[BWF and Steeplechase] The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket 4 stars

[Sue]

Second book in the A Series of Unfortunate Events series.

With this book I understood what I was signing up for - some very dark humor and some very resilient orphans.

At the end of book 1, the orphans had escaped the clutches of the evil Count Olaf. As this book opens, they are arriving at their new home and meeting their new guardian: Montgomery Montgomery (yes both first and last name is Montgomery).

They quickly learn that "uncle" Monty is a herpetologist. He studies and collects reptiles from all over the world and has a huge collection of snakes and other reptiles right in the same home where the children will be living.

I won't give any spoilers, but the orphans experience their typical bad luck.