Books

An Interview with Lemony Snicket

Lemony Snicket has captured the hearts of childen and adults alike with the hilariously gloomy series that began, of course, with The Bad Beginning. Amazon.com had a chance to question the author of this marvelously morbid and delightfully depressing series, and the communication was grim indeed. Read the cumbersome communique and see for yourself.

Customer Reviews:

The next to last peril wasn't as exciting as the next next to last peril was (book 11)........2007-06-18

I liked the book. I thought that it was good, but it had way too many rambles from Lemony Snicket. It felt like I had been cheated out of a good book. Book 11 was good and had a lot of exciting and new information, but all book 12 does is give you an overview of the people the Baudelaires have met through their series or unfortunate events. The book does add some interesting information to the series and also has a well written ending. I'm hoping that
book 13 is better than the next to last peril (penultimate peril, book 12).

thank you for your time,
Loran

second to the last peril.......2007-06-02

Peniltimate peril which if you dont know peniltimate means second to the last and well i hope you know what peril mean any whom if you dont know then its like some thing bad or a tradgedy now this book was very interesting ilove how snicket writes but im afraid that as you may read many others have written just the same as im about to write it leaves you needing the last book to answer the questions but as i have not read the last book yet. i am actually waiting for it in the mail around 4:00 today it will be in my grasp.

This particular book the twelveth book of the thirten is about how our heroic but misfortunate boldilairs meet Kit Snicket she meets them at the beach and drives them uncontrolably to there destination which i hope you know is the hotel that every one who reads the Grim Grotto is dieing to find out if the children get to but to put you readers who love this seris as much as i do which i hope you dont because then that would mean you love the sorrow that follows the children and i must amit lemony snicket is a "awsome" writer and love his sob storys and am hopeing will write another seris of books. But here iam getting off subject my apologies well to put your mind at ease they find it because Kit takes them to it and tells them they are going to be in costem so no one will reconise them and that when they are done changeing throw a rock in the pond to signal frank unless ernest took his twin brothers place ernest on the bad side and frank is the good guy im sorry to say you have tomake the dission your self untill you meet dewey which is a very fasinating deadman. and that is all i may tell you with out getting off subject and telling you the whole story but i will tell you the boldilairs end up willingly in olafs cluches.
Sincerly sorry
D.J.C

Andy's Review.......2007-03-29

This was a very good book I did not find it as good as the others. This book solves a lot of the mysteries surrounding the Baudelaire orphans. And at the end is a twist that you never saw coming.



In this book the orphans are concierges working at Hotel Denouement trying to find out if there are going to be villains on Thursday's V.F.D. Gathering. But the real hard part is how the noble person helping them frank has a identical twin on the other side of the V.F.D. schism named Ernest. He fakes being Frank to get the Baudelaire's to tell him noble people's secrets.


This book is very far into A Series of Unfortunate Events the 12th out of 13 and I strongly recommend not to skip any of the earlier books. This book is on the same level of reading as any other book in this series it is just longer.

The Penultimate Peril.......2007-03-28

In the twelfth book of A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket the Baudelaires' journey continues on a downward spiral. As the Baudelaires look for the Sugar Bowl they disguise themselves as concierges at the hotel where the Sugar Bowl is located. In their search the Baudelaires see some old faces and some new faces along the way. In the book Klaus, Sunny, and Violet learn some dark secrets about people they would never expect to have done bad things. The Baudelaires are trapped again by Count Olaf and must make important decisions that could impact the outcome of the battle, good versus evil. I highly recomment this children's mystery book if you enjoyed the first eleven books of the series. I give this book a rating of four stars because of the author's witty humor but not five stars because the author also does drag out the story too much. As the Baudelaires are close to the end of their journey there are still many questions left to be answered.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: Book 12.......2007-03-16

In the twelfth book of A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket the Baudelaires' journey continues on a downward spiral. As the Baudelaires look for the Sugar Bowl they disguise themselves as concierges at the hotel the Sugar Bowl is located. In their search the Baudelaires see some old and new faces. Also some are good and some are bad faces. Klaus, Sunny, and Violet are trapped by Count Olaf again and must make important decisions. I would recommend this children's book if you enjoyed the first eleven books of the series. As the Baudelaires are close to the end of their journey there are still many questions still left to be answered.

Average customer rating: The Beatrice Letters (A Series of Unfortunate Events) The Beatrice letters Not quite sure... A Tad Confused Outlived its usefulness with the release of book 13.

The Beatrice Letters (A Series of Unfortunate Events) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Series of Unfortunate Events | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13) Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography The Puzzling Puzzles: Bothersome Games Which Will Bother Some People (A Series of Unfortunate Events Activity Book) The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5) The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 12) ASIN: 0060586583 Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

Top secret—only for readers deeply interested in the Baudelaire case. How I pity these readers.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

Customer Reviews:

The Beatrice Letters (A Series of Unfortunate Events).......2007-05-22

Not much to it. I expected more. Not worth it.

The Beatrice letters.......2007-05-13

Personally I've always loved the series of unfortunate events and when I saw there is something more except the thirteen books I've hurried to buy it . It contains hints for the thirteen book but really , it was difficult to understand them all . It was rather complicating in my opinion but that's the style that Lemony Snicket is writing and it's very enchanting . Of course it's funny but if you understand in which Beatrice he's talking , please tell me too bacause I couldn't tell .

Not quite sure..........2007-03-27

I know we were supposed to read this book BEFORE The End but I got The End as a present and Amazon just wasn't sending it to me fast enough. I was very much confused during the whole book. Maybe I was just tired that night, but things just didn't seem to pull together like I wanted...and I should have been AHEAD of the game, since I already knew what happened in The End.

If you're a collector of Lemony's Snicket's books it's a definite that this book should be added, but quite honestly I'm not sure where he was really going with the whole thing. I enjoyed the whole pop out letter thing inside the book, but again, maybe I was just tired, I didn't get the puzzle...

