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Post by MisterM on Dec 17, 2012 8:53:01 GMT -5
I've been looking forward to this. Im going to extended the reading time until we start book 7. A long time, I know, but I wont expect much over the Christmas period, and it gives people the chance to read any remaining chapters post-xmas if they didn’t have the time before.
This Book is the other book I do not own, and, alas, I have not been able to find a copy - BUT, This book is one of my favourites, and I know most it by heart due to previously owning a tape of the story. This book is where the format begins its shifting. Handler changed things up last book with the Baudelaires pretending not to recognise Olaf, and the quagmires, but this time round VFD is on the Baudelaires minds, Olaf is barely in the story, the Quagmires return, the guardian is evil, we are introduced to esme, and we return to the Baudelaire mansion. Plus the actual story.
The Front cover gives away that esme is evil. Well, It would have if I had realised that was esme. On first listen, I didn’t really look at the front of the tape again, but readers might definitely figure this out.
--Chapter One--
“Just a few blocks away from where the Baudelaire mansion had been.” - Clever, clever
A mountain peak where the Quagmires may have been spotted - Could Olaf have stopped of at VFD headquarters?
No
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Post by Dante on Dec 17, 2012 14:43:28 GMT -5
The Front cover gives away that esme is evil. Well, It would have if I had realised that was esme. On first listen, I didn’t really look at the front of the tape again, but readers might definitely figure this out. Only the British edition front cover, though - Esmé's not on the original American one. I don't think I'd have given away that detail. I think that, after two unpleasant guardians in a row - Sir and Nero - it'd be easy enough to believe in Esmé as just another moron. In fact, her relationship with Jerome is essentially the same as that of Sir and Charles. Although, given that the (or an, at least) island is mentioned in TEE, I wonder if Handler was planting a very long forward reference to the possibility of a mountain as a future setting for a book. |
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Post by Anka on Dec 17, 2012 16:13:21 GMT -5
Chapter 3:
- Why doesn't Jerome have books in the library?
- I love Esme's logic. „If we give money to poor people, then they won't be poor anymore“ and „I thought if I bought you something you really wanted you might stop all this chatter about the Quagmires“.
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Post by Dante on Dec 17, 2012 16:19:39 GMT -5
- Why doesn't Jerome have books in the library? Thrown out for being out, I suspect. |
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Post by MisterM on Dec 18, 2012 3:13:07 GMT -5
Or maybe she doesnt want the baudilares looking up VFD?
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Dec 18, 2012 9:49:50 GMT -5
- Why doesn't Jerome have books in the library? Thrown out for being out, I suspect. Probs. |
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Post by Anka on Dec 18, 2012 16:42:29 GMT -5
- Why doesn't Jerome have books in the library? Thrown out for being out, I suspect. Oh. I never think of the easy things... |
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Post by MisterM on Dec 19, 2012 4:01:19 GMT -5
--Chapter Two--
But then, swooping out of the sky-" - VFD eagles? And a call back to TWW Chapter 8.
Esmes maiden name being a big secret - What if her maiden name is *shock* - squalor. As in her name was always esme squalor then she met Jerome squalor. It can happen. My grandfather/mother both shared the same name before they were married…
The Elevator is Damn confusing.
1. The book constantly uses the following expressions ‘A set of elevator doors’ ‘One pair of elevator doors.’ A set of elevator doors could refer to either two doors, or two sets of doors. Its very confusing
2. Why is it necessary to have the first elevator out of order? Yes, I know the elevator is ‘out’ but it doesn’t really, hm. Im feel like im missing something here…
We hiked up Mount Fraught - Gosh. I forget this every time I read the book. I assume Jerome was a Snow Scout? He clearly isn’t a member of VFD, so.
maybe we’ll adopt them, too. Five orphans! - Going with my olaf-has-the-quagmire-sapphires-already theory, Then how about a further extension. Olaf is missing out here. He could ‘free’ the quagmire orphans, and then Esme could adopt them. All 5 orphans would be in the same place, and olaf wouldn’t have to worry until he concocts a plan to get the the Baudelaire fortune.
Although, I can think of two flaws with this 1. The Quagmires might already know Emses face.
2. Olaf - or more specifically, the sinister duo - wouldn’t want the Baudelaires learning about VFD
And the tables were made from wood chopped away from some of the most expensive trees in the world.” - Wood from either Lucky Smells or - wait for it - the wood the Baudelaires chopped back in TBB! Horray!
And, to end today, one of my favourite moments from the original re-read, from dante ;
“The Baudelaires could see… the parts of town where their friends had lived” – it’d be nice to see these old friends sometime, don’t you think? I wonder what they’re like, and how they’d react to the Baudelaires’ new situation. Someone should tear themselves away from the incest to write that fanfic.
