The Hostile Hospital (Series of Unfortunate Events)

There is so much potential here for utter horror that I'm a little glad it didn't pay off. I mean, it's a hospital. With Count Olaf inside, as an authority figure. The Baudelaires could very well have been put under sedation and on some trial treatment that amounted to liquefying their insides or something. There is so much time alone with Violet that she could have been killed a hundred ways. So, yes, it's a relief that all we get is Count Olaf deciding to cut off her head!

Oh, sorry. "Perform a cranioectomy."

Even more of a relief is FINALLY LEARNING ABOUT THE MYSTERY THAT HAS PLAGUED THESE BOOKS FOR EIGHT VOLUMES. Even if it's just a little tease, it's so good, especially if this is your second reading. I'd forgotten how long it takes to get into the meaty plot.

So, while the previous books had been met with waning interest, this is really the one that got me going again, and led to the decision to finish the series this month (since done). This is the book that will grab most readers.

And isn't that the most unfortunate event of them all?

The plot thickens! In this eighth audiobook in A Series of Unfortunate Events, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire join the Volunteers Fighting Disease, whose goal is to cheer up the patients of Heimlich Hospital, and deliver heart-shaped balloons to them. While at the hospital, the unfortunate orphans discover more clues about the plans of Count Olaf, and the fire that destroyed the Baudelaire mansion, killing their parents. Or did it? There is new evidence that suggests there may have been a survivor. But before the kids can learn more, that master-of-disguises, Count Olaf, who is now posing as the director of human resources at the hospital, captures Violet and schedules her for a very dangerous and unnecessary cranio-ectomy operation. It will be up to Klaus and Sunny to rescue their sister, and find out once and for all what VFD means. It can't just be Volunteers Fighting Disease, can it?

The first six audiobooks of this series were more or less individual stories about the unfortunate lives of the Baudelaire orphans, but beginning with audiobook seven, Lemony Snicket began dropping clues to a much deeper plot. What is VFD? Who is Jack Snicket, and why does he appear in a photo, which includes the Baudelaire's parents? Did someone really survive the fire? So far, there are more questions than answers, but you get the feeling that the orphans are getting closer to a greater truth, adding a sense of urgency and mystery to these stories, which started out very simply. It's getting harder and harder to put these audiobooks down!

Just like Lemony Snicket, Tim Curry also seems to be getting more creative in his narration of these audiobooks. There are new supporting characters to each audiobook, and Curry is coming up with some unique voices. He's no Jim Dale (and who is really) but Tim Curry's voices are inventive and downright amusing.

LEMONY SNIPPET: Just about everything in this world is easier said than done, with the exception of "systematically assisting Sisyphus's stealthy, cyst-susceptible sister," which is easier done than said.

SPECIAL FEATURES: In each audiobook in A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket always uses a lot of words or phrases that younger readers may not be familiar with. Every time he does this, the author explains what the word or phrase means in very plain language that anyone can understand. In most cases, Lemony Snicket goes a step further and uses the word or phrase several times throughout the audiobook to help drive home the point. These are great audiobooks for kids to learn the proper usage of some new words.

This was certainly one of the more exciting books of the series! The action picks up pretty quickly once they get to the hospital. And when peril takes hold I loved getting to see how Klaus and Sunny work when Violet isn't around.

Other than that, the whole intrigue and tension associated around the mystery has yet to dissipate. In fact it has only built up without any answers. But there is some hope! Which is exactly what drives me into needing to pick up the next book. That and how this one ends! Ugghhh how in the world will they even escape this one?

There's a lot to enjoy about The Hostile Hospital, which finds the Lemony Snicket books diverting massively from the formula that's sustained the series so far - and, in doing so, gives the whole thing a refreshed and exciting feel. You could start with the fact that this is the first true "guardian-less" book of the series; for the first time, the Baudelaire orphans are truly on their own, and as they navigate a hospital, investigate historical records, and try to evade the notice of Olaf and his compatriots, they can rely on no one but themselves. But what's more interesting about The Hostile Hospital is the way that it begins blurring lines that become so critical to the rest of the series. By the end of the book, the line between heroic actions and villainous ones has become a lot more ambiguous than it once was, as the Baudelaires start to realize that many of their actions are exactly like those taken by Olaf. That's heady stuff for a kid's series, and the fact that that theme only develops more as the series develops is just one of the things that made me love it in the first place. Of course, Hostile Hospital is still just a typically fantastic Snicket book, too, with shocking plot twists, new information, gleefully dark humor, and Snicket's usual delightful wordplay (what other book would spend multiple pages setting up a really dumb pun?). In other words, it's a standout even amongst the other great books in the series, and really sets up the books for the second half of the saga, where boundaries, rules, and answers become far more elusive and far more complicated.

What I loved most about The Hostile Hospital is that it becomes very dark towards the end - sinister, almost violent to an extent, and this is fabulous news for children's fiction. It heightens the tension, and while no actual violence takes place, it certainly paints a picture.

It also takes away the totally inept guardian element every previous book has featured, and this is very much welcomed. It's a transition book of what is to come - the orphans by themselves, making decisions for their own safety, as well as trying to solve the many mysteries the author has now built up.

We do need some answers though, and this books doesn't really give any. It just creates another mystery of a potential survivor of the fire that killed their parents.

Enjoyable to say the least.

This really is a wonderful series, and not just for how entertaining it is. Much attention is given to the postmodern leanings of the series, specifically its heavy use of metafictional techniques and its (relatively subdued) blurring of the lines between fiction and reality, but perhaps my favorite aspect of the series is its commentary on language.

In the first so many books of the series, many times the narrative will halt in order to define one meaning of a word, and Sunny's language must constantly be translated. But it isn't (as far as I remember) until this book that the surety of these definitions is questioned. Much of the volume will give one definition of a word or phrase and then explicitly state why that definition is not correct using the Baudelaires current situation as an example. ("No news is good news." is an early example of this.) Also, Sunny has, by this volume, learned a number of English and non-English words, and when she uses them they are often defined differently than their normal use. And with the constantly growing number of definitions for "VFD," it's really hard to ignore themes of the fragile relationship of language to meaning in the series.

And, wonderfully, the volume presents this fragility in a manner that appears so natural that it is not even a question: sometimes words mean one thing, somethings they mean another, and sometimes they mean nothing at all.

The Baudelaires sneak themselves into Heimlich Hospital, there to discover their first clues about the fire that left them orphans. Again, it's the overarching plot that makes this successful, and it's especially rewarding to see the framing narrative developed and integrated into the main story. Character growth also continues to be strong, and even Sunny is becoming tolerable. The series's aesthetic and style has grown routine, and this is a particularly unevocative setting, so other aspects need to step up their game--and I'm pleased that they are, and continue to find the second half of this series more engaging than the first.

A Series of Unfortunate Events 8: The Hostile Hospital / 9780061757204

I've been reading this series in order since I first gained interest through the tie-in movie "Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events". I love the series for its superb characterization, lovely writing, quirky plotlines, and deeply dark humor, but it's worth noting that the series so far has been extremely formulaic: Mr. Poe drops the children off with a new guardian, things get progressively worse as Count Olaf shows up and starts causing trouble, and then the children barely thwart a cruel plan before being whisked off by Mr. Poe to do it all over again. This eight book in the series really attempts to mix things up a little bit by not starting out with Mr. Poe, and indeed not showcasing a new guardian at all.

In some ways, this installment is one of the first where I've been truly frightened for the plucky Baudelaire orphans, and the first one where they seemed genuinely alone and in danger to me. Maybe it's because of the tension of separation for several chapters -- it's impossible not to be on the edge of your seat when the unstoppable trio is forced to split up and one of them is put in very grave danger. And perhaps also it's because this is the first novel where the whole wide world of surrounding adults really seem genuinely hostile towards the poor orphans instead of simply foolish, apathetic, or generally worthless.

If you've loved the series so far, you'll love the engaging writing and increased creepiness of this one, but if you're getting tired of the basic plot premise then this book isn't going to be a breath of fresh air.

A note about the audiobook edition of this book: this installment features the superb narration of Tim Curry that the early books in the series featured. Curry does an incredible job with the story and it is impossible to not be drawn into his deep, rich narration as he follows the orphans through their dangerous adventures.

~ Ana Mardoll

In the eighth book in the series, the reader finds the Baudelaire's fleeing the scene of the previous book amid accusations of murder. Another smart and wild book, the Hostile Hospital is a great continuation of the series.

