The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #8)

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The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8)

by Lemony Snicket, Brett Helquist (Illustrator)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 34,776 ratings · 658 reviews

Dear Reader,

Before you throw this awful book to the ground and run as far away from it as possible, you should probably know why. This book is the only one which describes every last detail of the Baudelaire children's miserable stay at Heimlich Hospital, which makes it one of the most dreadful books in the world.
There are man pleasant things to read about, but this book c...more

Hardcover, 258 pages

Published May 1st 2003 by HarperCollinsPublishers (first published September 4th 2001)

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Aug 14, 2008 Swankivy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favoritebooks

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "There are many pleasant things to read about, but this book contains none of them. Within its pages are such burdensome details as misleading newspaper headlines, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about such things."

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS number eight takes place mostly in a half-finished hospital in which the now-guardianless Baudelaire orphans find themselves after fleeing police. The last book had them running awa...more "There are many pleasant things to read about, but this book contains none of them. Within its pages are such burdensome details as misleading newspaper headlines, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about such things."

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS number eight takes place mostly in a half-finished hospital in which the now-guardianless Baudelaire orphans find themselves after fleeing police. The last book had them running away from the village of V.F.D. after their friends escaped, and now they are accused of being murderers by a newspaper that prints all their names wrong but nonetheless displays an obvious picture of them. They send a Morse code message from a convenience store, hoping to get in touch with their guardian Mr. Poe, but before a response comes they are recognized by the store clerk and end up hiding away in . . . the van of V.F.D.

Volunteers Fighting Disease is an organization where everyone calls each other "brother" or "sister," and all they do is go to the hospital and sing a repetitive song while handing out heart-shaped balloons. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny pose as part of the organization, and they end up getting the job of working in the Library of Records as assistants to a man with very poor eyesight, as decreed by Babs, the director of Heimlich Hospital who is never seen but always heard via intercom. This is fortunate, for once, because they are hoping to go through the records and find out how Jacques, the man who was murdered in place of Count Olaf, was involved with their parents. But then, unfortunately (of course), they are not allowed to read any files; only to put away new ones (with the exception of Sunny, whose job is to open the busted filing cabinets with her teeth).

The siblings hatch a scheme to take advantage of their situation and replace some keys with a ribbon and paperclips, so that they can get into the library at night. They do so, though they feel guilty about tricking the man who'd been rather nice to them, and they try looking through the strangely-organized filing cabinets to find information about their case.

They finally find, under the name "Baudelaire," a file about themselves--however, only page 13 is still there. The rest has been removed by the authorities who are investigating the case. The Baudelaires want it, of course, in order to find out their connection to Jacques, but it turns out Count Olaf wants it too, to erase the evidence of his involvement in their affairs! They discover from the thirteenth page that there is evidence pointing to one of their parents still being alive, but before they can figure out what to do about it, they are treated to an unwelcome visitor.

Over the intercom comes the voice of Count Olaf, informing the hospital staff that he is the new director (with the disguise name of Mattathias). He says he is conducting an investigation of all the personnel, and it is not long before someone attempts to break into the library with the orphans. It turns out to be Esmé Squalor, Olaf's girlfriend, and she attempts to capture them but is slowed down by her stylish but not-very-functional stiletto heels. She tries to push filing cabinets down on them, but Klaus and Sunny escape out of a small tunnel. Violet is too big to fit, and she is captured by Esmé. Now Klaus and Sunny have to formulate a plan to find out where she is and rescue her.

The remaining siblings disguise themselves as Volunteers Fighting Disease again and roam around on the rounds with the singers, handing out balloons to sick people who really would rather have medical treatment. They do not find Violet in any of the rooms they enter, and they end up hiding in a storeroom to think things over. Over the intercom comes the news that the doctors, some of whom are disguised servants of Olaf, are planning to do a dangerous operation on none other than a fourteen-year-old girl. Klaus figures out where she must be by deciphering Isadora Quagmire's clue that anagrams are the key to revealing people's identities, and he unscrambles some patients' names until he finds one that is an anagram of Violet's name: Laura V. Bleediotie. He tracks her down to the surgical ward, with himself and Sunny dressed as doctors, and they manage to pass themselves off to the phony doctors as other phony doctors. Posing as villains allows them to hear some of the nasty things Olaf wants to do: Kill two of them and keep one to use to get the fortune from Mr. Poe. They are about to eliminate Violet by making Klaus cut off her head with a rusty knife.

As Violet lies drugged on the gurney, Klaus and Sunny pretend to be doctors in front of an auditorium full of doctors, Volunteers, and other interested parties. They begin to stall for time, hoping Violet will wake up, but their stalling makes the others suspicious, and they are then revealed as impostors when the people they are impersonating actually show up. Suddenly the whole hospital is after the Baudelaires for being murderers, and Klaus's holding a rusty knife is used to tarnish his reputation. Then it is discovered that someone has set the Library of Records on fire to make it look like the Baudelaires did it to erase evidence of their involvement. Everyone turns against them, and they flee, pushing Violet on her gurney as she begins to wake up.