A Tad Confused.......2007-03-27

I'm from New Zealand and we have two types of The Beatrice Letters. One is selling for NZ$25 and the other NZ$40. Im not sure why one is cheaper than the other, and what the difference is between them. I only want the better of the two, so I was also wondering if this one in Amazon is the better one. Please help..

Outlived its usefulness with the release of book 13........2007-03-13

Lemony Snicket, The Beatrice Letters (Scholastic, 2006)

I finished this quite a while ago now, actually, and have been avoiding writing a review of it because I honestly don't know what to say that's not going to sound overly harsh-- and I get the feeling that my thoughts towards this book are overly harsh because I read it after reading The End. This was obviously meant as a lead-up.

But then, if the entire purpose of the book was to provide a lead-in for The End, and it's not capable fo standing on its own, isn't at least some harshness deserved? If you take that approach to it, it starts looking more like a marketing ploy than an actual book, a piece of ephemera produced for the sole purpose of culling another few bucks from the wallets of series fans-- who, given that not a single one has yet been released in paperback, are already suffering enough. (The listings for paperbacks-- with the possible exceptions of the Spanish editions, no idea what they're doing in other countries-- at Amazon are miscataloged. Plug those ISBNs into your library's system and see what comes up.)

Given that, the simple question: is it worth the money? The simple answer: not unless you're an Unfortunate Events completist. There's not nearly as much actual information here as there is in the novels, and the mystery to be solved is of a type of mystery that one can only solve once, in one way (and, needless to say, if you've already read The End, you know what's coming anyway). Not much replayability value, one thinks, especially for the price. I'd pass, were I you. **

Average customer rating: The Ersatz Elevator Not suspenseful enough for me. (Some spoilers!) A Series of Unfortunate Events Best book in the series!!! Are the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books in or out?

The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Series of Unfortunate Events | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5) The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7) The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 8) The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9) ASIN: 0064408647 Release Date: 2001-02-19

Product Description

The Ersatz Elevator- Bookthe Sixth --A Series of Unfortunate Events--

Amazon.com

Fans of Lemony Snicket's wonderful Series of Unfortunate Events won't be surprised to find that in the sixth installment the three Baudelaire orphans' new home proves to be something of a mixed bag. As our ever sad but helpful narrator states, "Although 'a mixed bag' sometimes refers to a plastic bag that has been stirred in a bowl, more often it is used to describe a situation that has both good parts and bad parts. An afternoon at the movie theater, for instance, would be a mixed bag if your favorite movie were showing, but if you had to eat gravel instead of popcorn. A trip to the zoo would be a very mixed bag if the weather were beautiful, but all of the man-and woman-eating lions were running around loose." And so it is for the bad-luck Baudelaires. Their fancy new 71-bedroom home on 667 Dark Avenue is inhabited by Esmé Gigi Geniveve Squalor (the city's sixth most important financial advisor), and her kindly husband, Jerome, who doesn't like to argue. Esmé is obsessed by the trends du jour (orphans are "in"), and because elevators are "out," Sunny, Violet, and Klaus have to trudge up 66 flights of stairs to reach the Squalors' penthouse apartment. (Other unfortunate trends include pinstripe suits, aqueous martinis--water with a faint olive-y taste--parsley soda, and ocean decorations.)

As the book begins, the Baudelaires are not only frightened in anticipation of their next (inevitable) encounter with the evil, moneygrubbing Count Olaf but they are also mourning the disappearance of their dear new friends from The Austere Academy, the Quagmires. It doesn't take long for Olaf to show up in another of his horrific disguises... but if he is on Dark Avenue, what has he done with the Quagmires? Once again, the resourceful orphans use their unique talents (Violet's inventions, Klaus's research skills, and the infant Sunny's strong teeth) in a fruitless attempt to escape from terrible tragedy. Is there a gleam of hope for the orphans and their new friends? Most certainly not. The only thing we can really count on are more gloriously gloomy adventures in the seventh book, The Vile Village. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews:

The Ersatz Elevator.......2007-03-30

The Ersatz Elevator is about three children, Klaus, Sunny, and Violet, who lost their parents in a horrible fire. They have been adopted by relative after relative with their means of happiness only to be shattered by the evil Count Olaf. He has one thing in mind. Their huge fortune they inherited from their parents. In this book, the children are currently adopted by their sixth closest relative, Esme and Jerome Squalor. Esme only cares about things that are "in" or popular and Jerome just follows along. Olaf dresses up as a businessman and fools Jerome and Esme. Then, the kids find their kidnapped friends at the bottom of a secret elevator shaft. In the end, they try to save their friends but Olaf escapes with them. I loved this book because of its interesting storyline, odd characters, and suspenseful moments.


This book has one of the weirdest storylines I have ever seen! The kids actually go down into an empty elevator shaft, not knowing what they will find, and then find their missing friends inside. After that, they climb back up, heat some fireplace utensils in an oven, and rush back down to try and melt the metal bars of their friends' cage. By then, Olaf had swept them away to an auction that he and Esme set up. He was to hide the friends in an auction item and buy the item, allowing him a chance to get out of the city. The children rush to the auction, through a secret passageway they had found, and try to find the right item only to make a fool of themselves while Olaf gets away.


This book also had very weird characters! Esme didn't care what was "in' just as long as she had it. For example, if light was not in, she would do everything she could to make everything she was near dark as can be. If elevators are not in, you would have to walk all the way up the stairs to the penthouse apartment in the dark. Jerome, even though he doesn't like the things Esme does, never talks just because he doesn't like arguing. They live in a seventy-one room penthouse that is about one-hundred stories in the air. The children never got used to living with these crazy people.


This book got very suspenseful at parts. For example, when they climbed down the elevator, you didn't know what was going to happen or what they would find. Another example is when the children were about to reveal that their stolen friends were in the auction item, you didn't know whether or not they were actually there or not.


The last reason that I like this book is because it is part of a huge series. I love to read a series of books because they provide large amounts of information and allow you to solve a big puzzle. The characters continue from book to book and each one contributed greatly towards understanding the big mystery. That is why I loved this book.

