“Dear Reader, The word ‘carnivorous’, which appears in the title of this book, means ‘meat-eating’, and once you have read such a bloodthirsty word, there is no reason to read any further. This carnivorous volume contains such a distressing story that consuming any of its contents would be far more stomach-turning than even the most imbalanced meals. To avoid causing discomfort, it would be best if I didn’t mention any of the ingredients of this story, particularly a confusing map, an ambidextrous person, an unruly crowd, a wooden plank, and Chabo the Wolf Baby. Sadly for me, my time is filled with researching and recording the displeasing and dsenchanting lives of the Baudelaire orphans. But your time might be better filled with something more palatable, such as eating your vegetables, ot feeding them to someone else. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket.”
Dear Reader,
I think that this is my favourite ASOUE book that I have read in a while, and I see myself getting back into reading them at a quick pace again, after reading this one in just over a day.
Just like usual, this book continues on directly after the previous, with the Baudelaire sibling’s still in the boot of Count Olaf’s car, on their way to Caligari Carnival, where they soon disguise themselves as ‘freaks’ and work for Madame Lulu, the owner. This is the first book where Count Olaf and his henchmen don’t don disguises, but as said, the Baudelaire’s are the one’s to do so, to avoid being caught by them. Violet and Klaus dress as a two headed person inside of a large shirt in the car boot, and Sunny disguses herself as Chabo the Wolf Baby; half wolf, half baby. To further add to their alias, Violet and Klaus whiten their hair with talcum powder, and draw on scars, saying they came from Chabo.
In order to get the information they need, they need to pose as freaks, and so we are introduced to three more living and working at the carnival; Hugo the hunchback, Colette the contortionist, and Kevin, who is ambidextrous. None of these features are really ‘freak worthy’ but the three of them feel like they are less than anyone else, so they think that the carnival is their last hope of a somewhat normal life, work wise.
Count Olaf seems to be quite chummy with Lulu, so there is no need for a disguise, and we soon find out that she is the reason that Olaf has always known where to find the Baudelaire’s. Lulu is also the one who told Olaf that there is possibly one Baudelaire parent who survived the fire, and they may be hiding out in the Mortmain Mountains, which is overheard by the Baudelaire’s, giving them even more help that they will be reunited with one parental figure some day in the future.
In exchange for the information on the parent, Olaf gifts Lulu lions, and announces that a pit will be dug, and a freak will be thrown into said pit the next day to increase the carnival’s audience. I’m sure you can see where this is bound to end up.
It is soon proven that Madame Lulu is a fraud, and is actually named Olivia, and is working against Olaf, but still ‘giving the people what they want’. We also learn that she is a member of the true V.F.D, and this is when we finally begin to get some proper answers, no matter how small they are. Together, the Baudelaire’s and Olivia plan to leave the carnival the next day and make their way to the mountains, where she isn’t entirely sure a parent will be, but it is infact the location of what is left of the V.F.D. headquarters, which is where we need to be to find out what it truly is, and if anyone we think is dead is still alive.
The next day, before the new lion attraction is set to take place, the Baudelaire’s begin on their plan to escape, but it is soon announced, just as I suspected that Beverly and Elliot, Violet and Klaus’ alias, is the freak to be thrown into the lion pit. Of course, they manage to create a diversion which ends with the Blad Man with the Long Nose, one of Olaf’s henchmen, as well as Madame Lulu to fall into the lion pit, throwing their plan of escaping together out of the window. Just when I thought things were starting to look up for the Baudelaire’s too.
The Baudelaire’s still need to escape, as the carnival is burning down at the hands of Olaf and his troupe, so he offers them (as the freaks) a place in his troupe. He seemingly still doesn’t know who they truly are. Things take a sharp turn for the worse as Olaf reveals that Lulu told him the true identity of the new freaks, and leaves the Baudelaire’s stranded on a steep slope as he, along with his old and new recruits, and Sunny, make a getaway. He only needs one Baudelaire to survive, and Sunny is the easiest option at this point.
As soon as I finished this book, I picked up the next installment, The Slippery Slope, and hope to finish it in a day or two. I’m absolutely loving them at the minute. With only four more books to go, the end is near, and I don’t know how to feel about it, I’ve come to love these books, no matter how many years it took for me to finally read them.
With all due respect,
Jade Evans
Tea Stains and Book Spines 