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leslieyang's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
thatgirlinblack's review against another edition
3.0
Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance now all have parents and happy home lives. One year since their epic adventure at the LIVE, they gather again at the behest of Mr. Benedict for a special surprise he's set up for them. But it's a bigger surprise than anyone expected, because Mr. Benedict and Number Two have disappeared, waylaid and captured by the nefarious Ledroptha Curtain. Off the children go again, to the rescue!
One major problem I have with the book is the children's disobedience. Their attitude toward their mission is regrettable in that they assume they can pull this off on their own and actively avoid the adults to do so. Having accomplished so much by themselves at LIVE, they're certainly capable, but their direct refusal to obey Milligan when he arrives and tells them to leave certain things to him is definitely wrong. The kids plainly tell Milligan they're not going to listen to him and he's portrayed as helpless to tell them otherwise, so he gives in. That should've been written differently so as not to encourage rebellion. The kids could've had their contributions recognized and been invited to join in reduced capacity, all for their own good, and they could've cooperated instead of being insistent on doing things their own way. As a rule, I don't like it when disobedience is legitimized in children's books, because children are to "obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." (Eph. 6:1). Kids absorb what they read and we need to give them the right messages. Discuss this and make sure your kids know what's wrong about this, and what to really do, and it's a good thinking/talking point. :-)
Mr. Benedict has left clues along the route of the surprise voyage he set up for the kids and Milligan and Rhonda, who were to accompany them. They must solve the riddles and decipher the clues to find where Mr. Benedict was going and where Curtain's taken him. The form of world domination that Curtain's after this time is "duskwort," a plant that can put people to sleep. He's given a deadline for the revealing of the plant's location, and the kids and Milligan must reach and rescue Mr. Benedict and Number Two before then.
Once again, each child shines in an established or brand-new talent. Constance discovers she's got a premonition-type power by which she can inexplicably sense things before they happen, and is rather confused with how to respond to this new ability. Sticky has finally come into how smart he really is, and is dealing with a bit (okay, a lot) of pride over it. Kate, ever dependable and protective, experiences great hurt at the hands of Curtain's sadistic Ten Men and struggles with desire for revenge and an understanding of what makes the good guys good. Reynie, being the protagonist of the previous book, doesn't really have a big problem to face in this one, though he is stressed with having to lead the group as they all look to him for guidance.
There is a clear non-violence message here. Kate, doing most of the fighting of--and being captured by--the Ten Men, is understandably more than a little angry at them. They don't have any qualms with frightening, hurting, or even killing children, and she's ready to make them hurt. Inexplicably, though, Milligan is averse to mortally wounding their enemies. He always knocks them out, is concerned with hurting them too much, and tries to convince Kate that the good guys shouldn't play like the bad guys. That's true to an extent, but no good guy should be so concerned with being nice to the bad guys that he neglects to be as hard as he needs to be on them. Invariably, the bad guys are pursuing the harm of everyone on Earth, and the elimination of not a few. (Mr. Curtain is planning to use the duskwort to control the people on Earth, and is also going to impersonate Mr. Benedict, and get rid of those few who would question him.) Harming a few dedicated to evil and destruction will be an act of defense for and kindness toward the countless innocents that they're targeting. Sometimes you need to stop the bad guys permanently. This isn't revenge for being personally wronged, but justice for evil men and protection for the innocent. BUT, this is a kids book and kids usually aren't the best ones to understand or make these decisions, so it's fine that they understand having restraint and not taking revenge.
The message of hope is an uplifting one. It was a theme in the first book, and it's touched on here, how Reynie and Mr. Benedict do not have a very rosy view of people and their actions. In their fight against Mr. Curtain and his minions, the kids see lots of bad, cruel, evil people. And they despair at all the bad things humans do. But through this book, the kids get help from unexpected places, including those long-forgotten or presumed enemies. There's still hope for mankind.
One major problem I have with the book is the children's disobedience. Their attitude toward their mission is regrettable in that they assume they can pull this off on their own and actively avoid the adults to do so. Having accomplished so much by themselves at LIVE, they're certainly capable, but their direct refusal to obey Milligan when he arrives and tells them to leave certain things to him is definitely wrong. The kids plainly tell Milligan they're not going to listen to him and he's portrayed as helpless to tell them otherwise, so he gives in. That should've been written differently so as not to encourage rebellion. The kids could've had their contributions recognized and been invited to join in reduced capacity, all for their own good, and they could've cooperated instead of being insistent on doing things their own way. As a rule, I don't like it when disobedience is legitimized in children's books, because children are to "obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." (Eph. 6:1). Kids absorb what they read and we need to give them the right messages. Discuss this and make sure your kids know what's wrong about this, and what to really do, and it's a good thinking/talking point. :-)
Mr. Benedict has left clues along the route of the surprise voyage he set up for the kids and Milligan and Rhonda, who were to accompany them. They must solve the riddles and decipher the clues to find where Mr. Benedict was going and where Curtain's taken him. The form of world domination that Curtain's after this time is "duskwort," a plant that can put people to sleep. He's given a deadline for the revealing of the plant's location, and the kids and Milligan must reach and rescue Mr. Benedict and Number Two before then.
