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The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket

After the disappointments of The Miserable Mill, I found The Austere Academy to be a slight improvement but still somewhat taxing on my patience with the series.

Snicket’s trademark dark humor is still present, and the introduction of new characters like the Quagmire triplets brings a breath of fresh air. Their presence offers a glimmer of hope and solidarity amidst the relentless gloom.

That said, the series does begin to feel formulaic at this point. The constant cycle of the Baudelaires finding a temporary refuge only to have it shattered by Count Olaf's latest scheme is starting to wear thin. The relentless misery and repetition can make the experience feel more like a chore than an adventure, especially when reading several installments in close succession. Reading them one after another can be a bit overwhelming, and spacing them out might be the best way to fully appreciate the peculiar charm and dark wit of Lemony Snicket's world.