Scan barcode
ladiebuggle's review against another edition
3.0
A slow start and predictable in parts, but overall a nice read. I would recommend the Benedict Society books before this one.
olivia_reads1904's review against another edition
This book was long and it really felt like it just kept going. In the first 400 hundred pages I would of giving it a three but with the ending the book has the end rating is four stars. I wonder what second book would be like. If someone somehow found the watches, The Smoke escapes and goes completely crazy, and the people who find the watch only want to destroy it. It would be a good plot I think.
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting story, but it was overwritten. This book did not need to be 500 pages long.
bigkidbookworm's review
The reader wasn’t for me so I might return to this one in print!
leahfred's review
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
It took quite a while for this book to engage me. I realized that part of what I loved about The Mysterious Benedict Society was the society aspect of it: this pack of extraordinary children. Because they were in it together from very early on in the story, the tension of those books was much less than the tension in this book. Reuben is very much alone in a fairy desperate situation; it takes a long time for him to trust those he can trust, and it takes a long time for the adults in the story to come through for him. Those things were frustrating for me; but once it all came together, it was a really good story with a very satisfying ending.
seasonswait's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
melanie10082006's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
Solid 4 stars
Wasn’t quite a 5 stars like nicholas’s extraordinary education or MBS, but the book was still enjoyable.
I liked the first 2/3 of the book the most - I liked exploring the lower downs and when reuben first found the watch and was piecing together what it does and using it for the first time. I loved how he was on the run because the directions and the smoke were on the look for him, and how he’d use the watches power to aid him. I also loved his journey to point william and the passage where he makes it to the cave - I think that was the moment where I was the most tense and on the edge of my seat. I also adored the relationship between reuben and his mum. One of my biggest enjoyments of the book was the meyer legacy and the story of penelope meyer + all the mystery behind the origin of the watch. The meyers as a family and concept were very enjoyable. I loved jack and penny meyer as characters.
The reason the book isnt a 5 star for me is that I felt it wasnt as clever as trentons previous books - though there were snippets, and there was no major plot twists - the ending was quite anticlimactic and flat to me. Although I loved mrs genevieves conclusion. I also feel like it was quite difficult at times to know reubens true motivations, and he wasnt as likeable to me as trentons previous main protagonists - although I appreciate that he was more complex. I think I liked him a lot more in the first half of the book, but then it dwindled later for some reason. I was also a bit disappointed with penny’s role in the end.
Wasn’t quite a 5 stars like nicholas’s extraordinary education or MBS, but the book was still enjoyable.
I liked the first 2/3 of the book the most - I liked exploring the lower downs and when reuben first found the watch and was piecing together what it does and using it for the first time. I loved how he was on the run because the directions and the smoke were on the look for him, and how he’d use the watches power to aid him. I also loved his journey to point william and the passage where he makes it to the cave - I think that was the moment where I was the most tense and on the edge of my seat. I also adored the relationship between reuben and his mum. One of my biggest enjoyments of the book was the meyer legacy and the story of penelope meyer + all the mystery behind the origin of the watch. The meyers as a family and concept were very enjoyable. I loved jack and penny meyer as characters.
The reason the book isnt a 5 star for me is that I felt it wasnt as clever as trentons previous books - though there were snippets, and there was no major plot twists - the ending was quite anticlimactic and flat to me. Although I loved mrs genevieves conclusion. I also feel like it was quite difficult at times to know reubens true motivations, and he wasnt as likeable to me as trentons previous main protagonists - although I appreciate that he was more complex. I think I liked him a lot more in the first half of the book, but then it dwindled later for some reason. I was also a bit disappointed with penny’s role in the end.
breakfastgrey's review against another edition
4.0
A strong showing from the author of the Mysterious Benedict Society with fun mysteries and some really top-notch action and set pieces. Unfortunately, things could cut a little too close to the previous series at times which was distracting. I kept reading Reuben's name as Reynie and the occasional illustrations did little to enhance the text and actually detracted from some of the more menacing moments. Still, the book was a fun romp.
katrenia's review against another edition
4.0
3.9. I’m knocking this down a smidge because I think the dystopian genre is a little heavy for kids. But I did love the primary character and his adventurous spirit. He always figured out a way to do what he needed!