The Slippery Slope (A Series of Unfortunate Events #10)

By Lemony Snicket

My review:

The Slippery Slope, book number ten in A Series of Unfortunate Events, begins right where book nine left off. It’s as terrifying as ever with poor little Sunny Baudelaire now separated from her older siblings and in Count Olaf’s clutches. Not only is Sunny in danger, but Violet and Klaus are in their own horrifying predicament: speeding down the Mortmain Mountains in an uncontrolled caravan. As they descend further and further away from Sunny, they scramble to concoct a plan, and contemplate when and if they’ll be reunited with Sunny again.

Violet and Klaus moved closer to one another, and felt the icy winds of the Mortmain Mountains blow down the road less traveled and give them goosebumps. They looked at the dark and swirling waters of the Stricken Stream, and they looked down from the edge of the peak into the mist, and then looked at one another and shivered, not only at the fates they had avoided, but all the mysterious fates that lay ahead.

Every time we begin reading the next book in this series, it feels like a little more hope is lost, yet we must continue to find out the truth about what happened to the Baudelaires’ parents. It doesn’t matter how grimm things get, these kids are extremely intelligent, persevering, always polite, and incredibly strong; they stick together and pull themselves to safety time and time again.

Sunny’s been one of our favorite characters since the beginning, and she’s matured tremendously over the course of the series. Her character really shines in this book as it’s made clear that she’s simply too smart for Count Olaf and his accomplices in the Mortmain Mountains. It’s hilarious the things that she’s able to teach her older siblings too. We’re looking forward to discovering her part in solving the mystery of V.F.D. and of course their parents.

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but one of the recurring (and my favorite) themes in this series is loyalty, because the Baudelaires are willing to do anything for one another–even if it means risking their lives. They know that Count Olaf is wrong with all his despicable crimes, but at the same time (especially in this installment) they want to do what’s right. They find themselves “fighting fire with fire” and can’t ignore the thoughts running through their heads that two wrongs don’t make a right.

I’ve heard multiple people say that these books aren’t good for children, but I disagree. The books are educational, teaching a good amount of vocabulary and multiple idioms. Not only that, we just love these characters as they have so many good qualities. The constant adversity in their turbulent lives does seem negative, but what’s important is how they handle these situations, in my opinion.

What might seem to be a series of unfortunate events may, in fact, be the first steps of a journey.

Something else we appreciate is the way the author brings characters into the series that are mentioned in previous installments, and at other times connects them. It’s always a nice surprise.

Overall, this turned out to be an excellent addition to the series. The book was full of suspense! After the cliffhanger ending, we moved right on to book eleven which I’ll review soon.

4****

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Find this book on Goodreads and Amazon:

• Age Range: 8 – 12 years
• Grade Level: 5 – 6
• Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Book 10)
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064410137
• ISBN-13: 978-0064410137

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From Goodreads:

Dear Reader,

Like handshakes, house pets, or raw carrots, many things are preferable when not slippery. Unfortunately, in this miserable volume, I am afraid that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire run into more than their fair share of slipperiness during their harrowing journey up–and down–a range of strange and distressing mountains.

In order to spare you any further repulsion, it would be best not to mention any of the unpleasant details of this story, particularly a secret message, a toboggan, a deceitful map, a swarm of snow gnats, a scheming villain, a troupe of organized youngsters, a covered casserole dish, and a surprising survivor of a terrible fire.

Unfortunately, I have dedicated my life to researching and recording the sad tale of the Baudelaire orphans. There is no reason for you to dedicate your-self to such things, and you might instead dedicate yourself to letting this slippery book slip from your hands into a nearby trash receptacle, or deep pit.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

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Thanks for reading my review of The Slippery Slope. Have you read this series? Let’s chat in the comment section below.

❤ Mischenko