“Before you consider reading “Who Could That Be at This Hour”, ask yourself these questions:
- 1. Are you curious about what is happening in a seaside town that is no longer by the sea?
- 2. Do you want to know more about a stolen item that wasn’t stolen at all?
- 3. Do you really think that’s any of your business? Why? What kind of person are you? Are you sure?
- 4. Who is that standing behind you?”
Encyclopedias, classic novels, math workbooks, biographies, and a few fictionish fiction novels… these books fill my bookshelf. One day, I was cleaning up my room, I spotted a book that I had not seen. What drew my attention was the cover of the book. It was very cartoonish and said “Lemony Snicket” in huge bold letters. Judging by its cover I thought that it was some sort of graphic novel, but didn’t look like it looking at the thickness of the book. My hands automatically opened the book full of curiosity. I started reading the first page, then another, then another. By the time I finished the first two chapters, I couldn’t stop flipping the pages.
This book takes off with the main character, Lemony Snicket receiving a note from his chaperone, S. Theodora Markson.
“CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW IN THE BATHROOM AND MEET ME IN THE ALLEY BEHIND THIS SHOP. I WILL BE WAITING IN THE GREEN ROADSTER. YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES. –S” –chapter 1, pg.5
Snicket begins his apprenticeship with S. Theodora Markson. Their first case takes place in a small town called Stain’d-by-the-Sea. In that town, was a mansion so large it looked like several mansions had crashed together (pg, 29) and an old lady called Mrs. Sallis asking for help. She claimed that she had a priceless item stolen, the statue of a Bombinating Beast and knew the thief, the Mallahan family. She is sure of this because the Mallahan family has been enemies of the Sallises family for many lifetimes. So Snicket and S. Theodora Markson search for the Bombinating Beast in Mr. Mallahan’s house disguised as a couple on a honeymoon. There, Snicket meets Moxie, Mr. Mallahan’s daughter and Stain’d-by-the-Sea’s only reporter. As she talks about newspapers, the discussion moves towards the Sallises. Snicket tells Moxie the reason he’s here.
“I’m trying to solve a mystery,” I said, “concerning the Bombinating Beast.”
“The mythical creature?” “No, a statue of it.”
“That old grimcrack?” she said with a laugh.
“Come on up.” (Chapter 3, pg. 53)
Moxie looked at me and smiled. “I guess your mystery is solved, Snicket,” she said, but that, too, was the wrong thing to say. (Chapter 3, pg. 59)
And according to her, the Mallahans and the Salllises have been friends for generations.
But there were some strange things to point out. One, if Mrs. Sallis knows who the thief is, why doesn’t she call the police? Two. In the book, Mrs, Sallis says “I want nobody to know you are working for me, and I want nothing done to the Mallahans. They’re nice people.” Moxie said the Mallahans and the Saliises were friends for generations. Mrs. Sallis said the Mallahns have been enemies of the Sallises for many lifetimes. This means that one of them is lying. If Mrs. Sallis is the one, why?
What I like best about the book is the voice that each character has. The main character of this book, Lemony Snicket , is a thirteen year old apprentice. Lemony Snicket has its own thirteen-year old voice full of curiosity. On the other hand, S. Theodora Markson, who ranked fifty-second out of fifty-two chaperones in the chaperones list has that “whatever” voice. I think the author did an awesome job on creating that particular voice for the right character. I also like how the author put some bits of humor throughout the whole book. In some of the less interesting parts of the book, it had humor so as the reader, I was still with the book.
“Who could that be at this hour?” is mysterious and full of questions. I enjoyed every moment of reading this book. It has tumbling twists and dramatic flow. I would recommend this book for any 7th grader.
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