C. Copeland

Not suspenseful enough for me. (Some spoilers!).......2007-02-05

I bought all 13 books already with my own money, so i intend to finish the series, but it's hard when these books are sometimes not interesting enough. This book has some suspense like V.F.D. and the Ersatz elevator shaft leading to the remains of the Baudelaire mansion, but it seems that it was not as suspenseful as the 5th book for some reason. I think that these books will become more suspenseful and interesting as the series continues, but right now it is just not to that point. I think this series is good so far, but the plot is overly repeated, so as that the reader and almost guess to what is exactly going to happen. I think/know that the Harry Potter series is better then this series. You should read that series if you want a real good read with a lot of suspense, interest, and magic.

Thank you for your time,
Loran

A Series of Unfortunate Events .......2007-02-04

I absolutely adore these books.. After I start reading them, I don't want to stop! Once I am done with the book, I am on a search for the next one!I recommend these books to any reader that loves the suspense! *****

Best book in the series!!!.......2007-01-26

I'd have to say that this is the best book in A Series of Unfortunate Events. The Baudelaire orphans climb a huge staircase, climb up and down an elevator shaft, wear pinstripe suits, go to an auction at Veblen Hall in order to save their friends, and have to face with Count Olaf. I recomend this book to everyone!

Are the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" books in or out?.......2007-01-16

If you've read this book, you know what I mean by my title.

In this book, the Baudelaires go to live with yet another guardian. Actually guardians. They go to live with Esmé and Jerome Squalor. Esmé is obsessed with what's in or out of style. The whole town calls each other to tell each other what's recently in and out. Some examples of what silly things Esmé thinks are in and out are: Orphans were out but now they're in so she can adopt the Baudelaires, grapefruits are in, bright blue cereal bowls are in, billboards with photographs of weasels on them are in...etc.

Count Olaf comes in a disguise again but, although the three kids know he's around in a dumb disguise, you don't hear from Count Olaf too much in this book except in the beginning and the end.

The Baudelaires are trying to find the Quagmires and they go through several dangerous situations to find and save the triplets.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! I think it was the funniest and most enjoyable book of them all, so far!

Average customer rating: The Carnivorous Carnival is in town. the carnivorous carnival I thought this book was a lot better than the others because the plot changed and the suspense increased a lot. The Carnivorous Carnival Stupendous book!!!!!!!!!!

The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Series of Unfortunate Events | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 8) The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 10) The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11) The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7) The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) ASIN: 0064410129 Release Date: 2002-10-29

Product Description

The Carnivorous Carnival- Book the Ninth -A Series of Unfortunate Events-

Customer Reviews:

The Carnivorous Carnival is in town........2007-05-17

Do you like books that have mystery, adventures, secrets, or orphans in them? If not, then I am warning you right now that you can put this book down get a happier story like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." It's your decision; you can choose the book I just suggested or you can choose "The Carnivorous Carnival". If you want to know more or get to know the Baudelaire's read on, if not you can put this down and run around screaming like a maniac into the night.

This is the story of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, three orphans who have been put under the care of Count Olaf. This story began when the Baudelaire parents perished in a fire that destroyed their entire mansion. The three children were on Briny Beach when Mr. Poe, the wealthy banker told the Baudelaire orphans that, well, they were orphans. Then, at Count Olafs' house he put the Baudelaire's to work. Some chores rough, some chores were as easy as ringing a doorbell.

If I were to give the book a rating out of 10, I would personally give it a 9 ½. I think this is the best book I've read up to date because, it has a lot of suspenseful moments, and a whole lot of mystery, drama, and some clues to whether the Baudelaire parents are alive or dead.
I highly recommend this book for every age group from 10 and up. The only people who wouldn't like this book are people who hate books without unhappy endings.

If you want to know more about or get to know the Baudelaire's you can start from the beginning and read the 13 books in chronological order, or you can read them scattered like I did. It doesn't matter how you read it, it just matters if you do read it. (All books are Accelerated Reader Eligible.)


By: Jordan

the carnivorous carnival.......2007-05-08

Now we are back in the belly of the beast. The Carnivorous Carnival was an exciting book. Klaus, Sunny, and Violet joined Madame Lulu's carnival. They dressed themselves up as freaks so Count Olaf wouldn't recognize them. At the end, Violet and Klaus were in an RV being pulled by Count Olaf himself. Count Olaf has someone cut the cord that attaches the RV to the car and pulls away with Sunny. I highly recommend this book.
The book has a phrase that is repeated through the book whenever the children are about to be in a bad situation. "Back in the belly of the beast" was repeated about nine times in this novel and every time something bad happened. For example, when the cord attaching the car to the RV was cut; also when they figured out he knew who they were.
The book was very exciting. At many points, I could not set the book down. The events in the book were so extreme. When Olaf said to push the children, I thought they would die.
The book had a thrilling ending. Olaf was able to escape from Violet and Klaus with their baby sister. IN real life, he wouldn't have been able to pull off stealing their sister, so it was more fictional, but a great ending. The ending is not cliché because the villain got away.
The book had many creative characters. One of the characters was a contortionist; another was a humpback; another was a wolf baby. I suggest this book to seventh graders.

I thought this book was a lot better than the others because the plot changed and the suspense increased a lot........2007-04-30

The plot definitely changed a lot because instead of Count Olaf going to find the Baudelaires, the Baudelaires were where Olaf was. We finally get to find out how Olaf always knew where the Baudelaires were, and where one of the Baudelaire parents or Lemony Snicket might be. There was a nice build of suspense in the end because you had no idea who was going to be thrown in the pit, and you did not know that this book would end with such a cliffhanger.
I liked that the book ended with such suspense because it has gotten me to want to read the next book to see what happens. This book is definitely not as boring as some of the others were. I think the suspense will continue to build hopefully to a good ending.

thank you for your time,
Loran

The Carnivorous Carnival.......2007-04-17

Book Review
"The Carnivorous Carnival"
I thought that this book was very good. It is about the three Baudelaires. This time they find themselves riding through the hinterlands in the trunk of the person they've been running from. All throughout the book they have different problems involving their dreaded enemy, Count Olaf. Also during the book, they have a brush with death involving some very hungry lions. Overall I though it was a good book and I would recommend you to read it.

