A Series of Unfortunate Events #4: The Miserable Mill

NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES

I hope, for your sake, that you have not chosen to read this book because you are in the mood for a pleasant experience. If this is the case, I advise you to put this book down instantaneously, because of all the books describing the unhappy lives of the Baudelaire orphans, The Miserable Mill might be the unhappiest yet. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are sent to Paltryville to work in a lumber mill, and they find disaster and misfortune lurking behind every log. The pages of this book, I'm sorry to inform you, contain such unpleasantries as a giant pincher machine, a bad casserole, a man with a cloud of smoke where his head should be, a hypnotist, a terrible accident resulting in injury, and coupons. I have promised to write down the entire history of these three poor children, but you haven't, so if you prefer stories that are more heartwarming, please feel free to make another selection.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

If you insist on continuing, here are just a few of the unfortunate events you will encounter:

• Villain in Disguise: An evil man with one long eyebrow and a tattoo of an eye is lurking nearby, but will the children recognize him when he’s disguised as a receptionist named Shirley?
• Gothic Fiction for Kids: A gloomy lumbermill, a mysterious eye-shaped building, and an eerie hypnotist await the Baudelaire orphans in the miserable town of Paltryville.
• Resourceful Children: When one of the siblings falls under a hypnotic spell, it’s up to the others to use their unique talents—inventing, researching, and biting—to save the day.
• Overcoming Adversity: Faced with backbreaking labor, a terrible accident, and a diet of chewing gum, the Baudelaires must rely on each other to survive their unluckiest home yet.