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

Book two in the Mysterious Benedict Society series. See The Mysterious Benedict Society.

Plot: Reynie, Sticky, Constance, and Kate are back, and they can't believe it's been six months! Their first mission was to save the world from the evil Ledroptha Curtain taking over everyone's brains, but this time, he's trying to...make everyone fall asleep? The Mysterious Benedict Society members are on their own this time, and they're in a race to the finish. Can they find Curtain and stop his evil plans in time?

Comments: I think I liked the first book better, but this was still a good book. I recommend this book for reading all at once. I have to confess: I picked up this book at 11pm one night and didn't put it down until I was finished. Looking at the clock, I realizes it was 3am, and I had to go to school the same day. Oops. Therefore, I suggest reading this early in the day, or on a weekend. The plot is very different from the prequel. The Mysterious Benedict Society was focused mainly in one place, but The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey is all over the world. The characters don't normally spend enough time in one place to establish much of a setting. Sometimes the different places they go gets a little hard to follow, but all in all it's okay.

I already know all the characters, so the author doesn't need to describe them much. I can relate to all of them in different ways, and I think they cover a wide variety of people and fit together well. However, it felt like I was watching a play where I didn't really know the roles the actors were playing. Everything was kind of distant, as if I could only observe them instead of relate to them. I felt like there were too many secrets, too many things going on I couldn't understand. I also had trouble with new, minor characters, because it was hard to tell if someone was going to turn out to be on Curtain's side or not. Not exactly confusing, but it made me feel suspicious of everyone.

Rating: I rate this book a six and three-fourths out of ten.