The Hostile Hospital by: Lemony Snicket

Genre: Children's Literature

Setting: A fictional hospital.

First Sentence:  There are two reasons why a writer would end a sentence with the word "stop" written entirely in capital letters STOP.

This novel is the eighth book in the author's thirteen book series entitled "A Series of Unfortunate Events."

The Baudelaire children are orphans with a large fortune.  They will inherit the fortune when the eldest daughter, Violet, comes of age.  Until that time the orphan's fortune is managed by Mr. Poe.  Mr. Poe's poor judgment is usually to blame for placing the Baudelaire orphans in dangerous and inappropriate circumstances.

But this time they are on their own.

The Baudelaires came to be at the Heimlich Hospital because they were escaping from the VFD villagers.  The villagers wanted to charge the orphans with murder and burn them at the stake.

The children ran out into the hot dusty landscape until they found the Last Chance General Store.  There they met with a cheerful group of volunteers who were headed for the hospital.

At the hospital the orphans find shelter and employment.  Their job is to help organize the Library of Records.  The orphans have learned that the library may have a file which contains important information about their parents.  It seems that there is a possibility that one of their parents may have survived the conflagration which destroyed their home.

Of course the evil Count Olaf arrives to harass the orphans.

In one dramatic scene, Klaus and Sunny must perform a cranioectomy on Violet. (Sounds dangerous!)

Can Violet invent a way for the children to escape?
Can Klaus remember some helpful information from a book he once read?
Can Sunny use her sharp teeth to chew their way to safety?

In the end, the orphans are in extreme danger.  And I am on to the next book.