Crouched in a closet, they have to think fast. Violet, in spite of her wooziness, manages to invent a fake loudspeaker that distracts everyone when she uses it to claim the orphans had been sighted in the unfinished half of the hospital and everyone should go there to capture them. They then construct a bungee cord out of rubber bands and bounce to safety. Unfortunately, the only escape for them turns out to be to stow away . . . in the trunk of Olaf's car. And that is literally the tightest spot on which the orphans have ever ended a book.(less)

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Nov 06, 2007 k.wing rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: imaginaries

The Baudelaire's start taking matters into their own hands...

I enjoyed the climax scene in this book because it is the biggest close-call yet! Klaus is amazing, and is amazing in the climax scene.

Favorite quote from this book:
"There are many things in this world I do not know. I do not know how butterflies get out of their cocoons without damaging their wings. I do not know why anyone would boil vegetables when roasting them is tastier. I do not know how to make olive oil, and I do not know why...more

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Sep 10, 2008 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

This one was really good because I think that there was a lot of drama and tension, so I couldn't put down the book at points!

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Dec 24, 2008 swag2perfect84 rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Hostile Hospital is the eighth installment to the Series of Unfortunate Events. In this chapter of the series Violet, Clause, and Sonny are on the run from being captured. They are accused of killing their former friend. They were framed by their nemesis Count Olaf. He has tried numerous attempts to steal their fortune. His plans this time are to lead the children in to a hospital. He kidnaps Violet and has plans to perform on her in a live audience. Klaus and Sonny pose as a doctor and res...more

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Nov 14, 2010 Sonia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: serie

Stavolta, arrivati all'ottavo episodio, la struttura cambia.
I Baudelaire:
- iniziano a scegliere da soli il loro destino
- non possono più fare affidamento sul signor Poe (per quanto fosse sempre stato inutile, era la loro unica speranza di qualcuno che s'interessasse a loro)
- La loro fama cambia, devono scappare non da olaf ma dal resto del mondo che li crede assassini
- il loro scopo non è più sfuggire semplicemente a olaf, ma scoprire una serie di misteri: cos'è V.F.? chi è sopravvissuto all'i...more

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May 11, 2013 Yaritza C rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Children, adults, the elderly... anyone

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Five stars for my childhood. I began the series around the age of 12 and followed it until the books ended. At a time when I did not like reading at all, these books were the non-school-mandated pages I was flipping. Of all the Baudelaire books however, this one always stood out to me. This one will always be the most special in my opinion. Though the series is quite dark itself, it seems as though this book marks a turning point (at least it did to me) where the mystery deepens, the atmosphere...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Paola (A Novel Idea) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 3/5

After eluding the clutches of Count Olaf and avoiding being burned at the stake by a bunch of vile villagers, the Baudelaire orphans now find themselves in a van full of Volunteers Fighting Disease. The van, crammed with happy, singing volunteers and heart-shaped balloons, is heading to Heimlich Hospital to cheer up some patients and strum their guitars. Our orphans secure a job for themselves in the hospital’s Library of Records, where they ma...more Originally posted at A Novel Idea Reviews

Rating: 3/5

After eluding the clutches of Count Olaf and avoiding being burned at the stake by a bunch of vile villagers, the Baudelaire orphans now find themselves in a van full of Volunteers Fighting Disease. The van, crammed with happy, singing volunteers and heart-shaped balloons, is heading to Heimlich Hospital to cheer up some patients and strum their guitars. Our orphans secure a job for themselves in the hospital’s Library of Records, where they make a discovery both heartening and depressing. Another discovery, not heartening but certainly depressing, is the presence of Count Olaf and his henchmen, who have succeeded in following them yet again! How will Violet, Klaus, and Sunny manage to escape a craniectomy, giant cans of alphabet soup, medical professionals, and stiletto heels???

The three surviving Baudelaires have spent virtually every moment since their parents’ tragic deaths being mired in the worst possible luck a person could have. Most everything goes wrong for them, and yet they still keep going, taking care of each other and using everything they’ve got to survive their enemy’s constant attempts to relieve them of their inheritance. All the while, all kinds of mysteries remain unanswered. Surrounded by monsters, the Baudelaires found in this book that they could so easily become monsters themselves; in the process of trying to outwit Count Olaf by playing his own game, they are shocked to realize that they can’t tell if they are victims or villains. This point is a very interesting one, and it marks a turning point in the children’s lives, because they can either decide to keep fighting fire with fire, or choose another route. So, while this volume of their quest was really rather bloodier and more gruesome in some concepts than the others (another series I’m not entirely sure should be categorized as being solely for children), I was intrigued by the question that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny had to ask themselves. It’s a series full of questions about morality, but what answers will the Baudelaires give?(less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Baudelaires need a safe place to stay - somewhere far away from terrible villains and local police. A quiet refuge where misfortune never visits. Might Heimlich Hospital be just the place? In Lemony Snicket′s eighth ghastly instalment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, I′m sorry to say that the Baudelaire Orphans will spend time in a hospital where they risk encountering a misleading newspaper headline, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some ver

