Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning

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Summary: Outstading and Entertaining Book for Intermediate Readers
Review: This book hooks you right on the first page. Read through to see how the Baudeliaire children go through tough times and unluckyness. Their witty and brilliant minds help them survive the wrath of Count Olaf.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Harry Potter
Review: This is the first book of the siries A siries of unfortunate events. It starts of with some bad news about the 3 main charictors
parents and then they are sent to live with there distant realation Count Olaf. The childrens parents were very wealthy, Olafs only plan is to get his evil claws in to there money. the stowy unravels into a very divious plan of his and the 3 children must work out how yo stop him. I suggest very strongly to whoever is reading this reiview to by this great book. It was so exciting that I just couldn't put it down!

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Summary: Delightfully Dastardly Beginning to a Wonderful Series!!
Review: Lemony Snicket ( a dubious moniker if there ever was, and certainly not to be trusted) has set forth the task of developing one of the most enjoyable (and downright nasty) children's series of books, aptly entitled "A Series of Unfortunate Events". The events that befall the hapless Baudelaire trio (Violet, Klaus, and the infant Sunny) are shocking, disturbing, cruel, and very, very unfortunate. So why read, one may ask? Well, for one thing twisted accounts of devious circumstances are always enjoyable when viewed from a distance (ie. the pages of a fictitious book, fictitious meaning "not real") and while bad things happen, even worse things are averted through intelligence, cunning, and the urge to teethe. Besides, who could resist such dark fun? It is sad, it is funny, there is an overlying sense of menace throughout but one reads in the hopes that our loveable protagonistic trio will prevail. But will they...? A Series of Unfortunate Events is a great way to get kids who are reluctant to read to do just that, much easier than say leaving such a child bound and gagged in a bird cage dangling thirty some feet above unpleasantly hard ground until they come to their senses! By no means is this series just for kids, "kids" meaning the offspring of goats, or perhaps humans? If you like Edward Gorey you'll love this series. Just pray that Lemony Snicket doesn't realize how deranged he is and decides to take medication to alleviate his madness. I for one, enjoy it!

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Summary: A very good book for it being called "The Bad Beginning"
Review: I loved the book "The Bad Beginning" by Lemony Snicket because of all the horrible things that happened to them. Just when yout thought thinks couldn't get worse, they do! But they make the best of each 'ironic' situation, and makes me love Violet, Klaus, and Sunny all the more. The book is so outrageous, you have to love it. It just gets worse and worse, but better and better. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. It was so funny, i just had to get the next book.

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Summary: I think they're funny!
Review: Yes, I like the fact that the author defines words on every page. I think its funny. I also like his examples of the words, and how he sometimes leaves the story to talk about something else. While the plots aren't alway my favorite, I like the way Lemony Snicket writes. The Bad Begining isn't my favorite in the series, and I think they get better as they go along. I love the 2nd and 3rd and especially the 6th.

Rating:
Summary: 2nd best after Harry Potter
Review: This book is number 2 after Harry Potter It rulz. If you want a book full of sadness but also full of dark humour this is the book for you. It's easy to read so you can finish it easily it took me one day to finish it but I couldn't put it down!

Rating:
Summary: A joy for all ages.
Review: What happens within this story does indeed seem tragic but "Lemony Snicket" style of writing will so captivate you that you will want to read this book cover to cover to your children or take it upon yourself to read it. The Story of Klaus, Violet, and Sonny does indeed have moments of 'extremely unpleasantness.' Such as their life with Count Olaf yet even through that you will continue to be unalbe to put down this book. I must have read this about 5 times and am reading it again, this is one book you should not miss.

Rating:
Summary: He doesn't lie...
Review: At the opening of this book, the author tells you that this is NOT a happy book. And he's not kidding. I can see where this would have great appeal as a children/young adult book, and I think it is very clever.
However, when I buy kids books, my wife and I are looking for something fun to read to each other in bed, and this was just a bit too depressing for me. My wife loved it (in fact, she knew the author in college at Wesleyan, which was a pretty weird coincidence... Dan -- Mo say hi! )
I would recommend it to any child looking for something a bit more off the wall than Harry Potter.

Rating:
Summary: Ick! Sadistic story masquerading as children's fiction
Review: Okay, I love Harry Potter. I love Roald Dahl and Charles Dickens. I love the Addams Family and the episode where Susan died from licking cheap stationery on "Seinfeld." But I hated this book! I found it incredibly sadistic toward children. When a man tells a little girl on p. 49 (after "taking her face in his rough hands"), "...try not to anger Count Olaf , or he might wreck that pretty little face of yours", I had to quit reading. Babies are threatened with being dropped from high heights. The baby is also locked in a birdcage, tied up, and left with a piece of tape over its mouth. I'm sorry, but this sounds like the musings of some child-hating mysogynist to me and I couldn't bring myself to read another word. I'm deeply disturbed that Harper is passing this off as entertainment for children. For those who are comparing this to Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, or Harry Potter when he was still living in the Dursley's cupboard, I can only say that those books had a message of hope, of good triumphing over evil. THE BAD BEGINNING reminds me more of something someone's dirty-minded old uncle would write while huddled in his basement watching kiddie porn. Ick! I'm off to wash my hands and take this book back to the bookstore.

Rating:
Summary: The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 1)
Review: This book is very exciting! The first time read part of it I coudn't stop reading it. The Bad Beginning stars, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Bauldelaire. This book is all about how their life became misserable. I highly recommend this book even though it is very sad, and if I could I would give it an extra star.