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Dec 19, 2012 4:14:28 GMT -5
That was possible.
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Post by Anka on Dec 19, 2012 11:56:26 GMT -5
Esmes maiden name being a big secret - What if her maiden name is *shock* - squalor. As in her name was always esme squalor then she met Jerome squalor. It can happen. My grandfather/mother both shared the same name before they were married… Of course that's possible, but I don't see Esmé's maiden name as a big secret, it's only something that isn't mentioned because there is no situation where it would be important. 2. Why is it necessary to have the first elevator out of order? Yes, I know the elevator is ‘out’ but it doesn’t really, hm. Im feel like im missing something here… I wondered about that too. Chapter 4: - The element of surprise is not really an advantage for Olaf here because maybe it's better for the children that they are too surprised to ask their questions because they can still pretend not to recognize him. They don't do that when they are able to talk again, but that deosn't mean it wouldn't have been better. - There is always a big smile on my face when I read about Jerome sliding down the banister  |
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Post by Dante on Dec 19, 2012 12:30:59 GMT -5
Esmes maiden name being a big secret - What if her maiden name is *shock* - squalor. As in her name was always esme squalor then she met Jerome squalor. It can happen. My grandfather/mother both shared the same name before they were married… I think this is a case of Handler keeping something secret just because he can. Or rather, he creates situations where Esmé's maiden name should be shown, but because it doesn't matter and wouldn't be a clue no matter what he wrote, he hides it instead to make it more interesting than it really is. So I don't think there is an answer here, but the question allows us to come up with our own answers. As indeed some people have. I suppose it depends on the kind of elevator doors you're familiar with, but many are made up of two doors that open from the centre, which is why a single elevator can be referred to as having a "set" or "pair" of doors. It's necessary because it keeps anyone passing through the top floor from accidentally opening the ersatz elevator shaft and discovering Esmé and Olaf's secret. If the elevator's out of order, people won't pay attention to the doors. But of course Klaus is observant enough to notice that there's one extra set of doors on the top floor, which is something that can't be hidden. I think Ben (mentioned later in TEE) has occasionally been involved in the odd fanfic. I know I've used him before. It would've been nice to see such characters in canon, too. |
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Post by MisterM on Dec 20, 2012 3:53:20 GMT -5
but I don't see Esmé's maiden name as a big secret - I think its just something us fans blew out of proportion back in the day, but TUA makes a piotn of not revelaing the name. As Dante said ; I think this is a case of Handler keeping something secret just because he can
a single elevator can be referred to as having a "set" or "pair" of doors. - I do know elevaters with the singular sliding door, but I would call the two parting doors a set, whereas a pair (To me) would mean two individual sets. I hope i set that up right...
It's necessary because it keeps anyone passing through the top floor from accidentally opening the ersatz elevator shaft - More fanfic ideas here - the 667 Resident who falls down the elevator shaft beliving he is walking into an elevator.
--Chapters Three, Four, and Five --
Violet's mother loved auctions. This has made me think that maybe Beatrice and esme were close friends before the picnic incident and/ot schism.
Question time ; Do you think Jerome would be a good guardian if esme wasn’t around?
The Sliding down the banners seems unrealistic, surely you would fall off.
The Baudelaires pass Birney beach, which, er, seems a bit strange, as it seems rather out the way.
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Post by Dante on Dec 20, 2012 4:50:51 GMT -5
Question time ; Do you think Jerome would be a good guardian if esme wasn’t around? Might be a good idea to look at that in light of the very end of the book. Although it's also worth asking how big an influence Esmé was on Jerome's personality. He was fit to be a friend of Jacques's, after all, and is far more confident in TPP. Sliding down bannisters is a great childhood tradition! If you have the right bannisters for it, though. I think the books tend to waver a bit on Briny Beach's exact proximity to the city. In TBB and TPP, and certainly on the U.A. map and the last illustration of TGG, it seems as if it's a little way from the city. |
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Post by MisterM on Dec 20, 2012 5:06:59 GMT -5
He was fit to be a friend of Jacques's, after all, and is far more confident in TPP. I feel Jeromes charcter changes to much between this book and TPP. In UE Time, only 3 or so weeks have passed It seems a bit dangerous though What is you fell of? Plus, the sort-of-map im using for my series has it quite far from 667 DA. (Which reminds me. This Re-Read has given me endless ideas for this series) |
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Post by Tryina Denouement on Dec 20, 2012 5:09:36 GMT -5
It seems a bit dangerous though What is you fell off? I slid on banisters and I'm still alive. |
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