Rating: 5 stars
Cover synopsis: Within these pages, the Baudelaire children endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp and the reappearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.
Who knew that reading about others' misfortunes could be so fun? Lemony Snicket is a delightful narrator, especially in the face of, well, unfortunate events. The wit and humor just ooze off the page (ooze as it's used here means...oh, wait. Sorry...)
In this tome, the orphans go to live with their Uncle Monty, who is a wonderful, fun, caring person who also happens to be an expert on snakes. The children enjoy their time with Uncle Monty until his new assistant shows up, of course. "Stephano" is as evil as ever, Mr. Poe as clueless as ever, and the Baudelaires as resourceful as ever.
