When Did You See Her Last?
Ratings12
Average rating3.8
15
Ratings12
Average rating3.8
I should have asked the question "How could someone who was missing be in two places at once?" Instead, I asked the wrong question -- four wrong questions, more or less. This is the account of the second.
In the fading town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea, young apprentice Lemony Snicket has a new case to solve when he and his chaperone are hired to find a missing girl. Is the girl a runaway? Or was she kidnapped? Was she seen last at the grocery store? Or could she have stopped at the diner? Is it really any of your business? These are All The Wrong Questions. (
Reviews with the most likes.
This was a pretty fun story, just like the first. I like the style and appealing weirdness, but this book didn't stand out as more than just an enjoyable way to pass the time. But hey, that's a perfectly valid purpose for a book to serve.
I always find the Snicket books to be a delight. Daniel Handler's use of word play and vocabulary are deeply appreciated down to his clever naming of the characters. I read the first volume of this series some time ago, and really had trouble recalling a lot of the major plot points, and then I remembered that's because there were about a hundred or so plot points left dangling. This book is no better, so if it bothers you to have that hanging when the series is unfinished, don't start this one yet.
One of the main things I love about this series (and A Series of Unfortunate Events) is the Handler's deft portrayal of children. He has a wide and vivid cast of kids, each one a complex creature with a bigger understanding of the world than any of the adults in their lives could fathom them for possessing. Can I get 3 cheers for Moxie? What a stand up character (who isn't involved in a romantic subplot or anything!)
I haven't tried this series on my students, but I'm very curious to see if they'd appreciate it too. Recommended for anyone who loves wordplay and children's stories for grown-ups.
