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A review by andriakennedy
The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket
1.0
Do you ever wonder if authors run out of steam? You know they love what they do (or hope they do, at any rate), but there's a nagging feeling at the back of your mind that deadlines might be pressing on them. Or real life. Or something else that seeps into their writing and warps it into something less impressive than the words you adored in the beginning.
Or maybe this is why the average person doesn't read an entire series at once; they wait the year between volumes, so they don't notice such things.
The droning irritation of the water cycle made me 1) want to gouge out my eyes (not fall asleep, which I would have appreciated with my insomnia issues), and 2) hunt down M. Snicket for turning off who knows how many generations of potential scientists by rendering something so interesting into absolute drivel. If I'd felt charitable, I could have applauded the talent required to turn anything into a boring nightmare, but why something that could spark a child's desire to expand their brain? As a kid who found everything inspirational (yes, even the water cycle), it hurt. More attention to detail was given to the wordplay between Count Olaf, Esme, and Carmelita, and that felt like a dig. I hate making a choice between English and Science when it comes to school, and it felt like this book chose a side.
Instead of rambling on and on - destroying a process children certainly need to know about these days (and, yes, I'm referring to the generation who would have read these books when they first hit the shelves), why didn't M. Snicket provide better illumination on where Captain Widdershins and Phil disappeared to? Rather than creating an air of "mystery," the two simply vanish without any clues or explanation (I'll grant a pass on how people can survive in water depths like this since we're talking obvious fiction). Grown adults with no qualms at abandoning four children? It's beyond strange and deserves better details - even if (as I suspect) it figures in a plot point down the road.
And things didn't improve when the Baudelaires cast judgment on poor Fiona. She, effectively, was faced with a similar predicament to theirs - bereft of family - and they condemned her for choosing to side with her brother. It's a cruel form of bullying, and no one calls them out for the behavior. Again, there are no consequences to the less-than-stellar behaviors of these protagonists, and it's galling to sit back and watch. I don't have a problem with characters that aren't wholly good, but they need to acknowledge the shortcomings and flaws they carry with them.
The Baudelaires prefer to push their issues aside and focus on everyone else.
I'll finish the series, naturally, but I need a break, particularly given the size of the last two volumes. I simply can't take more needless repetition to fill pages.
Or maybe this is why the average person doesn't read an entire series at once; they wait the year between volumes, so they don't notice such things.
The droning irritation of the water cycle made me 1) want to gouge out my eyes (not fall asleep, which I would have appreciated with my insomnia issues), and 2) hunt down M. Snicket for turning off who knows how many generations of potential scientists by rendering something so interesting into absolute drivel. If I'd felt charitable, I could have applauded the talent required to turn anything into a boring nightmare, but why something that could spark a child's desire to expand their brain? As a kid who found everything inspirational (yes, even the water cycle), it hurt. More attention to detail was given to the wordplay between Count Olaf, Esme, and Carmelita, and that felt like a dig. I hate making a choice between English and Science when it comes to school, and it felt like this book chose a side.
Instead of rambling on and on - destroying a process children certainly need to know about these days (and, yes, I'm referring to the generation who would have read these books when they first hit the shelves), why didn't M. Snicket provide better illumination on where Captain Widdershins and Phil disappeared to? Rather than creating an air of "mystery," the two simply vanish without any clues or explanation (I'll grant a pass on how people can survive in water depths like this since we're talking obvious fiction). Grown adults with no qualms at abandoning four children? It's beyond strange and deserves better details - even if (as I suspect) it figures in a plot point down the road.
And things didn't improve when the Baudelaires cast judgment on poor Fiona. She, effectively, was faced with a similar predicament to theirs - bereft of family - and they condemned her for choosing to side with her brother. It's a cruel form of bullying, and no one calls them out for the behavior. Again, there are no consequences to the less-than-stellar behaviors of these protagonists, and it's galling to sit back and watch. I don't have a problem with characters that aren't wholly good, but they need to acknowledge the shortcomings and flaws they carry with them.
The Baudelaires prefer to push their issues aside and focus on everyone else.
I'll finish the series, naturally, but I need a break, particularly given the size of the last two volumes. I simply can't take more needless repetition to fill pages.