The Penultimate Peril

It's hard not to rave about this incredibly clever and original series of books, that genuinely appeal to both adults and children equally. Adults will appreciate the unusual style and sheer imagination and the chance to read something that is genuinely different from other stories, whilst children love the morbid humour, the unpatronising style, and the creative energy. The thirteen books should be read in order, so go back and start with number one if you haven't already read the predecessors. The Penultimate Peril is the last-but-one of the series, and is full of dramatic and unexpected turns. It's surprising what Lemony Snicket can fit into 13 large print chapters. In this story, the Baudelaire orphans are working as concierges in a hotel organised according to the Dewey decimal system (only Snicket could have thought of something like that!). It's full of joys, such as a swimming pool where sunbathers are turned over with a giant spatula - it's these eccentric touches that make Snicket's books such great fun for young and old alike. In these later books of the series, Snicket has moved away from the formula of the first half, where the children would be shipped off to a new guardian and then spend the story trying evade the dastardly Count Olaf in various ridiculous disguises. Those always ended with Olaf exposed but escaped, and the children left without a home or parent for whatever reason. Now the stories are at a different stage - the children are more capable and grown up - typified by baby Sunny who now walks and speaks recognisable sentences. They now move around independently - though still from one perilous situation to another, and still pursued by Olaf, who has now been joined by his villainous girlfriend Esme and by Carmelita Spats, who is the very epitome of a horrible spoilt child. This book brings back many of the characters who have been introduced and lost along the way, of which there are a lot, given how much the children move around. As such, it brings things together in a way they have not been before. However don't expect too many answers - Snicket keeps things mysterious and introduces more new puzzles than he solves old ones. The ending is truly unexpected and rather shocking - I will say no more, but it sets us up for a thrilling conclusion. In his later books, Snicket starts to introduce some moral concepts, quite subtle for those of a children's book, about right and wrong and whether 'fight fire with fire' is a good tenet to live by or not. He expands on this here, with our three plucky heroes left in an impossible situation. Complicated yet simple, funny yet dark, this is one of the strongest books yet in this series that is full of contradiction and defies easy description. All I can say is, read it.

Book in great condition, arrived ahead of schedule

Me gusta esta saga, aunque prefiero los primeros libros

このシリーズは結構好きでそのつど新巻の発売を待っていたし、またその間前のを読み返したりしていました。英語の文章としても割合読みやすく、（ただし、だんだん一つの文章が長くなってきている傾向があるような？？？） 難しい単語も作者自ら、また時には本の虫であるボードレール家の真ん中の子であるクラウスが解説してくれるので、辞書要らずで読めますし。 ですが、この作者の半ば偏執狂的な言葉遊びとか謎かけには最初の頃はともかく、いい加減うんざりしてきていたし、読めば読むほどまさに謎が謎を読む展開と,何気なく本筋とは無関係な作者の思い出話かと思いきやどうして気になることをポロッポロッと書いてるじゃない！？と、少しも気を抜いてスルーできない話の運び方には、スリルを覚えると同時にだんだん疲れというかストレスも溜まってきたところ・・・ で、最後から2番目の巻・・・ボードレール兄弟どころか読者をして頭をひどく掻き毟らせるが如くのキャラや場面の描写とかストーリー展開とか、無駄話のようなそうでないような話の羅列とか・・・またしても新しくこの作者は何かお遊びを思いついたのねって感じ?ところが、途中からはまるでジグソーパズルのピースが少しずつピタッとはまっていくように色々なことが明らかになってきて・・・と同時に、今までの経験からすると何かイヤ〜な予感がするな〜と思っていたら、やはり？・・・しかし終盤のだいどんでん返しが奇想天外！ボードレールの３人ってホンと凄い！もはや宿敵オラフもその大胆で奇抜な発想にはたじろいでしまいそう！？終盤の驚くべき展開の奇想天外さはシリーズ中これ迄でピカイチでしょう。 とにかく、奇抜さも凝りに凝った予想を裏切る複雑な展開がもたらす面白さも最高なら、ややこしさやいらいら気分も最高というか最悪！まあそれらは表裏一体なんですがね。それに、やっぱり話を引っ張り過ぎじゃないですか？だから星５にしたくても素直にできなかった・・・。

O produto chegou muito antes do prazo e em ótimo estado. Super recomendo essa série maravilhosa! <3