Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Overview
The end of the book comes and I’m so glad I’m reading this once the series has been published for waiting to see what would happen next would be so aggravating.
Chapter Summaries (with Commentary)
Chapter 10: The Devil’s Tongue
Operation: Rescue Sunny is a go and is a success! Well, at least it seemed like it was until Violet realized that with her makeshift grappling hook latched onto the hand hooks of Count Olaf’s associate. From then on the idea went from the best Violet could do on short notice, to just another moment in which there were high hopes that quickly became dashed.
Chapter 11: “What Are You Going To Do With Me?”
All seems dire for the orphans. Violet is captured, Sunny caged, and then Klaus is dragged out of bed so that all of them are stuck in the tower with limited resources to allow them to fathom an escape plan. For, within that room, all there are the eyes Count Olaf are obsessed with, for reasons hopefully are told sooner or later, and his notes and plans. All of which could be used as evidence, but with the uphill battle they have had to convince anyone that Count Olaf is a terrible man, likely the accusation that they created the notes themselves would come up. So, as of now, it seems they are trapped.
But, perhaps there is something worth noting. Not with the Baudelaire children, though, they currently are just plain doomed. More so, what is worth noting is Lemony Snicket. Someone who, since the beginning, has never fully revealed who he was or has really told us about himself. In this chapter, however, he notes Beatrice. Someone mentioned before the story begins, but all we know is that said person is dead. Now, a theory could be that perhaps Beatrice could be the Baudelaire’s children’s mother, and Snicket the dad in hiding, but that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Unless he thought the children were more than capable of handling themselves as he sought his killer. Even then, it does make you wonder if perhaps Mr. Poe mentioning the parents have perished is something to worth noting. Since, if there isn’t evidence of them both being killed, maybe one escaped?
Yet, as I theorize, I find myself remembering Lemony Snicket said this book does not have a happy ending. So likely this theory might work in another book, one in which a happy ending exists, but certainly not in this one.
Chapter 12: “Don’t Move An Inch”
It’s time for some last minute plans. The first being trying to have Justice Strauss alter her speech to make the situation less legally binding, that doesn’t work; then there is an attempt to talk to Mr. Poe, failed once more; and now Violet’s part is up to say “I Do” and seal the fates of the orphans.
Chapter 13: “It is impossible to prove.”
The wedding day, or play, has finally come to its dramatic conclusion and with Violet forced to say “I Do” and then signing the marriage license, it seems Count Olaf has won… That is until a technicality comes up. You see, local laws can often be so strange, and little loopholes allow those who are savvy, or well educated, to exploit what the law doesn’t explicitly cover. Hence how the Baudelaire children gain a small victory. Mind you, they win a battle and not the war, but any victory is better than nothing when you have lost so much.
Now, as for what the victory is? What small technicality gave the poor little orphans hope? Well, it was Violet signing the marriage certificate with the wrong hand. Yup, just signing with the wrong hand was the loophole needed so that Sunny could be brought down from her cage and Count Olaf could make an ass of himself.
Remember though! This book doesn’t have a happy ending, much less there at least 10+ more books to this story. So, while Count Olaf’s plan is foiled, and Mr. Poe calls for the cops, no one gets arrested. Count Olaf escapes and while Justice Strauss would love to have the kids, unfortunately, one legal technicality may have freed the kids from Count Olaf, but there are no such technicalities with their parents’ will. Thus meaning another trip to Mr. Poe’s home until another relative can be found.
Thus ending “The Bad Beginning.”
On The Fence
Convenience is one hell of a thing and finding that loophole while fitting for how smart the children are portrayed, is such a weird technicality that it makes me wanna roll my eyes.
Though I walked in knowing this wasn’t the end of Count Olaf, for a large group like that to really allow him to escape sounds so weird to me. Especially since they all seemed rather upset once he announced he stole the fortune.
Final Thought(s)
There is no denying this is a good book, but I must admit finishing it didn’t seem like an accomplishment. Be it because it is 162 pages and I finished it far quicker than any book of recent memory, it wasn’t as quotable as I’m used to most good books being, or just because this tale was just me remembering the movie adaptation and trying to piece together what I can still recall. Either way, while committed to finishing the series, I must admit I leave the first book with a lackluster feeling.
Be it because I’m not strongly used to reading about people who started off privileged, or just because the resourcefulness of the Baudelaire children just makes it so difficult to feel sorry for them. And even with Lemony Snicket’s continuous reassurance that things aren’t going to end in sunshine and daisies, I must admit that I’m searching for something to latch onto besides the villain and wanting to be “in the know” for when the Netflix series comes out.
So, with that said, I’m going to probably not start “The Reptile Room” until the 15th, and will have the first overview/ review the weekend of the 22nd.
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