Lemony Snicket

[alobear]

corone is going to disown me - again! (Just continue to remember the LOTR bond, please!!)

I read the first Lemony Snicket book last night and it totally left me cold. I can see that it might appeal to 8-10 year olds, but I don't understand why there are so many adults I know who love it too.

I found it overly simplistic, lacking in depth, and suffering from a failure to engage any kind of interest in the characters - at least, for me.

I must be missing something - cholten99 intimated as much last night (mentioning "comic literary genius"), but refused to elaborate.

So, anybody - what is it about this book that appeals to adults? Please explain it to me, as I'm sure I must be the one who is in the wrong!

Comments

50% overlap

[lareinemisere.livejournal.com]

You're not entirely alone. I mostly read them because everyone else did. I like the bits where he explains the meaning of words, and the whole 'you don't have to read this depressing stuff, you know' schtick, but I agree the plotting is a bit silly and the characterisation weak. It helps that they're short.

The one 'adult' book of his (under his real name, Daniel Handler) - The Basic Eight- I read is very good. That has v.good characterisation - including one person v. reminiscent of someone we know. I forget if you already borrowed my copy, but if you didn't and want to, bug Mark for it (he's had it for ages). I nearly bought his other book last week, but reminded myself of the ridiculous size of my 'to be read' pile.

[corone.livejournal.com]

Well, they arn't going to win the Booker prize, but I still like them.
I love the odd characters and especially the writing style.
I rather like the way he keeps going off at a tangent.
I suppose it is another one of those love it or hate it things.
But I do think they are well constructed and reasonably clever, and I don't think the characters are dreadful, just more charicatured than usual, which fits the style.
They are on my list of 'RPGs I'd most love to write'.

Maybe I should start recommending things I hate to you? :-)

Re: 50% overlap

[corone.livejournal.com]

Not you as well!!

[alobear.livejournal.com]

I didn't hate the book in the least - I was indifferent to it, which in some ways is actually worse, isn't it?

As for other things to recommend to me - cholten99 says he's going to give me Dune next. :o)

Re: 50% overlap

[alobear.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, it was the explanation of the words that annoyed me most. It's quite a cool idea for teaching kids new vocabulary - but I already knew what they all meant, and the definitions broke up the narrative.

[corone.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm kinda ambivalent about indifference :-)

Bum, Dune is one of my all time favourites.
You'll hate it! :-)
Claire didn't really like it much and you two seem to have the same sort of taste
The characters arn't very detailed, it is the world I love.

Actually, if you do read Dune, I recommend reading Dune Messiah too as it is far better (and shorter).
It should really be considered the last chapter of Dune.
(but Children of Dune is awful, don' bother with that one - I'll lend you the DVD!)

Re: 50% overlap

[corone.livejournal.com]

I'm not conviced it is designed to teach anyone anything.
I think it is just a style thing.
In some books he explains very obvious words.

The other word thing to notice is Sunny's dialogue.
I have a feeling that her words are not baby gurgling but actually foreign languages on some occations.

[alobear.livejournal.com]

Claire and I have discovered just as many books we disagree on, as books we both like! I was fairly indifferent to Brookmeyer, after all...

I guess it's silly to think that any of us will have exactly the same taste.

I'm enjoying Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell at the moment, which should keep me occupied over the weekend, but I'll add Dune to pile at some point.