Incompetent adults and vile villains continue to plague the orphans at every turn. Unlike the previous book which focus on the exploits of the Baudelaires, more of the backstory is being revealed in each book. As the series moves toward its conclusion at book 13, hints are being revealed about the ulitmate direction of the series. At this point even if a reader does not like the series, he/she is certain to want to see how it ends.

In this book, the Baudelaires have taken shelter in a hospital with the Volunteers Fighting Disease (V.F.D.). By chance, this leads the orphans to an opportunity to learn more about their parents and their own background. All the while, Count Olaf lurks while scheming the destruction of the children. While certainly implausible, the book is entertaining.

As usual, sorrow follows the Baudelaire's. In the eighth novel in this series, the orphans are still on the run from the evil Count Olaf who is determined to kill them and recieve the enormus fortune their parents left behind. They reach the Last Chance General Store to rest but soon discover that there has been a misprint in The Daily Punctilio and they have been labeled murderers. I really dislike that newspaper because it is constantley full of misprints! The Baudelaires begin to run out of the store and hop into a volunteer van outside. Even though I love these books, I have to admit that the escapes are always too fast and very convienent for these kids.

Then, orphans were taken to Heimlich Hospital where they were sent to work in the Library of Records. They were in luck because they were hoping to get a job where they could do research. The Baudelaires met a man named Hal and began working and soon learned that they couldn't read any of the files they worked with. I thought it was another perfectly convenient situation and that it made the writing slightly redundant because the author had previously mentioned that Klaus (middle Baudelaire) thought they needed to do research in a Library of Records. They devised a plan and just as they were about to pick the lock on the file cabinets, they heard unsteady footsteps headed their way.

The steps belonged to Esme Squalor, Olaf's evil girlfriend and she was just as determined to kill the orphans as her sinister boyfriend. As I read this part of the book I became nervous for the Baudelaires' lives! I had a strong feeling that not all of them would escape Esme's clutches safely. As they ran away from her, Esme began thinking with her terribly dreadful mind and hatched a plan. The Baudelaires couldn't see her but they could hear her slowing footsteps. All of a sudden bookshelves began tumbling and falling around the three siblings. I was terrified at this point sitting on the edge of my bed, praying that they wouldn't get crushed or captured.

The orphans ran around the Library desperate for an escape and just in time, Violet( eldest sibling) located a mail chute for her siblings to exit through. But, unfortunately, the chute was too small for the eldest Baudelaire and she promised her siblings that she would meet them in the unfinshed wing of Heimlich Hospital. I couldn't help feeling like Violet was my sister telling me she'd meet me outside and we'd all be safe , but inside I knew we wouldn't actually meet up again. I kept hoping that the Baudelaires would reunite again and not be separated because they each complete a differnt part of each other. Violet is the inventive and creative sibling, Klaus is the intelligent, scholar, and Sunny is the strength in a sense. Even though she's an infant, her four sharp teeth can be dangerous. I really enjoyed this book.

Kariana- LA-6

Words: 500

Let me say before talking about the book that you should not read this review. There are probably happier things to do with your time than read a review that will tell you what to expect from the unfortunate story of the Baudelaire orphans. Therefore, you should click on the x at the top right of your screen right now!

Still, here? OK, don't tell me I did not warn you; here is where we are. At the beginning of the book we find the poor Baudelaires running away from the police. They are wanted for a murder the did not commit. And what is even worse, the supposed victim, Count Olaf, is not even dead! At least the two Quagmire triplets have been able to escape from the evil Count, but they are on an air balloon and cannot communicate with Violet, Klaus and Sunny to explain the secret of VFD.

Violet, the inventor, Klaus, the erudite reader, and Sunny, the ferocious biter, send a telegram to the useless Mr. Poe to ask for help STOP But before getting a reply they have to run away again and join the Volunteer Fighting Disease. Is this the VFD they are looking for? That is how they end in Heimlich Hospital working in the Library of Records. Here, they come across many picturesque characters. The hospital administrator, Babs, communicates with everyone through speakers. She has the theory that kids should not be heard and adults should not be seen. This is just as snippet of Snicket's genius, which he uses to create novel ideas to work with, and thus, make us laugh throughout his stories.

As you can imagine, Count Olaf will show up sooner or later, as will the repugnant Esme Squalor. In that regard, this is the book in which we see Lemony Snicket coming closer to the story of the Baudelaires and drop hints left and right as to his involvement in the events that led to the current status quo. For example, he alludes to his interaction with Esme Squalor, several times throughout the story.

This is the darkest story in the series so far, and it is plagued with dangerous situations. Snicket is at the top of his game in using humor to keep us engaged. He keeps regaling us with expressions by Sunny and their appropriate translations making us laugh non-stop. He also is extremely good at applying common sense in dissecting popular sayings, such as "No news is good news". Everyone knows that "No news is no news".

Even though I know I should not be reading this series and should instead find something happier to do, I will go ahead and plunge into the next book as soon as I finish writing this sad, sad, sad, sad review. I hope you are as miserable reading this installment of the series as I was.

Of course, the Baudelaires are out on another horrifying event. This time, Count Olaf's assistants are going to the extreme to get the Baudelaire's fortune. Can you even imagine getting chased down for your fortune every minute you try to sit back and relax your reless body from escaping Olaf's clutches?The Hostile Hostpital, by Lemony Snicket, will have your mind racing 125 miles per hour with questions that would make you feel a little blue at times. At other times, your face would shine as bight as the sun. The Hostile Hostpital will leave you hanging which is good for this story. It keeps you wanting to read on because the story sounds so creative and adventureous.

I know how it feels to even not think of the word fire or arsonist when it came to the Baudelaires. Especially if my parents have just died and I was accused of setting a library on fire. In this story, The three Baudelaires, Violet, Klaus, And Sunny, are accused of killing a man people thought was Count Olaf, but it wasn't. Now, people want to kill the Baudelaires so, they have to escape before the real Count Olaf captures them. Later that day, when they were trying to escape the police, they hop into this van they never seen before and discover that the people on the van do not read mail so they didn't know that the Baudelaies were "so called murderers of Count Olaf." The three homeless orphans soon descover that they were being transported to the Hemlich Hospital. The Baudelaires get a job and every thing goes fine until one day when the Baudelaires were minding their own business, they heard a familiar voice over the intercum. This voice sounded so horrible. The voice would give you the face of someone scratching their fingrnails across a chalkboad. Or for easier thoughts, the Baudelaires heard this voice every where ther went, even when you try to sit down and rest your restless body. Do you know who it is? Can you guess? I would find that very disturbing because I would fill this person's voice I hear everywhere is stocking me. Check this out. There was one scene in the story when Klaus had to cut off Violet's head! Eww! I'm going to put myself into Klaus's shoes. If i had to cut off my sisters head, I would not do it. That would be my sister and I would never hurt her. Especially, departing her head! Sounds nasty, I know but reading this novel would be a good idea. Thats why I rated this novel a four star because it is very creative and interesting.

I enjoyed this novel and I feel you will to. I say this because I can relate to how the Baudelaires felt during this situation and the author express this book into such strong words. This is what I think. You might not have parents killed in a fire or a greedy villian chasing your fortune, but reading this exciting novel will have you bursting with more details and ideas because you will picture all the horrifying schemes the Baudelaires had to go through and how they overcome them or not! If you like stories that keep you hanging and are so dreadful but adventureous to read, this novel is perfect for you. I'm positive, you would love to read this novel. Wake up because you are on an fasinating adventure of the Baudelaire's unfortunate events.

Books with unreliable narrators abound in the world of adult publishing. In the world of children's books they're less common but not necessarily unheard of. Heck, Walter Dean Myers's "Monster" is a good example of that. But how common is the unreliable narrator who tells a story over the course of thirteen books, growing less and less reliable as time goes by? Part of what I like so much about "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is the fact that our author, Lemony Snicket, is becoming more and more important to the Baudelaire orphans on a personal level. Heck, in "The Hostile Hospital" we even see a photograph of him in the story! But I get ahead of myself...

