Rating: 
Summary: Crazy series
Review: In what is probably the best book yet in the series, the Baudelaires find themselves just a few blocks away from their old mansion home. Their new guardians, the extravagent Esme Squalor and her non-confrontational husband Jerome, live on Dark Ave., which is located near the old Baudelaire mansion. Esme is obsessed with things that are "in", or popular. Since orphans are currently "in", she decides to adopt the children. However, Count Olaf quickly shows up yet again, this time disguised as an auctioneer.
Although, despite his early appearance, Count Olaf does not play a major role this time around. Instead, suspense is built as the Baudelaire children frantically try to discover his plan while still trying to discover the location of their missing friends, Duncan and Isadora Quagmire, who may be closer to them than they think.
In this book, numerous twists and revelations are revealed, all of which serve to make the story better and better. Hopefully, the rest of the books will continue to increase in quality, and will keep the twists coming.
Rating:
Summary: The Baudelaire's Miserable Journey Continues
Review: It is not easy being an orphan, and this bit of information is best known by the three Baudelaire Orphans, Violet (14), Klaus (12), and Sunny (an infant), as they have experienced life as orphans ever since their beloved parents were killed in a mysterious fire, which left them in the care of various crazy relatives. However, perhaps no relatives are like Jerome and Esme Squalor, for they are truly one of a kind. Esme is overly obsessed with what's in and what's out, and insists on doing only the "in" things. Hence, the elevator is removed from her posh apartment building, as elevators are so out, and the poor Baudelaire's are forced to walk up over 50 flights of stairs. Then there's Jerome, who is quite the kind man, if only he weren't so much of a pushover, as he finds arguing to be a hassle, and does only what others tell him to. Yet life with the Squalor's isn't terrible. That is, until Count Olaf shows up again, and the Orphans realize that their missing friends, the Quagmire Triplets, could be close by, and surely need their help.
I recently said that THE AUSTERE ACADEMY was the best book in the SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS collection, but after reading THE ERSATZ ELEVATOR, it appears that I have to eat my words. Lemony Snicket's sixth book has surely taken the cake for my favorite SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS book so far, as the adventure found on every page is utterly hard to resist, and the pleasure of seeing the Baudelaire's with kind Jerome for even just a short while was quite a treat. Fans of the previous books in the series will be unable to put THE ERSATZ ELEVATOR down until the very last page is read, as it is an unforgettable thrill ride.
Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper
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