The Ersatz Elevator and The Vile Village, and All the Wrong Questions about All the Wrong Questions by Lemony Snicket

My personal thoughts on the series as a whole (besides the fact that this series is incredibly wretched and full of unfortunate events is posted in my post prior prior prior. If you want to see my opinions on all the books as a whole, please (please do not, though, as the post is as wretched and full of unfortunate events as the actual series) go the one prior by scrolling down, a phrase which here means, 'putting your finger on the little bumpy area between the left and right button and pushing in downward'

THE ERSATZ ELEVATOR \

The Baudelaire orphans return to the city where they grew up in to their new guardians Esme and Jerome Squalor at 667 Dark Avenue. They soon discover that most residents are only interested in what is 'in' and what is 'out'. This includes, but not limited to, Esme, whereas Jerome truly cares for the children. The Baudelaires meet Gunther, who is an auctioneer, but is actually Count Olaf in disguise. Jerome takes the Baudelaires out to dinner, and when they return, they hear from the doorman that Gunther hadn't left the house, while Esme claims he left the penthouse a long time ago. The Baudelaires come up with the idea that Gunther may be living in one of the apartments, and so they attempt to find him by eavesdropping, only to find their efforts fruitless. At the bottom floor, they notice that the all floors except for the top one has only one elevator. Klaus believes that one of the elevators on the top floor is ersatz, and indeed, when they open on elevator, they find it is actually a dark tunnel all the way down. When the Baudelaires climb down, they discover the Quagmires in a cage. The Baudelaires climb back up to find a way to free them, only to find when they climb down, the Quagmires have been taken away already. The orphans tell Esme, who reveals that she is in cahoots with Count Olaf, and she pulls them down the tunnel. The Baudelaires, without choice, walk down the passageway to discover it leads to the ruins of their home. The orphans return to the auction , where they think item 50, called V.F.D is where the Quagmires are hidden, but they are wrong. We then see the familiar cycle, except, of course, not really. The children reveal Gunther's true identity it just the nick of time, but he manages to get away with the triplets. Jerome offers to take the Baudelaires to a safe place, but they refuse, and set off to a new life.

THE ERSATZ ELEVATOR NOTES

Remember how I was impressed by Lemony's whole page of ever's in The Reptile Room? Well, it turns out, that wasn't the only page trick Lemony was planning. 

I have, no words for this. Like, whoa. This is revolutionary. 

There is also the fact that the Baudelaires refused to go someplace away from Count Olaf. The Baudelaires refused to put their own safety over the Quagmires. In any other v=book until The Austere Academy they would have gladly taken the offer. As I have stated in my previous review, the orphans stopped running and started fighting. Refusing this offer to look for the Quagmires is the first steps to fighting Count Olaf, and the first steps to becoming a volunteer, which, by the way, happens very soon, a phrase which here means, in the next book.

THE VILE VILLAGE

The Baudelaires are taken to the village of V.F.D., which stands for the Village of Fowl Devotees. They meet the Council of Elders, a group of rather haughty and strict people and Hector, who is a kind person that is their guardians. They discover that V.F.D. has many rules, which include rules that forbid all mechanical devices, forbid almost all books, and forbids biting. Hector lives beside the Nevermore tree, and when the Baudelaires mention the Quagmires and Isadora's couplet skills, he gives them a couplet he found by the tree. The Baudelaires become convinced Olaf has hidden the triplets in the tree, but their search turns out to be fruitless. The next day, the Baudelaires do the chores for the residents of the village, and they receive news that Count Olaf has been captured, onyl they realize that he is not Count Olaf. He does have one eyebrow and a tattoo of an eye on his ankle, but he is not Count Olaf. He is in fact, Jacques Snicket, Lemony's brother, I assumed. He is charged with bring burned at the stake the next day, only to be murdered, and Detective Dupin, who is Count Olaf, frames them for murder. The Baudelaires are unfairly jailed, but manage to escape by dissolving brick mortar using water. They manage to crack the code in the couplets and find the Quagmires in a fountain. Unfortunately, this joy is short-lived as the Baudelaires are unable to escape with the Quagmires in a self-sustaining home,  and are forced to live as fugitives in a cold, dark world. 

THE  VILE VILLAGE NOTES

This book is where we get a real, real TWIST, and I meant to use all caps. Until now, the Baudelaires have been tossed from place to place, trying to find someplace that can be called home. Now, the Baudelaires CANNOT have a home. They are accused of crime now, and so they must wander from place to place, trying to find answers to the questions that surround their lives. Perhaps it is best for them to ask these questions, or perhaps it is not, for the questions could be....

ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS

I have not read this series yet. In fact, the only book series I've read by Lemony Snicket is A Series of Unfortunate Events. However, I am very interested in reading this series. I have been very careful to be only lightly spoiled on what happens, and as far as I can tell, it features Lemony as a 13 year old on a investigation case. While I am rather disappointed that it does not feature all the Snicket siblings on a case together, which is what I have wanted to see ever since I have finished the series, I WANT. THIS. Please. What unearthly being who likes ASOUE would not want a backstory to the witty, melancholy Lemony Snicket, who drops so many vague and intriguing details in all his other books that one cannot resist wanting them . Albeit, that is probably the wrong question, but nontheless, I cannot wait to get them. Unfortunately, I live in South Korea, where these books are not likely to be in the library. Heck, my local library doesn't even have The Beatrice Letters, so I can't read them for a while, I guess.

Well, that's it for today. I hope you come for more boom reviews, except not the reviews reviewing this series. 

With all due respect, Sooyoung Jo