balkeyeston's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Part two of the tetralogy--a word which here means "a compound work that is made up of four distinct works"--penned by Lemony Snicket, All the Wrong Questions, contains the following:
- a missing person,
- a formula for invisible ink,
- a doppelganger duo,
- an (almost) empty hospital,
- another appearance of the statue of an almost mythical sea beast, and
- a slew of incompetent (or perhaps ignorant) adults.
These are not spoilers. This is the reality of the world in which Lemony Snicket, now in the form of a thirteen-year-old, details as a narrative correspondence of his ongoing investigation of the defunct town, Stain'd-by-the-Sea. And while one of his fellow teenage associates likes to remind us that "no reality has the power to dispel a dream," Snicket returns with an inspiring theme of perseverance despite the unknown, and continues to encourage young readers to embrace curiosity even when the circumstances look noir-ish and bleak. All any one of us can do now is work to solve the mystery, piece by suspenseful piece.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Murder, and Torture
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