The Hostile Hospital (A Series of Unfortunate Events #8) [Hardcover]

Lemony Snicket (Author), Brett Helquist (Illustrator), Michael Kupperman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: January 1, 2001 | Age Range: 8 and up | Lexile Measure: 1110L (What's this?)

The Baudelaires need a safe place to stay - somewhere far away from terrible villains and local police. A quiet refuge where misfortune never visits. Might Heimlich Hospital be just the place? In Lemony Snicket′s eighth ghastly instalment in A Series of Unfortunate Events, I′m sorry to say that the Baudelaire Orphans will spend time in a hospital where they risk encountering a misleading newspaper headline, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about a fire.

Ages 10+

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

As you might expect, nothing but woe befalls the unlucky Baudelaire orphans in the eighth grim tale in Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events that began with The Bad Beginning. Ever since the orphans' photographs were plastered across the front page of The Daily Punctilio in an article falsely accusing them of murder, they have been on the run. Only when they disguise themselves as cheerful hospital volunteers (Volunteers Fighting Disease, to be exact), do they see a possible refuge. Of course, this backfires hideously. Where is their ineffectual guardian, Mr. Poe, when they need him most? Will the evil, greedy Count Olaf be successful in giving poor Violet a cranioectomy at the Heimlich Hospital? Is a heart-shaped balloon really better than water for a thirsty patient? Is no news really good news? As ever, Snicket refuses to comfort young readers with cozy answers and satisfying escapes. And, as ever, there are plenty of rusty blades and horrible plot twists to make us shudder and shameless-but-hilarious wordplay to make us grimace happily. Bring on the next one! (Ages 9 and older) --Karin Snelson

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Another roller coaster of perils for the three Baudelaire children. This time, they search for clues concerning their parents' deaths and attempt to clear themselves of a false murder charge while being pursued by the evil Count Olaf, who is after the family fortune. While attempting to escape arrest, the siblings join a volunteer group that sings and brings good cheer to patients and enter Heimlich Hospital, where they soon find themselves working in the Library of Records. A picture with an important clue surfaces just as Olaf's girlfriend discovers them and captures Violet, who is then readied for a cranioectomy, a surgery in which the head must be removed. The trio's talents are put to good use in a daring escape from the burning hospital. They jump into Olaf's car trunk in search of more clues and position themselves for the next exciting sequel. Readers will enjoy cheering for the clever youngsters, booing the diabolical villains, and noting the many new clues. The narrator's active voice is forever teasing readers by taking them to the edge of their seats and then purposely switching the subject or suggesting they stop reading all together. This volume can stand alone but few will be able to resist reading the next installment after the cliff-hanger ending.

Jean Gaffney, Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library, Miamisburg, OH

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064408663
• ISBN-13: 978-0064408660
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (216 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lemony Snicket claims he was nowhere near the scene of the crime. He is the author of several other unpleasant stories, including those in the bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Lump of Coal.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hostile Hospital/ Series of Unfortunate Events. September 29, 2001

A Kid's Review

Format:Hardcover

In the eighth book of the Series of Unfortunate Events, what else can be expected but woe and mystery? Due to some extremely incorrect publishing in a newspaper, the whole world now believes that the Baudelaire orphans are dangerous murders. However, nothing could be further from the truth since Klaus, Violet and Sunny are no less murders than you or me.
Taking refuge in a hospital, the orphans are forced to disguise them selves as V.F.D's (Volunteers Fighting Disease)! Of course, wherever the orphans go, Count Olaf follows and this time he has devised another disastrous scheme.

As I thoroughly enjoyed all the other books in the Series of Unfortunate Events, I enjoyed this book just as much. All of Lemony Snicket's books seem to follow a certain format, orphans find a new home (and when Mr. Poe is there he hardly stays to say hello to the orphan's unfortunate guardian,) Count Olaf makes his stinking appearance, none of the adults can see through Count Olaf's stupid disguise and the Baudelaires are forced to get out of their dilemma on their own.
I hear this book contains ' misleading newspaper headlines, unnecessary surgery, an intercom system, anaesthesia, heart-shaped balloons, and some very startling news about such things, ' as Mr. Snicket so kindly put it.

As well as telling the woeful tale of the Baudelaire orphans, Lemony Snicket slowly is revealing his own life's tale. Such as how his dearly beloved Beatrice died, something horrible that still makes him cry at night about Count Olaf, and something I am dieing to know about, the mysterious Jacques Snicket who was killed in 'The Vile Village'. As well as the mysterious V.F.D, and whether the Baudelaire orphans will ever see the Quagmire triplets again! Perhaps the last book in the series will explain all these loose ends!

I congratulate Lemony Snicket on producing such an intriguing tale when his when life is filled with misery. I recommend this book for all ages- anyone who would find it interesting!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best Lemony Snicket book yet! September 9, 2001

By pkcmom54

Format:Hardcover

The Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire saga continues in "The Hostile Hospital." After escaping from the town of V.F.D. in order to avoid being burnt at the stake, the siblings go to work at a hospital, where Count Olaf finds them almost immediately and plans to kill them. He is wrongfully believed dead by most, due to Olaf's horrid scheme involving Jacques Snicket and deception pointing to the Baudelaires.

This eighth installment in the "Series of Unfortunate Events" is probably the very best of all. It reveals new, intriguing information about the fire at the Baudelaire mansion, and links to the siblings' past. Sunny, Violet, and Klaus encounter more danger in this book than in any other, and certainly the reader is gripped by the book. It is impossible to put it down until you have read the final page, which leaves the reader hanging, wanting nothing but to read Book 9, "The Carnivorous Carnival."

This is a children's book, but I'm 17 and have read every single one of the Lemony Snicket books so far. I was into them even before they became so popular. They are wonderful books with a quality of "solve-it-yourself" combined with a sense of adventure and foreboding. It doesn't matter what your age is; you'll fall instantly in love with the three siblings and their friends, Isadora and Duncan Quagmire (lol at names!). One word of advice: if you haven't read any of the books yet, START AT THE BEGINNING. Otherwise, almost nothing will make sense, and the most interesting parts (like Beatrice) will be incomprehensible and impossible to piece together.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lemony Snicket is a genius. October 4, 2001

By Patrick Smadbeck

Format:Hardcover

Okay I've read this series since the third book came out. Lemony Snicket's style has not once annoyed me, but the contrary. It may be the only reason I continue this series. Although the storyline a great and humor filling I believe this series would not have been as popular without Lemony's few quirks. He is still constantly explaining words (with outrageous definitions), and has the few odd add-on's (this time it was STOP, another 4 pages of black). But by far his most unique move has come now, in this book. If you read you will see that the characters are growing (Klaus had a birthday, Sunny can now speak fairly coherently). He is also pulling himself, as an author, into the story, a move I've never seen done before. This alone should catch people's attention, but the dark humor and exaggeration (on almost everything) makes these books into a classic series. The mysteries build, and the identity of Lemony Snicket (obviously that's not his real name) is ever coming closer to becoming revealed. Only if there could be more books like these.