wonderfully lugubrious

I spontaneously grabbed this book, The Willoughbys, off the bookstore shelf a bit back, brought it home, and read it over a few nights. I really really liked it. The cover is what attracted me, of course, but I absolutely loved the story as well. It's a wonderful gloomy-child-tragedy ala Roald Dahl. Funny and sad—in that macabre humor way. I haven't read the Lemony Snicket's books, but I'd guess they are similar. Abandoned babies in baskets, spinster nannies, unloving parents, orphans—that kind of stuff. I laughed out loud several times and the glossary in the back (along with a very funny bibliography) is worth owning the book alone. Sadie hasn't heard it yet, but we went over the glossary together and is now using the term odious.