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A review by jsncnrd
The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There are, to me, TWO true 5-star books in this series. One of them is Book the 5th, The Austere Academy. The other is this one -- The Penultimate Peril.
The humor in these books is what truly sets them apart from other series, and that humor truly shines here.
One of the best parts of this book is that in addition to being plot-driven (as always), it's also laser-focused on being equally character-driven, most notably when each of the siblings get a chapter to themselves.
The amount of characterization at work here is astounding. By Book the 12th, there's already been so much character development -- the beauty of this one is seeing all that character development play out in real time. We see how the siblings' personalities interact with their surroundings more than ever before. We get more quality time with each of the siblings, individually.
We get a book that brings so many easter eggs, references, and nods to characters, plot points, and objects from the previous 11 books. Combining all of these elements works well because of the
ridiculousness of it all -- it's a reminder of just how absurd the events that have taken place up to this point truly are.
We also get more exploration of the morally-gray cognitive dissonance the siblings have to work through to survive. Morality, one of the most prominent themes of A Series of Unfortunate Events, is at the forefront here, and it adds a layer of depth to the story.
The Penultimate Peril just stands out as one of the superior entries from the 13-book series. It does an excellent job of setting the groundwork for the end of the story in the following book.
The humor in these books is what truly sets them apart from other series, and that humor truly shines here.
One of the best parts of this book is that in addition to being plot-driven (as always), it's also laser-focused on being equally character-driven, most notably when each of the siblings get a chapter to themselves.
The amount of characterization at work here is astounding. By Book the 12th, there's already been so much character development -- the beauty of this one is seeing all that character development play out in real time. We see how the siblings' personalities interact with their surroundings more than ever before. We get more quality time with each of the siblings, individually.
We get a book that brings so many easter eggs, references, and nods to characters, plot points, and objects from the previous 11 books. Combining all of these elements works well because of the
ridiculousness of it all -- it's a reminder of just how absurd the events that have taken place up to this point truly are.
We also get more exploration of the morally-gray cognitive dissonance the siblings have to work through to survive. Morality, one of the most prominent themes of A Series of Unfortunate Events, is at the forefront here, and it adds a layer of depth to the story.
The Penultimate Peril just stands out as one of the superior entries from the 13-book series. It does an excellent job of setting the groundwork for the end of the story in the following book.