Once again, each child shines in an established or brand-new talent. Constance discovers she's got a premonition-type power by which she can inexplicably sense things before they happen, and is rather confused with how to respond to this new ability. Sticky has finally come into how smart he really is, and is dealing with a bit (okay, a lot) of pride over it. Kate, ever dependable and protective, experiences great hurt at the hands of Curtain's sadistic Ten Men and struggles with desire for revenge and an understanding of what makes the good guys good. Reynie, being the protagonist of the previous book, doesn't really have a big problem to face in this one, though he is stressed with having to lead the group as they all look to him for guidance.
There is a clear non-violence message here. Kate, doing most of the fighting of--and being captured by--the Ten Men, is understandably more than a little angry at them. They don't have any qualms with frightening, hurting, or even killing children, and she's ready to make them hurt. Inexplicably, though, Milligan is averse to mortally wounding their enemies. He always knocks them out, is concerned with hurting them too much, and tries to convince Kate that the good guys shouldn't play like the bad guys. That's true to an extent, but no good guy should be so concerned with being nice to the bad guys that he neglects to be as hard as he needs to be on them. Invariably, the bad guys are pursuing the harm of everyone on Earth, and the elimination of not a few. (Mr. Curtain is planning to use the duskwort to control the people on Earth, and is also going to impersonate Mr. Benedict, and get rid of those few who would question him.) Harming a few dedicated to evil and destruction will be an act of defense for and kindness toward the countless innocents that they're targeting. Sometimes you need to stop the bad guys permanently. This isn't revenge for being personally wronged, but justice for evil men and protection for the innocent. BUT, this is a kids book and kids usually aren't the best ones to understand or make these decisions, so it's fine that they understand having restraint and not taking revenge.
The message of hope is an uplifting one. It was a theme in the first book, and it's touched on here, how Reynie and Mr. Benedict do not have a very rosy view of people and their actions. In their fight against Mr. Curtain and his minions, the kids see lots of bad, cruel, evil people. And they despair at all the bad things humans do. But through this book, the kids get help from unexpected places, including those long-forgotten or presumed enemies. There's still hope for mankind.
thatbookishwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
bechlette47's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
torihoo's review against another edition
5.0
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey is the continuing adventures of four rather extraordinary children. Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are back and in more danger than ever in this thrilling sequel. Mr. Benedict arranges a wonderful surprise for them, but is kidnapped by his evil twin brother, Ledroptha Curtain, before he can give it to them. Just like that their happy reunion is turned into a race to follow the clues Mr. Benedict has left for them and rescue him before it's too late.
It's rare that a sequel lives up to its predecessor, but The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey does just that. Trenton Lee Stewart's writing is intriguing and clever, and his characters are even more so. I loved getting deeper into Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and especially Constance. The adventures were just as mysterious, just as addictive, and just as much fun to read. Now that the second book in this series has so exceeded my expectations, I can't wait to read the next!
It's rare that a sequel lives up to its predecessor, but The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey does just that. Trenton Lee Stewart's writing is intriguing and clever, and his characters are even more so. I loved getting deeper into Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and especially Constance. The adventures were just as mysterious, just as addictive, and just as much fun to read. Now that the second book in this series has so exceeded my expectations, I can't wait to read the next!
ksndracrntn's review against another edition
4.0
This book was mind-bending and a fun read. It almost felt like I was one of the characters. Much like watching Dora The Explorer as a child but with more thrill and adventure.
Btw, I have never read the first book considering the fact that it was always sold out and the local bookstore never seems to bother on stocking it back again.
Btw, I have never read the first book considering the fact that it was always sold out and the local bookstore never seems to bother on stocking it back again.
meganchristine's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't even close to my favorite book in the series. Quite frankly, there wasn't anything special to this book at all! Of course I always love an adventure from the gang.... but I just thought that this plot was way to easy!
This installment of The Mysterious Benedict Society starts off with an adventure that Mr. Benedict created for the children. An adventure that specifically highlights the children's strengths and forces them to work together for the desired outcome. When the adventure goes sideways for Mr. Benedict, the children are forced to do what they can to help him out of his predicament. Of course. if Mr. Benedict is in danger... the only culprit can be Mr. Curtain. Will the children be able to follow the clues to save Mr. Benedict? Will Mr. Curtain and his 'ten men' be able to finally retrieve what they are seeking?
