I grabbed this audiobook on the way to the checkout counter at my library, and I’m glad I did. It made much more sense than the last audiobook I listened to, so it was a nice change. Plus, it was read by Del Roy, so it was like grandpa was telling me a story! This book has been making the rounds and has some notoriety in the children’s book world, despite being very long for a children’s book (over 400 pages!)
We first meet Reynie Muldoon in an orphanage. Reynie is a very gifted and intelligent 11 year-old boy who decides to respond to a newspaper advertisement inviting “gifted child[ren] looking for special opportunities” to take a special test. Only four very special children pass the series of tests that are required, and they move on to accept a secret mission for the mysterious Mr. Benedict.
The four children, Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are sent to a special school to discover what is going on with the subliminal messages that are being broadcast through tv and radio. (I was worried once we learned of the messages that it was going to turn into a book about aliens. But it isn’t! And conspiracies abound!) At this school, they do their best to learn the curriculum, the
material of which could be compared to the level of calculus Ron Weasley learned at Hogwarts.
The children make a blatant enemy in one of the other children, as usually happens in children’s books about school. I was convinced one of the “Executive” characters was on the children’s side, but perhaps not. Maybe he was just supposed to be stupid, and that would be a little disappointing.
There are many things that are not explained, which I suppose leaves material for additional books. It was just a little frustrating. There are also some plot and pacing issues that seemed a little off, but they may not be as noticeable to the book’s intended audience.
We don’t really find out much about Constance, and I know I had one idea in my head that made the most sense to me. When we find out a little bit more about her at the end, I was taken aback, and a little annoyed. What you find out may change your perspective on a second reading (or listening) of the book. Personally, I just didn’t like the particular “plot twist.”
The children often have to make very difficult decisions. They have riddles and puzzles to solve, but they also have moral choices to make. There are real issues here, both ones that children have to face every day and ones that they may have to face in the future.
The most depressing line in the whole book? “His children.”
I give it 4 stars.