...more

Ages 10+

Amazon.com Review

As you might expect, nothing but woe befalls the unlucky Baudelaire orphans in the eighth grim tale in Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events that began with The Bad Beginning. Ever since the orphans' photographs were plastered across the front page of The Daily Punctilio in an article falsely accusing them of murder, they have been on the run. Only when they disguise themselves as cheerful hospital volunteers (Volunteers Fighting Disease, to be exact), do they see a possible refuge. Of course, this backfires hideously. Where is their ineffectual guardian, Mr. Poe, when they need him most? Will the evil, greedy Count Olaf be successful in giving poor Violet a cranioectomy at the Heimlich Hospital? Is a heart-shaped balloon really better than water for a thirsty patient? Is no news really good news? As ever, Snicket refuses to comfort young readers with cozy answers and satisfying escapes. And, as ever, there are plenty of rusty blades and horrible plot twists to make us shudder and shameless-but-hilarious wordplay to make us grimace happily. Bring on the next one! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Another roller coaster of perils for the three Baudelaire children. This time, they search for clues concerning their parents' deaths and attempt to clear themselves of a false murder charge while being pursued by the evil Count Olaf, who is after the family fortune. While attempting to escape arrest, the siblings join a volunteer group that sings and brings good cheer to patients and enter Heimlich Hospital, where they soon find themselves working in the Library of Records. A picture with an important clue surfaces just as Olaf's girlfriend discovers them and captures Violet, who is then readied for a cranioectomy, a surgery in which the head must be removed. The trio's talents are put to good use in a daring escape from the burning hospital. They jump into Olaf's car trunk in search of more clues and position themselves for the next exciting sequel. Readers will enjoy cheering for the clever youngsters, booing the diabolical villains, and noting the many new clues. The narrator's active voice is forever teasing readers by taking them to the edge of their seats and then purposely switching the subject or suggesting they stop reading all together. This volume can stand alone but few will be able to resist reading the next installment after the cliff-hanger ending.

Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH

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Jan 26, 2013 Nanie Dias rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: leituras-de-2013, tenho, literatura-estrangeira, comprei

[Review in Portuguese]

ATENÇÃO: Essa é a resenha do oitavo livro da série. Se você ainda não leu os primeiros e não gosta de SPOILER, talvez não seja uma boa ideia ler essa resenha. A Nanie evita spoilers, mas como é uma série, não tem como não falar nada do que aconteceu anteriormente.

Sinopse:

Violet, Klaus e Sunny não encontraram um lar verdadeiro na Cidade Sinistra dos Corvos... na verdade, eles foram usados como faxineiras pelos habitantes da cidade e tiveram que sair correndo de lá após terem...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Kacey rated it 3 of 5 stars

In seeking out the answers to V. F. D., the Baudelaires are smuggled (a word which here means "taken into" and has nothing to do with illegal drug operations) into a hospital. Here they must engage in trickery and disguises as they are still the subjects of a manhunt-- a word here meaning "people think they're murderers".

They are teased (a word here meaning "they find a page of a file") with minimal clues to their past, and once again encounter Olaf and his unpleasant crew. One never grows tired...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Jerry rated it 5 of 5 stars

I would reccomend this book to anyone that likes funny, mystery or suspense books. I enjoy all of the books I have read by him but by far this is mt favorite.

This is book is pretty darn amazing. There are certain parts that will make you want to cry. But then he turns around and makes you want to laugh your cheese off. I like the fact that he adds his own opinion in, in the most random parts of the book. For example at the beggining he was saying how if you want to read a book with a happy lit...more I would reccomend this book to anyone that likes funny, mystery or suspense books. I enjoy all of the books I have read by him but by far this is mt favorite.

This is book is pretty darn amazing. There are certain parts that will make you want to cry. But then he turns around and makes you want to laugh your cheese off. I like the fact that he adds his own opinion in, in the most random parts of the book. For example at the beggining he was saying how if you want to read a book with a happy little elf you should put this book down and never pick it up again. He does that for every book and that's what makes me want to read them, his sense of humor and the way he isn't afraid to add his own opinion and humor into the book. He also puts them in some very difficult situations and he isn't the kind of author to always let the good ways win and save the day. In every book atleast one bad thing happens to these kids.

This book is sad, suspenful, and mysterious. Lemony Snicket is an amzing author. This book is about three orphan children trying to run from the law and their ex-guardian Count Olaph. A couple months ago these kids were given some news there their manchine had burned down and their parents were in the house when it burned and were told that they both died. Life has been hard for them ever sense between the crazy relatives and Count Olaf. This book makes their lives even harder because they are running from the law and Count Olaf. They get caught up and end up taking a van with Voulenteers Fighting Disease in it and they take them a half finished hospital. Trying to dodge people looking for them they find themselves in the library of records and they get a job putting away files with an old man who can barely see. They sneak in after hours and they steal their family file and they are shocked to figure out that someone survived the fire. Olaf is planning to cut Violets head off but luckly the two eldest kids find a sneaky and clever way to get her out of the hospital and stop them from taking her head off (literaly).

