Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 5322 more book reviews Reynard (or Reynie, as he prefers to be called) Muldoon is not your average eleven-year-old boy. First of all, he lives in an orphanage where he is constantly teased by all the other children. Then there's the fact that he's a genius. He's so smart that he needs his own tutor, Ms. Perumal, who is really more of a friend to him. It's because of Ms. Perumal that Reynie happened to be reading the newspaper that held a one-of-a-kind advertisement. "Are You a Gifted Child Looking for Special Opportunities?" Not only does this advertisement catch Reynie's eye, but that of many young children. All of these children enroll to take several tests consisting of many brain teasers. Out of all the children, though, only four succeed, with Reynie being one of the four.
The children are all immediately drawn to each other. Not just because of their exceptional mental abilities, but also because they are all alone. Reynie, Kate, and Constance are all orphans, and Sticky has run away from a miserable home life. When they all finish with their tests they are led to a mysterious old house where they are introduced to Mr. Benedict. Mr. Benedict is an intriguing and incredibly smart man who has a secret mission for the children that only they can complete.
To fulfill their mission, the children must go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. The headmaster of the school, Mr. Curtain, is up to no good, and it is up to the children to figure out what he is up to and hopefully stop him. It will be no easy feat, as the children will have to wrap their minds around puzzle after puzzle and face challenges that not even their wildest dreams could have ever created. With no choice but to turn to each other, the children embark on a journey that will forever change their lives.
I have heard nothing but good things about this book. Needless to say, I had high expectations for it. Overall, I really enjoyed THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY, except I found that at times it was a bit lacking. First, I want to say that the author's writing style was marvelous. It definitely had the magic feeling that Roald Dahl put into his books that made them so wonderful. There was that extra umph to the book that made it quite enjoyable. Returning again to my reference of Roald Dahl, I felt like the adventure these kids went on was much like the adventure Charlie from CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY went on, without the candy!
While the book is directed at a more middle grade audience, I still found myself enjoying the adventure and solving the riddles along with the children. Overall, I enjoyed the story and think it would be a great book for both reluctant readers and middle graders.
Leeankh reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 139 more book reviews 
Casey C. (purpledaydreamer) reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 4 more book reviews This book is about four gifted children. Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon is an orphan who not only knows his facts but can also think through puzzles in a snap. "Sticky" Washington is a runaway who remembers anything he's ever heard or read. Kate Wetherall is the muscle of the group. She likes action and adventure and is always prepared because she carries her bucket (filled with a lot of handy things) with her where ever she goes. Constance Contraire is the youngest of the group, and has a way with words (particularly putting words into insulting poems and songs on the spot), and although she is crabby and always complaining she is still an important part of the Mysterious Benedict Society (which is what the small group of misfits has called themselves).
Anyone of any age will love this book!
Larissa D. (crazydougmom) reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 23 more book reviews 
Regina (Gr8Smokies) reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 98 more book reviews The true test of a kids' book is whether or not kids will read it. I gave it to two picky boys to read--and they loved it. They both read it faster than I did (and at 500 pages, that's saying a lot) and went out to get the next in the series.
I found some parts a bit long winded, but there was a positive message of being able to endure failure, find family, and work with others.
Kirsten F. (spiral) - It holds lots of puzzles, interesting characters and tons more! I suggest you check out this 3-book series!
Becky (2manyb00ks) reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 203 more book reviews 
Aleena G. (mom4boys) reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 2 more book reviews 
Monica (readabookaday) - 
Zoe N. reviewed The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society, Bk 1) on + 20 more book reviews I LOVED this book! It has a bit of everything from mystery to lots of humor to action to an epic battle of good vs. evil. There's so much to like here, and so many ways for you to identify with so many characters, you'll find it hard to put down!
“Rules and school are tools for fools! I don't give two mules for rules.” ~Constance Contrare
THE PLOT I loved the plot of The Mysterious Benedect Society! Plot-wise, it's got a little of everything - mystery, action, adventure, and an epic battle of good vs. evil.
The story starts out excitingly with a newspaper article! But it's not just ANY newspaper article...
"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?"
Hundreds of children arrive to take these challenging, mind-boggling tests - but, in the end, only four very extraordinary children succeed: Reynie Muldoon, Sticky Washington, Kate Wetherall and Constance Contraire. And then they're sent on a mission - to stop the evil Mr. Curtain before he brainwashes the world! But first, they have to go undercover at the "Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened" where the only rule is that there is no rules! (What a brilliant aspect for the story, Mr. Stewart!)
"You can wear whatever you want, just so long as you have on trousers, shoes, and a shirt. You can bathe as often as you like or not at all, provided you're clean every day in class. You can eat whatever and whenever you want, so long as it's during meal hours in the cafeteria. You're allowed to keep the lights on in your rooms as late as you wish until ten o'clock each night. And you can go wherever you want around the Institute, so long as you keep to the paths and the yellow-tiled corridors."
Will they succeed...or will they be caught first?!?! THE WRITING
“Oh, here's a clever one,” Mr. Benedict told Reynie, scanning over Constance’s test. "Do you remember this question from the first test? It reads, What wrong with this statement?” Reynie nodded, vaguely remembering the question. “And do you know what Constance wrote in reply? She wrote, What's wrong with you?”
And in case you're wondering, the answer to that question - is, well - that it's not a statement - it's a question!
Not to disappoint, the writing in The Mysterious Benedict Society is downright amazing! In my opinion, the writing is as every bit as brilliant as the incredible plot - which surprised me immensely. Trenton Lee Stewart has an incredible prowess for writing. His sentences are brilliant; they definitely painted such a vivid image - or "screenplay" if you will - of the story in my head. His eloquence and descriptions were just so amazing!
There are no unnecessary scenes - or even words in The Mysterious Benedict Society. Every single word has a purpose in the story - and it amazes me how tightly edited it is! I really enjoyed that aspect of the book!
The pacing in The Mysterious Benedict Society does not disappoint - this is a fast paced, action-packed novel that you will simply devour! There is virtually non-stop action!
I say "virtually" because the pacing seems to slow down slightly when the children are trying to figure out a puzzle - and, you too, can figure it out alongside them! However, being the incredibly smart children they are, this never usually takes very long.
THE CHARACTERS Not to disappoint readers, the characters are phenomenal as well!
Now, rest assured, these aren't just your stereotypical, underdeveloped "nerds." They're more than that. They have such unbelievable depth and personality that they feel like actual people! This being said, it's incredibly easy to emotionally connect to them - easier than in most books - but it's beautiful characterization through and through! Even the supporting cast members are colorful and have back stories! Stewart gives each of the background characters a unique feature to help the reader remember them.
Each of the four succeeding contestants (Reynie, Sticky, Kate & Constance) each have their different ways of solving each task that gets thrown at them - yet, in the end, they all answer correctly.
* Reynie uses his logic and puzzle-solving skills. * Sticky uses his high intellectual ability & photographic memory. * Kate uses her incredible athletic and agility skills. * Constance is too stubborn and grumpy to be asked to solve anything in the first place! Though, let me assure you, her grumpy disposition -though it can undeniably make things harder for the group - is eventually the key to the mission's success!
THE PUZZLES There are a multitude of puzzles plastered throughout the book - and I found it quite fun to quiz myself alongside our 4 protagonists! If you decide to read the book, I highly recommend solving (or at least trying to solve) the puzzles alongside Sticky, Reynie, Kate & Constance! :D All in all, this is one of my favorite books of all-time and I highly recommend it! Can't wait to read the rest of the series!