In this latest adventure, the Baudelaire orphans have, for the first time, found themselves without a guardian. You can decide if that's a good or bad thing for yourself (especially when you consider some of the awful places they've found themselves in the past). For the Baudelaires, they probably view it as a bad thing. After all, they're on the run from the law. Falsely accused of murdering Count Olaf (who is alive and well and currently tracking the kids down yet again) they find themselves taking brief refuge in the Heimlich Hospital. There, they start working in the Library of Records, a huge space filled with file cabinets containing all kinds of information. While there the three discover a file entitled "Baudelaire" containing information that raises some very peculiar ideas about the fire that destroyed their home and (possibly) their parents. But when Violet is captured by Olaf and his troupe of horrible actors, it's up to the two remaining orphans to save their brainy sister.

The kids have faced some awful misses in the series before. Yet I think that the horrible fate awaiting Violet in this particular tale is really the worse yet, though. Just a glace at the cover will give you an idea of what faces the pretty fourteen year old. I loved how the mystery of VFD, the Snickets, and Olaf's penchant for fires has started coming to a head. Certainly there are five more Baudelaire stories to be told after this one, but in "Hostile Hospital" you start getting the distinct feeling that Lemony may not be a particularly unbiased author. For genuine edge of your seat thrills, this book is truly exciting. Before my beddy bye I was going to stop reading for the night around page 129 but found that the tale was impossible to put down. I didn't stop reading until 255. I also kept jumping back to my "Unauthorized Autobiography of Lemony Snicket" to try to piece the different clues together that I had found. Very slowly a frightening portrait is emerging. It's delightful.

For any kid that loves either this series or just mysteries in general, "The Hostile Hospital" delivers. Is it miserable? Oh yes, entirely. It's also great reading.

The 8th installment is darker than the previous installments of this series. Close calls for the 3 main characters are quite a close shave indeed in this book that would glue you to this one until you're finished with this one.

The three Baudelaire orphans, Violet (the inventor), Klaus (the intelligent) and Sunny (the biter) are on the run because they are now three most wanted fugitives who are charged with murder of the Count Omar (Olaf by misprint of The Daily Punctilio). They needed shelter where they could hide and hopefully people won't recognised them from the pictures printed on the Daily Punctilio regardless they misnamed them. A chance encounter with the ever so suspicious VFD (this time Volunteers Fighting Diseases), brought them to the Heimlich Hospital because they were on the run from the store keeper who recognized them.

Things took a worse turn (again), when they heard a very familiar voice in the speaker. Count Olaf (the one who are after their entire fortune and would do anything to get it. and i mean ANYTHING!) found them again and this time with a chance they found the files about their parents in the Library of Records, which Count Olaf was looking for. Esme Squalor however found them and Violet got captured when the Baudelaire orphans split up. This time the Baudelaire orphans found themselves a fixed where Violet was about to get kill by Count Olaf's crew!

I have to admit, it took me a while before I actually reach this book and sit down with it. The characters really pull me in with the fast thumping plots. The kids grew up with you in this book. You'd find them in a much mature state, Sunny finally could utter real 1-2 words. There is also the usual vocabulary lessons between the storylines. I pretty much enjoyed reading this installment like the earlier ones. I'm sure the lot of you would too.

Envision yourself always running always afraid and always alert. Well unfortunately for the three Baudelaire children they don't have to because they always are.
The book The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket calls attention to three very important characters. First there's Violet. She is the oldest Baudelaire. She is also an inventor and in my opinion the most caring and considerate 14 year old you'd ever meet. Then there's Klaus. The middle aged Baudelaire. He knows about everything there is to know about. His favorite thing in the world to do is read. And to me he is the smartest 13 year olds there is. And smarter than a lot of 14 year olds too. And last but not least there is Sunny. The youngest. Her specialty is biting. And it may seem like her purpose is of no use but if it weren't for her teeth and courage the Baudelaire children would probably be dead.
In this fantastic but unfortunate book the Baudelaires escape from a vile village and go to a different town where they join a group of very high-spirited people that sing songs to people that are sick in a hospital. The children have a very greedy uncle named Count Olaf who has been trying to steal the enormous fortune they inherited after their parents died I a terrible fire. When they arrive over the intercom system they hear the head of human resources say that they need three people to help in library of records. So they figure it would be perfect. But they were wrong. One night they were working and Olaf's girlfriend came in looking for the Snicket file that they were looking for too. Violet got kidnapped and luckily Klaus and sunny got the last page and escaped. The next day they tried to find Violet. They figured she was somewhere in the hospital. And the head of the singing group had a list of people and they found a name that looked like Violet's. And it was. So they disguised themselves as doctors and went to the operating room. They were going to have to kill Violet. They were going to have to do surgery on her head.
When Klaus and Sunny got to the room where a load of doctors were going to watch and the to children were terrified. So they took Violet out of the room and escaped from the hospital just before it burnt down.
In my opinion The Hostile Hospital is one of the better books I have read but not the best. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a nice good adventure and hates happy little books and fun fantasies.

In the eighth book of the Series of Unfortunate Events, what else can be expected but woe and mystery? Due to some extremely incorrect publishing in a newspaper, the whole world now believes that the Baudelaire orphans are dangerous murders. However, nothing could be further from the truth since Klaus, Violet and Sunny are no less murders than you or me.
Taking refuge in a hospital, the orphans are forced to disguise them selves as V.F.D's (Volunteers Fighting Disease)! Of course, wherever the orphans go, Count Olaf follows and this time he has devised another disastrous scheme.
As I thoroughly enjoyed all the other books in the Series of Unfortunate Events, I enjoyed this book just as much. All of Lemony Snicket's books seem to follow a certain format, orphans find a new home (and when Mr. Poe is there he hardly stays to say hello to the orphan's unfortunate guardian,) Count Olaf makes his stinking appearance, none of the adults can see through Count Olaf's stupid disguise and the Baudelaires are forced to get out of their dilemma on their own.
I hear this book contains ' misleading newspaper headlines, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anaesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about such things, ' as Mr. Snicket so kindly put it.
As well as telling the woeful tale of the Baudelaire orphans, Lemony Snicket slowly is revealing his own life's tale. Such as how his dearly beloved Beatrice died, something horrible that still makes him cry at night about Count Olaf, and something I am dieing to know about, the mysterious Jacques Snicket who was killed in 'The Vile Village'. As well as the mysterious V.F.D, and whether the Baudelaire orphans will ever see the Quagmire triplets again! Perhaps the last book in the series will explain all these loose ends!
I congratulate Lemony Snicket on producing such an intriguing tale when his when life is filled with misery. I recommend this book for all ages- anyone who would find it interesting!

The first seven books of A Series of Unfortunate Events followed the same formula. The Baudelaire Orphans are with the banker Mr. Poe until he can find a new relative willing to care for the siblings. Things go badly and the evil Count Olaf shows up with another nefarious plan to kidnap the children and somehow steal their inheritance. In the end they get away and Olaf is on the run from the authorities. The ending of The Vile Village changes this. The Baudelaires are on the run, suspected of the murder of Count Olaf despite the fact that he isn't dead and that there is no way they could have committed the non-existent crime. The Hostile Hospital opens with the orphans trying to find a place where they can learn about VFD, the Quagmire triplets, and some clue that will help keep them safe and stop Count Olaf from coming after them ever again. This time there is no Mr. Poe and no new distant relative to live with. Count Olaf is in much less of this book than we have come to expect, though he and his cronies play major roles in instigating the action.

Author Lemony Snicket (an assumed name as the author is as much a character in the story as the Baudelaires are) does an excellent job in presenting the story of the Baudelaires experiences at a hospital trying to research in the records room what the truth behind the events of the past several novels and once more running afoul of the minions of Count Olaf and being placed into mortal danger once again. Snicket sets up the next volume very well and tells the story in such a way that the novel flows into the next book while telling an independent story at the same time. The breaking of the formula of the series is a refreshing change and spices up the action quite a bit. The Hostile Hospital is one of the best of the first eight volumes in this series.

-Joe Sherry

Yeah, I know, the title means something along the lines of "I have no idea what's going on" (you'll understand once you read the book), but I couldn't not use that for the title. Pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity is one of the words that the infant Sunny Baudelaire uses to communicate (however, her speech skills are quickly improving).

In what is the best entry yet in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, the three Baudelaires find themselves at Heimlich Hospital. They have been cut off from Mr. Poe, the man charged with placing them in the homes of new guardians, their friends Duncan and Isadora Quagmire are floating in the sky somewhere with Hector from the Village of Fowl Devotees, and they have been framed for the murder of a man everyone thinks to be Count Olaf, but in reality, Olaf is still hot on their trail. Once again, the Baudelaires have pursued the wrong V.F.D., this time they join Volunteers Fighting Disease, which is how they end up at the hospital.