If you enjoy a good book with amazing characters written by an amazing author then this is the book for you. He has thirteen and they only get better the further up you go. (less)

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Sep 15, 2012 Von Sowards rated it 3 of 5 stars

As far as these books go this one seems to be more exciting.

In my opinion the series can be broken into 5 different parts:
1. Books 1-4 are the fortune books (where the plot is driven by Count Olaf coming up with schemes to get the orphan's fortune while they aimlessly go from guardian to guardian).
2. Books 5-7 are the Quagmire books (where the plot is still going through guardians but now the are trying to save their friends, the two Quagmire triplets).
3. Books 8-10 are the Snicket File books (...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Prue rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is about orphans living alone without parents and a man called Count Olaf is is chasing after them for the childrens fortune.

It starts of when the Baudelaire orphans, Voilet,Claus, and Sunny, were running for their lives because they were falsely accused of murdering Jacques Snicket at the end of the previous book. Finally, the orphans reached a shop which gave them breakfast and let them send a telegram to Mr.Poe. Since the news of the murderer was spread everywhere and it's even in t...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Elle rated it 5 of 5 stars

While this is not my first time reading the Hostile Hospital, I find that this is the book where the Beaudelaire's begin to shine as individuals under their bad circumstances. Having no guardian to protect them they are, and the reader, made aware of their painful isolated existence from 'everyday' society.

From the slow beginning of this book (the predecessor to Hostile Hospital was not my personal favourite in the series) to the gripping moments when it looks like Olaf may finally have his han...more

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Jan 27, 2012 6th Grade Honors Language Arts Class rated it 5 of 5 stars

Have you ever read a book about a thirteen year old boy and an infant cut off their fourteen year old sister’s head? If you want to, The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket is the book for you. The genre is gothic fiction, steam punk, and mystery. These genres are random, but the author can make them work together.
A series of unfortunate events is a series about Sunny an infant, Klaus a thirteen year old, and Violet Baudelaire a fourteen year old. They lost their parents in a terrible fire that...more Have you ever read a book about a thirteen year old boy and an infant cut off their fourteen year old sister’s head? If you want to, The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket is the book for you. The genre is gothic fiction, steam punk, and mystery. These genres are random, but the author can make them work together.
A series of unfortunate events is a series about Sunny an infant, Klaus a thirteen year old, and Violet Baudelaire a fourteen year old. They lost their parents in a terrible fire that ruined their lives, and Mr. Baudelaire left behind a huge fortune. Right now they are accused criminals, with nowhere to go, but a gas station. They become hospital volunteers by just jumping inside a van. They go to a half finished hospital, and decide to stay in the half finished hospital, because they have nowhere to go. They find a page of a very important file, the Snicket file. Count Olaf finds where the Baudelaire’s are and he disguises himself as an employee. He captures Violet and gives her anesthetic, which will make her unconscious for a long period of time. Count Olaf’s associates are going to perform craniotomy on Violet, which means he is going to cut off Violet’s head in surgery. Klaus and Sunny find out and disguised themselves as doctors to blend in, and to save Violet’s life. They find Violet unconscious, heading to the surgery room, so they follow her. It was not a good idea, because they both end up performing the surgery.
My favorite character is Sunny Baudelaire, because she is just an infant who has the mind of an eight year old. She barely learned how to walk, but before she could, she had the abilities of an eight year old. Even though she has those abilities, she is like every other infant who can’t talk. She says random words like “lox” or “sakesushi”. For an infant she has abnormally large teeth, but they are very handy. Whenever the Baudelaire’s need something sharp to cut or grind to get out of Olaf’s schemes they can use her teeth. The author can make her come alive, he gives her speaking parts in the books then sometimes he lets Violet and Klaus explain what she means.
The Baudelaire’s have some weaknesses and some strengths. Some weaknesses are they have old clothes they wear day after day and so on. They miss their friends, the Quagmires, who they adored so much. Now we are down to Count Olaf who always disguises himself to steal the Baudelaire fortune. He always finds where the Baudelaire’s are, and he plans a new scheme every time to steal the Baudelaire fortune. He also disguises his associate’s to help him. Some strengths are, that sometimes they got away, most of the time they get away. Every scheme Count Olaf had, the Baudelaire would always find out. In every book they come closer and closer to find out if one of their parents survived the fire.
I really liked this book, because the author throws in interesting surprises that you can’t even guess, into the book. Out of the whole series I’ve read so far, I liked this book, because this book is the most interesting one so far. I would recommend this book to people who like mystery, surprises, and who love to read. I say the reading part because the authors surprises are so interesting that you can’t put the book down until a certain point. I can’t wait until I finish the whole series.
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Dec 27, 2011 Elliot rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-literature

Whenever I was bored in high school, I would try to transform my teachers' lectures into as many spoonerisms and anagrams as possible. This sort of word play -- a favorite of mine (and the cause of my friends' occasional frustration when I admit that I was too busy flipping letters in their words to hear some piece of compelling gossip...) -- I learned from The Hostile Hospital, as well as the series as a whole, when I was younger.

