One Bear's Opinion -- Book Review

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma
by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma are the second and third books in a three book series. I read the first book a couple of years ago, and was completing the series. Last year most of our (my housemate/reading companion and me) reading energies were spent on the Popsugar 2015 Ultimate Reading Challenge so the books we read we geared to ticking off categories above anything else, expect enjoyment. After finding reading to someone else’s parameters was not for us, my reading partner has set a goal to catch up on series and tackle more of the books she already owns than trying to tick off someone else’s arbitrary boxes, so more of our reading this year will probably be books by the same author with the same characters read in groups. I may review each individually, or I may, as in this case, review them together as a whole.

While the first book in this series, The Mysterious Benedict Society, can be read on its own, it does leave part of the story open in an almost-but-not-really-a-cliff-hanger style ending, which takes the next two books in the series to completely wrap up. These books could be read each on their own, but it’s probably better to read them together, and as a continuation of the series, as the story carries on from one to the next in a way that it does not from the first to the second books.

These books are officially written for middle-grade readers, but that does not mean that other readers, adults, older, or younger children, would not enjoy them. I definitely enjoyed them and found the characters engaging and fun. I think though, like other books featuring children as central characters, adults may find it harder to relate to the characters who are the most unlike them when they were children. I see that as a common complaint in book reviews of children’s books by adults. But that may be a common problem with all forms of novels — if the reader does not identify with the characters, much of the enjoyment of the book is lost. And the characters in this series of books are very peculiar children, advanced in some areas but not in others. The adults are also a bit quirky and, in some cases, almost one dimensional. I can understand why some readers do not like the books.

It is hard to discuss the books without spoiling them, because while the plot is integral to any novel, it is particularly hard for me to discuss much about these books without mentioning things which may be considered spoilers by some readers. If you have read and enjoyed the first book in the series, you may be a bit disappointed in these two adventures. I found there are fewer clues and puzzles to solve, and the ones that were there were easier for me to figure out. I missed the puzzles because the lack of them seemed to make it harder for the reader to play along with the children, which was a big part of the fun of the original book in the series. Also, the adventure, as it plays out, in the second book is rather unbelievable, even within the world constructed by the author for the book. I can forgive many things in fiction, but not as much of the situations do not even make sense in the world created for the fiction. It was almost as if the author had written himself into a corner and could not get out without re-building the room and not letting readers know he had done so. That is a dramatic example, and not what happened the book, but there were large parts of the Perilous Journey that were unbelievable, even within the world contracted for the book.

All of which is not to say I did not enjoy these books; I did. Visits with Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are always enjoyable. I was pleased with the final ending in book three, which wrapped everything up neatly, but honestly, I did not enjoy them as much as I did the first book. I would say to read the books for the visits with the characters, but do not expect them to be as good as your first adventure with the Mysterious Benedict Society.

One Bear's Opinion:  Three cups of apple cinnamon tea and a huge slice of apple pie a la mode

Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver