I am a very difficult person to buy a book for. I'm very picky, I have strong opinions, and I'm also just plain old stubborn and independent. All of this has remained true since I first started reading. I determined that the covers had to be beautiful, the protagonist had to be a girl, and a mystery had to be involved.
Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society fits two of these criteria (fantastic cover and a mystery) while downright disregarding the other two (my mother bought it for me for Christmas and the lead is a boy). Nevertheless, this novel about 11-year-olds far surpassed most of the books I read as an 11-year-old, and I dare say I enjoyed it more as a 22-year-old than I would have at half that age.
So why should an adult bother picking it up? Well, the best way to put it is if you happen to watch Fringe, you will surely enjoy it. Mr. Benedict (whose namesake is in the title) is quite like our dear Walter, plus he has a comedic case of narcolepsy and only wears green plaid. Kate, one of the society members, resembles our fearless Olivia Dunham. And Mr. Curtain (yes, a lovely allusion to the man behind the curtain from Oz) is an evil genius intent on mind control who'd I'd imagine could be quite chummy with William Bell.
It does, admittedly, have the trappings of a young adult novel, as it well should. The names of the characters are quite colorful: Number Two, Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon, Kate Wetherall, George "Sticky" Washington, and Constance Contraire (my personal favorite). All are in some way estranged from their parents or orphaned (as in any good Disney movie) and all in some way are geniuses.
It also has the quintessential hallmark of a kids' book: pictures. Carson Ellis, who drew the cover image, also draws images for each and every short chapter's first page, making the reading experience even more delightful.
Unlike its adult counterparts, this mystery does not get bogged down in sex scandals, financial schemes, or sensationalism. Rather, it stays true to the mystery form as would a Sherlock Holmes story (can't wait for the film!) or a Nancy Drew book. Which, of course, leaves its reader feeling quite refreshed. And its secret society aspect brings to mind The Secret History, minus the creepy parts.
And in true young adult fashion, there is a happy ending you wouldn't get from most mysteries or thrillers or even adult books in general. All is well in the world when you close the back cover after the quickest 500 pages you've ever read.
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