The Hostile Hospital, which picks up almost directly where The Vi...more Whenever I was bored in high school, I would try to transform my teachers' lectures into as many spoonerisms and anagrams as possible. This sort of word play -- a favorite of mine (and the cause of my friends' occasional frustration when I admit that I was too busy flipping letters in their words to hear some piece of compelling gossip...) -- I learned from The Hostile Hospital, as well as the series as a whole, when I was younger.

The Hostile Hospital, which picks up almost directly where The Vile Village left off (a trend in the more seamlessly connected final books), is one of my favorite books in the series. It frustrates the reader, introducing even more mystery to the Baudelaires' (and our!) quest to discover the meaning of V.F.D. and the secrets of the Baudelaire, Quagmire, and Snicket families. With the appearance of the Snicket File (or what was left of it in the library of records), an additional V.F.D. red herring, and a further clarification/obfuscation of the significance of the sugar bowl, The Hostile Hospital contributes a lot of the raw data from which Snicket devotees like myself have constructed our incomplete drawings of his world.

The Hostile Hospital has everything that makes the previous ASOUE books so wonderful -- black humor, puns galore, fun references to classic literature, and gentle introductions to "grown up" fictive techniques (e.g. dramatic irony, self-awareness, unreliable narration). But this book, as well as the ones that follow, is so much darker than everything that preceded it. I still remember the chills that scurried across my skin when I first saw the Baudelaires trapped in the supply closet of the burning hospital. They realize that, in order to protect themselves and find out the truth of their parents' death, they have unintentionally brought others into often fatal misfortune. Could they be, Violet wonders, villains themselves? Klaus insists that what they have done is different, but How? Violet replies. I've grown old enough to view a great portion of ASOUE as tacky (though still infinitely enjoyable), and yet this scene still haunts me. Shortly afterward, as the Baudelaires realize that their only escape is to hide in Count Olaf's car -- joining his troupe on their terrible journal -- they see yet more evidence that causes them to doubt their own inner goodness.

I've repeatedly praised Handler's books for being so drastically different from other children's novels. No other author could (or would) give his courageous, noble, inquisitive, and lovable characters not one but 13 unhappy endings. No other author could (or would) make such remarkable children be filled with such vivid, painful self-doubt. I know I will want to withhold A Series of Unfortunate Events from my children until they are mature enough to see their conception of an ideal story shattered -- but I know that they will have to read these books.(less)

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Jun 17, 2011 Ana Mardoll rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Series of Unfortunate Events 8: The Hostile Hospital / 9780061757204

I've been reading this series in order since I first gained interest through the tie-in movie "Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events". I love the series for its superb characterization, lovely writing, quirky plotlines, and deeply dark humor, but it's worth noting that the series so far has been extremely formulaic: Mr. Poe drops the children off with a new guardian, things get progressively worse as Count Olaf shows...more

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May 15, 2011 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I agree with Lemony Snicket about what a lie is the phrase "No news, good news" because is just a silly optimistic way to comfort someone.

Things get worsen and deeper, it's so ironical that despite "all the media attention" of the past, Count Olaf is "cleared" of all charges while the Baudelaires are continuosly framed and villanized by the media, pursued by angry mobs and how people are easily influenced by believing in lies.

I though something worse would have happened to Violet after self-sacr...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Matthew rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nothing is worse than a convenience store that is in the middle of nowhere, and a van full of singing volunteers. This leg of the Baudelaire's journey would send any sane reader to the "Confused and frustrated that any person could survive this long" ward. Needless to say the orphans are cutting it close and this is saying a lot when knives are involved.

With his whole troupe available Count Olaf is taking few risks dealing with these children. Will he be able to devise a plot to secures the Baud...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Grace rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

At the commencement of this book it's hard to believe that the series can get any more menacing, yet by the climax of the hospital it is apparent it can. The threat facing the baedelaires is actually surprisingly chilling and
SPOILERS
I must admit, the idea of them being forced to saw off their own sisters head actually gave me goosebumps. I also must say how much I love daniel/lemony's little quips about the stupidity of some peoples attitudes to well, the 'attitude' of sick people.put simply, I...more

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Jul 07, 2010 Graykrickette rated it 5 of 5 stars

These stories are interesting, and with the ever present, impending doom, they are extremely difficult to put down. The stories are very unique, bleak, yet silly,or a delightful blend of them both. In the later books, I came to embrace, and enjoy the silliness, and the over explanation of words, as Daniel's own unique sense of humor. I can not believe that he actually believed his readers to be that ignorant. I believe that it was more of a tease_ dark, spiteful, humor, which I thoroughly enjoye...more

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Oct 13, 2009 Teresa B rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kids-4-9-yrs, kids-9-12-yrs

This "woe-filled" collection of thirteen books about the tribulations of three unusually talented orphans will keep adults entertained as well as children. When I first saw the series I thought, "That looks too depressing," but soon I discovered the hilarity in overabundant alliteration, contemptible villains, and idiotic bystanders.

