Beginning with The Slippery Slope, these books seem to be more involved than the previous couple in the series. As with The Slippery Slope, more character development, more twists and turns, and I learned a lot about the water cycle. Mr Snicket would likely suggest that I read Melville or Browning or even Edgar Guest rather than finish out the chronicle of the Baudelaire orphans, but I'm going to take my chances and read on.