Lemony Snicket

Grouch · #1 01-01-2002, 12:41 PM

I've just finished reading all the books in Mr. Snicket's series (from The Bad Beginning to The Hostile Hospital) and, I've gotta tell ya, this was one of the best reading experiences I've had in a long, long time. To coin a cliche: I couldn't wait to sneak off to the world of the Baudelaire orphans each day; and I hated to see that world come to a temporary end when I finished HH.

In the Grand Scheme of Things, I would rank Lemony just below C.S. Lewis, but above J.K. Rowling. While I enjoyed Harry Potter, Rowling just wasn't as engaging a writer as Lemony Snicket.

[The real name of the author, as all true fans know, is Daniel Handler. He's written a couple of novels for adults and I was happy to get my hands on one of them, The Basic Eight, a couple of days ago. I can hardly wait to start reading it.]

I thought I'd start this thread for fans of the series to discuss what they like most about the books. If you plan to discuss a HUGE spoiler, please enclose it in a "hidden" post. What constitutes a HUGE spoiler? Well, the fact that the parents of Sunny, Violet and Klaus died in a fire would not be a HUGE spoiler, since that is revealed on page two or three of BB; however, [censored] would be a HUGE spoiler.

~~Anyone else get their hands on the boxed set of gloomy notecards Barnes and Noble was selling a month ago? I did, and they are appropriately dark and funny.

~~According to amazon.com, volume 9 The Carnivorous Carnival should be released in June. Even better, however, is the news that there should be "unauthorized autobiography" of Snicket himself hitting bookstores in May. Hopefully, this should answer some of the questions about Beatrice.

~~Speaking of Beatrice, any of you have theories on what really happened to her? How do you think she met her death?

~~One interesting thing I've noticed is that Brett Helquist always seems to put a clue to the next book in the last full-page illustration. For instance, in the one for The Ersatz Elevator, we see a crow flying overhead as the orphans sit glumly on the steps. And, of course, in the next book, The Vile Village, crows play a major part in the story. It's the little touches like that which make these books such a delight to read.

~~Anyone notice how Sunny's vocabulary seems to get a little better as the books progress? By volume 8, she's almost [but only almost, mind you] making sense. Some of her exclamations are also some very clever puns--see if you can pick 'em out.

Well, that's enough to get the conversation simmering, I suppose.

**lynnzop**[$] · #2 01-01-2002, 12:47 PM

Hmm...I haven't heard of this series, sounds like an interesting one to try. I'm currently in the middle of The Poisonwood Bible, which is outstanding, but will check these out when I'm done!

Thanks for the tip!

Lynn

quasar · #3 01-01-2002, 01:06 PM

Oh Lynn, you must read them!

They are truly terribly dark gloomy tales of woe. I adore them.

In all seriousness, the quality of the writing, the little puns and in jokes, the definitions, the throwaway jokes that don't seem like jokes until 30 seconds after you read them, all magnificent! And the illustrations are wonderful too.

I'd have to agree with Grouch. Not quite C.S. Lewis but pretty darn close. The Harry Potter books start out enjoyable and work their way into wonderful. Lemony Snicket grabs you immediately, especially if you love language.

I need those notecards, and know someone who would have loved getting them for Hanukkah. Time to see if they're still available.

I noticed the clues after the second or third book I think. Very clever.

Janice who probably should write reviews of #7 & #8 (I hate leaving a series unfinished)

ms_n · #4 01-03-2002, 12:46 AM

Volumes 1-6 are available at www.costco.com
for a very reasonable price.

My daughter is thoroughly enjoying the first of these.

frazzledspice · #5 01-03-2002, 02:11 AM

Well, I just checked my library website, and most of the series is "in" at one branch or another.

I think I'll pick up one or two for my daughter and I to read.

Grouch · #6 01-03-2002, 02:33 AM

Okay, all you Snicket "virgins," after you've read two or three ("no one can read just one") remember to come back here and babble on enthusiastically.

Dani257 · #7 01-03-2002, 04:51 AM

So, do you think one of their parents is living? And, if so, do you think he/she will be killed off by the end anyway? I mean, they ARE the Baudelaires.

jenninca · #8 01-03-2002, 07:50 AM

Angela, I hadn't thought of that possibility, but I think everything you said could be true.

jenninca · #9 01-03-2002, 07:55 AM

So far I've read books 1 through 5. (I haven't read the others because I haven't been able to get them in paperback through book orders yet.) They're fabulous!

I also read the first book to my class the last couple of days before Christmas break. They loved me, and a few begged me to read more of them.

frazzledspice · #10 01-03-2002, 08:36 PM

"I've already read the first one," my 12 year-old said. "They're bizarre. They're for Goth kids!"

She did admit to enjoying it, however.

So, to catch up with her, I'm in the midst of The Bad Beginning.

And it's great! (And no, I'm not a Goth kid, and neither is she.)

Dani257 · #11 01-03-2002, 08:46 PM

Do you think we'll get any more appearances from the Quagmire Triplets? (Whoops, almost wrote twins there)

Grouch · #12 01-03-2002, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dani257
Do you think we'll get any more appearances from the Quagmire Triplets? (Whoops, almost wrote twins there)

Oh, absolutely. They're an integral part of the plot, I think.

I was going to mention this earlier but forgot: I think the series took on deeper meaning and started building many layers of intrigue when the Quagmires were introduced. To that point, I honestly don't know if Lemony had a full sense of where the story would be going (with the V.F.D., the ties to the parents, etc.). But once the Quagmires came along, he got really serious about building a deeper and more satisfying tale (spanning the entire 13* books).

*You all did know there are 13 books planned, right? At least, that's what Lemony said at one point. 13 would be appropriate, of course.

