Rating: 
Summary: Read This Book If You Like Bad Endings
Review: Would you want to live with a robber? Well read The Bad Beginning and find out what it would be like. Is the play going to be a good one? I like this book a lot. But if you don't like bad endings maybe you won't want to read The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snickit. I liked this book because I like bad endings. Will the kids get to live with Justass Stress? Rea d The Bad Beginning and find out.
Rating: 
Summary: What is the big deal?
Review: What is the big deal? This is the most stupid story line I have ever read. I personally believe that all real life is boring, but if fantasy isn't your cup of tea (for me it's a big gulp) then read something more real lifish at least. You have to be pretty low if you are reuced to reading a story about the awful tortured lives of children. I am writing this review to tell people that even though these books are so poplar not to read them. Also heed the warning on the back cover which literally says if you like a book with any happiness in it at all then don't read this.
Rating: 
Summary: Somewhat disappointing
Review: When I first heard of this series, I was mildly intrigued. Then I heard the series being likened to Roald Dahl's books, and, having worn my childhood copy of *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory* to bits, I had to check them out. Mr. Snicket is no Roald Dahl. Sure, both writers understand that a lot of kids like to read about pretty gruesome stuff. But, where Dahl's stories are inventive and charming, *The Bad Beginning* is pretty simplistic and derivative. Things seemed to resolve themselves a bit too quickly. It's not a bad book, just not worthy of its hype. If I happened to find the next book in the series lying in the street, I'd probably read it, but otherwise, probably not.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, I can't understand what all the hype is about!
Review: First of all, I want to state that I am very passionate when it comes to 'good' children's books. The HARRY POTTER books are some of my favorite books of all time (my top twenty list). The Newbery Awards were all given to deserving books that I have adored. For a while everywhere I went, the Lemony Snickett books were being lauded as fabulous children's literature. After seeing a segment on CBS Sunday Morning, I went out and bought the whole 'shebang' (is that even a word?) at my school's book fair (I'm the counselor)! I was terribly disappointed with the first book. Yes, it is easy reading, and yes, it does introduce new words (even though my parents always said, "Go look it up, you'll remember it!"). But the content of the story is so depressing and so unhappy that I was miserable the entire time I was reading! Character development was so poor that I wasn't even sad when horrible things happened to these children. Normally I cry when a baby is kidnapped, bound with duct tape (even over her mouth) and put in a birdcage to hang from the top of a tower! Well, I didn't bat an eye (and I become a sprinkler when reading a Patricia Polacco book).
There are eight books left in my crowded library to read; I'll keep you posted if they get any better!
Rating: 
Summary: Depressing Tale of Woe Makes for Intriguing Read
Review: If I were to describe "The Bad Beginning," in one word it would be- depressing. Yet what more can one expect from the first book in "A Series of Unfortunate Events." The story begins with the Baudelaire children playing on the beach on a seemingly nice day. The mood of the day changes quickly as the children receive news that their parents have been killed in a fire that destroyed their entire home. The children are then sent to live with the man who is in charge of their estate. Their luck goes from bad to worse when they are sent to live with Count Olaf, a distant relative the children have never heard of.
The Baudelaire orphans are resourceful children, each with special talents and gifts. Violet is the oldest child and has a knack for inventing and building odd devices. One can tell when Violet is developing a new invention in her head by her pulled back hair and furrowed brow. Klaus is the middle child and incredibly intelligent. He loves to read and would spend hours in his families' library learning about everything from Julius Caesar to the organisms found at Briny Beach. Sunny is the youngest Baudelaire child and simply put she likes to bite things. One of the most enjoyable parts of Sunny's personality is the way in which she speaks to her brother and sister. They understand each other in a way that is both sweet and memorable. The author does a wonderful job of developing the character of each of these children. To the point that the reader is able to identify with the pain each must feel as the events of the story unfold.
The children's relationship with their guardian, Count Olaf, is a poor one due to his evil nature. Count Olaf is only interested in taking hold of the children's fortune and does not care for their welfare. The treatment these children receive by Count Olaf is contrasted nicely by the joy they light up with upon even the mention of Justice Strauss. She is a kindly neighbor whose assistance brightens the otherwise dark days the children experience. Also, while the author hints at a happy ending just a few pages before the end, there is no such hope. This book is as dark and grim as its title suggests.
Many middle school children, along with everyone else in America, are enthralled in the Harry Potter series. The books have been compared by many readers because of the dark mood they share but "The Bad Beginning" lacks the morals found in the Harry Potter books. Lemony Snickett makes no attempt to fashion characters that are overtly honorable or intentional role models. Instead he seems to focus on fashioning a story that is far beyond any experience the average middle school child might face. The depressing nature of the book makes it unlike the books many teachers would recommend for the students. It is also unlike the books that many parents will remember reading when they were in middle school.
The highlight of this book in my opinion is that it does offer an alternative to the fairy tales normally written for middle school children. Life is not full of happy endings and prince charmings and this book makes that extremely clear. "The Bad Beginning," is a refreshing alternative to the typical young adult novel focused on pre-teen girls and their issues with boys and their parents. While the above elements make for an enjoyable story this book lacks the high morals and realistic experiences that I look for in books my children will be reading. In conclusion, I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a light, intriguing read. I would not however recommend it to anyone who is looking for a story containing strong characters of high morals that their children can identify with.