However, just when things seem as if they can't get any worse, a ray of light shines through when Violet, Klaus, and Sunny discover something very interesting in the hospital's Library of Records... However, things go back to their usual unfortunate-ness when Olaf and his associates attempt to perform the world's first cranioectamy on a young girl named Laura V. Bleediotie (think about the name for a second or two), and things keep going from bad to worse as the story goes on.

This is definitely the best book yet, but it is partly due to the fact that this is the most unfortunate outing yet for the Baudelaires (if the levels of sadness and unfortune that they encounter can even be quantified). I can't wait to see what happens to them next at the Carniverouos Carnival...

Lemony Snicket, The Hostile Hospital (Scholastic, 2001)

The Baudelaire orphans continue their adventures, and Lemony Snicket finally abandons, for good, the episodic nature of the early part of the series, in The Hostile Hospital. There's not really much to say about the eighth book in a series, as far as talking about the plot, the characters, and all that other good stuff; if you've made it this far, you know all that (unless you're my daughter, who for some odd reason decided to start with book ten and work her way backward). In this case, however, what's worth talking about is the book itself. Mr. Snicket has taken a rather drear turn over the past couple of books in the series. The tone has gotten considerably darker, and while there are still a number of laugh-out-loud-funny scenes, and the inevitable definitions, things have gotten very grim indeed. The episodic nature of the books ha gone away, as I mentioned before, at the same time, and Sunny's learning to speak, while it's becoming obvious that Mr. Snicket and his beloved Beatrice play much more than an observer's role in things. Are all these facts related? You won't be able to tell by the end of The Hostile Hospital, but I guarantee you, if you're already a fan of the series, you'll be opening the cover of book nine (or putting it on hold) within minutes of finishing this one. Pity the poor souls who read it the second it came out, and found it necessary to wait for the publication of the ninth book. *** ½

A villain, three orphans, an evil plot and a hospital. Sounds like your everyday,happy-go-lucky,children-defeating-the-villain-and-live-happily-ever-after story, right? Wrong. In the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, it's the exact opposite.
The main characters are: Violet,14, a marvelous inventor, Klaus,13, a reseacher and Sunny an infant who has just started walking and likes to bite. They have miserable exerience after miserable experience -- including being arrested and escaping from jail - and are now wanted as murderers. Wandering around, they find their way to Heimlich hospital. Somehow Count Olaf their former guardian and now tormentor finds them. Accompanied by his assistants and all of them in disguise. They're once again trying to get their hands on the Baudelaire fortune. Then the Baudelaires find a secret that might change their lives.
They are about to grab the file on the fires wich killed their parents, destroyed their home and led them to this misfortune when Count Olaf's fashion-slave girlfriend and former guardian of the Baudelaires, Esme Squalor, captures Violet. Will Sunny and Klaus rescue Violet?
The Hostile Hospital is a great book that leaves you hanging at the end of each chapter.The children are bold and adventurous characters.They allways think up solutions for thier problems. The book is extremely suspenseful and mysterious.
You think that one character is good but she turns out evil; you think that the plan is one thing but you turn out wrong. The plot has all these twists and turns -- disguises,evil plots and all. It's a great book!

There are three main characters in the Series of Unfortunate Events. They are Sunny, the youngest Baudelaire, who has extremely sharp teeth for a baby. Claus, the middle Baudelaire, who has read more books in fourteen years than some people in a lifetime. That leaves Violet, the oldest Baudelaire, who has a knack for inventing things.

The book begins when the Baudelaires are falsely accused of murder by their enemy Count Olaf. They hide out with V.F.D.(volenteers fighting disease) They arrive at Heimlech Hospital

where they are assigned a job of ordering files. They find a file on themselves with a photo of their parents who they thought had died in a fire. They spotted a caption stating that one of the Baudelaire parents is indeed still alive. Then one of the Baudelaires is captured by Count Olaf and is about to get their head cut off. After figuring it out, Claus tries to save his sister. Once he saves her, everyone is after him and his sisters. They are blamed for setting the Hospital on fire and they have to escape again. This time they hopped right into the cluches of Count Olaf. What will happen next?

The book takes place almost in the middle of no where in the Heimlich Hospital.

The theme would be that things are not always as they appear.

In the story the Baudelaires are continously accused of things they didnt do. A second theme would be fight for what you believe in.

I loved the story and I just couldnt stop reading it,it is just so alluring.

This is a book about three intelligent kids of the Baudelaire family...Violet,the oldest sibling that loves to invent.Klaus,the middle sibling who loves to read.And my favorite is Sunny, who is a biter.[she is a baby]

This is the eighth book. this time they are accused for murder, but they really didn't kill anyone.So now they are picked up by these loving,singing freaks that take them to this weird hospital and of course Count Olaf is there with some ofhis othervillins in his theater troupe.eventually they get Violet as ahostage, and Klaus and Sunny try to get her and almost succeeded until they got caught wearing white trench coats acting like one of the villans.But, before they were caught, when Count Olaf still thought they were villans they were suppost to cut off Violets head and make it look like an accident, but of course they won't so they take off with Violet in her gurney. [Violet is drugged asleep]And eventually they get away from the bad guys and escaped without being caught or arrested.

This book is not in the u.s.[don't know which country though]

And it is in present time

I really liked this book and reccomend it to anyone who likes exiting and mystery books.I think what I liked the most was how fast the book goes,because I am not a big reader,but I liked these books a lot. A lot of people should read the books because the movies were not good at all and the books have more detail.

Dear Reader,

Unlike previous books in the series, THE HOSTILE HOSPITAL takes place immediately after THE VILE VILLAGE. The three Baudelaire children are all alone walking across a large empty space when the reach The Last Chance General Store. The children had just escaped from V.F.D. the evening before and were now wanted by the police for the murder of Jacques Snicket. Mixed-up and misrepresentations of the deeds were going to appear in the morning edition of THE DAILY PUNCTILIO. Hungry and without another chance in the world, the children enter The Last Chance.

It's too terrible to describe what horrors are inflicted upon them there. Somehow the escape and make their way to the Heimlich Hospital where they join with a group of singing people known as the V.F.D., Volunteers Fighting Disease. It's not the V.F.D. that their parents were members of, but this V.F.D. inadvertently assist the Baudelaire's in finding new information about their parents.

Oh, my. But that was before Violet was captured by Count Olaf, before she was supposed to have her head removed, and before a major fire. Oh, those poor children! I can't write about them anymore at the moment. Read about them yourself.

I think I'll go buy a heart-shaped balloon to make me feel better because my stomach feels queasy.

Sincerely,

Uncle TV

Lemony Snicket wrote a series of book called "A Series of Unfortunate Events." All of them deal with three kids who lost their parents in a fire. Through all of the books an evil man named Count Olaf is chasing them for the diamonds of their fortune. They have to go to a different relative every time Olaf finds them, but Count Olaf some how ends up killing their grudian or disguising himself to be their guardian.

In the eighth book they get on a bus with a group of people that sing to people in hospitals, they are called V.F.D, volunteers fighting disease. All they were trying to do was get away from Count Olaf. Instead they ended up at the Heimlich Hospital. The hospital was half finshed and a very huge one at that. Through the whole book Sunny, Claus, and Violet have an emotional adventure staying in the unfinshed part working in the Library of Records. They find a useful tool that helps them along the way. They come to a very scary point with Violet then Sunny and Claus have to save her. The book is called " The Hostile Hospital". It is from any age between seventh and eighth grade. I recomend this book very much and also the rest of the series. If your a person who likes mystery, horror, and very much emotion I highly recommend this book for you. It does not have any inappropriate language or attitude. It all takes place in the present but sometimes it flashes back to older times.

By:Amy G.

"The Hostile Hospital" by Lemony Snicket is the eighth book in the popular "A Series of Unfortunate Events." Without a doubt, this is the most mysterious, touching, and thought-provoking book. The humor is still quite potent, but the story itself overshadows Snicket's jokes for the first time in the series. Events from Book One ("The Bad Beginning") are starting to be tied up to all the new discoveries that the Baudelaires make in "The Hostile Hospital."

Snicket is a good writer-he knows when to reveal certain things and when to leave others to the imagination. Much like the previous two novels of this series, readers discover a few answers to their inquiries, only to find themselves pondering new questions. This book focuses around Sunny and Klaus trying to save Violet from an unnecessary operation, which for the first time forces the three siblings to question themselves, which leads them to a moral dilemma.

