Goodreads Rating: 4.04 stars

Goodreads Summary:

Dear Reader,

If this is the first book you found while searching for a book to read next, then the first thing you should know is that this next-to-last book is what you should put down first. Sadly, this book presents the next-to-last chronicle of the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, and it is next-to-first in its supply of misery, despair, and unpleasantness.

Probably the next-to-last thing you would like to read about are a harpoon gun, a rooftop sunbathing alon, two mysterious initials, three unidentified triplets, a notorious villain, and an unsavory curry.

Next-to-last things are the first thing to be avoided, and so allow me to recommend that you put this next-to-last book down first, and find something else to read next at last, such a s the next-to-last book in another chronicle, or a chronicle containing other next-to-last things, so that this next-to-last book does not become the last book you will read.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

My Thoughts:

I just… am thoroughly disappointed. NO closure with past mysteries, NO answers with present ones, and STILL introducing new ones?! What the literal heck.

Now we have the introduction of the main characters realizing the ambiguity of “good” and “evil.” That’s great. I’m all for main characters realizing things are not just black and white. However, the characters never ACTIVELY do anything evil, so saying that they’re unsure if they’re heroes or villains just because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and cause an accident… that just rings false to me.

The V.F.D. plot line is also unclear. How is there such miscommunication between this group of people? They obviously know enough to communicate when and where they’re meeting, so how can they not fix a new place? Why is this place the end all be all for this organization? Dumb.

The only thing I really liked about this book was the cool library idea and bringing old characters in from past books. It was cool to see them all again and have to try and figure out if they were good or evil. At the same time, the “good” ones should’ve been able to do more for the Baudelaire’s instead of leaving them to flounder all this time.

I need to finish this series before I lose the stamina to move on with this poorly executed story.