The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4) (original 2000; edition 2000)

SUMMARY - The Miserable Mill is the fourth book in the series of unfortunate events. In the miserable mill, the Baudelaire orphans go to live in a lumber mill run by a smoking man named sir. In the lumber mill the orphans are made to work non-stop all day, but at least count Olaf is nowhere to be found. In town the Baudelaire orphans find an optometrist office shaped like an eye watching the Baudelaire's. The work is cruel, but at least Olaf isn't haunting them until... one day the foreman steps on Klaus's glasses and sends him to the optometrist. Klaus does not get back until late and then he is hypnotized. The Baudelaire's are confused, but don't worry to much about it. Then one day it happened again, and the Baudelaire's discover that Olaf was dressed as a receptionist at the optometry office and Klaus is hypnotized again, but this time Olaf uses him to try and kill a kind man named Charles. The Baudelaire girls found out a word that controls Klaus and escaped with Charles. Unfortunately Count Olaf escapes, again. ( )

This a sad but very good book. It has misfortune and evil in it. ( )

13 volumes about the misfortunes of the Baudelaire children and their wicked Uncle Olaf. Totally crazy and great fun to read ( )

This book has the Baudelaire orphans working like dogs. At a lumber mill. Even thought this is very unfit for them they can still be their smart, persistent, selves and work on an amazing way to try and stop Olaf. ( )

http://booknutreview.blogspot.com/2011/02/miserable-mill-lemony-snicket.html ( )

This book was one of the more boring books in the series "A series of Unfortunate Events." I recommend this to children who like these books. ( )

I'm only half way through this book and its one of the best books ive ever read! ( )

Surkeiden sattumusten neljännessä osassa Baudelairen lapset joutuvat kitsaan tehtaan pomon huostaan. Eikä Kreivi Olaf ole nytkään kaukana.

Neljännestä osasta minulla ei ollut mitään ennakko-odotuksia, koska elokuva kattoi vain sarjan kolme ensimmäistä kirjaa. Alan jo tottua kirjailijan tyyliin ja jopa jollain tasolla pitää siitä. Se tuo kirjoille tietyn sävyn.

Pidin. Olisin mielelläni lukenut heti lisääkin, mutta valitettavasti olin varannut reissuun liian vähän lukemista. ( )

In the fourth book of the series, the Baudelaire orphans are ordered to work at the Luck Smells Lumbermill in Paltryville, a dark and gloomy place that none of the children likes very much at all. It was very interesting and quite amusing to see the way Count Olaf disguised himself this time around. The book has many interesting and unusual parts (in a good way), including Klaus being hypnotised, a man with smoke for his head, and a dentis who isn't what she seems. A great addition to the series. ( )

Another fine episode in the lives of the three Baudelaire orphans. Here they are put to work at the Lucky Smells Lumber Mill, a dangerous environment where workers are paid only in coupons and given a stick of gum for lunch. The evil Count Olaf makes his appearance with another diabolical plan to steal their fortune -- I won't say under what guise, as not to give away the plot. And once again, the children are thrown on their own resources, due to the obtuseness and foolishness of the adults. Fortunately, the children (mistaken as "midgets" by the foreman at the lumber mill) escape a terrible fate by their own cleverness, and live to make it to the next book in the series.

Like others in the Series of Unfortunate Events this book has its moments. My favorite was Lemony Snickett's aside that the phrase "quiet as mice" is actually more appropriately stated "quiet as mimes". People who are acting quiet as mice squeak and run around a lot, whereas mimes, embarassing and annoying as they may be, are much more quiet. Aw, just read the book. ( )

Brilliantly exaggerated fourth episode in this formulaic series in which the idiosyncratic definition of a few words is the heart of each book. Darkly ironic, this installment does not live up to its predecessors but it still worth reading as part of a delicious canon. ( )

The siblings go live at a mill where they work all day and get a piece of gum for lunch

The Miserable Mill is the fourth book in the Baudelaire orphans' saga, and in this adventure the children find themselves slaving away at a mill owned by their new guardian, who goes simply by "the Boss." The Lucky Smells Lumbermill is not a lucky place by any stretch of the imagination. The workers are paid in coupons rather than money, and all they get for lunch is a piece of chewing gum. And Sunny is too young to even have chewing gum yet!

Once again the children are pitted against the adults and barely escape the clutches of the evil Count Olaf. Once again we have a well-meaning but obtuse character who does not give the children the help they need — two of them, actually. There is Phil, the optimist who is so optimistic that he cheerfully says he's right-legged when his left leg is injured at the mill; and Charles, who is technically the Boss' partner but operates more like his servant. Why are adults so constantly and hopelessly stupid in these stories?

