Book Review: A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Carnivorous Carnival

Here we go, a book review after what seems like a century. Reading is not the challenge, no,no. Getting around to writing the reviews,  on the other hand... I seriously need to develop a system.

Lemony Snicket, we meet again. This time in the most unlikely of venues yet. Nine books in you would think that I am used to it by now, but can you blame me? We just went from a hostile hospital with some hippies sprinkled on top to a carnivorous carnival with "freaks". Quite the story actually.

Violet, Klaus and Sunny when we last saw them they learned that maybe one of their parents is alive. Well, technically, they were climbing into the trunk of a car, not just any car, Count Olaf's  their archenemy. Take the saying in the belly of the beast to the next level why don't you?

The book starts of in its usual tone, trying to reach their financial guardian and Count Olaf having the same motive, get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune. Answers to their parent(s) whereabouts lie with the carnivals fortune teller, so they do the only thing to do, morph into freaks to get some answers.

This Carnival is definitely one in a million. For one its going under, the fortune teller triples up as the carnival manager and Olaf's tip, the  circus freaks well, that depends on what freaky is on your scale.

Each book in the series is riveting but this is the worst one yet. And I mean this in a good way. The amount of misfortunes is at an all time high, it starts all fine and dandy, at least to Lemony Snicket's standards. In fact at some point things are looking up for the Baudelaires. Then whoosh! Just a ripple effect of all things bad go their way. Betrayal, false hope, carnivority, potential homicides, impending death and kidnapping. Feels like Pandora's box was flung open, huh?

So what I loved about the book. There was something more real about this one I guess Lemony Snicket toned down on the mythical characters. From the very beginning you begin to feel for this guys, connected to them. Must have been the glimmer of hope. Let me admit, I hoped with them. And the imagery? There is this northern lights situation going on, on one account Esme Squalor, remember her? Opens the door and blue just fills the room. Now that is something.

How this book ends, dang it! suspense galore. You have to remind yourself it's fiction. Let's just say Lemony doesn't guarantee a sequel this time. You are just dying to read aren't you?

Have a good one!