Another quick thing I must add is that I admire how Snicket matures Sunny, the infant, throughout the books. By this book, she knows how to walk and though she often continues to use her strange baby-talk that only her siblings understand, she just as often uses real words and phrases. Bravo, Mr. Snicket.

And that V.F.D. song is damn catchy.

8/10

I liked this book because of the ending. I thought they would never get out of the hospital in time, but they did. If you want to find out what, then read the book.

It's about the three Baudelaire children in their eighth adventure and their worst one yet. Violet (a 14 year old inventor) Baudelaire is the oldest, Klaus (a 13 year old reader) Baudelaire is the middle child and Sunny (a baby who likes to bite hard stuff) Baudelaire is the youngest sibling. They go in a van of Volunteers Fighting Disease, or V.F.D and stay in a hospital. They are called down to the Library of Records and find the Snicket File, that is the 13th page of the Snicket File, and it is a sheet of paper with a picture and a sentence on it, but if you want to know what it says, then read the book.

I think about 11-15 year olds would like to read this book because someone younger wouldn't understand it. But if you have read all the series before you read the eighth book because if you don't, then you won't understand what happened throughout the rest of the series. I am telling you, for the last time, if you like happy endings then put this book down and run far away. This is because it has the worst ending in the series. Just trust me, Lemony Snicket is right about the bad beginning, bad ending and the bad stuff in between.

In another great installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, the Baudelire orphans are trying to escape from Count Olaf and the townspeople of VFD, all of whom believe the children to be murderers. The children happen upon the Last Chance General Store where they have an opportunity to send a telegram to Mr. Poe in the hopes that he will come rescue them. But before they receive an answer, they must flee the general store because they have been discovered. It is then that they meet the Volunteers Fighting Disease who take them to the hostile hospital. At the hospital they come very close to unlocking the secrets behind the fire that killed their parents, but as usual, Count Olaf finds a way to ruin their success. The orphans must again try to save themselves from the Count and his evil helpers.

This is the second book ending in such a way as to really entice the reader to pick up the next one. Instead of Mr. Poe swooping in to save the day, the children must again fend for themselves and use their quick wit and imaginative skills to save themselves. Lemony Snicket continues to impress with a fantastically entertaining way of teaching vocabulary and storytelling. The plot is now racing toward an exciting climax as the Series nears the end.

Continuing onward toward the conclusion of his 13-volume crusade, Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) throws our three unfortunate heroes into a hostile hospital as members of the unrealistically and perpetually optimistic Volunteers Fighting Disease.

Book Number 8's VFD reminds me of many different kinds of people I have found in social circles, politics, education, and even church. They see someone hurting and offer the proverbial heart-shaped balloon. It should fix all the person's worries and pains. These people - despite their good intentions - are totally incapable of hurting with those who hurt and weeping with those who weep. Optimism minus compassion is a very unfortunate event!

Knowing that I have five more books to read before I reach the (better be really awesome) payoff, proves difficult at times. So, I'm glad this one was at least fun to read and didn't lack for any of Lemony's dry wit and situational antics.

I liked this book because it was exciting and scary. I think this book is the best out of all eleven (Series Of Unfortunate Events) books. This series is my favorite because it has something I can relate to it, I have to take care of two siblings most of the time.

I think this book is sad because it seems like they

will never be any thing normal in their life again.

This book of the series starts out to when they

are standing in the middle of no where and the only building for miles was the Last Chance General store where there might be something in there to contact Mr. Poe. When the paper comes, guess who are on the front page the "supposed" Olaf murders. When the storekeeper finds out they are the "supposed" Olaf murderers, they have to run so they join a happy crew called V.F.D (Volunteers Fighting Diseases). Then they are taken to Hemlock Hospital. When they think it can't get any worse, who finds them? Count Olaf and his crew.

I think people who like mystery, horror and comedy would like this book like I did. For people under 10 (like my brother a and sister,) would be a bit scary. If you like villains or heart shaped balloons, this is the book for you ... no matter what Mr.Snicket said.

This book review is about the book The Hostile Hospital, written by Lemony Snicket. Have you ever heard of the dreadful book about the Baudilaires? This book is about three orphan children who run away and get picked by the Volunteer Fighting Disease. The children are trying to run away from an evil man named Count Olaf. He is trying to steal their fortune left by their parents. The children run away to a hospital. They disguise themselves as doctors. They are called in by Count Olaf after he captured the oldest sibling. The other two siblings plot a plan to save their sister. In this novel, you will witness the dreadful adventure of the Baudilaires.
This book is a great book because of the plot. I think it's interesting and clever because it has a never ending adventure of thrilling things. The characters are smart and always think of a way to get out of things when they are in trouble. People would read this book because of the way I think the author writes. He writes in a way to keep readers on the edge of their seat. People who like mysteries would love this book. This book is part of a twelve book series.

In the 8th book,The Hostile Hospital is an extrodinary book that has lots of action and mystery. The only thing the Baudelaire children have left from their friends, the Quaqmires, is a notebook with a page that says V.F.D. What does it mean? When Violet gets into the greedy hands of Count Olaf what is Klaus and Sunny going to do? Is she going to be rescued or stay forever in Count Olafs hands. In this book, Lemony Snicket gives us more information about how the Baudelaire children became orphans. He also hints that they may not be orphans after all. Yet, do not start with this book if you have never read books one through seven first. Lemony Snicket continues to make each book more mysterious then the one before it. I would recommend this book because it gave me a lot of information about the kids but also left me wondering. When the children find a paper related to their family in the hospital records, I thought that they would get the chance to find more family but instead they find the papers gone except for one page (13). This starts them on a new quest but first they must survive Count Olaf who plans to kill Violet and Klaus. To do this they must also figure out the mystery of the fire that was supposed to have killed their parents.

The Hostile Hospital was indeed very different from any other books in the series of unfortuate events. But that doesn't mean that it was bad. For example, Snicket's writing has dramatically changed and he shows it in this book. The beginning was great and really got you hooked. The Helmlich Hospital is very different, it is only half way finished! In this book, the Baudelaires work with Hal who is in charge of The Library of Records. In this book, the Baudelaires find out something very, very, VERY, exciting and important that is in one of the files that is about their parents! Another way this book is different from any other is that the reader really gets to know what the bad guys life is like. One more thing, Esme is back. The ending is what really blew me away. I would tell you what it is but I would really spoil it. Also, One of the Baudelaires is almost killed!! Who is it you will ask, but the only way to find out is to read the book. You never get a direct look at Count Olaf because he is not disguised as a person! Overall, this book will be a very good one to most of you that are reading my review but to me it didn't quite surpass my personal favorites which are The Reptile Room and The Vile Village. HAPPY READING!

A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. This book is about three orphans Sunny, Klaus, and Violet. They are running away from every person in a town. The town is accusing the orphans of this murder they did not do. The story was already put in the papers and soon every one will accuse the of the false murder. the orphans walk for miles away from the town. They soon reach a store and go inside. Minutes later they arebeing chased out because the owner finds out about the false murder. The person that is really after the orphans is count olaf. He is trying to steal the Baudilare fortune which is the orphan's. the orphans son become volunteers for a hospital v.f.d (volunteers.fighting.disease. Cout Olaf finds the orphans and kidnapps them. The part I liked best of the book was when the orphans were in the library of recods and trying t oget the files and escape before Esme comes. the part i didnt like of the book was when Count Olaf catches the orphans. One thing I specificly like is when Sunny trys to speak and says these wierd words.

Believed to have committed a murder, as reported by the oft incorrect Daily Punctilio (punctilio, by the way, has many meanings, but the meaning from the Oxford English Dictonary that I believe Lemony Snicket had in mind when giving the paper its name is, "Strict observance of or insistence upon minutia of action or conduct; petty formality in behavior"), the Baudelaire's are on the run. They are lucky (?) to come across a hospital by way of joining up with a troop of happy-go-luckers who sing ridiculous songs and would rather give sick and dying people a heart shaped balloon than penicillin, call themselves, "Volunteers Fighting Disease". First it was the Village of Fowl Devotees, now we have Volunteers Fighting Disease. More confusion reigns for the Baudelaire's as they try and figure out exactly what the meaning is of coming across multiple VFD's.

