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The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (Mysterious Benedict Society) Review
With only one week to find a captured Mr. Benedict, the gifted foursome faces their greatest challenge of all--a challenge that will reinforce the reasons they were brought together in the first place and will require them to fight for the very namesake that united them. User Submitted The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (Mysterious Benedict Society) ReviewsAugust 14, 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! August 12, 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 children 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 children know that this is the dastardly deed of Mr. Curtain, the same man that caused all of the trouble in the children's last story. With no other option, the children 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 children 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 August 11, 2008 The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey I loved the 1st Mysterious Benedict Society Book. The second one is no let down. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and is worth the read. The riddles Mr. Benedict leaves for the children are so clever I doubt anyone else could come up with the answer. This is a very well written book. August 9, 2008 Entertaning Once You Get Past All the Redundancy I think anticipation isalways bound to mess things up a little. I thought the first book was simply fab. Actually, it was the first review I ever posted on this blog, so I have a bit of a soft spot for it. I had such a fun time reading it and meeting all the characters. I didn't have such a fun time meeting all the characters again. I understand some re-cap is always going to be necessary. I also understand that you don't want to alienate readers who have not read your series before. However, a significant chunk of the first part of this book was bogged down by reintroducing us to the characters, their life situations, and reminding us how things ended up in the last novel. Once you get past that, a fairly cool adventure begins. See, Reynie, Sticky, Constance and Kate are all supposed to meet up at Mr. Benedict's house for a surprise, but when they get there, they get a really big surprise -- Mr. Benedict and Number 2 have been kidnapped! Mr. Benedict had been laying some clues for a fun scavenger hunt for the kids. Now, can the kids use that same trail to find Mr. Benedict? And can they keep out of the way of the scary "Ten Men," so called because they have 10 different ways they can kill someone? Once it got rolling, the clues in this one were probably even better than in the first. The story will really keep kids guessing -- even I was in for a surprise or two. A caution: there are some pretty tense and violent scenes here. Those "Ten Men" are scary! So even though everything will probably end in what feels like a satisfying manner, this really isn't an easy or lighthearted journey. Well, except for when it is being lighthearted. I loved the humor in the first story and this sequel does not dissapoint. It still has that nice, wry, Lemony Snicket sort of feel with lots of wordplay and cleverness. Like the previous book, this will have appeal for all genders, although it still isn't the book for reluctant readers. "Misunderstood" smart kids will likely revel in identifying with Reynie and the gang for another go-round. Ages 9-12. August 2, 2008 Fantastic book, inspiring characters I read the original book after hearing about it in an author profile in O Magazine. WOW am I glad that I did! I am reading the MBS to my son now, and just finished this book myself. What a great story, great characters- it's all great. You can't go wrong with this book. I want to be Kate when I grow up. July 28, 2008 Wonderful characters, wonderful story This is the second book in this exciting children's series for ages 8-12. Compared to Lemony Snicket, Roald Dahl and Blue Balliett, this book has spunky and brilliant child heroes, with unusual backgrounds, almost unbelievable talents and nearly impossible quests. Kate can do most anything physical, carries a red bucket with all sorts of useful tools and lives on a farm with a circus strong man. Her often-absent and newly rediscovered father, Milligan, is a master spy. Reynie was adopted by his teacher and he is intuitive, able to find solutions to the most difficult situations. Sticky knows many languages, can read very fast and recalls everything he has ever read. Constance is only 3, but has talents she is just beginning to learn about, including predicting the weather. After the children's first adventure, they returned to their ordinary lives, but they miss each other and write often. Mr. Benedict has arranged a special surprise for them, an expedition and reunion. They meet at Kate's farm, then leave to go to Mr. Benedict's house, but find him missing, along with Number 2-and a pigeon with a message has been delivered by a minion of their old nemesis, Mr. Curtain, who also happens to be Mr. Benedict's twin brother. The children escape from the house and the government agents that were sent to help, following the clues Mr. Benedict left for their reunion, knowing he and Number 2 have been kidnapped from somewhere along this route. First comes a trip on the Shortcut, the world's fastest and most secure cargo ship, then a train trip to Amsterdam, where they visit the library where Mr. Benedict's parents' papers are stored, and they are helped by a very smart librarian and meet up again with Milligan. Then on to a remote and mysterious island, one not on any map, for the stunning and terrifying conclusion. A fantastic summer read for all ages. My favorite character was three-year-old Constance, who would get cranky if she missed her nap. Armchair Interviews says: Wonderful addition to the series. July 24, 2008 Great bedtime adventure! After reading The Mysterious Benedict Society my eight year old son and I were too anxious to get this second book to wait for it to come in the mail, so we downloaded it onto the Kindle and got started reading before the hardback arrived. We read a couple of chapters before bedtime every evening. I'm a librarian and I like to make this time special by finding books that are fun and exciting, but also of a high enough quality to be thought provoking and to spark meaningful interaction between myself and my son. The Benedict Society books are just the ticket. The children's characters are carefully constructed so that they represent specific types that readers can either identify with, or recognize from their own experience. Their problems and concerns are realistic and believable enough to create empathy in young readers, which thereby allows them to better understand themselves and others. The word puzzles and clues are fun, but not so difficult that the average kid can't figure some of them out before the answers are figured out by the characters. Not all eight year olds could read these books themselves, but the language is accessible to most children older than six if the reader is patient enough to stop and explain occasionally. Overall, for children interested in adventure, this is a pretty sure thing. July 17, 2008 Read it in one day! My son, 9, read this book in less than 24 hours AND he slept all night! (I know because I swiped the book from his bedside table so I could read while he slept.) Great sequel to MBS. Didn't think it could be matched! Makes kids the heros- no grown-up can do what the kids can as a team. Good read-aloud for younger readers. July 15, 2008 The mysterious benedict society is back!!!!!! YAHOOOOOOO!!! The mysterious benedict society is back and better than ever! This sequal is almost better than the original... almost but, not quite. What this book lacks in the suspence that made the first book it more then makes up for in other elements that the first one lacked. The puzzles are the same old challenging things that we all know and love- REALLY love. In the story mr. benedict and number two are captured by mr. curtain and the society must save them! Overall a wonderful book i hope there's several more mysterious benedict society books-if they're all as good as the first two. July 13, 2008 An OK Book This book was pretty good because of its suspense and adventure. The author describes the childrens' gifts, which is something that not all authors do in their books. The thing that first made me read the book was the cover, which had those funny dark shadows in the windows. What I don't like is that it's not like those books like "The Magician" and the "Percy Jackson and the Olympian" series books that are really creative and full of adventure. Overall, this book is cool, but not the best. For more The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (Mysterious Benedict Society) reviews click here.
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