Synopsis:
"Are you a gifted child
looking for special opportunities?" ad attracts dozens for mind-bending
tests readers may try. Only two boys and two girls succeed for a secret
mission, undercover and underground into hidden tunnels. At the Learning Institute
for the Very Enlightened, the only rule is - there are no rules.
My thoughts: this
book talks about the adventures of four children, who must defeat Mr. Curtain
(the villain) before he wins everybody minds. The kids are: Reynie Muldoon, an
orphan boy with a golden heart and leadership; George “Sticky” Washington, a
runaway kid with the ability to stick – that’s why his name – everything that
he reads into his bald head; Kate Wetherall and her bucket, an orphan girl
whose mother died and father disappeared, making her runaway with the circus,
where she learned as many abilities as you can imagine; and last, but not
least, little Miss Constance Contraire, the most gifted of all – and the most
annoying. Together they are the Mysterious Benedict Society, the most gifted
kids and only hope for the world.
At first, I thought that I would
be able to draw a rank with my favorite and hated character among the children,
but now I find it impossible to do so. Simply because they are adorable and
unique, making each one, in its own way, important for the success of their
mission.
According to booklist, this book is compared to Harry
Potter’s saga, and although I agree in most of it – the common villain that
together they must defeat, the danger to everyone if they fail etcetera – their
genre doesn’t match (in my humble opinion): The MBS has the small kids between 6
to 13 or 14 years old as their target, while The HP focus on everybody in a general matter, but mainly
juvenile people.
The book altogether was very entertaining and fun, I had
my share of laughter, surprise and caring for each chapter and each character –
except for Mr. Curtain, obviously. Despite all efforts, I couldn’t find a book
category for it, since it has adventure, mystery, a fiction, action, comedy,
differently from the other novels that I’ve read over the years – mostly of
them fits in the romance and historical romance category. So I can say, with a
certain amount of security, that it pleases all tastes.
Even though it’s a childlike book, the focus, for me, wasn’t
only in the games and enigmas that the book gives you to solve together with
the heroes, but the messages within the book itself: you’re never alone if you
have friends; everyone is especial and important for something or someone, no
matter what they are like or what they do; there is no 100% right side in
politics or in everything in life, for that matter; family isn’t only the one
with blood-relations. That’s why I had such a hard time finding a place to put
them in :P
Here is the website from the book, with games and
everything: http://www.mysteriousbenedictsociety.com/
Welcome to The Mysterious Benedict Society!
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