Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 05/01/2007 Messianic child fantasy has a familiar enough recipe: gather one lonely child (usually an orphan), some stalwart companions, and a wise and benevolent elder, and place in a large, castle-like building. Sprinkle liberally with quirky helpers. Test the children with some minor challenges, and leaven their critical responses with kindly insights from the elder. When they are properly seasoned, have the elder tell them of a villain who is determined to destroy the world and inform them that, alas, though he will always be there to help them, he cannot defeat the villain himself but must send them on a dangerous and potentially fatal mission to save the world. Variations on this casserole can turn out cheesy, bland, or deliciously tasty, with a substantial mouth-feel and a complex blending of flavors. This last is the case with Trenton Lee Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society. Reynie Muldoon, a lonely, gifted orphan, is encouraged by his beloved tutor to check out a mysterious newspaper ad seeking gifted children interested in “special opportunities.” A series of cleverly conceived tests that challenge Reynie’s integrity and cunning as well as his intelligence follows, and he finds himself in the company of three other children who have also passed the tests using their own singular gifts: Sticky has a photographic memory, Kate is a preadolescent MacGyver, and tiny Constance has a remarkable gift for undiluted obstinacy. The four find themselves in the home of a benevolent, narcoleptic genius, Mr. Benedict, who commissions them to find out what’s behind a series of subliminal messages that are being broadcast from a private school on an isolated island. The children enroll in the school and, through deciphering a well-laid series of clues, discover that the messages are part of a plot for world domination devised by the headmaster, Mr. Curtain, who looks remarkably like their beloved Mr. Benedict. To foil the plot, the children must creatively employ their particular gifts: Reynie’s keen understanding of people’s motivations, Sticky’s formidable bank of obscure knowledge, Kate’s athletic problem-solving skills, and Constance’s ability to resist even the most seductive lures all play a part in defeating Mr. Benedict’s evil twin. More importantly, though, these four loners must overcome a lifetime of forced independence to forge a deep friendship and depend on their bond to bolster their individual strengths and dampen their foibles. Each of them has a strong motivation for distrust; they have all been hurt, mistreated, neglected, and misunderstood. Indeed, their largest challenge lies in overcoming their natural inclination to separate themselves and act only in their own self-interest, especially in times of great stress. The character arcs of Reynie and Sticky are especially poignant; their self-doubt and their desire to live up to their first-ever friends’ expectations tap a deep vein of empathy that many readers will respond to. When they ultimately go their separate ways, the gestalt of their friendship has led them to be more open, more forgiving, and more able to love than they were before their ordeal. In keeping with the gentle seriousness of his focus on the four characters, Stewart eschews the glib, intrusive narration that infects so much contemporary fiction for this age group. Instead, his atmospheric storytelling invites a reader to become absorbed in the world he has created, so that even the slightly cheesy mechanism that Mr. Curtain uses for mind control may be forgiven (what’s a casserole without a little cheese, after all?). Dashes of mild humor and introspection rest on a solid base of suspense, mystery, and well-rounded characters, making this a satisfying dish for readers of varying tastes. - Copyright 2007 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2007 Gr 5-9-After Reynie Muldoon responds to an advertisement recruiting "gifted children looking for special opportunities," he finds himself in a world of mystery and adventure. The 11-year-old orphan is one of four children to complete a series of challenging and creative tasks, and he, Kate, Constance, and Sticky become the Mysterious Benedict Society. After being trained by Mr. Benedict and his assistants, the four travel to an isolated school where children are being trained by a criminal mastermind to participate in his schemes to take over the world. The young investigators need to use their special talents and abilities in order to discover Mr. Curtain's secrets, and their only chance to defeat him is through working together. Readers will challenge their own abilities as they work with the Society members to solve clues and put together the pieces of Mr. Curtain's plan. In spite of a variety of coincidences, Stewart's unusual characters, threatening villains, and dramatic plot twists will grab and hold readers' attention. Fans of Roald Dahl or Blue Balliett will find a familiar blend of kid power, clues, and adventure in Society, though its length may daunt reluctant or less-secure readers. Underlying themes about the power of media messages and the value of education add to this book's appeal, and a happy ending with hints of more adventures to come make this first-time author one to remember.-Beth L. Meister, Pleasant View Elementary School, Franklin, WI Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information. - Copyright 2007 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2007 *Starred Review* “Are you a gifted child looking for Special Opportunities?” This curious newspaper ad catches the eye of orphan Reynie Muldoon. After taking exams that test both mind and spirit, Reynie is selected along with four other contestants—Sticky Washington, a nervous child with a photographic memory; irrepressible Kate Weatherhill; and a tiny child who lives up to her name, Constance Contraire. The children soon learn they’ve been chosen by mysterious Mr. Benedict for an important mission: they are to infiltrate the isolated Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, from which messages of distrust and compliance are being broadcast into the minds of the world’s citizens. Debut novelist Stewart takes some familiar conventions—among them, an orphan struggling against evil forces (Harry Potter, anyone?)—and makes them his own. But like the Potter books, his story goes beyond mere adventures, delving into serious issues, such as the way sloganeering can undermine society—or control it. Through its interesting characters, the book also tackles personal concerns: abandonment, family, loyalty, and facing one’s fears. The novel could have been shortened, but Stewart writes with such attention to the intricacies of plot and personality, his story rarely feels slow; only a significant disclosure about Constance seems forced. Smart kids who like Blue Balliet’s books are the natural audience for this; but, read aloud, the novel will attract many others as well. Illustrations to come. - Copyright 2007 Booklist.