The Reptile Room - Lemony Snicket

Wow this was a real quick read for me. Read it in about 6 hours and really enjoyed this one which is book 2 to the Series of Unfortunate Events. I enjoyed this one more than the first one and I am hoping the series continues to get better.Synopsis
Dear Reader,

If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale. I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. The story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery.

In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible odor, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the reappearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.

I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

The plotline to this book continued down the dark path and I must say that I think these could be a little to dark for middle school kids, but as an adult I really quite enjoy them. They are so fluid, easy to follow and mysterious as well. I also find them to be very fast paced which keeps the stories very exciting.

I think the characters are pretty well developed for only being book 2. I have to say I just love the kids in this book. They are maybe a tad bit smarter than you would expect from a 14. 12. and 2 year old, so we will just call them geniuses. I feel as though I am interacting with them when I am reading these books because I get so engrossed in the story. Count Olaf is a very bad man and one of those characters you love to hate and wish ill will upon. He is written very well and can make any reader seethe with hatred.

I recommend this book/series to anyone who likes middle grade stories that are along the darker side but still flow well. They really are a great pleasure to read and I look forward to the rest of the series when I finish collecting them all.