As the series progresses and the mysteries deepen, the children's characters grow and develop in surprising ways as togehter they face obstacles and a growing numbe...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

So this is my favorite book in the series so far, it would seem with this series it's gets better as it goes along, I found this one extremely fast paced and I was really engrossed in it throughout, I also found the plot in this one was more entertaining. It was funny in places with the singing of the volunteers fight disease and the endless quoting of 'no news is good news'. I also liked the fact that this one was a lot darker in many respects, I found myself completely absorbed turning the pag...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Drew rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Good grief! Now that was a cliffhanger I didn't see coming!

It's crazy how this series has drawn us in. I've been reading this series to the kids, and until recently pausing between books to read other books before returning. But the pace of the overarching plot has quickened, and so now the kids aren't letting me read anything else. We are moving from book to book at breakneck speed. We only pause to discuss the various mysteries and the clues we've been given.

The Hostile Hospital departs quite...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Cherr rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers who think the series is getting better

Shelves: adventure, e, fantasy, children-lit, series, young-adult, mystery-fiction

For the first time ever, they are on their own. The Baudelaires are convinced that no one can help them any longer. There's Mr. Poe who does nothing more than send them to people who are supposed to be taking care of them but end up.. let's just say they either try to kill the Baudelaire orphans(?), end up getting killed themselves, accuse the orphans of something utterly terrible, or are not brave enough to help the Baudelaires and be their guardian.

Things are not looking up for the children. A...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Drew Graham rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After the near-disastrous events at the end of The Vile Village, you really don't know what's going to happen to the poor Baudelaires next. Violet, Klaus and Sunny, find themselves for the first time without a guardian, entirely on their own. Not only that, but they are widely believed to be murderers (well, a murderer and her accomplices) of Count Olaf himself. They find refuge in a hospital, working as volunteers in an expansive Library of Records, where they discover some tantalizing hints ab...more After the near-disastrous events at the end of The Vile Village, you really don't know what's going to happen to the poor Baudelaires next. Violet, Klaus and Sunny, find themselves for the first time without a guardian, entirely on their own. Not only that, but they are widely believed to be murderers (well, a murderer and her accomplices) of Count Olaf himself. They find refuge in a hospital, working as volunteers in an expansive Library of Records, where they discover some tantalizing hints about their parents, the Snickets, and some terrible fires.

So this is the point in the series that really starts to break the formula of all of the books so far. There's no guardian to speak of, the Baudelaires are really independent, and Mr. Poe doesn't even appear once (thank goodness). Count Olaf has a pretty unique disguise and a really different style this time, which will start to be even more evident as the books go on, since he's reportedly dead. Esmé emerges as an even more prominent (and still in, though debilitatingly so) figure in Olaf's troupe, but I just have to wonder why there's not a single mention of, you know, her husband?... In some ways this book kind of feels like filler, like The Miserable Mill, just some random events drawn way out to fill one more book on the way to thirteen, but there are some pretty interesting things that are worth noting here. I love how the hospital is perpetually half-finished, and it breaks my heart a little when Hal feels so deceived by their methods to discover the truth about their parents. The Volunteers Fighting Disease are a pretty amusing incarnation of V.F.D., and the Baudelaires have their first dip into the world of using disguises (including a bit of an identity crisis wondering if they're becoming villains). There are a couple of real life-threatening situations (O, Violet!), Klaus has a really nice heroic moment right near the end, and the kids have still managed to stay together by the end. Also, it should be noted that this book contains the hints of a possible survivor of the fire, as well as the first mention of the infamous and enigmatic sugar bowl...

This isn't my favorite book in the line-up, but it still has a lot of great hints to the overall plot and memorable moments, including Klaus and Sunny hiding behind heart-shaped balloons, one of my favorite mental pictures from the entire series.(less)

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Mar 27, 2011 Sara Komoda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: independent-study

