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    Series of Unfortunate Events #9: The Carnivorous Carnival
    Series of Unfortunate Events #9: The Carnivorous Carnival
    Series of Unfortunate Events #9: The Carnivorous Carnival
    Audiobook4 hours

    Series of Unfortunate Events #9: The Carnivorous Carnival

    Written by Lemony Snicket

    Narrated by Tim Curry

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES

    Everybody loves a carnival! Who can fail to delight in the colourful people, the unworldly spectacle, the fabulous freaks?

    A carnival is a place for good family fun—as long as one has a family, that is. For the Baudelaire orphans, their time at the carnival turns out to be yet another episode in a now unbearable series of unfortunate events. In fact, in this appalling ninth installment in Lemony Snicket's serial, the siblings must confront a terrible lie, a caravan, and Chabo the wolf baby.

    With millions of readers worldwide, and the Baudelaire's fate turning from unpleasant to unseemly, it is clear that Lemony Snicket has taken nearly all the fun out of children's books.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 21, 2004
    ISBN9780060793395
    Series of Unfortunate Events #9: The Carnivorous Carnival
    Author

    Lemony Snicket

    Lemony Snicket was born in a small town where the inhabitants were suspicious and prone to riot. He now lives in the city. During his spare time he gathers evidence and is considered something of an expert by leading authorities.

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    Reviews for Series of Unfortunate Events #9

    4/5

    1,732 ratings43 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I am reading the series of Unfortunate Events out of order but it doesn't matter a jot. This book opens with the three Baudelaire siblings in the bullet-ridden car boot of their nemesis, Count Olaf. They find themselves at a carnival (of all things) in the middle of the wilderness. I won't ruin the story but as promised by its gloomy narrator, the book ends with the children once again in the "belly of the beast".

