The moral waters traversed by the Baudelaire children grow ever murkier as the series solider onwards to the (I'm sure) inevitably bleak conclusion. The Grim Grotto feels more like a transition between the previous book and the next, and not a complete story in its own right. Which is strange, because it is a complete story...but it's Fiona's story, and the Baudelaires just seem to be narrating it. I don't know, that's how it felt to me. On the one hand, it's good that we're getting more backstory for the V.F.D. and seeing that the issue isn't really a black and white one, but on the other hand Violet completely forgets her own birthday. That feels unfair to me, and this is totally the intent of the text, because these children are forced to deal with the fallout from events and circumstances that happened before they were even born, because of this ridiculous secret organization and its schism. So, on second thought, this isn't a weak link in the story, but a less adventurous one and a more reflective one, and my emotional reaction to it is well in line with the author's intention.
Also Sunny almost dies and it's totally terrifying. Why are these books so bleak and why do I keep reading them? Because they're magic. 323 pp.
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