Overall, I did enjoy reading the book. There are some new characters that I really enjoyed! The sailors on the ship seemed very nice and devoted to the cause. Along with the ship's rich passengers (even though they werent necessarily the good guys). Not to mention the return of SQ! I also really liked how much Milligan is in this story. He is such an underrated character in this series! I also enjoyed how they touched more on Mr. Benedict's narcolepsy, which is something that bothered me in the first book. I mean how is it that someone so smart cant figure out how to stay awake!? I also enjoyed the level of difficulty that come with the clues (the windchimes being my favorite). Also, I liked how scary the ten men were! I felt genuinely scared for the children when they were faced them. They were real bad guys in a childish book!
However, the resolution of this book wasn't good! It was WAAAYYYYY to easy for Mr. Benedict to resolve the situation . LIKE WHY DID HE EVEN NEED THE KIDS?!
This installment of The Mysterious Benedict Society starts off with an adventure that Mr. Benedict created for the children. An adventure that specifically highlights the children's strengths and forces them to work together for the desired outcome. When the adventure goes sideways for Mr. Benedict, the children are forced to do what they can to help him out of his predicament. Of course. if Mr. Benedict is in danger... the only culprit can be Mr. Curtain. Will the children be able to follow the clues to save Mr. Benedict? Will Mr. Curtain and his 'ten men' be able to finally retrieve what they are seeking?
Overall, I did enjoy reading the book. There are some new characters that I really enjoyed! The sailors on the ship seemed very nice and devoted to the cause. Along with the ship's rich passengers (even though they werent necessarily the good guys). Not to mention the return of SQ! I also really liked how much Milligan is in this story. He is such an underrated character in this series! I also enjoyed how they touched more on Mr. Benedict's narcolepsy, which is something that bothered me in the first book. I mean how is it that someone so smart cant figure out how to stay awake!? I also enjoyed the level of difficulty that come with the clues (the windchimes being my favorite). Also, I liked how scary the ten men were! I felt genuinely scared for the children when they were faced them. They were real bad guys in a childish book!
However, the resolution of this book wasn't good! It was WAAAYYYYY to easy for Mr. Benedict to resolve the situation . LIKE WHY DID HE EVEN NEED THE KIDS?!
a_writer_guy's review against another edition
3.0
The second book in the series. Still a fantastic concept and an enjoyable story. This is a book for kids and there are many moments that make you realize that, but that doesn't make it bad. Frankly, the fact that there are such intelligent, interesting stories for young kids is just wonderful. Tagging along with Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance as they set off across the world on the trail of a kidnapped Mr. Benedict was so much fun. Each one of the children bring their own specialties to the adventure and watching them solve riddles and hunt down the bad guys to save the founder of their secret society was just fun. These are fantastic books for anyone with a good imagination.
mdjohnson's review against another edition
4.0
A favorite quote: "Have you considered the possibility, Reynie, that wickedness is simply more noticeable than goodness? That wickedness stands out, as it were?" - p. 37
Did I cry? no/a little/a good amount/wept
Loved:
The best children's lit allows you a new perspective on it when you reread as an adult, and Mysterious Benedict Society does just that.
I feel like this book is one of the rare occasions, especially in a short series, where the sequel is actually better than the first book. While the first book does a great job of setting the scene and introducing these wonderful characters, this book lets meaningful character development take place while simultaneously balancing a nail-biting, adventurous plot. It deepens the series and the characters in a way that I think few sequels really achieve.
There are so many scenes in this book that make my heart clench.
Other notes:
Did I cry? no/a little/a good amount/wept
Loved:
The best children's lit allows you a new perspective on it when you reread as an adult, and Mysterious Benedict Society does just that.
I feel like this book is one of the rare occasions, especially in a short series, where the sequel is actually better than the first book. While the first book does a great job of setting the scene and introducing these wonderful characters, this book lets meaningful character development take place while simultaneously balancing a nail-biting, adventurous plot. It deepens the series and the characters in a way that I think few sequels really achieve.
Spoiler
Each child gets to have their own personal journey; Reynie learns lessons in trust, Constance in channeling one's skills, Sticky in humility and bravery, and Kate in restraint. I think these are written masterfully. Although most of the story takes place from Reynie's perspective, there is an element of omniscience, and as a reader you know how these characters are growing and changing, while they often seem oblivious to it. Which, of course, makes sense given their age.There are so many scenes in this book that make my heart clench.
Spoiler
When Reynie throws the radio out the train window out of suspicion and Constance tearfully tells him she never wants to mistrust him (185). When Constance is worried they'll reach a dead-end in their journey and Kate tells her it won't be over "until we say so" (191). I'd die for these kids.Other notes: