Review:: The Bad Beginning, by Lemony Snicket

Title: The Bad Beginning

Author: Lemony Snicket

Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1

Format: eBook

Rating: ★★★☆☆

I know I read this series at some point as a kid, but think I only read the first three books or so. I recently saw them on Overdrive and figured "Hey! I'm really having trouble with my illness right now! These might be the perfect books to read!"

(yes, that's why I've been missing. too sick...)

And really, they were in a way. Quick, fun, enjoyable reads. Although, now I'm on the third by the time I'm writing this, and they're starting to get on my nerves... I think I'm going to have to start spreading them out.

This book may actually be rather upsetting for those who have experienced abuse. It's revenge porn, as the kids manage to throw off their abusive guardian, but still shows a lot of the major issues kids who are experiencing abuse deal with: being told they or someone else will die if they speak up about what's going on, having an adult tell them it's not that bad when they do speak up, and having the wonderful neighbor never really guess what's going on, even though she has all the hints.

That being said, of course, these children manage to think and work to make sure that they don't remain being abused and keep their abuser (Count Olaf, who will show up regularly in every book) from stealing their fortune.

It's very black and white morality, very ... blah ... characters (Violet is an inventor, Klaus is a reader, and Sunny, the baby, is a biter. Together, their skills are exactly what's needed to foil the treacherous plan.)

The narrator is really grating in parts, defining any word with more than one syllable and speaking to the reader like they're incredibly stupid. Granted, I remember finding him funny as a child. Possibly because I did know everything he was defining and I found it amusing anyone would need those words defined.

(Honestly, I can't imagine most kids not knowing what most of these words mean. Vanquished? Am I just being ridiculous, or does every third-grader know vanquished? At least the readers. The readers are the ones who read.)

Well, all in all, I found it enjoyable, so let's go with three stars. It's a thing.