Next big thing?
Trenton Lee Stewart's first book, although a weighty tome, both physically and thematically, was zipped through by a 10 year old, a 9 year old and myself, a 30+year old, in less than two weeks. Stewart hooks his readers with awkward, yet sympathetic, protagonists who must confront a villain with a preposterous, but almost possible, plot. Guided by the mysterious Mr. Benedict, the four main characters, Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance, must try to undermine the evil Mr. Curtain's attempt to take over the world by broadcasting subconscious propaganda. While the premise sounds ominous, the friendship that develops between the foursome takes center stage over the controversial use of media mind control. Plot twists, secret codes, and brain games make this book engaging, while the antics and comaraderie of the four plus some amusing foils keep the tone light. We're looking forward to the next book by Mr. Stewart and wondering if the Mysterious Benedict Society could outsell A Series of Unfortunate Events and perhaps even challenge Harry Potter if the word gets out.
