On all other nights, the train departs from Stain’d Station and travels to the city without stopping. But not tonight. You might ask, why is this night different from all other nights? But that’s the wrong question. Instead ask, where is this all heading? And what happens at the end of the line? The final book in Lemony Snicket’s bestselling series, All The Wrong Questions. – Goodreads

One day I decided to go through my TBR pile on Goodreads but start from the bottom up. I realized that there were a lot of books I wanted to read but between adding new books, I just didn’t get around to it.

Why is This Night Different from All Other Nights? is a prime example. I read the first three books when I first started this blog (geeze four years now) and didn’t realize I never finished it. So I am extremely happy to be able to say I have completed this series.

Everything and everybody in Stain’d-by-the-sea comes together to finally end the destruction of an evil villain. It was nice to see this because through out the series something near terrible happens to each and everyone of them, so their survival meant a lot.

But here is what I concluded and what I think Snicket is saying. Children think they know better than adults and given the opportunity will mess things up. *shrugs* that is literally the whole premise of the story. The protagonist Snicket (yes the author name the character after himself), from the beginning of the book to end is trying to solve one mystery but ends up disregarding that for another mystery.

In this process, his sister gets captured and nothing in me actually believes he cares. I say this because he does nothing to save her. Her capture is his fault and it is only mentioned twice and its usually “I wonder how my sister is doing. . . oh shinny object.”

This particular book had a lot of twists that I strongly believe a middle school child would love. Not everything is what it seems and I also think Snicket, the author, indirectly is saying to trust an adult. I say this because at the very end, there are things explained that Snicket (the character) didn’t know and it is summed up to him not asking the right questions.

I don’t exactly know I feel about the subliminal messaging in this book. But for me, they were extremely clear and red flags. Not in the sense that there is something wrong but in the sense that why those particular messages. It makes you wonder.

I loved the pace of the novel and the overall series. There wasn’t anything more I wanted; it provided enough mystery that I was content. Not only do I love the covers but I would suggestion this read to a middle school reader.

Overall,

3 Pickles for Why is This Night Different from All Other Nights?

4 Pickles for the All the Wrong Questions series