le book review number twenty-six~ the bad beginning

Tuesday 3 April 2012

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title: the bad beginning
author: Lemony Snicket
personal star rating: 5/5 stars

from the back cover:
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. 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

first sentence:
"If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book."

This book, although directed at a younger audience, is still a wonderful read. I had read this book previously but I have never made my way through the entirety of the series. I found it to be even better than I had remembered. The characters are distinct and the writing style is so descriptive. I love the whole subject of unhappiness in a story - it gives a new aspect to what you read. I am definitely planning on reading the complete series this time around.

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