A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning

By Lemony Snicket

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Mar 17, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061757099

Lemony Snicket

Lemony Snicket had an unusual education, which may or may not explain his ability to evade capture. He is the author of the 13 volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events, several picture books including The Dark, and the books collectively titled All The Wrong Questions.

Reviews for A Series of Unfortunate Events #1

[tkcs-3 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

For years I've been meaning to read something from this series because I'd heard so much about it. I finally read this first book in the series and I'm not impressed. Do kids really need stuff this dark? The plot wasn't great, either--creepy great uncle trying to marry his fourteen year-old niece? Just didn't like it. Unpleasant is the word I'd use to describe it.

[bricker-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quick, cute read. I had seen a few episodes of the show and was interested to read the books. I believe I will continue with the series.

[kemilyh1988 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

UGH. NO THANKS

[katherine.boykins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After the death of their parents, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are sent to live with an evil count, who only wants their fortune. The orphans must figure out Count Olaf's plan before it is too late. This book is great for students who are starting to read chapter books. Teachers can use it when teaching about character development, problem-solution, and sequencing. Students could also write about what they would do if they were in the orphans position. The book also has difficult vocabulary, but the author defines the vocabulary for the reader. This feature could be discussed when learning about how authors will include the definition of words in writing.

[haloedrain · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It's cute, but kind of condescending. I don't know what I would have thought when I was in the target age group, but the constant word definitions got old pretty fast. I'll probably still read the rest of the series.

[mhanover10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very quick read and entertaining.

[starknits_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I like how very tongue and cheek this book was! I enjoyed the movie and the book even better!

[startwithgivens · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

With the Netflix series coming out and owning the books myself, I decided to revisit the series. I have only previously gotten through the first four books and I already know why. Even as a child, these books just weren't engaging. I think the writing is fine as well as the story line but each chapter seems to move very slowly. I was hoping this series would be a quick read in my spare time but it will take longer than anticipated

[rabidgummibear-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Childhood favorite reread thoughts:

Still adore this series. I recall spending so much time reading them. I'm left really surprised by how much of it I remember.

The idea of Mr. Poe being so incompetent still drives me just as crazy. I love how evil Olaf is too. He's just despicable in the best way.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Eh. Aside from only bad things happening to the kids, there's way too much auctorial insert for my reading pleasure. The defining of words - sometimes by the author, sometimes by the characters - got really annoying, very quickly. The story is minor - it does make you think a little - but...really, these kids (and granted, they're still somewhat in shock) are far too obedient and well-behaved to handle their new life. Has anyone but Poe actually seen this will? Is anyone overseeing Poe, at all? I have no intention of reading the series. If I come across the last book, I'll probably read it (because I know it's the last book); I don't want to wallow in whatever bad stuff the author can come up with, but I'd like to see how he wraps it up.

[cassiewinters-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had never read this series, so I felt that it was time. This is especially true since the series based on it starts in January for it. I read the entirety of this book in the matter of a few hours. The reason is because even some of the predictable or clichéd moments that would normally ruffle my feathers in other books did not irk me as badly here. I believe this is because it was intelligently written for children and remembering this made me enjoy it a lot more than thinking about it from purely an adult standpoint. If you can remember this is think most readers will greatly enjoy this first book and it will make them want to jump into the next one immediately, which is what I am doing.

[laviniarossetti · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Violet Baudelaire was the type one could never forget. Her thoughts were so inventive she was like the first person to invent inventions herself.

Klaus Baudelaire was such a one of books about facts he could be an author of facts himself, and when he died he would be a historical author. The kids would read his books and the children would cry, "Look, Mummy! This book's by Klaus Baudelaire!"

Sunny Baudelaire was a little girl who lived to bite, and when her siblings Violet and Klaus were reading books she'd at least find one about teeth! When she had her visit at Justice Strauss' house, she picked one of teeth as soon as she could see one.

Count Olaf was a relative of the Baudelaire children and was the terrible man the children's father and mother had chosen to look after their two daughters and son. But Count Olaf was evil and all he wanted from the Baudelaires was money.

The Baudelaires lived in a huge mansion where they had a library that Klaus was addicted to, plenty of rooms Violet had had her inventing thoughts in and many teething rings for Sunny. But when the Baudelaire children's parents were killed in a fire, the teething rings had melted and the library and Violet's inventing rooms were wrecked.

The plan that Olaf was to do to get the Baudelaire fortune was this. He made Violet be his bride in a play. But why? It was because if Violet signed the form and said, "I do," she would actually be married - play or not.

Justice Strauss was asked to be the judge in the play, because she was actually a judge in real life. As Violet was only fourteen, she couldn't be married - unless it was to be in front of a judge, which, of course, she was.

Meanwhile, Sunny was dangling from a huge tower in a birdcage, and if anything was to go wrong in the play, Sunny was to be dropped down to her death.

But Violet was clever. She was a right-handed fourteen-year-old. So, she said, "I do," but filled in her form with her left hand.

If Olaf was married to Violet, he would be in control of her fortune, according to Nuptial Law. but Violet wasn't married to Olaf, and she wasn't a countess, as she used her left hand.

The Baudelaire children were to be living with Justice Strauss, but Mr Poe (the children's father's friend) read the will and said that the Baudelaire children were to be only looked after by a relative. So, Mr Poe took the children to his house and found out what to do with them in the morning.