Stupendous book!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-03-24

I love this book. It's a funny, cool (not to mention super) big, fun book.
I'm reading the whole Lemony Snicket series.
You should check out a book or two from the library from this series.
Hope you thought this review was helpful.

Average customer rating: The end is near... GREAT! The Gloom Loons... FOR REAL!!! So dull! So dull!

The Gloom Looms: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 10-12 (The Slippery Slope; The Grim Grotto; The Penultimate Peril) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Literature | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books People & Places | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Teens | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books Similar Items: The Dilemma Deepens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 7-9 (The Vile Village; The Hostile Hospital; The Carnivorous Carnival) The End (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13) The Situation Worsens: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 4-6 (The Miserable Mill; The Austere Academy; The Ersatz Elevator) The Carnivorous Carnival (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 9) The Trouble Begins: A Box of Unfortunate Events, Books 1-3 (The Bad Beginning; The Reptile Room; The Wide Window) ASIN: 0060839090 Release Date: 2005-10-18

Book Description

Readers incapable of running fast enough to escape Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events can breathe a sigh of relief now that the first six books of the series have been securely contained in a shrink-wrapped box disguised with exquisite Brett Helquist art that will prevent this collection of woe from falling into the wrong hands.

The set includes: The Grim Grotto, The Slippery Slope and The Penultimate Peril.

Customer Reviews:

The end is near..........2006-11-09

BOOK 10: THE SLIPPERY SLOPE - The older Baudelaire siblings - Violet and Klaus - are pulling out their hair in frustration when they find that they have been tricked by Count Olaf, and are now without their baby sister, Sunny - who, in all actuality, is a baby no more. For Sunny is now being held captive by Count Olaf and his troupe of villains, as Violet and Klaus are headed for their death off of a snowy peak. However, thanks to Violet's inventine skills, the two siblings are saved, and find that they must now make it up the slippery slope on foot. But when they meet a surprise person along their journey through snow gnats, a group of annoying Snow Scouts, who like to recite a drawn-out alphabet of the Snow Scout Pledge at any moment, and a snowy peak, the Baudelaires, along with their newfound friend, must rescue poor Sunny from Count Olaf's evil clutches, and solve the mystery of V.F.D. before it is too late. After all, one of their parents could still very well be alive. 5 stars.

BOOK 11: THE GRIM GROTTO - When your last name is Baudelaire, it is a known fact that you will somehow stumble upon trouble, no matter how hard you may try and avoid it. When you're last name is Baudelaire and you're an orphan, stumbling upon trouble increases tenfold. Which is why the Baudelaire orphans (Violet, Klaus, and Sunny) know instantly after they begin floating along the Stricken Stream that trouble is lurking around some vicious corner. However, as they are not dolphins, seals, or fish, they did not expect their next bout of trouble to take place underwater. But, alas, that is exactly where they find themselves on their next dreadful adventure. Having come across a submarine that is filled with three crew members (Captain Widdershins, his step-daughter Fiona, and, lo-and-behold the Baudelaire Orphans old pal, Phil), the Baudelaire's enter the underwater vehicle, and begin their next journey. Within a short while, the three orphans learn that Captain Widdershins is a member of V.F.D., and they quickly realize that he is on their side, willing to help them discover the truth about the fire that took their beloved parents lives. However, when the orphans, along with Fiona (a young mycologist), prepare for a bit of deep-sea diving, they soon find that young Sunny has been infected with Medusoid Mycelium (a deadly fungi). Now, the siblings are searching for a way to save their baby sister from a very certain death, without many supplies. As if that weren't difficult enough for the Baudelaire's to endure, they have just discovered that Count Olaf is now trailing them under the sea, and plans on capturing them, and (you guessed it) claiming their fortune as his own. 5 stars.

BOOK 12: THE PENULTIMATE PERIL - When we first met the three Baudelaire Orphans, they were splashing in tide pools along Briny Beach. That is, before their lives took a turn for the worst. Now, as we meet up with them once again in this twelfth volume, we again see them upon Briny Beach. However, this time things seem as if they are looking up, for they are in the hands of good - Kit Snicket. With the pregnant Kit in tow, the three Baudelaires are brought to the Denouement Hotel. A place kept in order by the Dewey Decimal System. The Hotel Denouement is the last safe place, and within a few days, each and every volunteer will meet up with one another, where they will celebrate the claiming of the sugar bowl over the hands of evil. However, with Sunny, Klaus, and Violet disguised as concierges, they soon learn - by using their "flaneur" skills - that many of the people lurking around the hallways of the Hotel Denouement are anything but good. In fact, it is while wrapped up in their clever disguises that the three orphans run into various terrible people from their past - from the unescapable Count Olaf, to the treacherous Vice Principal Nero; and the oft-times brainless Justice Strauss, to the carnival freaks known as Kevin, Colette, and Hugo. With a bit more detective work, and a little help from identical triplets Dewey, Frank, and Ernest, the orphans soon realize that while the upcoming gathering of volunteers is supposed to showcase how good triumphs over evil; the hotel is overrun by unkind masterminds who plan on wrecking the celebration. Now it is up to Violet, Klaus, and Sunny to make a very important decision...call off the volunteer gathering, or think up a way to triumph over the evil that has surrounded them ever since the day Mr. Poe informed them of their parents deaths. 5 stars.

