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"Three children, many unfortunate events"
Reviewed by Guest Reviewer
Posted June 16, 2004

The Bad Beginning is the first book in Lemony Snicket's, A Series of Unfortunate Events. The story starts out with three children named Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire on the beach, when Mr. Poe, a bank manager came and told the Baudelaire's that their parent's died in a fire. Hence Read more...

"Not such a bad beginning after all or is it?"
Reviewed by Kathy Boswell
Posted December 6, 2004

Now I know this series is touted as extremely unpleasant and depressing books so with that in mind I delved into the first one. I have to admit I couldn't believe I not only read it but avidly and quickly because I could not wait to immediately start the second Read more...

Summary

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