed of Mr. Curtain, the same man that caused all of the trouble in the infantren's last story. With no other option, the infantren set off on yet another adventure, this time to save the man that they have come to love. With clues left by Mr. Benedict before he was captured and the aid of many friends, the infantren set off on a great journey in search for Mr. Benedict while being pursued by many of Mr. Curtain's henchmen.

I really enjoyed this book. It definitely lived up to the first book and may have even surpassed it. The magic of the first book returned and I fell in love with the author's style. His choice of words was great and the character development in this book was much better. The only issue I had with this book is the pace wasn't consistent. I felt like at some points I was completely riveted to the book and couldn't put it down, but there were other times where I just couldn't get into the story.

I really liked the way the characters came together in this book. They all had personality and were very likeable. I also loved the adventure the kids went on. They traveled the globe and I was able to learn quite a few things from their different adventures. Another great thing about this book is that it's not necessary to read the first book in the series. While there are a few pieces of information that aren't included, they're not crucial to the story and this book can totally stand on its own.

While this was a middle grade novel, I think older readers will also enjoy it. I know I did. Overall, I really liked this book and I recommend it to you all.

Reviewed by: Tasha

[Tuesday, August 12, 2008]

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