This may be quite an unfortunate series. However, it is with my great displeasure to announce that these last three installments, leading up to the end of the Baudelaire Orphans woes, are possibly the best in the series, setting the reader up for an end all to be all thirteenth tale that will hopefully leave the Baudelaires in safe hands once more. In THE GLOOM LOOMS, we see the Baudelaires search for and attempt to rescue their youngest sister, Sunny, from the evil clutches of Count Olaf and his troupe of freaks; we see Count Olaf's soft side as he giggles - in an unnatural, somewhat annoying way - in an under-the-sea submarine; and we watch as Violet, Klaus, and Sunny impersonate a trio of concierges in the confusing Hotel Denouement, where each floor is set up according to the Dewey Decimal System. It is in these three disgraceful installments that we delve deeper into the mysteries of the Baudelaires, the intrepid V.F.D., and Lemony Snicket himself, as he attempts to "Snicket-ize" each and every reader. As would be expected, THE PENULTIMATE PERIL sets the scene for the upcoming grand finale, and makes it quite clear that the end is near.

Erika Sorocco

GREAT!.......2005-11-20

I thought these books, just like the others, were amazing! They added plot and depth and mystery to the storyline and put me on the edge of my seat! I can't wait for the next books!

The Gloom Loons... FOR REAL!!!.......2005-11-19

"The Trouble Begins" was wonderful. "The Situation Worsens" was okay. "The Dillemma Deepens" were dull but interesting. THIS???????? It's a disgrace!!! I could put up with Lemony Snicket's talking for a while but this is insane!! I had to skip whole pages just to keep awake!? I mean WHO, WHO with the right mind wants definitions, stupid stories and lectures in an ADVENTURE BOOK!? But not just that, it becoming SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO DUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! At first, the Series of Unfortunate Events was wonderful, full of adventure and mystery and exiting parts. Now, what I see is count olaf giving up on the children and the children going with a STUPID organization and DULLL characters and etc. and etc. and etc. I was so disssapointed with "The grim grotto" that I don't want to even see a page of "The Penulitamate Peril" that is the hardest to say. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY OR EXITEMENT FOR THIS PIECE OF JUNK, IF YOU LIKED THE BAD BEGGINNING, THE WIDE WINDOW, OR EVEN THE DULL MISERABLE MILL, THIS IS NOT THE SEQUEL FOR YOU. AS I SAID THE GLOOM REALLY LOOMS!!!

So dull! So dull!.......2005-10-31

What happened to the Bad Begginning? The Wide Window? This is dull dull dull! No exiting parts! And Lemony Snicket is constantly writing about himself! Who wants to have lectures in an adventure book???!!! And it gettin' (...)

Average customer rating: The Mill A Great Book Best one so far. (Caution: Possible spoilers!) The Miserable Mill Not as good as the first three

The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Series of Unfortunate Events | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5) The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3) The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2) The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7) ASIN: 0064407691 Release Date: 2000-04-04

Product Description

The Miserable Mill- Book the Fourth --A Series of Unfortunate Events--

Amazon.com

"The Baudelaire orphans looked out the grimy window of the train and gazed at the gloomy blackness of the Finite Forest, wondering if their lives would ever get better," begins The Miserable Mill. If you have been introduced to the three Baudelaire orphans in any of Lemony Snicket's previous novels, you know that not only will their lives not get better, they will get much worse. In the fourth installment in the "Series of Unfortunate Events," the sorrowful siblings, having once again narrowly escaped the clutches of the evil Count Olaf, are escorted by the kindly but ineffectual Mr. Poe to their newest "home" at the Lucky Smells Lumbermill. Much to their horror (if not surprise), their dormitory at the mill is crowded and damp, they are forced to work with spinning saw blades, they are fed only one meal a day (not counting the chewing gum they get for lunch), and worst of all, Count Olaf lurks in a dreadful disguise as Shirley the receptionist just down the street. Not even the clever wordplay and ludicrous plot twists could keep this story buoyant--reading about the mean-spirited foreman, the deadly blades, poor Klaus (hypnotized and "reprogrammed"), and the relentless hopelessness of the children's situation only made us feel gloomy. Fans of these wickedly funny, suspenseful adventures won't want to miss out on a single one, but we're hoping the next tales have the delicate balance of delight and disaster we've come to expect from this exciting series. (Ages 9 to 12)

Customer Reviews:

The Mill.......2007-03-28

For the people who love the adventures of children, those people should read this book. It is easy to enjoy the writings because Lemony explains the words that are so hard that you would need a dictionary for. There is no was this book could be boring. There is suspense and mystery within these pages. I recommend this book to all ages.

A Great Book.......2007-03-02

If you like to read books,then read this one.The main characters in the book were Klaus,Violet,and Sunny.The book I read was The Miserable Mill,the fourth book from the Series Of Unfortunate Events,by Lemony Snickets.Lemony Snickets is one of my favorite authors because I really like the way he writes his books.Every one I've read is so suspence thrilling and it makes you want to keep reading until the end of the book.
The book started out with the three Bauldalair children on a train to their new guardians home.The reason they were on the train was because in the first book,The Bad Beginning,the children's parents had perished in a terrable fire.
Ever since that day the were forced to find new gaurdians to take care of them,and every time they would find a new gaurdian,Count Olaf,an evil man who wanted to steal the Bauldalair children's fortune,would try to find them and steal the fortune.In all of the books I've,everywhere the children went,misfortunate events followed.So after the Bauldalair children got off the train,they arrived at a place called Lucky Smils Lumbermill,where they would meet their new caretaker.I'll stop there,because I don't want to spoil the rest,but overal I think The Miserable Mill was a fantastic book.

Best one so far. (Caution: Possible spoilers!).......2007-01-23

Coming from a 17 year old:
I thought this book is the best book so far because Snicket mixes it up a little by not introducing us to who Count Olaf is disguised as this time until over half way through the book. The new caretaker of the Baudelaire orphans does not die in the end unlike Uncle Monty (Book 2) and Aunt josefine (Book 3). Snicket also allows Violet and Klaus to "step into each other's shoes" and experience what each other liked to do instead of Klaus always reading and Violet always inventing. I liked how Snicket mixed up the plot and the Baudelaire's being sent off to Boarding School will also be a nice change from being shipped to another caretaker. I also think I like this book the best so far is because I had gotten the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" movie this past Christmas, and the movie is based only on the first three books. The movie is actually what got me into reading this series, but I think reading this book and having it not been in the movie has made me enjoy it more because I didn't know what was going to happen next, which made it more suspenseful. These books are also light reading; taking me only about two to three hours to finish one of them. I encourage you to continue reading the series and to not give up until you have finished the series. Like I like to say you can't form an opinion on something when you don't know all the fact about what your forming an opinion on.

