The fourth book in Lemony Sicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Miserable Mill is another easy and rapid read filled with nasty characters, child labour, hypnosis, chewing gum, and cross-dressing. I have to say that it’s the most rollicking and engaging book in the series yet.
As the Baudelaire children make their way to yet another new guardian residing in the small and miserable town of Paltryville, their stomachs are thick with nerves as they wonder what horrible new miseries are in store for them. And they are right to worry because, along with not only living in the Lucky Smells Lumbermill, but working there as well, their stay in Paltryville proves to be their most horrible adventure yet as Count Olaf has yet again managed to track them down and, this time, roped in a professional hypnotist to carry out his newest plan to steal the Baudelaire fortune.
Without a doubt, The Miserable Mill is the most engaging chapter in the Baudelaire chronicles. We are introduced to more memorable characters and there is a lot more action rather than intellect contained in this book.
Snicket subtly introduces the younger readers to a few more adult themes such as child labour, cross-dressing, and minimum wage; a few miseries that can happen to any and everybody.
For the first time, we see the heroes really struggle to escape the clutches of Count Olaf. As one of the children is put out of action, it falls to the others to get them all out a serious scrape. We also see a little bit of role reversal here, which I rather like too.
Filled with action, chewing gum, smokers, dastardly villains, child labour, hypnosis, and broken glasses, The Miserable Mill is the fourth book in the series and the most engaging one yet. You simply power through it.
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