Once inside the hospital, they are immediately put to work in the Library of Records, which, for an unfathomable and unexplained reason contains the type of information that should be in a real library, not filing cabinets in a hospital. Their job at first seems tedious, because the filing system is, to be kind, a debacle. Information on turtles might be filed under "T" for turtles, or it might be filed under "S" for reptiles with shells on their back, or perhaps "I" for infuriatingly slow creatures. Or, perhaps "R" for reptiles! Is your mind dizzy? Mine is.

But their work in this library is not for naught. They come across something called The Snicket File, and while the contents have been mostly removed, just enough remains to offer them some unlooked for hope.

Unfortunately - and isn't this a sad descriptor that comes up in most reviews of the Baudelaire's adventures? - tragedy (another sad descriptor) strikes. Violet is captured and is scheduled for a cranioectomy, which really isn't a valid medical procedure. You see, cranio-, in medical terms, refers to the cranium, which is the skull. And -ectomy refers to the removal of an anatomical structure. So a cranioectomy is the removal of a person's skull! This is obviously not a good thing.

It is left to Klaus and Sunny to figure out a means by which to save their sister, and the manner in which they attempt do so is, as appropriate for Snicket, hysterical.

Sadly (there we go with depressing descriptors again), a terrible tragedy befalls the hospital - but an even more terrible tragedy befalls the Baudelaires.

My book is the Hostile Hospital, by Lemony Snicket. I thought this book was an adventure.
This book takes place in a hospital. The way the author lets you know about the characters is by going back to other books, and telling the roles they had. What happens is that after the kids' get away from Village of Fowl Devottes, {where the kids' were framed for murder} they go to the Las Chance General Store. When they get there someone eventually thinks they're murderers. Then the person chases them out of the store, and then the kids end up at the hospital. While they're there, they go to the library of Records. While they're there, one of the kids get kidnapped! Then the other kids have to find their sister. The major conflict is the same thing as what happened in the library of Records. What's interesting about the author's writing style is that whenever there's a big word, he includes what the word means.
I would recommend this book to a person that likes adventure, and hospitals. I liked it because one of the characters had another crazy identity. I would recommend this book. I would rate it with five stars, out of five!

I like this book because it was very interesting. They found out so much about their life just from one picture. It tells how small this world is. It is also very educational for you because you learn a lot about how to work in a hospital and you learn new inventions. This book was different from all the others because in this book they feel like their lives can't get any better.

The story is about three kids who go to a hospital to live. The can live there only if they do paper work all day and fill it. One day they find a file about their life but when they went to look at it the villains that has been chasing them for along time got the file and tried to capture them but he only got the older one. The children save her but the building catches on fire . Their only way to escape is to jump in the back of the villain's car. and get away.

This book is good for a lot of types of readers. It has its good points but some times it can get boring too. If you like a book were everything goes wrong then this is a book for you . This book is one of the best books in the series I think.

The book The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket is a funny and a bit suspenseful book in the Series of Unfortunate Events books. It is about three children whose parents perished in a terrible fire. They are being chased by Count Olaf, ho is only after their enormous fortune. He has chase them all the way to Heimlich Hospital, where he almost catches them. They get away in a very precise way.

The three children's ages are 14, 13, and 3. Violet is 14, tall, and loves to invent things. Klaus 13, wears glasses, and loves to read books. Sunny, the infant, loves to bite things. They all are alike in different way though.

I would suggest anyone to read it, although you might want to read one of the other books first. There are some very exciting parts in this book. Just one of the many exciting parts is when Esme' Squalor chases them around The Library of Records with her stilleto heeled-shoes on. Esme' Squalor is Count Olaf's new girlfriend but you will find that out in one of the other books. It is suitable for all ages and I think anone who is interested should read it.

If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book. In this book, not only is there no
happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle. This is because not very many happy things
happened in the lives of the three Baudelaire youngsters. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire were intelligent children, and they were
charming and resourceful, and had pleasant facial features, but they were extremely unlucky, and most everything that happened to them
was rife with misfortune, misery and despair. I'm sorry to tell you this, but that's how the story goes.
Thus begins Book 1, A Bad Beginning, of Lemony Snicket's immensely popular series of dour children's books, A Series of Unfortunate
Events. Of course, I only know that because I found an excerpt on-line. The rotten little kids in our town have had every installment in the
series checked out of our library every day for the past year. But the other day when the K-Mart one-hour photolab took about four hours, I
picked up and read enough of volume 8, The Hostile Hospital, that I more-or-less had to buy it. So now I see why they're so popular.
You'll often see Lemony Snicket compared to Roald Dahl or Edward Gorey because the books have such an edge of dark humor to them. But
more than anything, they are reminiscent of The Phantom Tollbooth or the works of Lewis Carroll, for the author's great love and witty use of
language. Many of the in-jokes will go over the heads of children, but serve to make the books more appealing to adults--for instance, the
children's names : Klaus and Sunny (as in von Bulow). But the central theme of the book is that it is the children's skills and learning that will
enable them to escape from dire predicaments :
When you read as many books as Klaus Baudelaire, you are going to learn a great deal of information that might not be useful
for a long time. You might read a book that would teach you about the exploration of outer space, even if you do not become
an astronaut until you are eighty years old. You might read a book about how to perform tricks on ice skates, and then not be
forced to perform these tricks for a few weeks. You might read a book on how to have a successful marriage, when the only
woman you will ever love has married someone else and then perished one terrible afternoon. But although Klaus had read books
on outer-space exploration, ice-skating tricks, and good marriage methods, and not yet found much use for this information,
he had learned a great deal of information that was about to become very useful indeed.
It's become commonplace to say that JK Rowling has gotten kids to read again, but the Lemony Snicket books go one step farther and
encourage kids to read, to learn, to expand their vocabularies, to value knowledge and use it to solve problems.
Add to this the fact that the books are packaged beautifully--they even feel good in your hands--with excellent illustrations by Brett Helquist,
and you've got a series that belongs on every kid's bookshelf. Although, if the local library's any indicator, they'll never actually be there when
you are looking for them.
GRADE : A (for this installment, A+ for the series)

A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. This book is about three orphans Sunny, Klaus, and Violet. They are running away from every person in a town. The town is accusing the orphans of this murder they did not do. The story was already put in the papers and soon every one will accuse the of the false murder. the orphans walk for miles away from the town. They soon reach a store and go inside. Minutes later they arebeing chased out because the owner finds out about the false murder. The person that is really after the orphans is count olaf. He is trying to steal the Baudilare fortune which is the orphan's. the orphans son become volunteers for a hospital v.f.d (volunteers.fighting.disease. Cout Olaf finds the orphans and kidnapps them. The part I liked best of the book was when the orphans were in the library of recods and trying t oget the files and escape before Esme comes. the part i didnt like of the book was when Count Olaf catches the orphans. One thing I specificly like is when Sunny trys to speak and says these wierd words.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. This book is about three orphans Sunny, Klaus, and Violet. They are running away from every person in a town. The town is accusing the orphans of this murder they did not do. The story was already put in the papers and soon every one will accuse the of the false murder. the orphans walk for miles away from the town. They soon reach a store and go inside. Minutes later they arebeing chased out because the owner finds out about the false murder. The person that is really after the orphans is count olaf. He is trying to steal the Baudilare fortune which is the orphan's. the orphans son become volunteers for a hospital v.f.d (volunteers.fighting.disease. Cout Olaf finds the orphans and kidnapps them. The part I liked best of the book was when the orphans were in the library of recods and trying t oget the files and escape before Esme comes. the part i didnt like of the book was when Count Olaf catches the orphans. One thing I specificly like is when Sunny trys to speak and says these wierd words.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. This book is about three orphans Sunny, Klaus, and Violet. They are running away from every person in a town. The town is accusing the orphans of this murder they did not do. The story was already put in the papers and soon every one will accuse the of the false murder. the orphans walk for miles away from the town. They soon reach a store and go inside. Minutes later they arebeing chased out because the owner finds out about the false murder. The person that is really after the orphans is count olaf. He is trying to steal the Baudilare fortune which is the orphan's. the orphans son become volunteers for a hospital v.f.d (volunteers.fighting.disease. Cout Olaf finds the orphans and kidnapps them. The part I liked best of the book was when the orphans were in the library of recods and trying t oget the files and escape before Esme comes. the part i didnt like of the book was when Count Olaf catches the orphans. One thing I specificly like is when Sunny trys to speak and says these wierd words.

