Reviews

3.5/5 ⭐️

Absolutely loved the first book, liked the second book, and thought this book was good as well.

Let’s do the positives first:

I absolutely adore Milligan and his snide comments while he’s fighting. Also love that Sticky has grown into such a brave boy — he’s grown so much since the first book! All of them are so witty, brilliant, and brave, and I loved witnessing their growth. All of the characters are so dear to me — It actually made me tear up a little at the thought of how much Milligan sacrifices himself to protect others.

Now, for the not-so-great points:
It’s getting a little ridiculous now that Constance (and Reynie) are basically able to read minds or plant thoughts in other peoples’ heads… but I still really enjoyed following along with their journey. This book actually took me a while to get through, and some parts seemed to drag on and on. But I did really like the latter half of the book.

Now, excuse me while I go pick up the final book. I don’t want this to end!

rylanthereader's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional 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? Yes

4.0

katrenia's review against another edition

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4.0

This book wrapped up the storyline started in book 1. I enjoyed the further development of the kids’ skills and teamwork. Some of the action seems implausible and would result in death, rather than injury. Overall, a good middle grade read.

milli_54's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

cozytea's review against another edition

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adventurous medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

This may be an unpopular opinion, but to me, this is the weakest book in the series. I did enjoy the story, but it felt like the first book again, with more characters. A pro is that we find out more about Constance Contraire. We learn about her past and how she became a part of the Mysterious Benedict Society. I would recommend this book to fans of the series who are interested in learning more about Constance. It might even become your favorite book in the series.

wrentheblurry's review against another edition

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3.0

I read this one to my 14-year old son, who gives it 3 stars. If it was just me, I probably would've stopped reading it early on. He and I had read the first one, and he suggested we continue the series. It wasn't until halfway through that I realized this was the THIRD title, not the second. The good news is our lack of knowledge didn't affect our understanding of this story. Also good news, after reading the third one, we both agreed to not read the second, or any more of them.

The kids become embroiled in another long and involved adventure, with plenty of close calls and brainstorming of ideas. All of their powers seem to have increased, some of them to an extreme (and annoying) level.

My son enjoyed pointing out the plot holes. I enjoyed watching him enact the facial expression descriptions (of which there are many) of the various characters.

Strong fans of the series may enjoy this, but I found it too long, dull, and convoluted. Constance is a real PIA, but Milligan still rocks.

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