Rating: 
Summary: The Bad Beginning lives up to its name.
Review: Let's start out by saying that the only reason this book even got one star was because zero stars wasn't an option. I've read a LOT of children's books and this is far, far down on my list. The main problems with this book (and the whole series) is that the plot is dull, it's poorly written, there's no character development, you can't connect with any of the characters, it's depressing, and it's a teacher's worst nightmare if you value SHOW not TELL since the entire book reads like a plot summary. The appeal for these books is that they introduce vocabulary words, however what a waste of paper to do so in such an unimaginative way. There are so many books in this series, and it's probably because they only take about an hour each to churn out. The ONLY good thing about this book was that it was returnable. Let me plead, there are so many wonderful and creative children's books out there, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS TRASH!
Rating: 
Summary: The Start of a Bad Thing
Review: Have you ever had that feeling that you are being watched or followed, when the hairs on the back of your neck shoot up like needles. This is what the Baudelaire orphans experince every where the go in their seemingly horrible lives. But befor we get ahead of our selves this is the beginning of a serise of unfortunate events where the man that is causeing this tension in the orphans life is reveled. A horriable man who will do ANYTHING to get his hands on the Baudelaire fortune wich was left to the orphans when their parents, house, and all of their belongings were lost in a terriable fire.This book is so great that anybody of any age can enjoy it and its pure cruelty towrads the Baudelaire orphans. When you are done with this book you will be thanking Lemony Snicket the author for writting eight other books in the series because this book will get you so hooked after reading it that you will want to get to the nearest bookstore as soon as possible to get the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Great start, cop-out ending
Review: I purchased this book for my 5 year old nephew. The story is very well written and even though bad things happen to these children one always senses they will overcome all the obstacles so it does not affect young children. It took a little coaxing but my nephew started getting into it about twenty pages in. The story was charming and the tension builds wonderfully. But the ending is such a cop-out. For a writer who claims to want to be realistic with children I was disappointed that he would choose such a fake ending. It killed it. Nevertheless my nephew enjoyed it and understood the story despite the big words. Maybe I'll get him the next one, see if it's better. It also has very few images (though they are fantastic), perhaps 5 or so in the whole book, something which my nephew would have liked to have seen more of, and perhaps would have helped captured his attention sooner.
Rating: 
Summary: The Bad/Good Beginning
Review: I am a fifth grader who read this in fourth grade. This is a very good book and I read all books in this series except THE HOSTILE HOSPITAL AND THE CARNIVOROUS CARNIVAL. Also, THE SLIPPERY SLOPE which is coming out later. I don't want to give away the story but all the misery begins here. Be sure to read all the books in the series like me!
Rating:
Summary: The Bad/Good Beginning
Review: ... This is a very good book and I read all books in this series except THE HOSTILE HOSPITAL AND THE CARNIVOROUS CARNIVAL. Also, THE SLIPPERY SLOPE which is coming out later. I don't want to give away the story but all the misery begins here. Be sure to read all the books in the series like me!
Rating:
Summary: Actually, Not Such a Bad Beginning
Review: The ineffable Lemony Snicket has begun chronicling a series of unfortunate events with A Bad Beginning, which, as a first book, is not so bad at all. The story is swiftly told and cleverly written and the atmosphere created at the novel's start is sustained throughout. The climax somewhat lacked the cleverness of the majority of the novel but that is a small quibble (a word here that means a nit-picking reader looking for something to criticize to justify his review). This book will lead this reader to explore the entire series to see if the style of writing or these characters' adventures continue to entertain time and again. That will be the true test for this good beginning to an interesting series.
Rating:
Summary: Both depressing and hilarious.
Review: Wonderful! Not only are these books depressing, but also hilarious! Such a refreshing departure from happy-go-lucky kids' books. Though I am an adult, I enjoyed this book very much and am going to read the others in the series. I appreciate the way the author defines the more advanced vocabulary in the book -- it saves readers the trouble of locating and lumbering through a dictionary.
Rating:
Summary: Possibly One Of The Most Hilarious Things I've Ever Read
Review: There are a lot of one- and two-star reviews for this book, calling it dark, depressing, and overall just needlessly sadistic. I just want you to know that they are all entirely correct; if you're looking for a bland and sickeningly cheerful story where against all possibility everything magically turns out right in the end, you should very well heed the warning on the back of the book, put it in some forgotten dresser, and pick up Harry Potter or its like. Just take care so as Lord Voldemort doesn't frighten you. However, if you are a more strong-stomached reader, one who enjoys books where bad things happen to good people on the first page, where it's darkest just before it goes pitch-black, and where, just when it looks entirely hopeless, the villain has your baby sister in a birdcage, than you'll enjoy this book immensely. And remember, these are fictional characters, so there is nothing morally wrong with laughing at their misfortune. Buy this book. Buy the series. Buy the Unauthorized Autobiography. Than get some Terry Pratchett. That man's a comic genius!
Rating:
Summary: The Bag Beggining
Review: I loved this book. It does not have a happy ending and very few happy parts in it. Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) is a very good writer. I can't wait for the movie to come out in 2003. Jim Carrey is supposed to play Count Olaf.
Rating:
Summary: The start of a fantastic series
Review: I thought that The Bad Beginning was a fantastic book. It is filled with suspense and action. Lemony Snicket's description is very refreshing and entertaining. As mentioned in the title this book is the beginning of a fantastic series. Excellent book!
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