Critique

At first, I wasn’t really taken with the story. The first book was so new, such a new type of fantasy with many things to discover as they revealed themselves throughout the story. The sequel, however, lacks some of that sense of discovery. There are still elements that pepper themselves throughout, but mostly this is an adventure story with lots of swashbuckling and murder mystery.

That’s not to say that the book is bad, per se, or even that it’s worse than its predecessor. It’s just that what I was hoping for was a further exploration of the fantasy elements that make up the world, how they work, why most people only have one power, etc. I would still recommend it, especially if you enjoyed the first book in the series.

The other books in this series thus far are The Cabinet of Wonders (book 1).

Critique

I really do love these books, and I was certainly excited to see another addition to the series. For those who are just entering the scene of The Mysterious Benedict Society here on this review, you may want to check out the other two that I’ve posted previously because this review will simply be a reaction and comparison to the others.

That said, I have to be honest that I was a little disappointed in this one. Although there are a lot of fun fight scenes between Milligan and the Ten Men, there aren’t nearly as many brain teasers for the readers to engage in with the four main characters. Overall, the book is great, and it’s certainly a fun read, but what I feel makes these books so particularly unique and such a great read are the puzzles that Stewart interjects throughout. Certainly, if you’re a fan, you should still read it, but I think it’s the weakest in the series so far.

The other two books in this series are The Mysterious Benedict Society (book 1), and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (book 2).

Critique

Ok, so first of all, this book sells itself the completely wrong way. I understand that there are some potentially interesting angles that can create buzz amongst readers if you take the ‘boys are mysteriously’ dying pieces and blow them out of proportion. Given the back cover, I was truly expecting I Know What You Did Last Summer, or Scream, but what I got was more like Hearts In Atlantis, and even that movie was scarier than this book. For those of you looking for Goosebumps, this is not your book.

However, in my opinion, the text is much better. I wasn’t looking forward to a YA book version of a bad horror flick, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that this novel isn’t anything at all like that. It’s a story about growing up, making mistakes, and working through difficult circumstances given the various pressures around you. Kraus’s narrative voice is perfect for the three main characters. Each is unique and each has a different home life that causes tension and struggles that arise as a result. 

Honestly, I love coming of age novels because they hearken to a simpler time in all of us when we’re exploring everything life is beginning to offer as we awaken into our teenage selves—weird hormones, friendships forming and dissolving, and the realization that our parents are normal people with problems of their own. I don’t think there are enough good books like this one, and I recommend this to boys, ages 10 – 13. 

Critique

As always, Gaiman’s imagination reaches nearly no bounds. However, what makes him such a great storyteller is not the ability to imagine, but to take those concepts and ideas and flesh them into an enjoyable story. One of the largest flaws with books in the fantasy and science fiction genres is that the imaginative concept is great, but the story itself is poorly written and can’t carry the concept to its fullest spectrum. Gaiman’s work, on the other hand, is both imaginative and well conceived. 

The Graveyard Book is no exception. Bod seems to be a true to life character who still struggles with the same problems that face any teenager growing up. His, though, are often compounded by the heightened danger that accompanies being sought after by a murderer and raised in the world of the dead. I recommend this book to all readers 11+.

Critique

This sequel is in many ways equal to its predecessor. It does not have the totalitarian subplot of the previous book that educates its readers about the dangerous of reinventing language and using fear as a means to control people, but where it lacks in that dialogue, it makes up in other areas. The adventure aspect of this book is far stronger, showing the children working their way across the Atlantic and throughout Western Europe in a very “Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego” sort of manner. They discover clues that they have to decipher in order to bring them to their next city.

The puzzles themselves have more variety and intrigue to them than the puzzles of the last book, and it’s fun to try to solve the puzzles before getting to the eventual revelation that the children have about them. Also, the children have changed and matured in different ways, and so their struggles throughout the text are different than in the previous—in many ways more mature. Especially for kids, this book has the potential to reveal the ‘inner genius’ within them and to help them discover their own variant talents. It may even educate an adult reader or two, giving personal insight through the puzzles and associating with each child. I recommend this text to readers 8+.

The other books in this series so far are The Mysterious Benedict Society (book 1), and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma (book 3).

Critique

Stewart’s writing has both the fun, lighthearted flare as well as the engaging, mysterious storyline as Roald Dahl or Blue Balliett. The way he sets up the story by showing how uniquely the four children react to the same test and puzzles is excellent, because it allows him to use the strengths and weaknesses he’s shown from the tests in the characters throughout the story. There’s no guesswork as to what type of person each of them is, and the discovery for the reader lies in watching the adventure unfold and how each child uses his or her abilities to play a part and help save the day.

It’s an interesting commentary about the rise of Totalitarian societies that change the language in order to brainwash the people and use fear as a method of control. Certainly, this text does not have the somber assertions of Orwell’s 1984, but the treatment of the subplot carries a similar message to younger readers.

I believe, as well, that the way the writing reveals elements of the story throughout the novel will both enlighten and expand the minds of young readers, as if they themselves were one of the characters trying to solve the puzzles throughout the story. It’s challenging in a way that is fun, and many young minds will find themselves learning without even knowing it. It’s a fun read for anyone, but the target audience will more than likely fall into the 8-12 range.

The other book in this series so far is The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (book 2), and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma (book 3).

Critique

The concept of this book is great. The holidays of Christmas and New Years were once pagan holidays that represented something entirely different, and Sedgwick really plays on that to create something interesting. However, the execution is not as entertaining as the concept. Sedgwick’s writing is intricate, but a bit stilted and the reader often has to plow through it in order to get to the climax. Also, it almost seems as if there’s more back story necessary to make sense of many of the elements that happen throughout the narrative. The mystery teeters into the realm of confusing, and it’s just not enough to carry throughout the story.

The only sequel so far in this series is The Dark Flight Down (book 2).

Critique

This isn’t going to make it into the children’s classic list, but it’s a fun read for younger teens and tweens. To Avi’s credit with this novel, he steers clear of the well-overused fantasy fiction plot of the child of promise overcoming a great evil against all odds that is threatening to destroy life as everyone knows it. Instead this is a simplistic yet multi-factional mystery that unveils itself well over the course of the text. 

The historical aspects seem accurate, and the characters are believable within the social constraints of this time period as well as their motives for their actions. Fabrizio is a wonderful protagonist to follow throughout the story, as his simple-minded but oddly sage-like characteristics capture the pace and storyline well. Also, unlike many of the books in this genre, there is no willing suspension of disbelief required, which is a welcome breath of fresh reading. I recommend this to anyone 10+, but the main audience will be boys 10-14.