The Grim Grotto (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11)
Registered by rem_ABK-578523 on 10/21/2004
1 journaler for this copy...
Wahoo! Lemony finally published book the 11th! Can't wait to read about what unfortunate things will happen to the Baudelaire's in this edition!
Review to follow...
Review to follow...
This is the first ASoUE book that I've actually read for myself. All the others I listened to on audiobook, where the dramatic and meledious voice of Tim Curry added a level of excitement to me that has made these books irresistable.
Still, I'm so glad that I'm finally reading these in print, as it really highlights the charm in the wonderful use of language, the nuances of phrases and the author's skill at connecting the seemingly unconnected right into the story, carrying it through flawlessly. For example, in this particular story he has subtely involved the elements of the water cycle, tentacles, and the Hobson's choice in a most masterful way. Still, thinking about how this book is written makes me fear for the quality of the motion picture, as all the beauty and subtely of the words will be lost in a movie.
I like how children are really growning up, especially Sunny. Her non-sensical baby-talk of previous novels has really develped into these funny and pithy one-liners, acutally, usually one-worders! (And she's also turning into quite the cook!) Also, I love how more and more that the man known to us as Lemony Snicket is writing himself into the story, and how more and more characters from the previous stories are becoming more interconnected, too. But I think the most amazing thing of all is how the author has been able to keep the quality of these books consistent and enjoyable for this entire series.
Anyway, let me tell you a little about this richly imaginative story. As you may know, the 3 Baudelaire orhpans were still drifting downstream on their tobaggan at the end of book the 10th, and now they are rescued by a submarine under the direction of a Captain Widdershins and his step-daughter Fiona, an amateur mycologist (one who studies mushrooms).
Once safely aboard, Klaus theorizes that the mysterious and allusive sugar bowl must have been carried by the water current to a place known as the Gorgonian Grotto. In an attempt to retrieve the sugar bowl before Count Olaf does, the children don some diving uniforms and explore that grim grotto. Here they discover the Medusoid Mycelium -- a fungus so toxic, breathing in just one spore will kill you in an hour. And, of course, because it is so unfortuante, one of the children becomes infected.
Meanwhile, Captain Widdershins has disappeared from the submarine, just as Count Olaf appears driving a mechanical octopus. Once he captures the children, he throws them in the brig and tortures them with Carmelita Spat's tap-dancing ballerina fairy princess veterinarian dance recital.
Finally, this book shows us a new secret code called Verse Fluctuation Declaration. And because of the poetry that is used, we can decide for ourselves if we think Lewis Carroll is too whimsical, TS Elliot is too opaque, or if Edgar Guest really was a writer of limited skill who wrote awkward, tedious poetry on hopelessly sentimental topics.
I won't reveal the resolution of their adventure,s as I want you to read that for yourself, but I will tell you that just as I suspected, here's the set it up for a book the 12th. And I can hardly wait! This has been such a fun ride that I'll be so sad when this series finally comes to it's anticipated (fortunate) conclusion.
Still, I'm so glad that I'm finally reading these in print, as it really highlights the charm in the wonderful use of language, the nuances of phrases and the author's skill at connecting the seemingly unconnected right into the story, carrying it through flawlessly. For example, in this particular story he has subtely involved the elements of the water cycle, tentacles, and the Hobson's choice in a most masterful way. Still, thinking about how this book is written makes me fear for the quality of the motion picture, as all the beauty and subtely of the words will be lost in a movie.
I like how children are really growning up, especially Sunny. Her non-sensical baby-talk of previous novels has really develped into these funny and pithy one-liners, acutally, usually one-worders! (And she's also turning into quite the cook!) Also, I love how more and more that the man known to us as Lemony Snicket is writing himself into the story, and how more and more characters from the previous stories are becoming more interconnected, too. But I think the most amazing thing of all is how the author has been able to keep the quality of these books consistent and enjoyable for this entire series.
Anyway, let me tell you a little about this richly imaginative story. As you may know, the 3 Baudelaire orhpans were still drifting downstream on their tobaggan at the end of book the 10th, and now they are rescued by a submarine under the direction of a Captain Widdershins and his step-daughter Fiona, an amateur mycologist (one who studies mushrooms).
Once safely aboard, Klaus theorizes that the mysterious and allusive sugar bowl must have been carried by the water current to a place known as the Gorgonian Grotto. In an attempt to retrieve the sugar bowl before Count Olaf does, the children don some diving uniforms and explore that grim grotto. Here they discover the Medusoid Mycelium -- a fungus so toxic, breathing in just one spore will kill you in an hour. And, of course, because it is so unfortuante, one of the children becomes infected.
Meanwhile, Captain Widdershins has disappeared from the submarine, just as Count Olaf appears driving a mechanical octopus. Once he captures the children, he throws them in the brig and tortures them with Carmelita Spat's tap-dancing ballerina fairy princess veterinarian dance recital.
Finally, this book shows us a new secret code called Verse Fluctuation Declaration. And because of the poetry that is used, we can decide for ourselves if we think Lewis Carroll is too whimsical, TS Elliot is too opaque, or if Edgar Guest really was a writer of limited skill who wrote awkward, tedious poetry on hopelessly sentimental topics.
I won't reveal the resolution of their adventure,s as I want you to read that for yourself, but I will tell you that just as I suspected, here's the set it up for a book the 12th. And I can hardly wait! This has been such a fun ride that I'll be so sad when this series finally comes to it's anticipated (fortunate) conclusion.
