| $@%&! level: None “Bedroom” level: None Violence level: Low (But child abuse) Back Cover: “Dear Reader, I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hand 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. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune. 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, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing. With all due respect, Lemony Snicket” |
I think my very favorite thing is the way words are used. Either the dialogue or the narration will use a word, and then define it. If it happens to be a character, this is usually followed by someone exclaiming, “I know what it means!” Usually Klaus. It happens over and over, and I love it every time, although I do think that using the word “feigned” to define the word “faked” is a little back to front. I suppose this is one way to build a child's vocabulary, but mostly it feels to me like a deep appreciation of language and the way it's used.
For the story itself—well, the movie actually does a pretty good job, although Jim Carry took Count Olaf a little more over the top than he was in the book. And it combined the first three books into one. But you won't get much in the way of surprises going from one to the other, except the way Violet eventually solves her predicament. I think in the book, it's more likely to be legally binding. So really, if you just want the story, you could either read the book or watch the movie. But if you sometimes find yourself appreciating the way sentences are put together, definitely read the book.