Grouch · #13 01-03-2002, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dani257
So, do you think one of their parents is living? And, if so, do you think he/she will be killed off by the end anyway? I mean, they ARE the Baudelaires.

After reaching the 8th volume, I'm starting to wonder that myself. There is definitely something going on with the identity of their relative who got killed in the Vile Village (sorry, can't remember his name off the top of my head right now, and I'm at work, away from my books). There are lots of possibilities--including

*GASP*

the notion that Count Olaf could be their father.
Hey, it could happen! I mean, who among us really ever thought that Darth was Luke's father? C'mon now, be honest....

quasar · #14 01-04-2002, 07:00 PM

Oh I agree. I adore the Quagmire triplets. And the books took on a deeper meaning when they came along and when it starting having some continuing elements from book to book instead of being strictly serial.

Janice

Redlass · #15 01-06-2002, 01:01 AM

Oh these are wonderful books, aren't they?

I've only read the first one and a half. I got the first one as a birthday gift for a friend's son and read it before I gave it to him. Then I read half of the second one while waiting for my son to finish playing trains in Barnes and Noble (I know, bad me). If money weren't so tight this month, I think I would have purchased the whole set.

I'd still rank the Potter series above the Snicket ones, but only because I've read more of the Potter ones and the Snicket books are such quick, episodic reads.

I may feel differently when I've read the whole series.

argonut · #16 01-06-2002, 02:16 AM

...or seeing Mr. Handler in person. I discovered the series when I happened across Mr. Handler filling in for a mysteriously absent Mr. Snicket at a local bookstore appearance. He is a fabulous, albeit depressing, riot. And he brings his accordian with him.

If you ever get a chance to see him in person, do -- whether you take your kids or not.

J

ps I do not think it is fair to say that he is just a cut below CS Lewis. While I have not read Lemony as extensively as I have read Lewis, I think the Unfortunate Events books lack a certain depth that the Chronicles of Narnia contain. UE are fun and I would recommend them as a diversion. CN takes the fun to a deeper level. Upon finishing books in the UE series you want to read them again to catch the things that you missed the first time around. When you finish a CN book you want to read it again to see what you discover about yourself on a second reading.

I definitely place them over JK Rowling's stuff....

**lynnzop**[$] · #17 01-31-2002, 09:58 AM

Okay, just finished The Bad Begining. If I wasn't snowed in today, I would be heading out to the library to get the next book in the series!

I was surprised to find the books in the YA section (although the only one I could find in house was actually a LARGE PRINT edition)...which brings to mind another thread that I'll start elsewhere.

At first, I found the little extra definitions annoying (...the backstage area was in complete pandemonium - a word which here means "actors and stagehands running around attending to last-minute details."), but decided that since it is(?) supposed to be a children's book, it's probably appropriate, and the quote toward the end, where some adult tried to define a big word and Klaus said "I KNOW what it means" made me crack up.

All-in-all, I'm ready to continue down the path with the children. Seems a little dark and violent for kids...but then again, the killing of Aslan in LWW was pretty violent and depressing too!

Lynn

Grouch · #18 01-31-2002, 04:04 PM

For those wanting a bit more of Daniel Handler (aka, Lemony Snicket's Boswell), check out this month's issue of BOOK magazine (includes a photo!---and not of the back of Lemony's head). Unfortunately BOOK's website doesn't include the brief Snicket snippet, but the entire issue is worth reading (if, that is, you can stomach several photos of Jonathan Franzen...

).

WilliamJones · #19 01-31-2002, 06:53 PM

Man, I thought I had a discovered something for myself here but it seems like everyone's read this guy. I've checked three or four of the Unfortunate books out from my local library and I've finished the first book.

I was going to review it...I don't know, maybe I still will.

I love this guy's pseudonym and, yes, I know he's really Daniel Handler.

This guy, Handler, he's a smart guy I think. He knows there's people like me who can't let something like that pass without finding out who he really is. And that (of course) leads to his more adult books.

This is why I also really liked legendary game show king, Chuck Barris' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Barris claims he was a CIA agent and I swear I had to read every goddamn thing the guy ever wrote looking for clues to whether that is true or not.

I found such a clue in his first book. And wouldn't you just like to know?

Bill

dijinn · #20 02-03-2002, 12:20 AM

Quote:

(if, that is, you can stomach several photos of Jonathan Franzen... ).

Alright, so I am swinging through just watching to see what mayhem I am missing ‘bout some author I’ve never even heard of and WHAM out of nowhere an ad hominem check into the psychological boards for poor Mister Franzen! Isn't this s'posed to be a nice little discovery session for a kids book writer? I mean, is all this violence and just awful awful ... awful... hrm. IS IT REALLY NECESSARY? hehe.

Yikes, does Mister Grouch still harbor resentment over the whole Oprah/Franzen debate ... -cough- resentment that won't fit over on the Oprah/Franzen thread??!? -cough- hehehe. I think I am the sole defender of the New White Guys. I should police your posts from now on Mister Grouch! haha.

(RIGHT... BACK ON TOPIC)

Lemony. No idea. But if you compare him to Mister Lewis - I will have to give him a look see. One question. Lewis kids stuff - or Lewis, Problem of Pain and what not? I assume Narnia. I'll give it a test spin and see how she drives.

Dij

CurtisEdmonds · #21 02-03-2002, 10:30 AM

By the way, if anyone hasn't read any Snicket at all, I borrowed (well, OK, stole) a lot of his style to write a recent movie review:

The Sordid Stepfather

**lynnzop**[$] · #22 02-05-2002, 11:09 PM

Good show, old boy! I'm going to start referring to you as "Limeny Snucket" in future conversations.

Lynn
still looking for book 2

phoenixx · #23 02-05-2002, 11:52 PM

And don't miss the Lemony Snicket Website !

Leslie