The Ersatz Elevator
Snicket continues to play with the formula, resulting in what is my favorite book of the series so far. It's nice when the Baudelaire's get some good mixed in with the bad. It makes the story more interesting. Never-ending misery is ultimately boring (try reading The Two Towers). A few bright spots keep the story fresh and interesting. More importantly, they keep hope alive.
So the Baudelaires are sent to a married couple. And while the wife is greedy and treacherous, the husband is kind. Even if his good intentions come to nothing due to his weak will and distaste for arguments, at least he tries to treat the orphans well while they're under his care.
Additionally, Count Olaf is barely in this book. He sneaks around the edges even more than usual, so the orphans have to be more proactive than usual. They uncover his plot and come close to thwarting it. They find the Quagmire triplets and come close to freeing them. Alas, it's only the sixth book, so nothing can quite be wrapped up yet. But the orphans are learning and growing closer and stronger.
If the books continue to have absurd elements (like Sunny climbing a wall with her teeth) they also continue to be a great source for learning new words and turns of phrase. More than that, they do a good job of teaching how to figure things out from context, and they definitely seemed designed for children to grow with. Though unlike Harry Potter, it will only take a few months to grow through these books rather than 7 years. Which possibly makes them better for children.
So the Baudelaires are sent to a married couple. And while the wife is greedy and treacherous, the husband is kind. Even if his good intentions come to nothing due to his weak will and distaste for arguments, at least he tries to treat the orphans well while they're under his care.
Additionally, Count Olaf is barely in this book. He sneaks around the edges even more than usual, so the orphans have to be more proactive than usual. They uncover his plot and come close to thwarting it. They find the Quagmire triplets and come close to freeing them. Alas, it's only the sixth book, so nothing can quite be wrapped up yet. But the orphans are learning and growing closer and stronger.
If the books continue to have absurd elements (like Sunny climbing a wall with her teeth) they also continue to be a great source for learning new words and turns of phrase. More than that, they do a good job of teaching how to figure things out from context, and they definitely seemed designed for children to grow with. Though unlike Harry Potter, it will only take a few months to grow through these books rather than 7 years. Which possibly makes them better for children.
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