A review by megmro
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
5.0
Wonderfully creative. The author sets up an urgent tension that keeps you turning the page out of curiosity. Loved the puzzles and problem-solving.
The children in this story are intelligent, capable, empathetic, brave, and kind. Fantastic role models. One of the main girl characters —Kate— is bold, resourceful, daring. They help one another, show patience for a very difficult companion, and choose Good, even when it is difficult.
The author champions different types of intelligence with his protagonists. They are each chosen and valued for their unique gifts. I just loved that message. Highly recommend.
Decided to include a quote that I keep thinking about:
“Now then, for my question.”
“Yes, sir?”
“It regards the chess problem from the first test. You, Reynie, happen to be the only child ever to answer the question correctly, and I should like to hear your explanation for it. The board clearly shows that only the black pawn is out of its starting position, while all the other pieces and pawns rest on their original squares. Yet according to the rules of chess, the white player always moves first. Why, then, did you say the position was possible?”
“Because the white knight may have changed its mind.”
“The white knight?”
“Oh, yes sir. The pawns can only move forward, never backward, so none of the white pawns could have moved yet. And the bigger pieces are trapped behind the pawns — because only knights can jump over things — so they couldn’t have moved yet, either. But a white knight might have opened the game by jumping out in front. Then, after the black pawn was moved, the knight returned to its original square. So it looks like the white player never moved at all.”
“Bravo, Reynie. You’re quite correct. Now tell me, would you consider this a good move?”
“I’m no great chess player, but I would say not. By starting over, white loses the advantage of going first.”
“Why, then, do you think the white player might have done it?”
Reynie considered. He imagined himself moving out his knight only to bring it right back to where it had started. Why would would he ever do such a thing? At last he said, “Perhaps because he doubted himself.”
“Indeed,” said Mr. Benedict. “Perhaps he did.”
The children in this story are intelligent, capable, empathetic, brave, and kind. Fantastic role models. One of the main girl characters —Kate— is bold, resourceful, daring. They help one another, show patience for a very difficult companion, and choose Good, even when it is difficult.
The author champions different types of intelligence with his protagonists. They are each chosen and valued for their unique gifts. I just loved that message. Highly recommend.
Decided to include a quote that I keep thinking about:
“Now then, for my question.”
“Yes, sir?”
“It regards the chess problem from the first test. You, Reynie, happen to be the only child ever to answer the question correctly, and I should like to hear your explanation for it. The board clearly shows that only the black pawn is out of its starting position, while all the other pieces and pawns rest on their original squares. Yet according to the rules of chess, the white player always moves first. Why, then, did you say the position was possible?”
“Because the white knight may have changed its mind.”
“The white knight?”
“Oh, yes sir. The pawns can only move forward, never backward, so none of the white pawns could have moved yet. And the bigger pieces are trapped behind the pawns — because only knights can jump over things — so they couldn’t have moved yet, either. But a white knight might have opened the game by jumping out in front. Then, after the black pawn was moved, the knight returned to its original square. So it looks like the white player never moved at all.”
“Bravo, Reynie. You’re quite correct. Now tell me, would you consider this a good move?”
“I’m no great chess player, but I would say not. By starting over, white loses the advantage of going first.”
“Why, then, do you think the white player might have done it?”
Reynie considered. He imagined himself moving out his knight only to bring it right back to where it had started. Why would would he ever do such a thing? At last he said, “Perhaps because he doubted himself.”
“Indeed,” said Mr. Benedict. “Perhaps he did.”