      Wordplay seems to have taken precedent over the plot, which is thin, but I couldn't help smiling at each and every incidence. Still, it was surprising to see the phrase "la petite mort" in a children's book. There's not much in the way of character development either (all the carnival folk are freakishly similar) but the joy of turning those rough-cut pages and the ironic narration make it all worthwhile.
    • 3/5
      To hide from Count Olaf, the Baudelaire orphans disguise themselves as a two-headed person and a half-wolf baby, and get work at a carnival. But alas, Count Olaf soon has the upper hand, and the Baudelaire orphans must use all their wits to survive.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this one more than 8, seemed to be more to it, and certainly more twists in the plot. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next, although given all of the warnings from Mr Snicket, I'm a little worried that none of my questions will be answered satisfactorily, a word which here means, "the meaning of VFD and the secrets in the Snicket file will be revealed, and the books will end with the series wrapped up in a neat little package." I'm hooked, though, so it's off to the library to pick up #10.
    • 4/5
      Trapped in the Hinterlands in the trunk of Count Olaf's car, the Baudelaires have never been so close to danger. Out in the desolate wastes is a strange carnival that has a fortune teller renowned for her accuracy. The three unfortunate siblings have no choice but to disguise themselves as freaks and join the ranks of the carnival folk. Hopefully they will be able to question the fortune teller about their own future and the fate of their parents. Could one of them have survived the fire as the thirteenth page of the Snicket file seems to indicate?
    • 1/5
      The previous book in the series, The Hostile Hospital, last saw the Baudelaire's fleeing the mob at Heimlich Hospital and making a split second decision to escape via the trunk in Count Olaf's car. The ninth book, The Carnivorous Carnival opens with the Baudelaire's still hidden in the trunk and on their way through the hinterlands to the Caligari Carnival. Caligari Carnival is home to fortune teller, Madame Lulu and her House of Freaks. Madame Lulu has been predicting the whereabouts of the Baudelaire's every time they're moved and Count Olaf is confident she will be able to tell him the location of them and their possibly alive parent. So the Baudelaire's once again utilise Count Olaf's bag of tricks and disguise themselves as two headed Beverly (Violet) and Elliot (Klaus) who eat corn clumsily and Chabo (Sunny), the wolf baby - half baby, half wolf. Following Madame Lulu's directive, the Baudelaire's are set to "give the people what they want" - which in this case is violence and sloppy eating - and are introduced to their fellow freaks - Hugo the hunchback, Kevin the ambidextrous man and Colette the contortionist. Then there's some very hungry lions. A brief stint of inventing that never goes anywhere. Philosophical discussions about whether using what they've learnt from Olaf makes them bad (frankly no - it makes them survivors but whatevs) and the reveal that Madame Lulu is not all she seems. Or exactly what she seems - a complete and utter fraud - a member of the V.F.D. named Olivia who has taken the motto give them what they want to a ridiculous extreme. Actually I take some of that back - I mean yeah, she's not a fortune teller but she does manage to predict (cough*research*cough ahem cough*read a newspaper*cough) an awful lot of locations. So it's just the name, the clothes, the crystal ball and the fortune telling scene she creates that's completely fake. You know, everything else. But she does come through with a location for the possibly alive Baudelaire parent - an old V.F.D. headquarters. I mean it's a complete guess but good on her for giving it a shot. Then there's some double crossing from a jealous Esme who wants to get rid of her competition for Olaf's affections (Madame Lulu) - (and who has a surprisingly decent plan to manipulate the freaks into thinking they can be real boys and girls as well as a job offer to join their evil troupe) but also a triple crossing from Madame Lulu who is a friend to no one , some extra hungry lions and an inevitable end of a lynch mob, a fire and a desperate escape. You know, par for the course, with this series. The Baudelaire's are left broken with Sunny in Olaf's evil clutches and the older two siblings careening along in a caravan that has limited food, no steering or brakes and a likely dangerous end. At 312 pages, this book tacks on an extra 30 or so pages on the last three installments and it's a slog. For all it's the longest book, it has the least amount of action and fails to answer any of the numerous questions posed. To be fair, it also didn't seem to bring up any further ones but there's only so long I can go without deciding I just don't care enough. I'm hanging on but it's a Slippery Slope. 2 stars.
    • 4/5
      children's fiction (comic tragedy with fun vocabulary-building)
      I don't think I'll ever tire of Tim Curry doing Sunny's voice.
    • 5/5
      Why do adults suck so much?
    • 5/5
      It's a bit unfair of me to review these books now, as I read them more or less as they were published. I loved Snicket's sense of humor, full of puns and dark subject matter (but still child-friendly overall). The overarching story about the Baudelaire children and their quest to find out more about their parents' secret life was compelling. The children are very likeable characters, and the other characters (who range from ineffectual to downright evil) are appealing in their over-the-top characterizations.
    • 3/5
      Things just keep getting worse for the Baudelaire orphans.
    • 4/5
      I loved this entire series!
    • 5/5
      It's got to be another 5 stars for this series! Even though it's for ages much younger than me I am enjoying it and finding myself thinking 'I'll read just one more chapter' and end up reading another 3-4. A good continuation of the story and we get some answers, but more questions as well (as usual). I would recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars.
    • 3/5
      The Baudelaires pursue Count Olaf & his henchpersons to a carnival; where they masquerade as employees of the freakshow. Unfortunately, someone gets the bright idea of boosting attendance at the sideshow by feeding performers to the lions.

