Review; Series of Unfortunate Events 3 & 4

Series of Unfortunate Events
Lemony Snicket

The Wide Window 

Yet again, the Baudelaire children are with Mr. Poe as he finds them another guardian. Still missing their uncle Monty, they are introduced to their Aunt Josephine.

Aunt Josephine lives on Lake Lachrymose, even though she is afraid of it.
(Well, she is really afraid of everything so does it really matter where she lives? Probably not.)

The lake is where her late husband, Ike, had perished. Eaten alive by the leaches since Ike did not wait not long enough after eating to go swimming. Poor Ike.

Aunt Josephine's priority in life is Grammar. She makes it her personal mission to help everyone she meets with their grammar (to the point of annoyance, really) but this does include the children - Sunny, especially.

And the delightful Captain Sham that she meets in town one day.

The children, however, do not think he is so delightful, and recognize what a "sham" he really is.

The Miserable Mill 

Since living with Aunt Josephine did not work out (may she rest in peace), it is off to their last chance before Poe sends them off to boarding school.

Eek.

The children are brought to Paltryville to work in a lumbermill. Can you imagine? Children made to work in a lumbermill? Even baby Sunny? But yes, it is true.

Beside the lumber mill is an Optician's office... shaped suspiciously like Olaf's ankle tattoo.

There is no breakfast, one stick of gum for lunch, and some kind of casserole for dinner.
They are to share one bedroom again.
Payment is in coupons.

Sounds terrif, right? Well, it is not. It is actually very unfortunate, and this is just the beginning.

The boss, who's name no one can pronounce, is rude and crude but his assistant is quite nice.

One day, however, Klaus is tripped - on purpose no doubt - and his glasses break. Off he goes to the suspiciously shaped building.

Hours later, he comes back but Violet can tell something is different.

and then the accident happens.




It is unfortunate that Snicket is burdened with capturing all the terrible things that happen to these children, but he does warn you over and over that if you cannot take any more sadness, do stop reading, as things only get worse for these poor children.

Snicket's writing is as witty and cute and, yes, the events are very sad and very unfortunate but the children are very smart and crafty and while very unlucky - they seem to have some luck on their side.
You don't want to put the stories down, as sad as they are, because you know that the children will make it through (we hope) but it's the how that keeps you glued to your seat and the next books close by.