The Grim Grotto #11 (A Series of Unfortunate Events): No. 11 - Hardcover

Snicket, Lemony

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1405215275 ISBN 13: 9781405215275

Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd, 2004

Synopsis

Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you prabably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descent into the depths of despair, underwater. In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing. As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.

About this title

Review

A new Lemony Snicket book is a precious thing. After this volume there are just two episodes to go, so readers must begin to savour every word about the unfortunate adventures of the Baudelaire children. As the clock ticks down to that undoubtedly dynamic dénouement of this whole sorry tale, readers will appreciate this typical tale of villainous miscreants, underwater frivolity and cliff-hanging endings--even if the answers every reader now craves are still tantalisingly out of reach.

The Grim Grotto begins, as ever, where the last instalment, The Slippery Slope, ends. Violet, Sunny and Klaus are cascading down the grey waters of the Stricken Stream in a toboggan and again hurtling towards inevitable doom. They are saved in the nick of time by a submarine, The QueeQueg, which is manned by a cast of fascinating characters that contains Captain Widdershins, his stepdaughter Fiona and their long lost friend Phil, from the Lucky Smells Lumbermill.

The crews’ task is to retrieve a sugar bowl before the children’s evil nemesis, Count Olaf, gets to it first. After serious study, the location of said sugar bowl is determined as the Gorgonian Grotto, coincidentally the home of the incredible poisonous mushroom, Medusoid Mycelium. It’s not long, however, before their dangerous mission is interrupted by another disaster--Sunny has come into contact with a mushroom and she needs help fast. This is exactly the sort of moment when it would be least helpful for Olaf to appear on the scene... which of course he does.

It’s difficult not to like these books--they follow the same pattern each time but consistently deliver laughs and intrigue like no other book series. Book the Eleventh is another riotous and hilarious adventure that fans will devour in their droves and new readers will find completely unfathomable--despite the regular flashbacks. (Age 9 and over) --John McLay

Review

Praise for A Series of Unfortunate Events:

“Wicked Good Fun.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Vivid. Designed to alight on the best-seller lists.” – The New York Times Book Review

“Hilarious. Luckily for fans, the woes of the Baudelaires are far from over.” – Publishers Weekly

Edition details

• Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1405215275
• ISBN 13: 9781405215275
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304