      As usual, adults are weak-willed and ineffectual, if not outright evil, and the children will have to rely on their own resources to make their escape...
    • 4/5
      While not the best book in the series, I still really enjoyed it mostly because SUNNY. The little thing is growing up! Which is both sad and wonderful. I love her and her cinnamon hot chocolate. She's so cute.Lemony Snicket is also on a roll with his writing in this one. Going on about French terms and phrases and all that jazz. I love him.
    • 5/5
      I love how clever and witty Lemony Snicket is. I liked him when I initially read his books in fifth grade and love him even more as I'm rereading the series.
    • 2/5
      Worst book in the series, I didn't like it at all. The setting was weird and the plot was bonkers, even for these books.
    • 4/5
      Book 9: The Carnivorous Carnival finds the Baudelaires working in the House of Freaks at the Caligari Carnival where Count Olaf and his henchmen (including Esme Squalor) consult with Madame Lulu the fortune teller for information on the Baudelaires' whereabouts, the Snicket file and other things of importance. Where does Madame Lulu get her information? Is it really her crystal ball or something else? Where is Mr. Poe? How is Lemony Snicket involved in all of this? Who survived the fire? So many questions, so few answers. At least Sunny seems to be learning to speak more clearly. Surely, she'll be speaking in complete sentences by the next book. Enjoyable and (at times) a bit tedious as always. I especially enjoyed the literal, literary demonstration of what 'deja vu' means (as well as the explanations of other French phrases).
    • 5/5
      A Series of Unfortunate Events is the story of the three Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Claus and Sunny. The books are narrated by Lemony Snicket, a mysterious man who follows the story through clues passed on through a secret organization known only as the V.F.D. The series begins with the three children losing their parents in a fire. Consequently, a banker named Mr. Poe takes charge of the children and leaves them with the nearest relative, Count Olaf. The children, however, are dubious to the fact that Olaf is actually a relative. Olaf and his troupe become the villain of the series. During their stay with Count Olaf, the children are forced to perform ridiculous and cruel tasks.
    • 4/5
      Isn't it nice when you stick with something for some time and it pays off? The ninth book in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Carnivorous Carnival, is by far the first really good book in the series. Like the other Unfortunate books, the formula in this one is largely the same, but it all gels so much better. Add in some really hilarious new characters and great scenes and you've got a solid children's book.Carnivorous Carnival excels for three reasons. First, the story is paced well and is logical (in a non-logical world). Sure, none of this series really makes any sense, but within this universe, this book is the most clear. Second, unlike some of the other books, the main characters all really fit into their roles. Violet and Klaus as Beverly and Elliot, respectively, with their voice changes and all. Sunny as Chabo (“Grrrr”). The Hook-Handed Man as The Hook-Handed Man. Plus, the audience, who played into the carnival so well. Third, the introduction of three new characters (who appear to be staying a little longer), especially Kevin, the ambidextrous freak. I hope to find that Snicket was able to keep them in the series for as long as they were relevant and entertaining.I'm pushing hard on getting through this series now, because I have hopes of reading something different to the kids by Christmas. If the remaining four books are as good as this one, I shouldn't have difficultly getting it done.A Series of Unfortunate Events:The Bad Beginning – 3.1The Reptile Room – 3.2The Wide Window – 3.6The Miserable Mill - 3.3 The Austere Academy - 3.4The Ersatz Elevator - 3.3The Vile Village - 3.1The Hostile Hospital - 3.4The Carnivorous Carnival - 3.9
    • 3/5
      Good. At least the orphans are starting to get that their would-be captures aren't nearly as smart at them ... although they are still too trusting. Number 10 is on my shelf ... we'll see if I get through it before it's due back at the library.
    • 4/5
      A great plot except I didn't like how Madame Lulu had to die.
    • 3/5
      Snicket had some issues creating believable characters (even by the series' standard) in this book. Not wholly horrible, though.
    • 3/5
      I'm a little torn about rhis book. Whilst I was fascinated about the overall plot and how the series will finish, I found this volume quite weak. As a stand-alone book the srory is quite poor and the text is not as witty as in previous books. Apart from one very rude joke :-)
    • 5/5