The "Series of Unfortunate Events" grows darker with each installment. No longer do the three Baudelaire orphans depend on Mr. Poe, the confused banker, to find them a home. They now rely completely on themselves.
The Hostile Hospital follows the same outline as the previous entries in the series. A far-fetched and unbelievable plot is leavened by a huge helping of dark, outlandish humor. Once again Snicket (Daniel Handler) provides a few treats for adult readers as well, including more than his usual complement of literary references.
In this episode the Baudelaires, running from both Count Olaf and the law, volunteer at Heimlich Hospital, to continue their search for the meaning of V.F.D. Needless to say, Count Olaf appears, ready to stop them in their tracks. The rest of the tale involves falling fire cabinets, head amputation, and fires.
The entire series is really just one big joke, and each episode provides wonderful, bit-size entertainment. However, if these installments were 50 pages longer, the joke might wear thin.

I came to the Series of Unfortunate Events after reading a review of the first three books; they sounded weird, light but strange. Even a friend referred to them as "Harry Potter goes to hell" regarding their style.
By the time I got to reading the first one, there were 5 out in the series; I read the first, then the second, and before I knew it was done with all five. I couldn't remember the last time I had laughed so hard - or out loud - before reading about the unfortunate lives of the Beaudelaire orphans.
I have read them all, and just finished "The Hostile Hospital" and it is one of the best in the series. After going through pure heck with the crow fanatics loonies in "The Vile Village" (another good read), Violet and Klaus and Sunny find themselves hiding out of sheer desperation in the Records department of a nearby hospital whose construction is only half-completed. This time around, they find Count Olaf before Olaf finds them, but soon enough that is turned around and Klaus and Sunny are desperately searching for their captive sister Violet before Olaf and his cronies can perform brain surgery on the helpless sibling . . .
Several elements make this near-perfect book such a great addition to the series: first, we as readers get the best hints yet as to the ties between the Beaudelaires, the author Lemony Snicket, and the mysterious Beatrice that the author so dearly loves. While the hints are only a tease of soooooooo much more to come, they keep your adrenaline flowing and your interest peaked as much as any Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book did when you were a kid - VERY suspenseful! Secondly, and more remarkably, the orphans have gone from put-upon victims to characters you really care about -- by about book #6 (this is book #8 here), you have stopped chuckling at all the bad luck dealt to these kids, and really begin rooting for them to come out of their unfortunate events alive and well. Third, the cliffhanger ending of this book makes you ACHE for #9, which won't be out until July!! What an ending!!
It Edward Gorey had written books and illustrated them, it would be these. If you would enjoy a macabre sense of humor, laugh-out loud wordplay and sight gags, and some of the daffiest characters and situations ever created in literature -- along with suspense and characterization that sneaks up on you until you are rooting for the good guys -- then read this series IN ORDER for some of the best reading you'll get for some time. Note: these books are quick reads, but still give yourself time; when you finish one, you'll want to start the next immediately!

'The Hostile Hospital' remarkably has a darker tone to the the other books in the series, which is no surprise to me. Wanted by authorities for murder, even though the Baudelaires never killed Mr. Jacques Snicket and I suspect Olaf did, the Baudelaires drag their way to a 'Last Chance' General Store to make a telegram to Mr. Poe. Of course Mr. Poe never returns the message and the Baudelaires have to escape and run away from a very angry shopkeeper and into a bus of very happy people who sing to fight disease or something. This group of very happy people stop at Heimlich Hospital where Violet, Klaus and Sunny offer to work with Hal, a person with not very good vision, to maintain more facts about V.F.D. Heimlich, is a hospital half-built and the Baudelaires sleep in the half-built part of the hospital. Klaus picks out a file that reads there may be a survivor from the fire. Are the Baudelaires really orphans. And have one of their parents survived that terrible fire. More and more questions pile on in this series.

Suddenly, a new person is in charge of Heimlich Hospital. A person named Matthias. Matthias of course is Count Olaf. Even though Matthias is hardly seen throughout the book, his creepy, cold, spine-tingling voice over the speaker is felt by the Baudelaires and they know there will be unfortunate events to behold throughout their stay at Heimlich Hospital. Klaus and Sunny even know that the odd disapearance of their sister is a strange one and they have to rescue her and fast before the certain operation. Klau's only weapon is time-stalling and it is very helpful for saving Violet's life. A certain operation of cutting off the head, which I can't remember the name is scary and I would not recommend it for children below eight years old. Klaus is inventive, for not disguising him and his little sister Sunny as doctors but using the alphabet soup in finding where Violet would undergo the hectic surgery. Violet is also inventive towards the end of the book as she normaly is.

Certain members of Olaf's troupe die and it is not suitable, again for children below eight years of age. The big fat person who looks like neither a man nor a woman dies in a horrible fire that destroys Heimlich Hospital. More information about V.F.D is found and Esme is as stylish as ever. This book is a lot predictable in my mind. It is one of those books that seem predictable and to others it does seem quite unpredictable. The feeling of holding a sharp, powerful, rusty, lethal, murderous knife in an operation does feel a bit queasy and I could feel what Klaus was thinking. Especially against your sister. Luckily, Violet escapes certain uneccesary surgery and this wonderful action packed book, or should I say wonderful action packed series continues as the Baudelaires escape into Olaf's bullet-ridden trunk with the rest of the associates and Olaf at the front blabbering. It is great and I recommend you buy this book. It luckily beats The Miserable Mill.

Again another great book. Lemony Snicket mixes it with suspense and mystery as well as entertainment. It is a lot darker, which you should bear in mind, but it excellent overall.

I liked this book because of the ending. I thought they would never get out of the hospital in time, but they did. If you want to find out what, then read the book.

It's about the three Baudelaire children in their eighth adventure and their worst one yet. Violet (a 14 year old inventor) Baudelaire is the oldest, Klaus (a 13 year old reader) Baudelaire is the middle child and Sunny (a baby who likes to bite hard stuff) Baudelaire is the youngest sibling. They go in a van of Volunteers Fighting Disease, or V.F.D and stay in a hospital. They are called down to the Library of Records and find the Snicket File, that is the 13th page of the Snicket File, and it is a sheet of paper with a picture and a sentence on it, but if you want to know what it says, then read the book.

I think about 11-15 year olds would like to read this book because someone younger wouldn't understand it. But if you have read all the series before you read the eighth book because if you don't, then you won't understand what happened throughout the rest of the series. I am telling you, for the last time, if you like happy endings then put this book down and run far away. This is because it has the worst ending in the series. Just trust me, Lemony Snicket is right about the bad beginning, bad ending and the bad stuff in between.

Lemony Snicket has a knack for writing great books, and I hate to say that this one wasn't one of them. The book wasn't bad, it just wasn't really good either. After the great ending to the vile village there should have been a better book.

The cons:

The volunteers fighting disease were annoying and could have been in the story without being hippies. They sing the same song over and over again and after the fifth time the funniness begins to where off.

Why is a library of records in a hospital again? What does one have to do with the other? I'm fine with having it that way but Snicket should have made more sense of it. He could have made the library top secret and the hospital could have been like a fake reason for the library to be there. You know like a cover up so people wouldn't get suspicious, instead of a hospital with a library in its basement filled with any information you want. He could have had it make more sense.

It wasn't as interesting as the others just because it was it didn't have as much going on. Kinda hard to explain, but it just didn't have what the other ones had.

The pros:

The part when they went to last chance general store was really cool, even though it only took up the first chapter. It really made you feel sad for the children and made you wonder what they were going to do. What they ended up doing was going to a crazy half-finished hospital in the middle of the desert with a libary underneath it, with crazy singing people and surgical theater. I think this story was just so over the top crazy that it wasn't as good.

I loved how there was a return of Dr. Flacatono and Dr. Lucafont, along with the white faced woman and the heshe. The previous 6 books only had one of Olaf's workers per book so it seemed really scary that the children were so outnumbered.

This book is nessary to read because it wouldn't make sense if you skipped it, however it's not the best book in the series.

These books are definitely repetitive in the way they are written. You still don't know what the real V.F.D. is, which is getting a little annoying because we readers have been wanting to know that answer for the past 3 books or so. I also want to know what is in the 13 pages of the Snicket fires file. I want to know what the eye tattoos on the left ankle of Jacques Snicket, Count Olaf, and Lemony Snicket have in common. We also know that Jacques and Lemony knew the Baudelaire parents due to the page 13 photograph. I thought it was a good ending with the Baudelaire's in the trunk of Olaf's van or car because Olaf is looking for the Baudelaires and their just in the trunk, and the Baudelaires are trying to stay away from Olaf, but need to be close to him in order to find out what the file says.