Thank you for your time,
<3Loran

The Miserable Mill.......2007-01-05

I think The Miserable Mill over all is great. The beginning of the book was kind of boring though. As the book went on it got more interesting. I read the first few chapters and could not put the book down. I read the book for hours!!! When I was finished with the book I was so sad because the book was so good!!!! I decided to read another Series of Unfortunate Events book. So yes I do recommend the book.

Not as good as the first three.......2007-01-02

For the first three books, I knew the general stories because the "A Series of Unfortunate Events" movie covered those stories. I may have not liked this book as much as the first three because I didn't know the story to start with, but overall I didn't enjoy this story as much. I found the story somewhat frustrating.

The kids go to live at a lumbermill in this book. Their guardian says that his name is so hard to pronounce that he tells them to just call him "Sir". Sir tells them to work in the lumbermill. The workers don't get breakfast and they only get gum for lunch. The only "real meal" they get is for dinner. Count Olaf appears in an extremely funny disguise. Klaus gets tripped several times and breaks his glasses and after seeing the eye doctor he has surprising results...

Average customer rating: Harry Potter Austere Academy Review - - AML_48 Unfortunately, I've only read this once! The Austere Academy good

The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books School | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Series of Unfortunate Events | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 7) The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3) The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 8) ASIN: 0064408639

Product Description

The Austere Academy- Book the Fifth -A Series of Unfortunate Events-

Amazon.com

As the three Baudelaire orphans warily approach their new home--Prufrock Preparatory School--they can't help but notice the enormous stone arch bearing the school's motto Memento Mori, or "Remember you will die." This is not a cheerful greeting, and certainly marks an inauspicious beginning to a very bleak story. Of course, this is what we have come to expect from Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, the deliciously morbid set of books that began with The Bad Beginning and only got worse.

In The Austere Academy, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are at first optimistic--attending school is a welcome change for the book-loving trio, and the academy is allegedly safe from the dreaded Count Olaf, who is after their fortune. Hope dissipates quickly, however, when they meet Vice Principal Nero, a self-professed genius violinist who sneeringly imitates their every word. More dreadful still, he houses them in the tin Orphans Shack, crawling with toe-biting crabs and dripping with a mysterious tan fungus. A beam of light shines through the despair when the Baudelaires meet the Quagmires, two of three orphaned triplets who are no strangers to disaster and sympathize with their predicament. When Count Olaf appears on the scene disguised as Coach Genghis (covering his monobrow with a turban and his ankle tattoo with expensive running shoes), the Quagmires resolve to come to the aid of their new friends. Sadly, this proves to be a hideous mistake.

Snicket disarms us again with his playful juxtapositions--only he can compare bombs with strawberry shortcake (both are as dangerous to make as assumptions), muse on how babies adjust developmentally to the idea of curtains, or ponder why the Baudelaire orphans would not want to be stalks of celery despite their incessant bad luck as humans. We can't get enough of this splendid series of misadventures, and can only wager that swarms of young readers will be right next to us in line for the next installment. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews:

Harry Potter.......2007-06-06

This book is about three orphans who have a large fortune left by there parents. The orphans go to Austere Academy in hope that Count Olaf, an evil man, doesn't come to the academy and steal there fortune. While they are there they meet two orphans who become their friends, but friends don't know something terrible is going to happen to them.

This book is full of mystery and excitement and if you like books with that I suggest you read it. You will never want to put the book down. This book would be great for 3rd through 6th graders.

Does Count Olaf get the kids? Will he take the fortune? What will happen to the friends? Will the orphans be safe? Find out in the A Series of Unfortunate Events the Austere Academy.

Austere Academy Review - - AML_48.......2007-05-17

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket was one of the best books besides The End. Olaf is so devious. The fact that there are other children whose parents died in a fire does not suprise me. The Baudelaire's handle this ordeal well as they have all the others. I would recommend this book to most of my peers.

Unfortunately, I've only read this once!.......2007-05-11

In this book in the Series of Unfortunate Events, the Baudelaire Orphans retire from thier last fiasco, ending up in a strange school called Prufrock Prep. It is the most vile, the most disgustingly morbid place the Baudelaires had ever been! (save for Count Olaf's house, of course....). The buildings are gray and resemble tombstones, and the Vice Principal, Nero, plays his violin atrociously at nightly sonatas. The school's motto is engraved upon a stone archway overlooking the enterance; "Memento Mori". In Latin, "Remember You Will Die". They are sent by senseless Nero to (he has pigtails, by the way...) to live in the "Orphans Shack" because there's no one to sign papers for them to enter the dorm rooms. It has dripping fungus, terretiorial crabs, and pink walls with green hearts or the other way around. Anyway, they meat this really nasty girl named Carmelita Spats who calls them "cakesniffers", and then they meet the Quagmire triplets whose brother died in a fire, (names are Duncan and Isadora), and they help the Baudelairs out. But then Count Olaf, the one nastiest person in Lemony Snicket's fictional world that he has taken the time to in-depthly describe, disguises himself as "Coach Genghis", therefore breaching the school's secutity system by eluding thier "advanced' computer". He makes the Baudelaires paint a luminous circle of glowing paint on the front lawn of the school, and then run laps around the glowing track until morning for several nights, in a little operation he called "S.O.R.E.". (Simple Orphan Running Excersizes, I think.) Then for a week or two he does this, and up until thier final exams they started flunking out of lack of sleep, and being very irritable indeed. So on the day of the tests, Duncan and Isadora instead cover for Violet, Klaus, and Sunny by dressing like them and dragging a "sunny decoy" behind them - a bag of flour wearing her bonnet and little pink ribbon. This is so the Baudelaires could stay behind and study. But they get caught, and even though the Baudelaires aced thier tests, they were expelled by Vice principan Nero. Then Olaf walks up, is exposed for who he really is, in short, and then dashes back to his car and revves the engine. As he starts off, the siblings see the Quagmire triplets in the back window. Duncan shouths to Klaus, "V.F.D.", and "in my notebooks!", before Olaf snatches the notebooks from Klaus and drives away. But that is for the next book. I liked this book and gave it a five out of five. I think any of you who are on this page for any reason other than that you have simply lost your way among the web would, also. Lemony Snicket, if you ever come to reading this page, THAT BOOK WAS AWESOME!!!!!!! (ahem...sorry. What I meant to say is, happy reading!) ;)

