The Road Less Traveled
It was supposed to be a romantic novel, where one of the lead characters find true love. But "The Slippery Slope" was a continuation of the miserable saga of the Baudelaire children.
The book began with the children leaving Caligari Carnival. It was up in flames, and they have a part in it. Count Olaf, who wanted to get his filthy hands on their fortune, attempted to send Violet and Klaus to their death while they were on the way up to Mortmain Mountains. The V.F.D. Headquarters was located in the summit. The Bauderlaires believed one of their parents survived the fire and was hiding there.
No one knew what V.F.D. stood for. Olaf was once a member of this clandestine organization, and he refused to reveal the meaning of the acronym to his cohorts. They thought it stood for the Valley of the Four Drafts, but it might be a Very Fascinating Drama. Violet and Klaus guessed Violet Frozen Dragonflies swarming the snowy landscape. They didn't like it, but it was their only option.
Very Fun Day
The last four books of the series was absurd at best.
Violet and Klaus expected a lonely journey, while thinking of ways to rescue Sunny from Count Olaf. Instead, they encountered Snow Scouts who were accommodating, meek, nap-loving, and understandable. One of the members was Quigley Quagmire, the long-lost brother of Duncan and Isadora. (The Bauderlaires helped the triplets escaped from Olaf's clutches in "The Vile Village".) Quigley led Violet and Klaus to V.F.D.
Members must know the combination of the lock, in able to enter the headquarters, and the clues are answers to a few challenging questions. (Name of the scientist most widely credited with the discovery of gravity? What is the Latin name for the Volunteer Feline Detectives? What is the central theme of "Anna Karenina"?) Quigley, Violet, and Klaus figured it out right away, and made startling discoveries. An underground passageway was found beneath the homes of V.F.D. members. A schism turned members against each other. The fire that killed their parents wasn't a coincidence.
Readers thought the children would remain in a forlorn mood, but there was a twist along the way. The children didn't get their happy ending, but they were able to deal with the misfortune. Lemony Snicket, who narrated their saga, warned his readers not to get too engrossed. They couldn't helped it, as they were adorable, jaw-droppingly adorable, and zestfully adorable, every morning, every afternoon, and every night. And they were perplexed about it.
Daniel Handler had an interesting question: Are wide readers considered as good people? Common sense would tell that this is the case, but the final chapter prompted readers to doubt it. The reasons would be found in Stricken Stream, where the Bauderlaires were heading.
