#Trenton Lee Stewart

[kaleb-is-definitely-sane]

Trenton Lee Stewart was like: Neurodivegence is a superpower. Fuck capitalism. Killing people is wrong when there are alternatives. Immigrants are heroes. Women are awesome. Black people are freaking gorgeous. People are good at heart.

And then turned that into a book series. And succeeded.

[summersofsalt]

kate!

[tenmillionthfirefly]

[the-algebra-thing]

the mysterious benedict society seems to contain a combination of my favorite elements that I don't see often, if I've seen it at all. it's not afraid to be silly, kind of like jeremy cabbage; a lot of character and place names are on the nose or just sound funny, like jackson and jillson when they first get to the institute. the institute is also named a bit fantastically: the learning institute for the very enlightened. its acronym, LIVE, in reverse spells EVIL. it's full of shit like this, and it doesn't shy from tropes like twins separated at birth or anything like that, either. and the thing is that it doesn't have to because it is not ABOUT those things, it's about children and adults and, above all, control. it isn't cagey about those themes; it presents them front and center, which is also refreshing.

I suppose this all could be perceived as because it's for kids rather than some sophisticated writing style reason, but the central idea of the story is one of my core beliefs, which is that children are very smart when you allow them to be, and the more you let them practice this and stretch and explore, the more powerful they become. enough so that as an adult it is still a riveting experience, and as enlightening—albeit in new ways—as it was when I was in elementary school. which is the flip side of what I've already said: it's not afraid to be silly and say things directly, or to put them simply. but it also dares to be complex; I remember when I first read this book feeling so alive with the feeling of conspiracy against complex evil plot it inspires. I honestly feel about the same way now. the story is full of big words with enough context clues to work them out, and the plot is constructed with an even hand that doesn't obfuscate about its secrets, just leads you to them when the time does come.

idk it's so fucking cool and I am also just a sucker for books that address the power imbalance kids experience so. these are my current thoughts

[lyssified]

........guys is there a fandom for extraordinary education of nicholas benedict

[seirve]

watched my neighbor totoro for the first time and could NOT stop thinking about this

constance as mei and number 2 as satsuki (they look similar and are actually sisters)

vs kate as satuski (she gives constance piggie back rides and they act much like sisters)

[book--brackets]

Round 1, Poll 6: The Mysterious Benedict Society vs Charlie Bone

The Mysterious Benedict Society is approaching the status of a classic with a successful TV adaptation, and Charlie Bone has faded over the year, but don't count your chickens before they hatch

Remember to reblog for a bigger sample size!

[a-chess-lesson]

paralell canon

recently reread the secretkeepers, TLS's much lesser-known novel, and I remembered my cracktheory that reuben (main character of the secretkeepers) and reynie were the same person in different universes. they're extremely similar people, and I can easily imagine them being in eachother's situations. they're both lonely, very intelligent and perceptive, love their moms, and burdened with things no 11-year-old boy should have to deal with... love them!

im not particularly happy with reynie's background, but I really like ow reuben turned out!!

alt:

[hayleythesugarbowl]

╰┈➤ if you enjoyed these books growing up then 1) your sense of humor is immaculate and 2) you’re either in pre-med or you’re a detective there’s no in between

[melodyvega1967]

the mysterious benedict society is my comfort series, both book form and tv form.

also is it me or has anyone noticed that this series is so unique in the sense that the tv show's storyline and characterisation just happens to be as good as, if not better than, the books?

[acollectionofcuriousreblogs]

Tag yourself: Morally Questionable Narrator Edition

Lemony Snicket:

-sad all the time -committed homicide on at least 3 occasions -former theater kid -enjoys pistachios

Pseudonymous Bosch:

-traumatized from his youth -very gay -has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate -makes many poor decisions

Trenton Lee Stewart:

-hides in bushes to spy on people -would insult you in Morse code -Gifted Kid (trademark) -the dad friend

[personinthepalace]

The first thing Constance pulled from the box was a card that read: Happy birthday, my dear! Always remember that the world is your oyster. Affectionately, Mr. Benedict. Constance seemed ready to cry, but she cleared her throat and passed the card roughly to Reynie. She needed several tries to take out her present — it was small and delicate, and Constance had neither patience nor dexterity — but at last she produced a lovely pendant on a slender gold chain. The pendant was a miniature globe, painted in deep greens and blues, with a bright, tiny crystal set into it.

-The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, by Trenton Lee Stewart

[myfairkatiecat]

Hi tmbs fandom I’m BACK because I need to know this

[healerqueen]

Story asks, for The Mysterious Benedict Society: 1, 5, 17, 18

Another of my very favorite books. 1. what got you into this story?

It starts off with an intriguing invitation: "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" And then the main character takes a very strange test, which felt very intriguing and adventuresome to me, even the first time I read it. I was also drawn in by the vivid characters. 5. do you have a favorite character? who?

I like so many of the endearing characters, but I have a special affinity for Reynie Muldoon, the main protagonist. I didn't realize till adulthood that he's like me. No wonder I like him. He made me feel understood, as a child. I had no idea I was intelligent or compassionate or any of the things Reynie is, and I didn't recognize them in him either. But I still relate to him so much, and I see myself in him. (It doesn't matter one bit that he's a boy and I'm not.) The more I learn about myself and my family (a neurodivergent family), the more I realize why this book meant so much to me. 17. compare this story to your usual tastes. how does it differ from what you've already enjoyed? It's such a unique book that it does differ in a few ways from the usual. There are puzzles and riddles, for one--really hard puzzles that also drive the story and plot. The story is zany and quirky and different, sometimes larger than life. It's set in a world that is very much like ours, only with slight dystopian and futuristic influences, but I've never seen another book like that (besides than the author's other work). I've also never seen another book that is meant for intelligent children, written at a high reading level and featuring preteen characters who are gifted oddballs who don't fit in.

18. compare this story to your usual tastes. what parts of it are exactly the kind of thing you've always loved?

Deep, endearing characters, found family, excellent and thoughtful prose, adventure. Again, the high reading level with sophisticated language is not something I usually see in books written for children in the last two decades, and even in the 90s and early 2000s, it was limited to historical fiction books. The writing style reminds me of the historical fiction books I grew up on, only this is a book with slight fantasy elements.

[the-algebra-thing]

another of my favorite things from riddle of ages was the sticky is hot now gag it is so funny to me not least because like. that joke can get so tired it is normally such a tired thing to pull. but not only did they pull it with the exact right character—it would've been strange and not honestly no good with any of the rest of them tbh—the way it was executed was so simple and sweet like. it was only mentioned a few times, and it was done in the same way as all their little gags—the most important point was the camaraderie, and for everyone to be a little silly. the point wasn't that sticky was actually hot it was that he was a little embarrassed about his very handsome new glasses, and the other kids were a little surprised that he's hot now, and they thought it was so funny that people in his life kept talking about this that they picked it up and decided to be silly about it. it read the exact same tone-wise as the crossing their eyes thing, which I also adored, not least because it happens so unconscionably often to me and my siblings. anyways I just thought that was so fun

[seirve]

question for tmbs fans:

please reblog this is a very important topic 🙏