Review: A Series of Unfortunate Events: Books 4 - 6

The Miserable Mill, By Lemony Snicket (2000)

And, after the formula is affirmed, it is broken. The guardian in this story is in fact an organisation, the "Lucky Smells Lumbermill," and the dark absurdity, while not as depressing as the previous book, still works well to enhance the plot.

The plot is pretty much the same; they're left at the lumbermill by their social worker/accountant/coughing idiot and they find that life is terribly handicapped in many different ways. The previous book had dispelled any hope of a happy life, no matter who they stayed with. Klaus gets hypnotised; they nearly get killed by a circular saw and there's a sword fight with teeth.

The Austere Academy, By Lemony Snicket (2000)

Ah, the plot thickens. The only really important thing in this book is the appearance of several characters which form major roles later on, some villans and some colleagues.

Plot is as usual; children put in , watched over by and menaced by Count Olaf, who's disguised as . The only thing that this formula makes tiring is describing the damn thing; Handlier delivers up his usual mix of deadpan humor, strange narration and well-thought out if template-cut characters.

The Erzatz Elevator, By Lemony Snicket (2001)


Ok, ok, they're now with a lovely couple (or seemingly lovely couple - see below) with something a bit odd about them, in this case an obsessive slavery to fashion. Orphans are "in".


In other words its a bitter satire of the fashion industry and of the ignorance of the modern adult; in this case, however, it is the woman who is the negative; the male guardian is one of the more competant guardians they've had.

Aaaaand Count Olaf is is now a very posh bloke with an eyeglass (for extra POSHNESS) and is using puns and horrific subverted tropes to befuddle the three. Luckily they expose them and are unfortunately made to escape; this time, their social worker is getting slightly miffed.

Overview

It's a good continuation, inkeeping with the main themes of the series as well as introducing others and some plotpoints that will be important later on. Not with as much pace as later books, but generally less safe than the first three.

Thanks.