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The Mysterious Benedict Society

By Trenton Lee Stewart

(39)

| Hardcover | 9780316057776

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Book Description

ARE YOU A GIFTED CHILD LOOKING FOR SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES? Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance-succeed. Their challenge: to gContinue

Critics

THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PRISONER’S DILEMMA by Trenton Lee Stewart

Books by Trenton Lee Stewart THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PERILOUS JOURNEY THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PRISONER’S DILEMMA THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE PRISONER’S DILEMMA by Trenton Lee ... (read full critics)

kidsreads published on Sat, 23 Oct 2010

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma By Trenton Lee Stewart

When asked about their favorite element of The Mysterious Benedict Society novels, fans often cite the same thing: When it comes to Trenton Lee Stewart’s whirlwind adventure novels about four clever children, the key is characterization. Stewart’s yo ... (read full critics)

bookpage published on Wed, 15 Sep 2010

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6 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

This was a really fun book. I especially enjoyed the way that the author set up problems that did not have to be solved in one way. There were many answers to the puzzles, and each child answered them according to his or her own talents.

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Mary C said on May 9, 2007 | Add your feedback

Very clever and so much fun!

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Deanna Kyre said on Sep 20, 2011 | Add your feedback

This is a delightful mystery for youngsters. Four children who are pretty much on their own in the world, one way or another, are brought together to form the Mysterious Benedict Society. They are given a task no less than to save the world from a nefarious bad guy.

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Missmath144 said on Apr 27, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

閱讀筆記【The Mysterious Benedict Society】

書籍內容簡介～極短的簡介：
四位資質聰穎的孩子Reyneld Mouldon, George(Sticky) Washington, Constance & Kate 因為參加一個奇怪的測驗而相遇，從Mr.Benedict手上接下艱鉅的任務：揭發透過電視傳遞特殊的意識形態，且培養孩子當做犯罪工具的背後主謀者。他們必須潛入Nomansan Island上為這些資質聰穎的孩子所設立的特殊學校：The Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened；一起協力阻止陰謀一再的發生。
購買原因：
* 因為封面的插圖（Carson Ellis，也為The ... (continue)

書籍內容簡介～極短的簡介：
四位資質聰穎的孩子Reyneld Mouldon, George(Sticky) Washington, Constance & Kate 因為參加一個奇怪的測驗而相遇，從Mr.Benedict手上接下艱鉅的任務：揭發透過電視傳遞特殊的意識形態，且培養孩子當做犯罪工具的背後主謀者。他們必須潛入Nomansan Island上為這些資質聰穎的孩子所設立的特殊學校：The Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened；一起協力阻止陰謀一再的發生。
購買原因：
* 因為封面的插圖（Carson Ellis，也為The Composer is Dead繪製插圖，這本書也很棒喔！感想還在兔......），所以從暑假書展活動的一堆書中拿起來翻閱；
* 第一章：Pencils, Erasers, and Disqualification，試讀一小段後想繼續看下去，故事很懸疑的樣子，猜測：應該是推理小說嗎？還是懸疑殺人事件？
* 這本書好像在美國賣得不錯，因為封面上方寫著：A New York Times Bestseller；而且好像沒有什麼廣告，台灣看過的人應該不多吧？
* 有第二集【The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey】（入圍2009年安東尼獎）跟十月即將出版第三集【The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma】：想必故事應該真的不錯，要不然怎麼會出到第三集？--這樣會......很膚淺嗎？
感想：
覺得【The Mysterious Benedict Society】在講有關「意識型態」的小說。第一次感受到「意識型態」所產生的不舒服感是在朋友參與的某直銷公司歡慶會，幾百個人坐在大禮堂裡，看著臺上許許多多大咖贈送給主角精美禮品，不外乎F牌包包、全台只有兩咖的C牌包包，與每個成功女性都該
擁有的L牌包等，而場下幾百人望著台上發出讚嘆聲，極度贊同這成功的時刻；當時覺得很不舒服，提早離開會場，事後與另一位朋友聊起，他才點醒我：因為你們的價值觀不同啊！（或許這純粹只是成功人士所得到的附加價值）。
書中談到的「意識型態的陰謀」也是現在社會遇到的問題。臺灣媒體新聞報紙、看這些長大的我們不也有同樣的問題？嘴巴我們說著公平、尊重，但所作所為早就被牽著鼻子走；公眾人物睜著眼睛稱讚壓榨人權的國家「進步」，我們是否應該拍拍手摸摸頭地稱讚他：言行一致？
一開始作者把鏡頭放在主角Reynie Muldoon前往參加第二關測驗的路上，然後回頭敘述他為何出現在這兒的原因；在他們尚未與Mr.Benedict會面前，就可以從Reynie, Sticky & Kate相遇的過程中了解了他們的個性。青少年小說的主角，常常會有兩男兩女，就容易想到【The Lion, The Witch and the Warobe】的亞當下娃之子。每一位主角都擁有很有個性，他們擁有與其他生活在「正常」家庭、擁有「正常」生活的孩子不同，最大的共同點就是：they’re alone in the world／他們在這世界上是屬於孤獨的那一群人。
成人常常會將自以為「children」應該有的樣子設定好，要求他們一步一步地走在軌道上。其實我也會有這樣的問題：小孩該像怎樣？如果有個小孩非常的早熟，兩三歲的談吐已經像位小大人，這該怎麼辦？我不覺得小孩就是要完全的天真可愛，或者只能看快樂溫馨的繪本，但曾經遇過早熟的小孩，讓人有點害怕，也非常好奇他的腦袋瓜看到大人世界時的反應到底是什麼？
害怕的原因有可能是：小孩的雙眼看得到真相。小孩的童言童語常常點醒大人正在做「口是心非」的事。大人叫小孩別看電視多讀書，自己卻守在電視機前，只看報紙的影劇版；大人叫小孩不要吵，自己卻拿著手機講半天。他們像是個沒有污染過的生物，透過觀察形塑自己，他們的能力比我們想像中還要大且真實。

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Shekouvillage said on Feb 9, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Young adult or juvenile fiction, this is wonderfully crafted and will be a big hit with puzzle lovers and possibly reluctant readers. My oldest daughter (17) and I both loved and will definitely read the follow up books.

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Rameycreek said on Sep 21, 2009 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

Cute Kid's Story

Cute, easy-to-read, no-brainer. Nothing much else to say about it.

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JaneofallTrades said on Aug 26, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback