I wrote a fairly oversized mini review for The Reptile Room. I do not foresee myself doing that for this one. It’s just...it doesn’t inspire the same emotion.

Aunt Josephine is no Uncle Monty, guys. Like, she’s not supposed to be. But still.

However. There is still cool stuff to be found in this. It is still Lemony Snicket, after all.

The setting is particularly rad, which is impressive because this is one of my favorite worlds in all of literature. I like this lil village (shoutout to the Anxious Clown) and Lake Lachrymose and the harbor a lot.

Also, Uncle Monty > Aunt Josephine, but Stephano < Captain Sham. So it almost balances. Almost.

This book is not as sad as The Reptile Room (good!), but it is significantly more frustrating (not good). More and more hints at the complexity that is to come, though, sooooo….still 4.25 or 4.5 or whatever. Like it matters. It’ll be on Goodreads as four stars no matter what I say. (And screw you times infinity for that, Goodreads.)

Well, would you look at that. I still wrote a lot.

Shocker.

Bottom line: In, like, my bottom five books of the thirteen that make up my favorite series. SO ARBITRARY. And so good.


-------------
PRE-REVIEW

I'M REREADING THESE BOOKS SO MUCH FASTER THAN I CAN REVIEW THEM.

yes, this is coming from the person who has a to-write list thirteen posts long. what of it? it's definitely the fault of these books for being so short and fun and addictive and not my fault for poor time management.

so yet again, i shall say I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH, followed by that even more common phrase:

review to come