As for Olaf, he sped off before he and his troupe would be sent off to jail.

I liked this book so much that after I'd read it (this morning) I looked on my Nook to see if I had the second. Though I didn't.

I care for the Baudelaires a lot, and felt sorry for them when they heard the dreadful news of their parents being dead. My favourite character would probably be Violet. She was extremely thoughtful and clever, and she paid so much attention to books she knew what she had to do to save Sunny and what to do in the play.

[begivens · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

With the Netflix series coming out and owning the books myself, I decided to revisit the series. I have only previously gotten through the first four books and I already know why. Even as a child, these books just weren't engaging. I think the writing is fine as well as the story line but each chapter seems to move very slowly. I was hoping this series would be a quick read in my spare time but it will take longer than anticipated

[tiffy_reads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in a series that I will be definitely reading more of. A fun read that you will quickly finish and find amusing.

[kmajort · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Grim, dark, weird..... not sure if my daughters read these or not, but now I have a better idea for RA at the library.

[quaintlittlehead · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"A Series of Unfortunate Events" warns its reader that nothing good will happen to the protagonists, but somehow Snicket deftly handles his tragedies with enough warmth as to keep them humorous and enjoyable. The characters seem empowered, and I think that lends to the courage with which young readers are able to approach difficult aspects of the story. The author also has a nice way of defining big words for his audience, and then changing that up every once in a while just to keep adult readers amused as well. Nothing happens in the plot of this book that will sear it into my heart and memory forever. but it was a pleasurable read that left me looking forward to more, and children need books like that, too.

[aurorapaigem-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This series is truly unfortunate! Those poor kids. I thought the content was a bit harsh for a children's book, but probably just about right for older tweens. The author throws in a lot of dry humor for a book that would otherwise be a big ball of depressing. I read the whole book on a plane, otherwise I probably would not have read the whole thing in a day. It was good, but not exactly my cup of tea. I don't like to see children abused or put in harsh situations, but the story was entertaining enough. I would only recommend this book to children who can handle the sadness of the loss of parents and then being abused by the man who they are sent to live with. People seem to love these books, so I assume they get better. I liked it enough that I will probably read on into the series a bit further, but probably not one I would recommend.

[bodagirl · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I don't understand why this series is so popular. It's child abuse written in a tongue-in-cheek style that is mildly entertaining when the vocabulary pedagogy isn't hitting the reader over the head.

[michellehewitt · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good book that kept most children interested. Younger children 5/6years old did not enjoy it as much as older children. Some children were shocked by mild violence and what they considered unjust treatment.

[spymer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm i the only person who read this as an adult?i'm glad i finally read it though , and i'm sure i wouldn't have been able to appreciate it well enough as a child.It's a very well written story , i feel like i might be the only person who loved Lemony Snicket's style . i loved the explanations he gave and the meaning for some words , i understand why some might find it a bit patronizing but i enjoyed it .It made me feel as if i was sitting in a chair next to my grandpa who is in this case Lemony , while he read the book to me.[image][image]And it was very easy to get visual images of the scenes as the story went on , big point for that![image]The story is very fun and the characters are interesting enough , The Baudelaire children are my favorites , they are brave , and smart .Count Olaf made this much more interesting even though he is evil and tends to be very disgusting One thing i hated is the way the communication between the children and the adults happens , it was very annoying and too much like a cartoon , but i guess it is necessary to serve the purpose of the story.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm probably the last person in the world to have started this series. And I've never seen the movie or the Netflix original series. I am seriously late to the game. But! Better late than never! I decided to try out the audiobook because it's narrated by Tim Curry and that is a total no brainer. He has the voice of a god. A terrifying god, but that is what makes him so perfect to take on this darkly funny series. The Bad Beginning introduces to three poor orphans who have just lost their parents in a horrible fire. As if that isn't bad enough the will states they must live with whatever relative is closest and that turns out to be the horrible Count Olaf who has some nasty tricks up his sleeve. The will the orphan's parent's left states that the large inheritance can't be used until the oldest daughter turns of age. But that does nothing to stop dastardly Count Olaf. Witty and dark, this is a fun children's series that I definitely plan on reading more of!

[martyr13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

fun kids book

[suzannes04 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it kept me hooked

[yoshikawa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Strange and cool.

[darrol_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Interesting concept: A nothing-good-happens YA series.

[cherriewalker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A really good book, well written and a quick read

[thealtereggo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great story and very well written! As an adult reading this book, I still found it very interesting and was engaged with the characters. I'm interested in reading more of this series! I loved the writing and the writing style. Highly recommended!

[evelynnygren · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Classic book series but probably not my favorite so far. I know I'm only one book in, but it is very slow. I do enjoy the way this book is written, it's very different and unique. I will be reading the rest of the series of course because "first impressions are often entirely wrong" as Lemony Snicket says.

[bangerlm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would say this is 3.5 stars. I listened to the audio version after watching the Netflix series, and this is one case where I enjoyed the "movie" version more, though the book was still good.

[juva_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Meet the Baudelaires, three children who have recently been orphaned by a mysterious fire. Struggling to cope with the death of their parents, things only get worse when they are sent to live with a distant uncle whom the have never met before. It soon becomes clear that this cruel man only wants to steal their parents fortune. Grownups won't help them, it's up to the siblings to save themselves from Count Olaf's clutches.