The Vile Village + The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket
These two books are the seventh and eighth book of the the 13 book long A Series of Unfortunate Events, and as far as I can tell, a real turning point for the series. The first six were more separate entities as books, each an unfortunate event - but the Baudelaires get away (barely) at the end - but starting with the seventh, these books get more epic and plot arc-y, which I love. When each book starts connecting back with previous information, and with the Baudelaire’s learning information that changes their lives forever, they aren’t just single stories anymore. The characters are moving, evolving, and we learn that the whole situation is a lot more complicated than that their parents died in a fire and Olaf is after them. It’s a whole lot more complicated and sinister than that, which the Baudelaires are just beginning to figure out.
Oh, and my favorite favorite premise/part of this is that the author, “Lemony Snicket” is really most definitely shown to be a character in this book. The author isn’t just a pseudonym anymore, he’s an actual character, who actually had some vague influence on the events of the Baudelaires’ lives, and has a whole complicated history himself. We find this out originally when the character of Jacques Snicket is introduced (albeit briefly) - that’s when you know he has a connection to the Lemony Snicket character, and that made me rather excited. Also, Snicket’s reference to having a tattoo on his left ankle - yep same one as Olaf, and so that means something, but we don’t know what yet. Let’s just say I’m very glad I haven’t spoiled myself on this series, cause each new fact is exciting for me.
I love the way Hostile Hospital ends. Well, Vile Village too, but in HH, the only option they are left with at the end of the book is to escape in the trunk of the car of their arch enemy and it ties up so beautifully that you find yourself half-grinning towards the end because you know exactly what they’re going to have to end up doing before the characters know themselves.
Ships: Yeah, yeah, ships in an ASOUE book, say what, etc. The only ship worth mentioning at all in any context or any sense is Violet/Klaus because, uh, it’s the only ship people find interesting fanfic-wise online and because Violet, Klaus and Sunny are the only significant recurring characters, at least at this point. (Well, yeah, there’s Mr. Poe and Olaf, but they’re still only there briefly.) Still, I have fun snorting at the rather subtle Violet/Klaus in there, admittedly usually stuff for the bait of fanfiction writers (Like, they’re stuck in a cell with four walls and that’s it, and Klaus is like “I’ll give you anything you want for your birthday, even though we’re stuck in a jail cell. Anything at all. Well, hmm, that only leaves us with a few options, doesn’t it Klaus?))
Kids’ Books are Dirtier Than You Think: The subtle incest above, plus the following: in VV, one of the rules of the town of V.F.D. is that “citizens of V.F.D. may not use their mouths for recreation.” *hackcough* times a million. Daniel Handler, you do not know what it is that you write! Sure so Sunny will be sad that she can’t bite things for fun, but I bet a bunch of other people will have problems with that rule for other reasons.
Also, in HH we have, casually mentioned, the “Cathedral of Alleged Virgin.” I laughed muchly when I read that.
Oh, and my favorite favorite premise/part of this is that the author, “Lemony Snicket” is really most definitely shown to be a character in this book. The author isn’t just a pseudonym anymore, he’s an actual character, who actually had some vague influence on the events of the Baudelaires’ lives, and has a whole complicated history himself. We find this out originally when the character of Jacques Snicket is introduced (albeit briefly) - that’s when you know he has a connection to the Lemony Snicket character, and that made me rather excited. Also, Snicket’s reference to having a tattoo on his left ankle - yep same one as Olaf, and so that means something, but we don’t know what yet. Let’s just say I’m very glad I haven’t spoiled myself on this series, cause each new fact is exciting for me.
I love the way Hostile Hospital ends. Well, Vile Village too, but in HH, the only option they are left with at the end of the book is to escape in the trunk of the car of their arch enemy and it ties up so beautifully that you find yourself half-grinning towards the end because you know exactly what they’re going to have to end up doing before the characters know themselves.
Ships: Yeah, yeah, ships in an ASOUE book, say what, etc. The only ship worth mentioning at all in any context or any sense is Violet/Klaus because, uh, it’s the only ship people find interesting fanfic-wise online and because Violet, Klaus and Sunny are the only significant recurring characters, at least at this point. (Well, yeah, there’s Mr. Poe and Olaf, but they’re still only there briefly.) Still, I have fun snorting at the rather subtle Violet/Klaus in there, admittedly usually stuff for the bait of fanfiction writers (Like, they’re stuck in a cell with four walls and that’s it, and Klaus is like “I’ll give you anything you want for your birthday, even though we’re stuck in a jail cell. Anything at all. Well, hmm, that only leaves us with a few options, doesn’t it Klaus?))
Kids’ Books are Dirtier Than You Think: The subtle incest above, plus the following: in VV, one of the rules of the town of V.F.D. is that “citizens of V.F.D. may not use their mouths for recreation.” *hackcough* times a million. Daniel Handler, you do not know what it is that you write! Sure so Sunny will be sad that she can’t bite things for fun, but I bet a bunch of other people will have problems with that rule for other reasons.
Also, in HH we have, casually mentioned, the “Cathedral of Alleged Virgin.” I laughed muchly when I read that.
posted by Taira @ 11:28 AM
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