Thursday, July 18, 2019

#tbt and Audiobook Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Image: Little, Brown Young Readers
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. Illustrated by Carson Ellis. Unabridged E-Audiobook, ~ 13 hours. Narrated by Del Roy. Listening Library, February, 2007. 9780739354971. (Review of digital copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy #tbt TMS Readers! This past June, I featured a new "Mysterious Benedict Society" book that is due to publish in late September. The series circulates well at TMS and guess what? I have never read it! I remedied that situation in early July and the first book, The Mysterious Benedict Society,  was my 20th book of summer vacation reading. It was written by Trenton Lee Stewart and was published in 2007. It is illustrated by Carson Ellis and is the story of four gifted children who are orphaned or have run away from neglectful parents. 

Their mentor is Mr. Benedict and the four are called "the mysterious Benedict society." They are tasked with infiltrating a school called L.I.V.E., the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. It seems a nefarious plot to take over the world originated at the school, which is on an island. Reynie, Stickie, Kate and Constance need to go undercover as students to investigate. 

The twists and turns of this fast-paced plot will keep you on your toes. If you like action and mystery and puzzles and puns, this is the book for you! 

If I continue the series, I will probably switch to reading with my eyes. I wasn't a fan of the narration. The narrator's raspy, breathy delivery grated. While, I usually don't mind a narrator's choice not to use different voices for the characters, I found myself wondering who was talking from time to time. The books are long. Hence the audiobooks are LONG! There is no rushing an audiobook. You are stuck with the narrator for the duration. 

There's a rather well-done website for the series, but it needs updating. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle for the Ages is not on it as of today. 

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