Rating:
Summary: Bad News
Review: When Mr. Poe comes to the three Buadelaire youngsters, they have no idea that their whole life was going to change right then and there. Mr. Poe Explained to the children that their parents died in a horrible fire at their mansion. The children end up living with their mean cousin, Count Olaf. He treats them horrible and is after their fortune. He comes up with a plan to ruin the children's lives and get all their money.
This book was great and I read it all in one day. I just couldn't put the book down. While I was reading it, I discovered that the reason I could not put it down was because I just had to find out what horrible thing would happen next. The book is filled with unfortunate situations, but it still made me feel good to be reading it. I reccomend this book to anyone who likes a good read.
This book has taught me to listen to what everyone has to say, even if they are not my most important priority. Even though I can't really relate to this story myself, I know that a lot of children are going through a similar situation. That is why we should always make sure everything is o.k. with where they are living, instead of just leaving them there and never check on them like Mr. Poe did to the Buadelaire children.
Rating:
Summary: The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events - Book 1)
Review: I bought this book for my daughter who is 8. I decided to read it first though and am so glad I did! Now, there is no way known I will give it to her. This is an INCREDIBLY sinister and disturbing book. It may be very well-written but it is about child abuse and the threat [harm]. The supposedly "good" grown-ups are stupid and/or powerless, and the bad grown-ups are truly nasty without being even the slightest bit amusing. The children survive the horrible events by using their wits. While this sounds like it might be a good thing, the situations are entirely possible and real children would have wound up [harmed], dead or both. As is, even the fictitious children only just manage to escape. If your child is the least bit sensitive, don't buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Appropriate for young readers? Not so much.
Review: As a bookseller, I've noticed kids are devouring the books of this series. Itching to see what the all the fuss is about, I picked up the first two. I'd heard the books were dark, but funny, and good for developing children's vocabulary, and, seeing the positive critical reviews, I'd recommend them to my customers. After having read the first two, I no longer recommend them. The three Baudelaire children are orphaned after their parents perish in a fire. They are sent to live with a distant relative, Count Olaf, a diabolical miser who does little more than abuse the children and come up with ways to get his greedy hands on their inheritance. Olaf constantly threatens the children. He locks the infant girl in a birdcage and hangs it from his home's tower, hits the middle child, grazes a knife on the eldest girl's knee under the table during dinner, actually murders someone in the second book, and it goes on and on. Yes, the books help develop vocabulary by using "big words" and phrases and explaining them. Yes, the Baudelaire children are sweet, resilient, and courageous. But I do not think that is enough to redeem these dark stories. All the adults are either wicked and cruel or completely obvlivious. What exactly is the moral of "The Bad Beginning"? That life [stinks] and there's nothing you can do about it and this theme continues in the second book, "The Reptile Room." I've noticed that a lot of adults enjoy the series and give it positive reviews, and that's why I gave the book three stars - because, on some level, I did enjoy the books somewhat for its subtleties, irony, and dark humor. However, the series is not intended for adults. It's written for and marketed towards children between 9 and 12 years of age. I'm not saying that kids' books should have a happy ending. There are hundreds of wonderful children's books out there that are dark and/or sad (i.e. Old Yeller, Charlotte's Web, Number the Stars), but there's usually a lesson, a moral, something redeeming in there. I failed to find any of these things in either of the first two books of this series. What's most unfortunate about this "Series of Unfortunate Events" is how many kids are reading it and how many parents are mistaking it for good childrens literature.
Rating:
Summary: A Horrible Book for Today's Children
Review: My ... son received this book as a gift for Christmas. We read the book together in about a week. We both were very dissappointed in the whole story and the gruesome characters. This is not a book for children. The book states it is for children 10 and up and even that is not appropriate. The book is downright strange. I agree with the Children's Librarian review .... She has nailed this book right on the head. This book is a complete downer. It's amazing to me how it ever made it to the New York Times Bestseller List. ...
Rating:
Summary: Not appropriate fair for its intended audience
Review: I read this book thinking it would be like the wonderful Joan Aiken novels I read as an 11 year old (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, etc.). It wasn't. As a children's librarian, I had seen the growing interest in the series and wanted to be able to endorse it, but I certainly cannot do so. This series is being pitched to Harry Potter readers, but it lacks the adventure and the aesthetic and moral appeal of J.K. Rowling's books. The creepy freak-show characters and situations were nauseating. The scene where a baby girl tied in ropes is imprisoned in a cage with her mouth taped shut while the cages dangles high above the ground is not the sort of thing I would promote for 10 year olds to read. While the children do manage to overcome their situation, it seems almost by accident. In the Harry Potter books (and Aiken's fine books), the characters have some character. They reach heroic stature because they possess compassion, intelligence, bravery, loyalty, moral principles, etc. Snicket's Baudelaire children are decent kids, but are pathetically powerless and lack the personal qualities that might make them heroic. The overarching mood is ghoulish and disturbing. All the adults are presented in a negative way. The parents "abandoned" the children via their bizarre death and inadequate plans for their future care. The executor is a fool who cannot see the writing on the wall. His wife is pre-occupied and uninterested. All the adults are either ineffectual or downright sinister. I feel that the books are frightening to all but very jaded kids because the Baudelaires are such victims and there are no decent adults to aid them. What a sad commentary. Harry Potter and gang are nobody's fools. The adults in the Potter books are a believable and even-handed mix of good and not-so-good. Rowling, and other great children's authors present children with role models who are winners, not by accident, but because of their integrity. They present (at least a few!) adults who guide, help and love children. Snicket's adults ignore or attempt to exploit the children. The Snicket books are awful.
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