Review // The Bad Beginning (AKA A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Pages: 162
Published: September 30, 1999
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fantasy
Cover Rating:  ★★★★ (I like it. I always like weirdly artistic covers and this does it for me.)

Dear Reader, 
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales

With all due respect, Lemony Snicket

~~~

First of all, you should read my whole review before judging me all you Lemony-Snicket-lovers. I promise I don't hate on books. And because...

Well. I liked it.

Btw these actors were the perfect ones.

BUT, I didn't really have strong emotions about it. It wasn't super brilliant or super bad. It surprised me in a good way, but it also kind of didn't meet my expectations.

The way it was written was really nice. Lemony Snicket's writing voice was quirky and real. It gives you the feeling that this person wouldn't hide things from kids because they were kids. He would treat them like equals.

I love how he intertwined the story with facts about life that were just so true. The fact that sometimes cooking can take away some of your worries. First impressions aren't always your second impressions. And sometimes being in your own room with your own things can solve 99% of your problems.

The definitions that popped up everywhere were great too.

The characters surprised me. Which probably isn't weird since I watched the movie first and movies always change the characters at least a little bit. Everything (and everyone) seemed much sadder and more forlorn than the movie, which was more dryly funny.

FIVE THOUSAND POINTS FOR JUSTICE STRAUSS'S HOME LIBRARY.

Um yes. I want one. Thank you. I accept gifts in the form of gifts or cash for gifts. Like home libraries.

The feeling I got most from this book, though, was bittersweet. Everything was bittersweet. The plot wasn't too slow or too fast. It was, like I mentioned earlier, really really sad though. It seemed so much more hopeless in the book.

~~~

Even though there were all these great things, this book just didn't wow me. The simplistic style of story-telling was endearing but also didn't make me as invested in the story.

And it was the same thing with the characters. I felt for them, but not enough.

My Rating:

★★★

Disclaimer: I was not reimbursed for this review in any way. All opinions or thoughts expressed are my own.