The Austere Academy.......2007-05-07

The Austere Academy is about three Buadelaire children who lost their parents in a fire. Ever since, they had gone through one horrible event after another. In this book they are sent to a boarding school that is led by a violinist. He makes the kids in school listen to his horrible music and then treats the Buadelaires badly. Count Olaf, a fiend who wants to steal the Buadelaire's fortune, is employed there and makes trouble. He forced the Buadelaires to run laps all night and when their friends tried to help they were kidnaped. They are then forced to leave and find their friends. I liked this book because it had interesting characters, the weirdest stories, and an interesting storyline.


This book had many interesting characters. One would be the vice principle, who forced all of the children to listen to horrible violin music. Every day his concerts lasted four hours. Another includes Carmelita Spats. She was the mean, ugly, and rude, and had a click of girls who made fun of everyone. She made mean rumors and did evil things to the Buadelaires throughout the entire book. Lastly was Coach Genghis or Count Olaf. He made the children run hundreds of laps for nine nights strait.


The story had many weird stories inside of it. For example, Carmelita Spats calls the dorm that the orphans live in the Orphan Shack. The name sticks and when they enter, it is full of blue crabs and green fungus on the ceiling. In order to solve this problem, they put metal plates on their shoes to scare the crabs away and spread salt on the fungus to make it go away.


The last reason I liked this book is because of its interesting storyline. The affairs with Carmelita Spats, running laps, Coach Genghis, the vice principle, and violin recitals made this book a good one. All of this contributed to making it a good book.

I liked this because of its interesting storyline, interesting characters, and weird stories.

good.......2007-03-10

this book is about 3 kids at a strange school with odd punishments. the gym teacher is evil and is trying to steal their fortune. The kids make 2 friends who help. the kids are very unlucky. Nothing goes right and things just get worse.

Average customer rating: A black comedy for beginning pessimists A Series of Unfortunate Events-The Reptile Room. Reptile Room AHHH! Reptiles!!! Predictable, Not Realistic

The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 2) Lemony Snicket Manufacturer: HarperCollins ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Orphans & Foster Homes | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Fiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors & Illustrators, A-Z | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Series of Unfortunate Events | Fantasy & Adventure | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Snicket, Lemony | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Teens | Subjects | Books Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 3) The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1) The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5) The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) ASIN: 0064407675

Product Description

The Reptile Room- Book the Second --A Series of Unfortunate Events--

Amazon.com

The Reptile Room begins where Lemony Snicket's The Bad Beginning ends... on the road with the three orphaned Baudelaire children as they are whisked away from the evil Count Olaf to face "an unknown fate with some unknown relative." But who is this Dr. Montgomery, their late father's cousin's wife's brother? "Would Dr. Montgomery be a kind person? they wondered. Would he at least be better than Count Olaf? Could he possibly be worse?" He certainly is not worse, and in fact when the Baudelaire children discover that he makes coconut cream cakes, circles the globe looking for snakes to study, and even plans to take them with him on his scientific expedition to Peru, the kids can't believe their luck. And, if you have read the first book in this Series of Unfortunate Events, you won't believe their luck either. Despite the misadventures that befall these interesting, intelligent, resourceful orphans, you can trust that the engaging narrator will make their story--suspenseful and alarming as it is--a true delight. The Wide Window is next, and more are on their way. (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews:

A black comedy for beginning pessimists.......2007-03-20

The Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, are three children who should never, under any circumstances whatsoever, try to play the lottery. Having narrowly escaped the wicked wiles of their pseudo-relative Count Olaf in the last book, the orphans are sent to live with Dr. Montgomery, their semi-relative who doubles as eccentric scientist. They are taken to Dr. Montgomery's swampy abode which is also his laboratory and specimen storage facility.

That his special interest is reptiles, specifically snakes, should make any keen reader of Lemony Snicket's stories shudder inwardly. The children, still traumatized by the death of their parents at the beginning of "The Bad Beginning" immediately feel kinship with the jolly, infectiously-happy Dr. Montgomery. He takes them on a tour of his massive, rambling mansion, and then invites them to join him on a reptile-hunting safari to South America. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny have difficulty grasping this grand improvement in their lives, and begin to relax once more. Lemony Snicket, however, is just setting them, and his audience, up for bigger disasters. Once it is revealed that Dr. Montgomery's assistant is not who he seems to be, the children's newfound paradise begins to unravel.

Lemony Snicket is a markedly original writer, frequently casting the random aside to his audience. His subject matter is pure dark comedy, framed in the appearance of a children's story. He is skilled indeed in his suggestion of tension, making the reader sense dark events about to occur just after the current page.

Perhaps we should not shield our children from the pitfalls found in real-life: death, deceit, evaporated dreams, and the evils wrought by the bad upon the good (all topics that are explored with evident glee by Snicket). However, I would hazard to suggest that this is not truly appropriate material for a child of nine. Let them have their illusions about life being fair and magical until the age of 12, THEN you may expose your children to this woefully malevolent book series.

