3.5 
 I really enjoy the Author's writing, whether it is as Lemony Snicket or Daniel Handler, but at least in this particular series it has been getting a little repetitive - it is the exact same storyline in every book. I know that there's a mane plot, obviously, but each book so far has followed the same formula: 
 Orphan kids 
 + Bad Guardian 
 + Count Olaf 
 + Underestimated kids 
 ------------------------- 
 = Bad & frustrating situation. Always. 
 It is the exact same thing over and over - the only change is the setting and the guardians, which seems to be getting worse with each book. 
 This book was particularly frustrating, I mean, there's the fact that the past 3 books where also frustrating so it's like frustration (x3), but this time everything was just worse. Their living conditions where horrible, the kids barely ate, the adults were useless (as usual) and their guardian was a dick ( a headless dick. That's an inside joke. must read book to understand. And no, he's not headless. You just can't see his head. Yep.) 
 It can be hard to see the kids be so alone and underestimated. No one believes in them or pays attention to them and you as a reader feel protective of them but helpless. So kudos to Snicket for making me feel the feelings. Not that many kudos for making me feel like I'm reading the same book over and over with different side characters. 
 I'm excited for book 5 though, it takes place in a boarding school, so I feel like it will be a cool change of scenery and there should be new and much more interesting side characters - Hopefully. 
 I'm being optimistic here - it's all thanks to Phil (yeah, must read the book for that one too.)