Hopefully the series will get more interesting.

After reading _The Vile Village_, I was a bit concerned that Snicket had lost his touch, and was becoming formulaic in his writing. Then along comes _The Hostile Hospital_, renewing my faith in the author and the series.

WOW! This is the best book since the second in the series. There is a notably darker tone here, as the Baudelaire orphans are accused of murder, and are forced to hide out. More tantalizing clues are left regarding not only the Beaudelaires, but also the mysterious Mr. Snicket himself. Characters from previous novels reappear, tightening the "bigger picture" of the series. As if this was not enough to pull readers back, there is a cliff-hanger ending.

If you have been reading the series this far, your efforts for sticking with the Baudelaires will be richly rewarded with this installment. Highly recommended.

An enjoyable, if not creepy, addition to the series! The villains are getting more icky and the Baudelaires are getting a little villain-like themselves! With the chance that they may in fact get a happy ending, ONTO THE NEXT ONE! (Also...that ending though :-0 )

Hostile Hospital

by Lemony Snicket

The book I read was the Hostile Hospitalit is one of the Series of Unfortuate Events by Lemony Snicket. Its's about three kids Violet,Klaus, and Sunny Bauldarile. It starts off when they are in the middle of nowhere and all of sudden they find a store . Then the three Bauldarile's go in and are accused of killing Count Olaf. Then the three kids escape from the store with a Group called V.F.D.. They drive them to a Hospital. So they get there and go inside and then after a while crazy stuff happens like people start to die.

I liked this book because it kept me reading and reading. It was sort of an easy book. Some parts leave you hanging. This book is good if you like reading reading short and long books.

This mysterious book's name is A Series Of Unfortunate Events The Hostile Hospital by: Lemony Snicket. I would have no clue where this book takes place but I do know that it is in a wonderous place where nobody has gone and never will go. The main characters are the Baudelaire orphans, Klaus,Sunny, and the oldest Violet. The story is about these three orphans who get adopted by Count Olaf, and they have to work for them while he enjoys the money their parents left behind. This book is told by Lemony Snicket. Don't ask me who and how he knows this because it is a mystery to me. The theme of the book is sticking together and using each one of their special talents and abilities while they try to crack the code of the mysterious Baudelaire house............MY LIPS ARE SEALED!

" 'We're not leaving anyone behind,' Klaus said firmly,'That's what makes us different from Olaf.' " Once again fans are treated to an odd sort of family values authored by the mysterious Lemony Snicket. The three siblings are accused of murder and on the run from the foul and impolite Count Olaf and Olaf's girlfriend, Esme Squalor, among other evil henchfolks. In this volume the children make their way to the Heimlich Hospital, where they land a "volunteer" job in the Library of Records. What clues will they find? And what sinister plans exist in the filthy minds of Count Olaf, Esme, and reporters from The Daily Punctilio? This book gives us a few tantalizing clues, and the narrator, Snicket, continues to reveal himself in his usual manner. Fans of the series will applaud, and those who hate the series will continue to hate it, but I cannot wait to start on the next volume!

The Baudelaires, tired cross the vast barren lands, trying to make as much pace between the police and the raging citizens of VFD.Being accused of murder and crime, the unlucky orphans end up in a van with an organisation called VFD!The very helpful doctors.They end up at a hospital where the organisation give each patient a heart shaped balloon, which to them is the symbol of recovery.The Baudelaires take a job at the hospital filings and find themselves head to head with the evil and wealthy Esme Squallor, the sixth most succesful financial advisor in the city.I loved this fabulous book, especially when Count Olaf gets into the picture and picks out darling Violet, for his torture chamber.Get ready for no hospitality at the hostile hospital!

If you ever wanted to read a happy, joyful fairytale book, I am sorry to tell you that this is not the one. In fact this may be the most sad , unfortunate, scary and terrifying book you may ever encounter. If this is your kind of book you will need to know a couple of things...P>I think that this book is very well written and is one of the best books I've ever read. It's scary, sad, unfortunate and suspenseful and has a great plot. The only thing I don't like about it is that at the beginning the author says that this story is very sad so you shouldn't read it. I don't think this is a great way of starting a good book. Over all this is a great book and I highly recommend it. For a rating I would give it 4 stars for children 9 to 13.

The eighth entry in the outstanding "Unfortunate Events" series is a notch below the others. The plot is good and moves along quickly. The orphans find themselves in the middle of nowhere after the hot air balloon that they used to escape From Count Olaf is deflated. They also find themselves wanted by authorities for the murder of Jacques Snicket. They spend the remainder of the book trying to allude the authorities and solve the ongoing mystery of Jacques Snicket and VFD. The descriptions of the half-finished hospital where they volunteer and the over-stuffed general store are the type of classic creativity we expect from this series. Unfortunately, the orphans are on their own this time and are not sent to live with a guardian, which detracted from the book for me. Fortunately, Lemony Snicket has promised that there will be 13 books in this series and I am eagerly awaiting #9.

The Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire saga continues in "The Hostile Hospital." After escaping from the town of V.F.D. in order to avoid being burnt at the stake, the siblings go to work at a hospital, where Count Olaf finds them almost immediately and plans to kill them. He is wrongfully believed dead by most, due to Olaf's horrid scheme involving Jacques Snicket and deception pointing to the Baudelaires.
This eighth installment in the "Series of Unfortunate Events" is probably the very best of all. It reveals new, intriguing information about the fire at the Baudelaire mansion, and links to the siblings' past. Sunny, Violet, and Klaus encounter more danger in this book than in any other, and certainly the reader is gripped by the book. It is impossible to put it down until you have read the final page, which leaves the reader hanging, wanting nothing but to read Book 9, "The Carnivorous Carnival."
This is a children's book, but I'm 17 and have read every single one of the Lemony Snicket books so far. I was into them even before they became so popular. They are wonderful books with a quality of "solve-it-yourself" combined with a sense of adventure and foreboding. It doesn't matter what your age is; you'll fall instantly in love with the three siblings and their friends, Isadora and Duncan Quagmire (lol at names!). One word of advice: if you haven't read any of the books yet, START AT THE BEGINNING. Otherwise, almost nothing will make sense, and the most interesting parts (like Beatrice) will be incomprehensible and impossible to piece together.

Oh my goodness. The craziness in the one is amazing!

My favorite lines:
"After all, a cheerful attitude is the most effective tool against sickness."
"I thought antibiotics were," Klaus said.
"Echinacea!" Sunny said. She meant "Or well-tested herbal remedies...

Just another week for the Baudelaires. Looking for the Quagmires, looking for survivors of the house fire, staying away from Count Olaf, these kids get no breaks! I didn't like the squalor they had to deal with in this book, sleeping in the cold with no food.

this book is excelent! it's a little different from the others, they don't have a guardian! my brother started reading these books and i got hooked. the way lemony snicket (what's his real name anyway?) writes makes you keep reading, and wanting to keep reading. you feel so sorry for those three baudelaire children. i love how sunny bites everything. more mysteries are unlocked and locked in this book, leaving you asking questions till the end, and longer. i can't wait to read the 9th book. i sarted reading the unauthorized autobiography, and it makes everything fuzzy-er, and unfuzzy, but throughly interesting. this book is deffinately worth your money. that's why i gave it 5 stars!

I got into the Unfortunate Events books nearly two years ago because I was looking for something to tide me over until the 5th Harry Potter book came out. I was not disappointed! The books are quick and easy reads, and I can read them over and over again and not get bored.

In this book, the orphans seem closer to the mystery of V.F.D and the mysterious circumstances surrounding their parents' deaths. Here, V.F.D. stands for Volunteers Fighting Disease, a group that goes around Heimlich Hospital attempting to cheer up the patients. The Baudelaires are assigned to work in the Library of Records, and it is there they find some startling evidence, and it seems that things are looking up. Alas, Count Olaf makes his appearance, along with his henchpeople. The Baudelaires must stop him or face tragic consequences, a phrase which here means a violent near-death.

Lemony Snicket's books are good for young readers because he uses a broad vocabulary and explains it so they can understand. Readers will learn words they probably haven't heard before, used in interesting ways. I thoroughly enjoy this series and recommend it to all ages.