Product Description

Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you prabably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book, in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descent into the depths of despair, underwater. In fact, the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me even to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing. As a dedicated author who has pledged to keep recording the depressing story of the Baudelaires, I must continue to delve deep into the cavernous depths of the orphans' lives. You, on the other hand, may delve into some happier book in order to keep your eyes and your spirits from being dampened.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10115 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
A new Lemony Snicket book is a precious thing. After this volume there are just two episodes to go, so readers must begin to savour every word about the unfortunate adventures of the Baudelaire children. As the clock ticks down to that undoubtedly dynamic dénouement of this whole sorry tale, readers will appreciate this typical tale of villainous miscreants, underwater frivolity and cliff-hanging endings--even if the answers every reader now craves are still tantalisingly out of reach.

The Grim Grotto begins, as ever, where the last instalment, The Slippery Slope, ends. Violet, Sunny and Klaus are cascading down the grey waters of the Stricken Stream in a toboggan and again hurtling towards inevitable doom. They are saved in the nick of time by a submarine, The QueeQueg, which is manned by a cast of fascinating characters that contains Captain Widdershins, his stepdaughter Fiona and their long lost friend Phil, from the Lucky Smells Lumbermill.

The crews’ task is to retrieve a sugar bowl before the children’s evil nemesis, Count Olaf, gets to it first. After serious study, the location of said sugar bowl is determined as the Gorgonian Grotto, coincidentally the home of the incredible poisonous mushroom, Medusoid Mycelium. It’s not long, however, before their dangerous mission is interrupted by another disaster--Sunny has come into contact with a mushroom and she needs help fast. This is exactly the sort of moment when it would be least helpful for Olaf to appear on the scene… which of course he does.

It’s difficult not to like these books--they follow the same pattern each time but consistently deliver laughs and intrigue like no other book series. Book the Eleventh is another riotous and hilarious adventure that fans will devour in their droves and new readers will find completely unfathomable--despite the regular flashbacks. (Age 9 and over) --John McLay

Customer Reviews

Wet and damp - ugh!
Unless you are a slug, a sea anemone, or mildew, you probably prefer not to be damp. You might also prefer not to read this book (which I am writing about), in which the Baudelaire siblings encounter an unpleasant amount of dampness as they descend into the depths of despair, underwater. In fact the horrors they encounter are too numerous to list, and you wouldn't want me to mention the worst of it, which includes mushrooms, a desperate search for something lost, a mechanical monster, a distressing message from a lost friend, and tap dancing. This book sounds a bit to horrible to read so only read in you really dare!

A water cycle shouldn't leave you high and dry
This eleventh book in the series is all wet. Dreams evaporate, misfortune precipitates, and unanswered questions collect. The Grim Grotto however, is far from boring, with the introduction of the Widdershin family of submariners, who have a surprise in store that will hook the unsuspecting reader. Old friends are reunited, enemies are more amusing than threatening, and young romances blossom from the depths of the Stricken Stream to the shores of the Briny Beach.

However, if despite all the warnings you insist on finishing this book, you will realise that after you have followed the Baudelaire siblings through their latest collection of tragedies, you are still no further along the story than when you started, but you will have gained valuable knowledge about poisonous mushrooms and wasabi. Be sure to make a note of all this, because, dear reader, you never know if this dubiously useful information will save your miserable life one day.

Lemony Snicket shows his sensitive side, reducing his most evil villain to a giggling, doting boyfriend, organizing poetry readings, and ending the story with the slimmest hint of happiness. There's something very wrong with this picture.

This is not a stand alone book, even though quite a hefty chunk of it is devoted to flashbacks. If you haven't read the first ten adventures, I'm afraid you have the untimely and expensive misfortune of having to go and buy ten books, providing of course you are prepared to partake in a collection that will depress you if you haven't been blessed with a strong constitution. Persons suffering from melancholy and depression disorders should heed the author's warnings and read happier books with pleasant endings.

This episode is a one sitting read if you're a Very Faithful Devotee, but the unanswered questions and sub-story lines that lead nowhere will leave you Veritably Foolishly Dumbfounded. It's really a 3.5 star book, but like the elusive Mr. Snicket, I like to end on a less sad note every once in a while.

Amanda Richards October 16, 2004

The Grim Grotto Review
I think 'the Grim Grotto' was a brilliant book with loads more mysteries unravelling as it spills out it's dramatic cotents.
The Baudelaires encounter deadly fungus, a tap-dancing ballerina fairy princess veterinarian, a mechanical monster and a search for a sugar bowl.
I thought it was the best book in the series yet, it was exciting and mysterious.