While there’s not much to say about the usual characters (Violet still dreams about inventions, Klaus about reading books and Sunny about biting) and Aunt Josephine was nothing but a fearful old woman (not very bright to say the least and not very interested in anything but grammar), my favorite characters were… the Lachrymose Leeches. A.k.a. leeches living in the Lachrymose Lake and getting very hungry when smelling food on people. (That’s how the Aunt’s husband died: killed by leeches because he had entered the water 45 minutes after eating instead of waiting at least one hour, and so the smell of the food was still on him and had attracted the leeches.) While they do not seem particularly likable thus far, I was mightily amazed and amused at the way they attacked the boat carrying the children and their aunt: first they tried to chew it and, since that didn’t work, they swerved and then flung themselves into the ship all at once, thus managing to create a little hole which they proceeded to enlarge. After a while they split in two teams, too! :P

The author does not forget to remember the reader to expect no good thing from this book: “If you are interested in reading a story filled with thrillingly good times, I am sorry to inform you that you are most certainly reading the wrong book[...]“. With a good reason to, as this is the most adventure-filled book yet. For example, among other things, the orphans have to escape a falling house and sail a boat through a hurricane! It almost made me feel sad not to be a little younger in order to be captivated by it the way it deserves.

To tell the truth I am really looking forward to the next installments to see what other relatives Mr. Poe will find for the poor kids — what their peculiarities will be, what particularities their houses will have (so far we’ve had a Reptile Room and a Wide Window :P ), and whether or not they’ll end up dead too :D :D And, of course, I am looking forward to seeing little Sunny growing up — will she get to speak full sentences? will she still enjoy biting things? etc. :)

What I liked most: I am still amused by the fact that, with very very few exceptions, every single name in the book is an alliteration: Damocles Dock, Fickle Ferry, Lake Lachrymose, Hurricane Herman, Pretty Penny, Lavender Lighthouse, Wicked Whirlpool, etc. Speaking of which, I have discovered the website of the author, which also has sections like: The Afflicted Author, The Bothersome Books or Vile Videos. :)

What I liked least: Nothing, loved it on the whole.

Recommend it? Yes. I bet kids will love it (I loved it myself and I am an adult — an adult who loves children’s books but still :P )

This book is a sequel to:
The Bad Beginning
The Reptile Room

This book is followed by:
The Miserable Mill
The Austere Academy
The Ersatz Elevator
The Vile Village
The Hostile Hospital
The Carnivorous Carnival
The Slippery Slope
The Grim Grotto
The Penultimate Peril

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