Rating: 
Summary: Nice idea, poor execution
Review: I loved the idea of unhappy-ending stories for kids. The books look gorgeous, the illustrations are lovely, the children have the potential to be interesting -- but I can't bring myself to care that much about the main characters. The character of the baby, Sunny, is especially unconvincing. The writing style teeters between funny and pretentious, but mostly ends up on the pretentious side. I found the explanations of word meanings annoying and patronising, although I'm an adult so maybe my opinion shouldn't count. Perhaps a child would find the definitions useful, but most unfamiliar words can be worked out from the context, and those that can't can be looked up in a dictionary. I think the concept has potential, but I was disappointed with the execution in this instance.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely not insipid!
Review: This was extremely funny, although the next 4 books are better. This is more of just an introduction to the series, but don't get discouraged if it doesn't catch your interest right away. Try the next book before you judge the series as a whole. #2 is good, #3, is better, and #4 and #5 are awesome. You can't tell by the first half of the first book whether you'll like A Series of Unfortuante Events or not. So finish it, and the next book, before you decide.
Rating: 
Summary: A Review for parents
Review: If you are looking for a series to steer your child to while waiting for the next Harry Potter to come out DO NOT SELECT this one. OR read it yourself first and see if this is what you want your child to read. It starts with 3 children becoming orphaned & being sent to live with a less then desirable relative, which is a popular plot device in literature. Once you get past the extremely annoying & condescending defining of large words (ever hear of context clues?) you discover that these children are abused & forced to live in inhumane conditions. Klaus is struck, raising a bruise on his face that is evident for days When they seek help from Mr. Poe he is too busy to listen. Violet the 14 year old is compelled to marry the evil Count Olaf. If she does not her baby sister Sunny, bound and gagged will be dropped from a tower. The children in the story are real and likeable and your children could relate to them. Children like to be scared, not terrified. The reality aspect of this story could be terrifying to some. We teach children to go to adults when abuse happens & the adults in this story do NOTHING. Remember you are your child's first teacher. Are these the values you want to pass on to them?May I suggest books by Patricia Wrede(Enchanted Forest Chronicles) Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, The Chronicles of Naria by C.S. Lewis, Anne McCaffrey (For older Middle School)J.R.R.Tolkien, The Bailey Street School Series?
Rating:
Summary: The three little orphans and the big bad Olaf.
Review: Do you like happy stories with happy endings? Well if you do then this is not the book for you. In this horrendous book the Baudelaire children Sunny, Klaus, Violet, are on Briny Beach when they receive some horrible news from Mr. Poe. He said their parents had died in a fire! In this one book alone the children encounter a plot to steal their fortune, itchy clothing, a greedy and repulsive villain, and cold porridge for breakfast. So if you don't like books where things like this happen then this book isn't for you.
Rating:
Summary: Truely A Different Approach to Childrens Literature
Review: Writing a book about unfortunate events and unhappy endings is certainly a different approach in writing. The unusual sense of humor and plot of the book, in my opinion, attract kids to it. It was almost refreshing to have something other than a happy ending in a book, and someone letting kids know that the good guy doesn't always win. It entertains and keeps your attention to see what will happen next.
Rating: 
Summary: ''Oh no, Count Olaf''
Review: If you like to read books where horrendous things happen to young children, then trust me you'll like these books. In this story three children's parents are killed in a fire that destroyed their home. Now they have to live with a relative that they didn't know they had. Their relative's name is Count Olaf. He makes the orphans do work. He even makes Sunny, the infant, do work. I thought that this was a pretty good book but some parts weren't very exciting.
Rating:
Summary: Quick, fun read
Review: In a recent assignment, my son reviewed "The Bad Beginning": The story of the Baudelaire orphans is a tragic one, telling the miserable tale of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny (the orphans), who lose their parents in a fire that destroys their home and all of their possessions and are then sent to live with the ominous Count Olaf. The Count plots to take control of the entire Baudelaire fortune, while treating the children very poorly, making them do all sorts of chores and providing them horrible living conditions. The book had its ups and downs. For example, I thought the narrator's definitions and repeated warnings that the book was "very sad" were annoying, not funny (as I think the author intended). I didn't find "The Bad Beginning" that sad, probably because I'm a boy. Sure, it must have been pretty sad for the kids to learn that their parents had been charcoaled like hotdogs. But, to me, the book was intended to be read the same way you watch old silent movies (I saw some for the first time this summer ... neat stuff!): knowing it's funny because it's an exaggeration. I'm not putting the book down; don't get me wrong. I plan to read the rest of the series. One of its "ups," by the way, was that the orphans' ideas were really cool.... When I shared my opinion of the book with my mom, who is also reading the series, we discussed how the book is actually plot-driven, not character-driven ... meaning, the focus is on what happens to the Baudelaire orphans, not who the Baudelaire orphans are. When you're done reading, you don't "know" Violet, Klaus, and Sunny the way you know Harry, Ron, and Hermione (from the Harry Potter series, of course), for example. Anyway, if you're looking for a quick, fun read, try this.
Rating:
Summary: Unhappy Endings
Review: I couldn't put this book down. Neither in school or at my house. Even whan my body wanted sleep my mind wanted to read. It's called the bad beginning because the ending never ever turns out good. So if you like books that always turn out good and end happily ever after then this isn't the book for you!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: "Outstanding" is a term which, when used here means"really, good, great, entertaining - and more than initially meets the eye." Be sure to read the dedications - and as the volumes continue: what, if anything, did Cout Olaf have to do with Beatrice? Why is the writer "compelled" to write this tale?I am sure the answers to these questons will be revealed as the saga continues... For me, money very well-spent for an entertaining, well-written, totally-original two hour read.Those of you who haveread the books will understand the structure of my first sentence.
Rating:
Summary: The Bad Beginning truly perfectly begins the series
Review: I was hooked on the series before I even saw this book, having first seen the next two succeeding volumes in a bookstore. The idea of unfortunate events in the world of children was reminiscent of the ones I used to create while still a child, (do you have bad dreams that are a relief to wake up from? did you fantasize alternate courses for your existence to take? If so, this is your book!) so of course I had to read the _Series of Unfortunate Events_. Lemony Snicket apologizes in each book for the sad events contained therein, but at the risk of upsetting the intro, I'd like to add that in some ways the books are every bit as encouraging as they are unhappy. A common complaint with books in a series is that they often don't stand well alone -- have no fear. This book is a complete story in itself. I warn you, however, that you will most likely end up hooked too, and have to read the whole series anyway. _The Bad Beginning_ was perfect, right down to the surprise ending and the hoped for, but impossible happy solution offered by Justice Strauss. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent, resourceful, and kind, but from the opening pages, you'll see that their good qualities are all the good luck they seem to have. They are orphaned right away and sent to live with a series of people. In this book, you are with them when they learn of their parents' death, and you get the same foreboding feeling about Count Olaf as the children have. Violet can invent almost anything she needs for a sticky situation. Klaus, a voracious reader, knows almost every word there is, and is invaluable as a researcher. Sunny, with those teeth of hers, could be a bodyguard despite her tender age. The special skills of each orphan come brilliantly into play for the resolution of this story. I thought by the end, that I knew how the children would escape from the Count's evil plan to inherit the Baudelaire fortune, but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong about that. Buy it. You'll like it. Your 12 year old neice will like it. By the time you've seen the second book, you'll also be wondering who Beatrice is, and hanging on to the clues given to that seemingly unrelated thread in each book. I also want to add that the volumes of the series are beautifully presented in the physical printed binding way, as if they're destined to become treasured antiques, and why wouldn't they be, after all?
|