This book was enjoyable, but a little ho-hum. How many times can Count Olaf show up in disguise and still make for an interesting story? That device is wearing a little thin. One thing that did make me perk up a bit was the hint dropped about Beatrice's death. So it had something to do with Olaf and the Evil Eye, hmm? Interesting... ( )

Lemony Snicket has a way with words, especially big, complicated words that may be difficult for some children to understand, so he breaks them down and defines them, though, he doesn't always define them correctly. Nevertheless, the humor of his definitions prevail.

The Miserable Mill, the fourth book of A Series of Unfortunate Events, is also the first book not made into a movie. If you are familiar at all with A Series of Unfortunate Events, you will no doubt know of the Baudelaire orphans: Violet, the inventor; Klaus, the reader; and Sunny, the biter. You will also most certainly know about the bumbling banker, Mr. Poe, who always seems to send the orphans to their doom, and Count Olaf, their doom.

In this volume, the orphans are sent to the Lucky Smells Lumber Mill, and put to work turning logs into planks, receiving nothing for lunch but chewing gum, and getting no pay other than coupons. Their guardian, Sir, seems to think that it is a pretty good deal for the orphans, to have such a horrible existence at his mill, though his partner, Charles, is a little more understanding.

It's only after Klaus breaks his glasses and has to go to an optometrist in an eye-shaped building that the orphans begin to see things a bit more clearly, such as the optometrist's receptionist is a little too mannish and Count Olaf-y to be named Shirley.

The orphans must outwit the count and talk sense to the rest of the adults before Sir hands them over to Shirley.

If you do so enjoy the Lemony Snicket works, I would definitely recommend reading this and the rest of the Unfortunate books. Otherwise, if you're into independent reader fiction, and are looking for something entertaining, that can appeal to both children and adults alike, you might also enjoy this series. ( )

'The Miserable Mill' is book four in the popular series, A Series of Unfortunate Events. In this book, the Baudelaire children are brought to the Lucky Smells Lumber Mill, where they are forced to work in a dangerous lumber mill for coupons that they can't use. They are fed a stick of gum for lunch and a lumpy casserole for dinner. Things are pretty bad, but there is no sign of Count Olaf. They are very nervous, because all over the town there seems to be signs of him. Are they just paranoid, or is there something to their concerns? I really enjoyed 'The Miserable Mill'. It is book 4 in a series of 13. Ages 9 and up.
reviewed by Lydia Twombly-Hussey

Life just keeps getting worse for the Baudelaires, following the tragic death of Aunt Josephine, they are sent to live with Sir, no one can pronounce his real name. Sir puts them to work in his lumber mill, where he promises to keep them safe from Count Olaf. Of course he can't and terrible things happen. ( )

More of the same. I feel like I'm starting to get a little bogged down in them, so I think that after I finish the next one, I'm going to start alternating them with some other audio books. I think I'm coming down with Baudelaire overload. ( )

This is the 4th book in the Series of Unfortunate Events chronicling the misadventures of the Baudelaire children. Now Mr. Poe has found a businessman that is willing to 'protect' them from Count Olaf. The Baudelaire's get to work at the lumber mill in exchange for protection. Interesting things ensue.

Another great chapter in the lives of the Baudelaires. The books just keep getting better and better, or do I mean worse and worse. Totally awful books to read, highly recommended! ( )

I didn't start reading this series until after I had seen the movie so I didn't enjoy parts 2 and 3 quite as much. This book is a bridge to a new path for the series. It is also funnier and more entertaining than book the second and third. (Perhaps seeing the movies spoiled those for me.) ( )

This episode of the series has the most entertaining plot so far, however, I am beginning to tire of Snicket's defining of words within the story. Where at the beginning of the series, he appeared to be giving near-dictionary definitions, his adherence to this has deteriorated to where he is using the events of the book to define the word. For example: …the words “grotesque” and “unnerving” here mean “twisted, tangled, stained and gory.” Which they do not, always. ( )

The fourth in the series of the miserable lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire finds them working in a lumber mill for a nameless relative with a head of smoke. There's a lot of amusing fantastical elements to this book with Sunny debarking logs with her teeth, payment only in gum, and an evil optometrist. Plus, you almost think that Count Olaf won't appear in this book (actually it would be interesting if they had another villain to contend with once and again). The next edition they are sent to boarding school rather than to a relatives, so that should make an interesting change in the story ( )

If the fourth of the Unfortunate Events Series the Baudelaire orphans once again find themselves in a new home. Now, they are living at the Lucky Smells Lumbermill under the care of a man named, "Sir." The children are forced to work at the mill in exchange for the payment of coupons. The orphans existence at the mill doesn't last for long when their good friend, Count Olaf appears again. Violet and Klaus have the chance to switch roles in order to save Sunny and themselves; and they each develop a deeper appreciation for the other's gifts. (Klaus' reading and Violet's inventiveness) Another great adventure by Lemony Snicket! ( )

This book seemed very much like a placeholder for me. It's a transition book, not as enjoyable as the others, but necessary to keep the plot moving at the proper pace. ( )

Loved it. :D ( )