This author, Lemony Snicket, has written the best books I have ever read in my entire, 11-year life. Without his books, I would hate reading even more than I do now. But when I read his books, I suddenly LOVE it.I don't know if it is because of the way he writes it, or just because he explaines the words and phrases he uses, so thoroughly.
Lemony Snicket, like in all of the books in this series, uses third person. In other words, he is the narrarator of the story. Literary elements are important...more This author, Lemony Snicket, has written the best books I have ever read in my entire, 11-year life. Without his books, I would hate reading even more than I do now. But when I read his books, I suddenly LOVE it.I don't know if it is because of the way he writes it, or just because he explaines the words and phrases he uses, so thoroughly.
Lemony Snicket, like in all of the books in this series, uses third person. In other words, he is the narrarator of the story. Literary elements are important peices to a good book, well, probably to any book. But Series of Unfortunate Events is of course, a book, and it needs literary elements. Well, it already HAS literary elements, which includes Moral- I think that the moral of the story, is that even in the worst situations, you always have each other. Dialogue- Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, have many conversations among each other. They talk about many things, for example, they talked about how to escape from Count Olaf, they talked about how to make the people realize that it was Count Olaf in disguise, and many things like that. But they also had very heartwarming conversations. Narrarator- Lemony Snicket is the narrarator of the story. Setting- This story, has 2 or 3 different settings, which includes: in the middle of nowhere, in the Last Chance General Store, and in a hospital called Heimlich Hospital, also in the middle of nowhere.
Character: Sunny, the youngest Baudelaire child, is a very small, yet brave, and despite her age, a very smart infant. Sunny has 4 very sharp teeth, that she enjoys to bite things with. She has bitten into countless items, from soft, to rock hard.(sometimes even hands or ankles), to help her siblings, Violet and Klaus, and sometimes for her own enjoyment.
Plot: The beginning of this book takes place in front of the Last Chance General Store. They were trying to hide from the Townspeople from V.F.D. Also, from other people, because their faces were in a newspaper, saying that they had murdered Count Olaf. But they had nowhere to go, so they went in, and tried to send Mr. Poe a message through a telegram. He did not send a message back, so they just kept waiting. Early the next morning, the person delivering the newspaper came, and told the store keeper about the killers, and he realized that they were in the store, and tried to catch them. But Violet, Klaus, and Sunny ran out of the store, and into a van, belonging to V.F.D. (volunteers fighting disease). The V.F.D did not read the newspaper, so they did not know about the 'murder'. So they drove to the Hospital, to do their volunteer work. They were pretending to be V.F.D, and they Volunteered to help in the Library of Records in the Hospital. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny found a record about the fires, that was set in their house, and their other relatives houses. They tried to figure out a way to get it, but the only person who had the key, was an old man, who had bad eyesight. So they tricked him into thinking that Violets hair ribbon with some bent paperclips on it, was the key holder that he had. So they stole the keys, and got the file. But then, a person got into the file Library, and tried to kill Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. They found out that it was Esme Squalor, one of their recent guardians. Sunny and Klaus got away with the file, but Violet was captured, and they decided to kill HER. Esme took her to a lab, with Count Olaf. Meanwhile, Sunny and Klaus tried to figure out what to do. The speaker was on, and it told everyone in the Hospital that there was going to be the first cranioectomy surgery in the world. Klaus and Sunny knew that they were going to do it on Violet. They went into a little closet, because they had to think about what room Violet was in, because her name was disguised as another. They found cans of alphabet soup, and found out that her name was an anagram. Just like Count Olaf and Esmes fake names they were using now. So they looked at the list of names that were in the Surgical Ward. they re-arranged the names, with t he alphabet soup, and trieds to find out which name turned out to be Violet Baudelaire. They found the right room, and the name of the patient was Laura V. Bleedtiotie, in room 922. In the closet, they saw a couple of lab coats, and dressed up in them, pretending to be lab people. So they went to rm. 922, and tried to save Violet. The people caught them, and they tried to run away on a gurney, with Violet asleep, because the people put anesthesia on her. They were trapped, because Count Olaf set the Library of Records on fire to destroy the file that Klaus had, and on the other side of them, was a big man chasing them, so they went down the stairs, until they got to a little closet, just like the one they were in before, but it had a window. Count Olaf made an announcement on the speaker, and said that there were murderers running around the hospital, and that they were to evacuate the hospital, because it was on fire. The big man that was chasing the Baudelaires was right outside the closet door, trying to run away from the fire that had come to the hallway. Violet was kind of awake, and thought of a plan. She emptied a can of soup, and used it as a speaker, and said that everyone should go to the other side of the hospital, because that is where ' the murderers' were hiding. So they jumped out of the window with a rubber band rope, and ran away.Count Olaf and his troupe were trying to run away in their car. They opened the trunk, so they could put their disguises in it. Since everywhere was smokey, no one could se Count Olaf getting away, or the Baudelaires sneak into the trunk...(less)

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Dec 07, 2010 Nina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel

For Beatrice-
Summer without you is as cold as winter.
Winter without you is even colder.

So much emotion in those two lines.

This wasn't really one of my favorite books in the series. It was alright. What I liked about it, was the mention of the Snickets. Jacques and "the other one", who I'm assuming is Lemony Snicket, the so-called author. Mentioning the Snickets gives the story a more realistic view. It makes the reader question if these events really happened. There's more action happening now....more

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Jan 10, 2013 Mike rated it 3 of 5 stars

“Just because you’re physically handicapped doesn’t mean you’re mentally clever.”

Having now charged through 8 books in this series (of unfortunate events) I have come to one conclusion: life doesn’t just suck if you happen to be the Baudelaire orphans, it COMPLETELY sucks. They never seem to catch a break and they never seem to catch Count Olaf at the end of each book. The only thing these orphans do catch is a lot of flack from people who want to kill them and people who are too weak or gullibl...more “Just because you’re physically handicapped doesn’t mean you’re mentally clever.”

Having now charged through 8 books in this series (of unfortunate events) I have come to one conclusion: life doesn’t just suck if you happen to be the Baudelaire orphans, it COMPLETELY sucks. They never seem to catch a break and they never seem to catch Count Olaf at the end of each book. The only thing these orphans do catch is a lot of flack from people who want to kill them and people who are too weak or gullible to protect them. In this book the Baudelaire’s are challenged more then they ever have been before, having to rely on themselves as a group and even individually in order to overcome what lies ahead.

