Book Review: "The Mysterious Benedict Society," by Trenton Lee Stewart

"The Mysterious Benedict Society" is about four gifted children who are recruited for a "secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete." In the reviews it's compared to Harry Potter, SUE, and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." I would like to add "1984" to that. It has kids at a school like HP, kids on their own having to be resourceful like SUE, and the weirdness of "Charlie," but it also has a serious, eerie side like "1984."

It was enjoyable. The writing wasn't quite up to the standards of the aforementioned books, but it was light reading, and I may someday read the second one.

I did like this: One of the children who was recruited was skeptical of the whole operation, and didn’t want to be forced to do anything. “…Mr. Benedict said gently, ‘Let us strike a bargain. If you join the team, this shall be our understanding: You will follow my instructions, but only because you have agreed to do so, not because I told you to. No one is making you do anything. It is all of your own free will.’”
That's how it is when we become Christians. We don’t obey GOD because we have to. HE doesn’t force us to do anything. We have chosen to obey HIM. We are trusting that HE knows best, and that following HIM is not only the right thing to do, but also for our benefit. That's how that whole being obedient, but having free will thing works.

And those are my thoughts on that book.