      I have enjoyed all of the Snicket books, but this one is my favorite thus far. The plot really starts to pick up, questions begin to be answered, and, while all of them are good, this one is less repetitive than certain others (*cough* ...The Miserable Mill... *cough* *cough*). I love the cliff-hanger ending (ha), letting you dive right into the next book with less of a preamble from the author. Don't get me wrong, I love Lemony's cynical and often snarky ramblings, but not necessarily at the beginning of every volume. This was a nice change of pace. Something else I really like is Sunny's character development in this book. She starts developing her own interests and taking a more active, less passive part in the story. I must admit, I was starting to lose interest in this series, but it has certainly been revived by this episode. I can't wait to read #10!
    • 4/5
      Daniel Handler, aka Lemony Snicket, manages to keep the same joke/gag fresh throughout the series.
    • 5/5
      In this book the three orphans find themselves at a carnival. As much as I do enjoy these books this one made me a little uneasy because thinking about people being eaten by lions isn't really my cup of tea.
    • 4/5
      I did not really enjoy this one. It was weird and was not that interesting. I do not recommend children to read this book.
    • 2/5
      Really enjoyed the first third of this series, but the books have really become formulaic at this point, even with a long time between picking them up. At this point, I'm not really finding them enjoyable and am continuing only because I'd like to see how they end. Right now I feel like I could have skipped from book three to book 13 without missing a whole lot.
    • 4/5
      It was when I was trapped behind the waterfall, and my opponent approached me, bearing a foil, that I, having nothing but a tattered umbrella with which to defend myself, thought it best to distract him until my helicopter arrived."Have you heard of the Caligari Carnival?" I asked. He had not, or he was as fabulous a liar as he was a swordsman and interior decorator. There was a reason my parents had given me the middle name Scheherazade, and it wasn't because I was married to Shahryar (we were just friends)."It was a carnival in the hinterlands. A group of orphans who had otherwise lived a miserable life found themselves there. They had nowhere to go, for it was in the middle of the hinterlands, and their vile opponent Count Olaf was close enough to capture them once more. They asked themselves a serious question: 'What would Olaf do?' Their answer: disguises."They disguised themselves as carnival freaks, Violet and Klaus, the oldest and middle orphan, respectively, posed as a two-headed individual, while Sunny, their baby sister, wore a beard and disguised herself as a wolf child. Thus, they were able to seek employment from Madame Lulu, and worked along other suck 'freaks' as Hugo the Hunchback, Colette the Contortionist, and the Ambidextrous freak Kevin."Madame Lulu, who was more than she initially appeared to be, had a penchant for giving the people what they want. The people want to gawk at freaks: give them freaks. The people want to see lions eat said freaks: give them lions. The people want to know more information about the Snicket file: tell them that one of the Baudelaire parents (the parents of our orphans) is still alive and well, hiding out in the mountains. Lulu would give the people what they wanted, even if it wasn't honest, or helpful to everybody involved."He then asked whether he would like this book. I told him that he probably would, as he has a fascination with learning of others' miserable lives. It somehow makes him feel better. He asked if his mother would like it, or his adolescent daughter. I said "yes," knowing them both to have the same fascination as he.By that time, my helicopter had arrived. The umbrella did help defend me a bit, but I find I'll have to get a new umbrella before too long. As I clung to the rails of the helicopter, drifting away from my adversary, I couldn't help but wonder if I had it lucky compared to those poor orphans.
    • 3/5
      Snicket is doing a great job cranking up the peril and the tragic nature of his unfortunate events. The costuming of the Baudelaires in the this installment borders on ridiculous, but I'm enjoying the suspense as they close in on the VFD and the mystery surrounding their parents deaths. It's also interesting to see the horrible guardians disappear.
    • 4/5
      This is the 9th book of The Series of Unfortunate Events, the continuing saga of the Baudelaire children. We last left the trio in the car trunk of their archenemy Count Olaf, where they hid themselves to escape from the Horrible, Hostile Heimlich Hospital. When the car finally stops it's in the Hinterlands at a little Carnival run by Madame Lulu. Being in the middle of no place they have to figure out how to hide without Olaf finding out who they are.As their story continues, the Baudelaires continue to grow and learn about the world around them and become more self sufficient, creating their own goals and working as best they can toward them, even against all adversity. Are they ever going to find out the meaning of V.F.D.? Are they ever going to clear their names? Are they ever going to be free of Count Olaf? Are they ever going to get a candy bar for dessert? Maybe but I doubt it.