The Mysterious Benedict Society

Oh my goodness. This is one of those books that you get so excited about that you tell everyone who comes within a ten-foot radius about it. Imagine Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" with better writing, better characters, better villains, better plot lines, a better ending, and contained in only one book. Don't get me wrong, I loved Unfortunate Events. I thought it was a hoot. But "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart puts Lemony Snicket to shame. To shame, I say! It's a story about clever, brilliant children fighting against a seemingly insurmountable enemy. But these children do have some help from adults and they are infinitely more likable. There were parts in this book that literally had me at the edge of my seat. I couldn't put it down. And even better, the ending made sense in this book. That was my big complaint about Unfortunate Events, that the ending left something wanting. In Lemony's defense, however, Brett Helquist did a much better job than Carson Ellis, who illustrated this book. Ellis' illustrations weren't anything to get excited about, whereas Helquist's were amazing.

My point of all this is that you should go out and immediately check this book out from the library and read it. What are you waiting for? Quit reading and go! Now!