The seventh book in Lemony Snicket's splendidly gloomy Series of Unfortunate Events shadows the three Baudelaire orphans as they plummet headlong into their next misadventure. Mr. Poe, their ineffective legal guardian, having exhausted all options for finding them a new home with relatives (including their 19th cousin), sadly entrusts his young charges' fate to a progressive guardian program formed with the premise "It takes a village to raise a child." Before they know it, the Baudelaires are being whisked off on a bus to a village (vile) named "V.F.D." Snicket fans who read
The Austere Academy and
The Ersatz Elevator will jump to see these three initials, as they provide a clue to the tragic disappearance of the Baudelaires' friends, the beloved, equally orphaned Quagmire triplets.
To the orphans' dismay, V.F.D. is covered in crows--so much so that the whole village is pitch-black and trembling. "The crows weren't squawking or cawing, which is what crows often do, or playing the trumpet, which crows practically never do, but the town was far from silent. The air was filled with the sounds the crows made as they moved around." Another disturbing element of the town is that the Council of Elders (who wear creepy crow hats) has thousands of rules, such as "don't hurt crows" and "don't build mechanical devices." Fortunately, the Baudelaires are taken in by a kindly handyman named Hector who cooks them delicious Mexican food and secretly breaks rules. Still, neither Hector nor an entire village can protect the orphans from the clutches of the money-grubbing Count Olaf, who has relentlessly pursued them (actually, just their fortune) since The Bad Beginning. Fans won't want to miss any of this marvelously morbid series! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
In this seventh installment of the Series of Unfortunate Events, the orphaned Baudelaire children find themselves shuttled into another hostile en-vironment, still plagued by the greedy yet incompetent Count Olaf. Tim Curry gives distinct character vocalizations without compromising the rich undertones of his voice. He keeps the tongue-in-cheek humor and mockery of this children's series refreshing rather than redundant. Curry reads the backstory from previous books clearly, so a listener unfamiliar with the earlier novels may understand this one. The morose guitar music and lyrics played by the Gothic Archies during tape transition add a finishing touch to a wholly enjoyable listening experience. J.M.P. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine--
Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
About the Author
Lemony Snicket had an unusual education which may or may not explain his ability to evade capture. He is the author of the 13 volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events, several picture books including The Dark, and the books collectively titled All The Wrong Questions.
Brett Helquist's celebrated art has graced books from the charming Bedtime for Bear, which he also wrote, to the New York Times–bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket to the glorious picture book adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.
Michael Kupperman has done many illustrations for such publications as
Fortune, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. He frequently writes scripts for DC Comics. This is his first book.
--This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
From the Back Cover
As the Baudelaire children hike across the flat dusty terrain leading to the village where they will soon live, they can't help but wonder what lies ahead. Could this be the place where they might finally be happy?
Violet, who is an inventor, might be happy if she gets a chance to do some inventing. Of course, it would be less enjoyable if her invention was desperately needed to escape danger. Her brother, Klaus, loves to read, and might be happy if the town has some books. Though he would not like them as much if he had to stay up all night reading in search of an urgent piece of information. Their baby sister, Sunny, likes to bite things and might be happy if she finds something to sink her teethinto. However, it would be less fun if her teeth got her into big trouble.
Whether their stay in the village will bring the children happiness is a mystery. But as the Baudelaires trudge on toward the hazy town in the distance, they can only hope that what awaits them there isn't the most miserable in a series of unfortunate events.
--This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
Review
Lemony Snicket goes from strength to strength and the latest in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" sees our hero up to tricks bigger and better than ever. "The Vile Village" of the title is a place you don't want to be, with Snicket getting darker than ever. The Baudelaire orphans go to a village called V.F.D. as part of a Village Adoption Scheme, and they get into a series of scrapes. With all the usual Snicket devices in place, fans are bound not to be disappointed.
--This text refers to an alternate
kindle_edition edition.
Reviewed with Lemony Snicket's
The Ersatz Elevator. Gr. 3-6. The Ersatz Elevator , "Book the Sixth," in A Series of Unfortunate Events, opens with the hapless Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, climbing up very dark stairs to the penthouse, the home of their new guardians, Mr and Mrs. Squalor. Genial Mr. Squalor seems genuinely delighted to have the children. Mrs. Squalor is a different matter: her life is ruled by "what's in" (aqueous martinis, pinstripe suits, and orphans) and "what's out" (alcoholic martinis, light, and elevators). Mr. Squalor's life is ruled by Mrs. Squalor. Children will enjoy the humorous barbs aimed at Mrs. Squalor and her ilk. The plot thickens with the reappearance of the nefarious Count Olaf, first in disguise to do his dastardly deeds and then unmasked to sneer at the Baudelaires. "Book the Seventh," The Vile Village , pokes wicked fun at the saying "It takes a village to raise a child" and at aphorisms in general: "The quoting of an aphorism, like the angry barking or a dog or the smell of overcooked broccoli, rarely indicates that something helpful is about to happen." Sure enough, the Baudelaires are soon adopted by an entire town whose inhabitants look upon the orphans as free labor. The Baudelaires struggle to solve the riddling messages that could lead them to rescue the Quagmire triplets, while trying to avoid being burned at the stake. Series fans will enjoy the quick pace, entertaining authorial asides, and over-the-top characterizations, and Brett Helquist's droll pencil drawings will add to their reading pleasure. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
![A Series of Unfortunate Events #7: The Vile Village by [Lemony Snicket, Brett Helquist, Michael Kupperman]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51imD2ja56L._SY346_.jpg)
