Rating: 
Summary: creepy!
Review: what young girl would want to be forced into marrying a scary older man just for her riches? the fear in this girl is tremendous. if there is any history of abuse in a child's life this book would be very disturbing and stressful. this book is warped, has no sense of humor, and is condescending to children (in it's definition and explanation of words). i bought this and immediately trashed it in hopes that it didn't go into the hands of another child. i would like to know what inspired him to write something of such low quality?
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book For Potter Fans
Review: This is a great first book in the Series of Unfortunate Events. This is a series about the Baudelaire orphans, who's parents died in a horrible fire. Now, they are forced to live with their evil relative Count Olaf. This book is a great book for kids and Potter fans alike. I think anybody who reads this book should really enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Stick with it!
Review: I love all of the series but it is not without its flaws. I must admit that I found the first book to be the least interesting and I can understand why it turns people off. However, if you are even a little intrigued keep on reading. Once you get to the fourth or fifth book things really spice up and you just can't stop.
Rating: 
Summary: A slow start, but stick with the series!
Review: Having read some of the bad reviews regarding book one of the series, I must say that those reviewers must give the series a chance. Upon finishing book one, I too did not quite know what to make of a silly little book where nothing good ever happens to three orphans. I must say that it really wasn't until I finished the third book that I really understood and felt the tone of the series. You are not meant to really feel bad for our small heroes, but merely enjoy the events that follow. As the orphans get moved around from house to house, their plight becomes more and more ridiculous and enjoyable. Unfortunately, Book One does not have time enough to develop the orphans enough for us to become invested in them. After reading more books in the series, you will root and laugh at the orphans in much the same way we wanted the crew from the Minnow to get off the deserted island. Very few books make me laugh out loud, and this series does! If you stick with the series, I defy you not to get hooked!
Rating:
Summary: Fun grey humor - esp when read by Tim Curry!
Review: I agree with one of your reviewers who says Lighten Up! These are fun reads and not to be taken so seriously. Not all of life is flowers and roses. It is good for you to walk your children through the dark side of life and here Lemony Snicket has given us a comical view of it, especially with the wonderful vision provided by the voices of the very talented Tim Curry. Unfortuneately, he does not read all of the volumes, and is sorely missed.
These are not Harry Potter books, so don't look for masterpieces, but they are fun reads.
Rating:
Summary: It does nothing for me
Review: Someone recommended me to read this series of book while I am waiting for the next Harry Potter book. All I can say is it is not for me and I am glad I borrowed it first from the library before plunking down money to buy it from the bookstore.
Rating:
Summary: A Depressing Book That Made Me Laugh
Review: Many of the other reviews on this book say that it is too depressing, the children are portrayed as ..., and the whole theme of the book is not beneficial to a person's well being. Well I agree with them. The plain fact is, that's what makes these books funny. Dark humor litters these pages and the intent of these books is not to make people feel all warm and fuzzy. The book is titled The Bad Beginning, what more could you expect. I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who understands dark humor. However, if you are easily offended or looking for a book with a substantial intellectual plot (or one that has sixteen pages dedicated to how the trees blew in the wind) than this book is not for you.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: This was the most amazing children's book I have read in a long time (other than Harry Potter, of course). I went through all 9 books in 3 days, I couldn't put them down! For the people who say they are inappropriate for children, you must be sheltering your kids. I think these books are wonderfully creative and would recommend them over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Too depressing for kids, too condescending for adults
Review: This series was recommended as a suitable way to stave off boredum while waiting for Book 5 of Harry Potter to come out. Terrible recommendation. It is condescending to both adults and children - defining words in the text (although often just with more difficult words than the original.)Plus, it's just depressing - admittedly, they warn you with the title - but it was depressing to me not because of what happens, but because the children are protrayed as being stupid in many ways. Kids aren't dumb. You don't, for example, not tell an adult that you trust that someone has kidnapped your little sister - it's a terrible example to set for your kids. Anyway, don't bother it isn't Harry Potter (although at least they aren't 1000 pages long...)
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Terrible
Review: With all the hype surrounding this book and the entire series for that matter, I thought that I would be enjoying a really good book and then continue on with the rest of the series. WRONG. This is by far THE worse children's book that I have ever read. Parents don't waste your money on this book. It is not even worth the time to go the library and check this book out. I do believe that a junior high student could easily write a much better book. The grammar is awful - flow and transition from one paragraph to the other is missing - the subject material does not even make sense - thoughts are scattered - character development is nil - and 99.9% of the book is boring. I forced myself to finish the book and struggled the entire way to do so. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, this book is depressing, filled with negativity, constant threats of killing the children, perverse humor, and inappropriate adult themes. Joy, happiness and love are definitely missing in this book. This is not a book to build a child's self esteem or instill messages of self worth or confidence. There is absolutely nothing to like about this book. I would urge parents to steer their children away from all of the books in the series - like another reviewer said - there are so many other BETTER books out there to read. Lemony Snickett is not one of them. If I could, I would give this book a negative 10.
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