The book picks up immediately where The Vile Village left off, with the Baudelaire’s escaping V.F.D. (Village of Foul Devotees). As they wander through the empty landscapes they eventually stumble upon The Last Chance General Store. There they meet the shopkeeper named Milt, who allows them to send a telegram to the man-in-charge-of-insuring-the-well-being-of-the-Baudelaire-orphans-who-ironically-always-ends-up-putting-them-in-terrible-situations-and-being-overall-quite-innefective, Mr. Poe. However, Milt soon realizes who the Baudelaire orphans really are thanks to the newspaper delivery man and then Violet, Klaus and Sunny suddenly are on the run again.

Luckily for the orphans, a van pulls up outside of the store and they are able to hop in and escape their pursuers. Inside this van they meet a group of people called Volunteers Fighting Disease (yet ANOTHER V.F.D. coincidence). Doubly lucky for the Baudelaire’s is the fact that these people never read the newspapers (too depressing) and believe that no news is good news. All they really do is go around Heimlich Hospital and sing happy songs and give people heart-shaped balloons. The orphans are relieved by this fact and decide to travel with the V.F.D. to Heimlich Hospital. It is in this “Hostile Hospital” where even bigger mayhem awaits them then ever before, but also even bigger clues to questions they have had for a long time now (several books).

The Hostile Hospital continues the trend of each book being really good in the series. The humor is still hilariously dark; the conflicts are still hilariously outrageous and the story gives you just enough to keep you engaged through all 255 pages. If there is any noticeable change in this book compared to previous books in the series, it’s that this book is a bit darker. There are a couple situations the Baudelaire’s find themselves in that are much more nail-biting then anything that has come before, and really had me on the edge of my seat.

One complaint I have with this series at this point is the fact that we have gone through several books now without getting answers to questions that were asked several books ago. It seems like each of the last few books have just been big teases for what is actually to come and should give a little bit more in terms of the narrative. However, even if the story isn’t moving along at the pace I want it to there is no denying the entertainment value that each of these books contain.

If you’re a fan of these books then there really is no stopping you from reading this book (unless you heed Lemony Snicket’s persistent warnings to put the book down). You get to reunite with the increasingly-troubled Baudelaire’s as they repeatedly try making sense of things and attempt to overcome the ever-increasing odds stacked against them. It’s definitely one of the most action packed and suspenseful additions to the series thus far, and will surely leave you craving the next installment. Just remember; expect plenty of hostility and quite a bit of smoke.
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May 11, 2013 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 6-9, fiction, orphans, a-series-of-unfortunate-events, public-library, good-and-evil, kindle

The books in the series are getting better. Poe, while referenced plenty, did not appear. That means the formula has changed a bit. The children wandered away from V.F.D. and hooked up with a traveling troupe of volunteers fighting disease at a hospital. At the hospital there was a library. The children found page 13 of their file.

Olaf and his crew arrived and almost decapitated Violet.

The reader can feel there is more coming in this series. Lemony is interjecting himself more. It is believed t...more

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About Lemony Snicket

Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler. Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events (his best-known work) and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional character and a real person. This article deals primarily with the character.

As a...more Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American novelist Daniel Handler. Snicket is the author of several children's books, serving as the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events (his best-known work) and appearing as a character within the series. Because of this, the name Lemony Snicket may refer to both a fictional character and a real person. This article deals primarily with the character.

As a character, Snicket is a harried, troubled writer and researcher falsely accused of felonies and continuously hunted by the police and his enemies, the fire-starting side of the secret organization Volunteer Fire Department (V.F.D.). As a child he was kidnapped and inducted as a "neophyte" into V.F.D., where he was trained in rhetoric and sent on seemingly pointless missions while all connections to his former life, apart from his siblings Jacques and Kit (who were also kidnapped and inducted), were severed. In the organization he met and fell in love with a peer named Beatrice, to whom he eventually became engaged. After a series of unfortunate events (after which the real-world series is in some ways named), he became falsely accused of murder and arson. Eventually the fallacies grew so much that The Daily Punctilio reported his death. Beatrice eventually moved on and married Bertrand Baudelaire, becoming the mother of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, the protagonists of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Fourteen years thereafter Beatrice and Bertrand were murdered in a house fire, leaving the Baudelaires orphans. Feeling indebted to his former fiancée, Snicket embarks on a quest to chronicle the lives of the Baudelaire children until they become old enough to face the troubles of the world on their own.

Snicket is the subject of a fictional autobiography, Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography (which contains an introduction from a fictionalized version of Daniel Handler). A pamphlet, 13 Shocking Secrets You'll Wish You Never Knew About Lemony Snicket, was released in promotion of The End. Other works by Snicket include The Baby in the Manger, The Composer Is Dead, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid, The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming, The Lump of Coal, and "13 Words". Snicket is currently writing a new children's series that is due out sometime in 2012.(less)

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Books by Lemony Snicket

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1)

The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #2)

The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #3)

The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #5)

The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #4)

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“The sad truth is the truth is sad.” — 1,401 people liked it

“Just about everything in this world is easier said than done, with the exception of "systematically assisting Sisyphus's stealthy, cyst-susceptible sister," which is easier done than said.” — 244 people liked it

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The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8)

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