The End Lemony Snicket
What a bizarre little series. They went through so much that I just don't know what to think. I don't think this ended in the way that I expected it to other than Olaf dying and that's one of the reasons why I'm mixed on how it ended. I wish they'd found a decent family member that they could've stayed with and just been kids for a while but it looks like they're just going to be adults now and raise two babies which is just a lot. Olaf was just such a silly villain too and completely over-the-top. I think we could've learnt more about him and a lot of the characters in this series tbh but that wasn't really the focus. I think I just wanted a bit more to happen with this and to have a slightly different ending for some of the characters. I didn't love this series but it was definitely something different to read.
I’m so glad I did a reread of A Series of Unfortunate Events—I definitely caught more Easter eggs this time around. The Baudelaire/Snicket lore was even more intriguing, and I found myself really appreciating the clever wordplay and rhetorical tricks throughout the series. Sunny, without a doubt, is the best character; her wit and resilience shine through in every book. While Count Olaf often seems like a silly villain, his backstory and eventual end were surprisingly poignant—showing that even villains have origins that shape their actions. The series does a fantastic job of exploring the gray areas of good and evil, illustrating that they're not always as clearly defined as we like to think. There's also a strong coming-of-age theme, as the Baudelaires face the mysteries of their parents’ past, learn to navigate a world full of betrayal, and gain independence from the very adults who should protect them. That said, I really wished the Baudelaires had reunited with the Quagmires—they deserved to be part of the conclusion!
