Rating: 
Summary: Tongue-in-cheek gothic
Review: Having picked up this book out of curiousity, I immediately bought everything available. I enjoy the wit, the word definitions, the references to Beatrice, the non-sequitor author descriptions at the back, and even the ludicrous invention solutions (although I admit some concern over Sunny's teeth what with staple-making and wall-climbing). Even though you can often see where things are headed, you keep reading to see just what the narrator will say. In addition, I recommend the...website, particularly the Count Olaf song.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this book!
Review: I purchased this book to read aloud to my three oldest children, ages 6, 10, and 12, and they were all absolutely enthralled! Our custom is to read one chapter a night, but they pleaded for me to read more, and . . . well, who could resist? The plot line, characters, and writing style are completely engaging, and I am only writing this review while on my way to go buy the rest of the set -- the best of the best of childrens' literature, destined to be classics!
Rating: 
Summary: A Different Book
Review: Lemony Snicket has opened up eyes of all young readers by changing his story around. It is not a normal kind of story that you would see in every day life, but Unfortunate events that keep on happening to these 3 poor childeren throughout the series. He has a unique way of showing his talent in writing.Which is different and good.This story also has alot of humor. I recommend this book to all readers who liked to get sucked up in books like you are there, at the scene watching it happen. It is really a very good, well written story.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad Beginning
Review: This book begins a series with its own style, different from the typical childrens book. However, this first one is not wonderful. It was not very funny, the characters were flat, the story just fails to capture the way I expected. It seems like Lemony Snicket used this book to develope this style of writing. His next few books are better, though, and go on improving as you go.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Plain Stupid
Review: My aunt asked me to read this book and tell her what it was like. She's a teacher, so she was planning on giving this book to her kids. Big mistake. This book was bland. I would say meaner things about it, but I might be kicked off this website. Not only was the plot a cliché, it was a pointless book altogether. A bunch of orphans who have bad things happen to them, is not nearly a plot. it is the basis for a plot... but where is the rest of it? It is a definite waste of time. I urge all of you readers not to read this. Please. Spare the world of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Huh?
Review: I really don't understand why people say this is a depressing book. The only thing depressing is that I wasted a couple hours reading it. The characters are shallow and the author is insulting by defining small words. Plotline? What plotline? And how am I supposed to care enough about these 1-dimensional characters to actually feel bad for them? Blah. And please don't insult J. K. Rowling by even mentioning Harry Potter in the same paragraph.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable! And I don't mean it in a good way.
Review: I'm very glad that I borrowed the book from the library and didn't waste money on it. In short, this book was simply astounding. What a weak plot. It's fine when Count Olaf threatens to kill Sunny if Violet won't marry him. But it's a little ridiculous when she somehow misses the fact that (a paragraph later) the Count tells her that he will kill both Sunny AND her brother anyway after they're married. And she just ignores this? Anyway, I'll skip the other obvious weak points in the plotline, and move on to what truely bothered me about this book.HOW MANY TIMES MUST AN AUTHOR INSULT HIS READERS BY FEELING COMPELLED TO DEFINE _VERY_ SIMPLE WORDS, LIKE "RICKETY" or "SIMMER"? The book is recommended for grades 5 and up, and, quite frankly, the 5th graders I know, know these words. If there's a word in a book that I don't know the definition of, I will look it up myself. Honestly, it seems like every other page, the author is defining simple words, somethimes even going to great lengths to provide examples (like his LONG explanation of the words figurative and literal.) What's even worse, is that there are a few instances where the author (after presuming that his readers don't know the meanings of small words) misuses others, like "invented". I'm sorry, but Violet did NOT invent the grappling hook, she merely made one. This was a very low-level book, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has a decent vocabulary and a liking for decent plotlines. Shun this piece, which here means "to steer clear of this poorly written book."
Rating:
Summary: A Grand Disappointment
Review: Rarely was a book so aptly named: This one is indeed a Bad Beginning to a series. It's clear that writers like JK Rowlings (of Harry Potter fame), Patricia Wrede (the Dealing with Dragons series) and EL Konigsberg (oh so many wonderful books) -- to name just a few, like and respect their readers, even the young ones. Lemony Snicket, in contrast, is snide and condescending. I can't imagine reading any of the other books this author is pumping out. Two thumbs down!
Rating:
Summary: What else can go wrong?
Review: First of all, if you like happy endings, you should not buy this book. Many bad and terrible things happen. But I really liked this book because it is different from the stories where you know everything good is going to happen. The way I look at it, you need a break from those once in a while, and this book is perfect for the job. It keeps you guessing. Not like,"What could happen next to make this person happy?" but more like,"Can anything else possibly go wrong in one book?" This book is the first in A Series of Unfortunate Events. As you read it, you think,"And this is only the beginning..."
Rating:
Summary: Fortunately a Good Read
Review: Why my daughter and I enjoyed reading about bad luck that happens time after time to the unlucky Beaudelaires is beyond me - but we did. Each of the seven books in the series so far has similarities but enough unpredictability to make each book worth reading. Violet and Klaus are likeable and empathy-inspiring characters.
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