Adults without children: read if you like inane and insane quick-witted dialogue and maniacal events.
Adults with children: read with your children if they're at least 12.
Children under 12: wait until your parents are asleep, and then read at night, making sure to stuff a blanket at the foot of the door, so as to prevent your nightlight from being spotted. (P.S. I'm kidding, you should really read it during school.)

Addendum for the audio edition: Tim Curry evokes the true soul of each character in a wonderfully acerbic performance. His barely-restrained, malevolently pleased readings as narrator should be an additional charge itself. He is truly the best choice to perform this book and does not disappoint. The audio version rates 5 stars due to Mr. Curry's performance. Highly recommended.

A Series of Unfortunate Events-The Reptile Room........2007-03-06

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire have had a very bad start since their parents died in a freak fire that burned down their house. They have had to live with family members that treat them terribly, and make them do endless chores. One is Count Olaf, he tries to kill them every chance he gets to get the Baudelaire fortune. Their social worker, Mr. Poe catches him trying to do this, and takes the children away from him. They go to live with their Uncle Monty, and things are going great and they love living with him, he makes them pancakes, and they go to the movies together, and they are planning to go to Peru, but that all changes one day when the children answer the door, and to their surprise it's Count Olaf in disguise as Uncle Monty's assistant!. Uncle Monty notices something wierd about him and when the children say something to him about it he gets the wrong idea and thinks its a spy, spying on him to get the Incredibly Deadly Vipor that Uncle Monty discovered before anybody else but really isn't deadly at all he just named it that so nobody would be tempted to take it. So with him thinking this he cancels the "assistant's" ticket to Peru, so he can't come. He gets very mad about this. The kids are getting ready to leave and go back inside where they find Uncle Monty dead and the Incredibly Deadly Vipor out of its cage. The police come to investigate what had happened, and they think its obvious that the snake killed Uncle Monty because of its name, but the kids know that it was Count Olaf. The police don't belive what they are saying. The children explain themselves and hear laughing, they look over and see sunny with the Incredibly Deadly Vipor and he is being nice to her, and see that its not deadly at all. They turn around to see that Count Olaf is gone! He is nowhere to be found. The police see that the kids were telling the truth about Count Olaf and the Snake. They are taking all the reptiles out of the house and the children are waiting outside on the porch for Mr. Poe to take them somewhere else, Which is Aunt Josephine. But what happens there is a completely different story...

Reptile Room.......2007-03-06

Have you ever been strangled by an incredibly deadly viper. The unfortunate Baudelaire children have new care-taker, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery. Dr. Montgomery is a biologist and has a huge house. The children were happy when they entered the beautiful house. As you know that something terrible must happen to the children. They knew that the terrible Count Olaf was out there. When the evil man shows up at their door step disguised as an old man that is supposed to be the assistant of Dr. Montgomery. The children must be on the look out for the terrible man. Besides that Uncle Monty (the children call him) shows them the huge glass room of the reptile room.


This book was good because of Violet, she is my favorite character. Violet is pretty, smart, and is really good at making inventions. I like her because she is loyal to her siblings. The one time she built an invention that looks like a claw. She used to save her sister from Count Olaf, but did not succeed.


I recommend this book to people to whom like never happily ever after stories. I would say that children 9 and up should read this book. You may get lost in the book sometimes. The book is very interesting because when you read one chapter you have to read until you get to the end of the book. I think people would like the book if you read it.

AHHH! Reptiles!!!.......2007-02-27

I think this is Lemony Snicket's bestbook ever. Although the stories of these brave children usually end up defeating the dreaded Count Olaf or whatever character he disguises himself as, this story had an extra sad twist. Like the whole series, Count Olaf usually kills, or injures somebody, but this time, he affects the children by hurting someone they had become very close to. the experience that I had reading this book was heart breaking, but yet still enjoyable.

Predictable, Not Realistic.......2007-02-26

I'm Giving This 1.5 stars

I read the 1st book and this 2nd only for school, and I can't believe there even allowed for us to read because of the reading level. This book should defiently not be 9-12 but should be 7-9, give or take. It has far to many words with definitions and Klaus afterward...I know what (the word) means. This Book is also to far predictable and you always know Count Olaf will escape. Out of the hundreds of times that they could catch or stop him, even though they want to they just stand there and let him get away. .SPOILER.- There should have been something in the book to make it less predictable and something so its not "oh, I'm a grown man, I should never be in a car chase. I have the responsibility of making sure you are safe". Even though by catching Olaf they would live happily ever after. Maybe the power goes out, they cant call anyone, then they get injured. Something like that so its no so Olaf can escape once again and just so there can be 11 or so more books in the series. Also for the snakes. If I had a friend snake (the Viper) I wouldnt just cry over it leaving and go and sleep just because Mr. Toe, Foe, Loe, I mean POE got in the way. I would run to it then bring it with me. It seems like the characters only cry about something and not do something. Like say He doesnt want us to tell you who he really is! his true identity when instead all they have to say is hes Count olaf he has a huge knife in his coat. Mr. Poe would still probably be to the children "O, many people have large knives in there Coat pockets and its very rude to speak while other people are talking.


I am not going to read anymore of these books. I only gave it 1 1/2 stars because it has a good structure, a base but nothing else. I am utterly surprised, utterly means...just kidding I am surprised that this has 4 1/2 stars. Well I guess this is for a younger read I'd say under 14 which I am and more like for 3rd graders. Harry Potter is age 9-12 but can be read by anyone...unlike these books. But don't not only read these because of this review, the first book is less predictable so I'd say start the 1st, it is so short to read but go for other books instead that are actually entertaining.

Books:

1. As You Like It
2. German Feminist Poems from the Middle Ages to the Present: A Bilingual Anthology (The Defiant Muse)
3. The Eye of the Ant: Persian Proverbs and Poems
4. A First Dawn
5. The Soul of Man Under Socialism, the
6. The Sooner the Better: Miss Billy's Oklahoma Story
7. The Unfortunates
8. Voices from the Continent: A Curriculum Guide to Selected West African Literature
9. <