My Storytelling Mind

This is the fourteenth post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. The autobiography was released before the ninth book in the series, The Carnivorous Carnival . Although it's declared "unauthorized," it is in fact officially and takes us on a journey to learn about our ever-vigilant author and the mysterious VFD organization. Made of compiled facsimile documents, clippings, and blurry photographs, this book does answer some questions ASOUE series readers would have. Unfortunately, the book also brings up a whole new medley of questions. We get glimpses of events in the pasts of several adults in the series, and some explanations for actions they took that were previously incomprehensible. The autobiography also explains the eye tattoo, so wel...

This is the thirteenth post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. The Baudelaires and Olaf shipwreck on an island, where the siblings are welcomed by a girl named Friday; Olaf is shunned. Island facilitator Ishmael takes in the Baudelaires and introduces them to the island's strangely oppressive customs, which the siblings secretly defy. Kit Snicket and the Incredibly Deadly Viper also wash up on the shore, and Olaf attempts to pass himself off as Kit to the islanders. For the first time in the entire series, the adults see right through his terrible disguise. Eventually, the children (for holding "contraband" items) and Olaf are kicked out of the community. However, the Baudelaires discover Ishmael's hypocrisy, in addition to his corruption an...

This is the twelfth post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. This is the second-to-last Baudelaire adventure our melancholy author writes for us. Here, with some introduction from Kit Snicket, the Baudelaires begin work as concierges at the enigmatic Hotel Denouement, just as the intriguing VFD meeting brings together several familiar characters from the Baudelaires' story. Tasked with discovering if J.S. is villain or volunteer, the Baudelaires must also contend with identical twin managers - one who is a villain named Ernest and the other who is a volunteer named Frank. Violet completes a task for Esme Squalor and Carmelita Spats, involving a harpoon gun, and discovers J.S. might spoil Esme's party; she also overhears that Esme's unusual glasses ...

This is the eleventh post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. The submarine "Queequeg" saves the Baudelaires from the river, and they meet eccentric Captain Widdershins, his aspiring mycologist stepdaughter Fiona, and the ship's cook, Phil, whose optimism you may recall from The Miserable Mill. Sailing under the motto "He (or she) who hesitates is lost," the Queequeg crew are searching for the mysterious sugar bowl. Thanks to Klaus' interpretive work with some tidal charts, he determines it to be in the Gorgonian Grotto. Count Olaf is still in pursuit, with his own octopus-shaped submarine, but there is also a suspicious question-mark-shaped sub that continually drives the villain off. Fiona discovers, in her mycological textboo...

This is the tenth post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. With Sunny held hostage by Olaf and Esme, Klaus and Violet must make their way up Mortmain Mountain, surviving the cold and the rather odd group of Snow Scouts. This makes the return of Carmelita Spats and the introduction of someone working with VFD. Olaf's troupe grows as two unknown villains, whom Olaf seems afraid of, arrive and begin dispensing advice and "in" cigarettes. A story of fire and ice, The Slippery Slope leads the way to deeper, darker secrets. This time the disguise is worn by Quigley Quagmire, the missing and presumed dead Quagmire triplet. The codes, usually abbreviating to VFD, are used by nearly everyone from each direction. Through the Vertical Flame Diversion ...

This is the ninth post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. Hiding in the trunk of Olaf's car leads the Baudelaires to the Caligari Carnival, where he and Esme seek the mysterious Madame Lulu, owner of the carnival and a fortune-teller who might know the whereabouts of the Snicket files. The Baudelaires try their hands at disguises again, they learn something more about VFD, and more people tragically die. In addition to the cruelty surrounding the 'freaks' and abused lions, the Baudelaires discover the cruelty of the truth that no person is truly noble or good. With limited disguise resources, the siblings still manage convincing 'freaks' costumes: Violet and Klaus become two-headed Beverly and Elliot, while Sunny becomes Chabo the ...

This is the fifth post in a series leading up to the premiere of Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' on January 13, 2017. The series will cover each of the 13 books and 'Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography.' Be warned: there are spoilers ahead. In terms of child care, The Austere Academy is almost a redemptive misadventure for Mr. Poe, as he's endeavoring to get the kids back into some sort of regular life by attending school again. However, the school puts the Baudelaires, as orphans, at a complete disadvantage throughout the entire book. With the self-absorbed violin-playing Principal Nero, the oblivious and ridiculous teachers, and the cruel Carmelita Spats, the children are destined for a terrible educational experience. Aside from the oppressive nature of The Austere Academy , this book is unique in one important regard: The Austere Academy introduces friendship for the Baudelaires. Here, among crab-infested shacks and night se...