Let me preface this with I'm about to turn 30. I don't have kids, I'm not overly interested with any child rearing.
I knew about these books years ago, but I felt at the time I'd be too old for them. I knew about the movie based on them and, again, felt a little too old from what I saw in the trailers. Netflix made a series about it, got some good reviews, and I got curious. After finishing the first season (which is all there is as of the writing of this review), I'm actually considering getting a tattoo. I've read up, and knowing that the author of the books also did the screenplay for the Netflix series....this might not be the most wholly honest review in the world since I haven't read the entire book, but I do have my bit to say after seeing the series based on the same book(s) that had its screenplay written by the same author.
I've read the first chapter and skimmed the rest (which cements that last paragraph), and I am kicking myself for not reading this earlier. These books were literally published at a time in my life that I would've appreciated them the most. Here are lessons that I sorely needed at the time, and I know practically every teen needs to know these things: (1) What makes you unique doesn't make you weird, it makes you useful, (2) Adults don't know everything, no matter how much they say they do, (3) Manipulative and abusive personalities should be avoided at all costs, as should their "flying monkeys," so to speak (4) "Clueless" adults may just be naive, even willfully so, but they can be very good people at heart and brought back to your reality with enough perseverance.
These amazing messages are delivered in a melancholy way, but I would argue that many tweens and early teens feel melancholy themselves. I know I did. The unfortunate events in this book are so over the top that you can't help tie them to real events in your own life at times. I've always rolled my eyes at books aimed at this age demographic, yet here I am at almost 30, and chomping at the bit to tear my way through the series. I'm not going to lie....I'm expecting to learn another life lesson along the way that I somehow skipped over after all these years.
Add Prime
to get Fast, Free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
There is a newer edition of this item:
 |
Frequently bought together
This item: The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Vol.1
$8.53
Get it Jun 9 - 17
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
+
$7.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Jun 3
In Stock
+
$6.39
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jun 4
Only 6 left in stock - order soon.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
Sometimes, just saying that you hate something, and having someone agree with you, can make you feel better about a terrible situation.Highlighted by 3,171 Kindle readers- He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over.Highlighted by 2,972 Kindle readers
- If you have ever lost someone very important to you, then you already know how it feels, and if you haven’t, you cannot possibly imagine it.Highlighted by 2,110 Kindle readers
- They didn’t understand it, but like so many unfortunate events in life, just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it isn’t so.Highlighted by 2,009 Kindle readers
From the Publisher
Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The Bad Beginning and over 60 million copies sold worldwide
Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. In The Bad Beginning, the siblings encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune and cold porridge for breakfast.
A deliciously dark book series for children aged 8 to 12 who love reading Roald Dahl and Mr Gum.
Book 2 - The Reptile Room
|
Book 3 - The Wide Window
|
Book 4 - The Miserable Mill
|
Book 5 - The Austere Academy
|
Book 6 - The Ersatz Elevator
|
Book 7 - The Vile Village
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Reviews |
4,611
|
3,373
|
2,731
|
2,318
|
2,108
|
1,924
|
| Price | $9.46 | $7.09 | $8.52 | $10.07 | $11.98 | $5.68 |
Book 8 - The Hostile Hospital
|
Book 9 - The Carnivorous Carnival
|
Book 10 - The Slippery Slope
|
Book 11 - The Grim Grotto
|
Book 12 - The Penultimate Peril
|
Book 13 - The End
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Reviews |
1,782
|
1,721
|
1,731
|
1,882
|
1,870
|
256
|
| Price | $9.11 | $1.91 | $8.21 | $4.03 | $7.14 | $7.31 |
About the author
Great Beginning
It is sad to read some of the pathetic one star reviews here on Amazon. These adults seem to not understand the book at all. Which does not mean it is not a great crossover book to be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. First of all the entire premise is delightfully original. You get hooked in knowing all the misfortune that haunts the Baudelaire children. Lemony Snicket tells you it is not something you want to read if you like sugary happy endings which makes me wonder why the idiots who gave it one star wouldn't heed this good advice. Compared to the dull snoozefest that is Harry Potter, this is very much more entertaining, engaging and well written. He has a way with words and with every book in the series using alliteration in the title and every one with 13 chapters to form the 13 books in the series, makes you more curious about it all. I especially enjoyed his way with explaining some words and phrases to the young reader - noteworthy being - difference between "literally" and "figuratively" and the word "standoffish". Bad things indeed happen to these young ones and as in all children's book the adults don't seem to understand the evil plot until it is too late. All children's book from Enid Blyton to any book of today shows kids as the brave, enterprising, adventurous and witty ones. It is sad that some adults find this insulting but these protagonists are the "heroes" of the novel and if there is an adult hero in some novel, no one complains about the kids being portrayed as stupid. The Bad Beginning starts with very bad news indeed. And the orphans now seek peace of mind in various ways. Children could learn humility, kindness, adventurousness, being polite and also grace & modesty in adversity. These kids are resourceful and stick together and know how to deal with negative and positive influences. There is a lot to learn here for kids and adults alike (especially the one-star rating adults). The movie version is a very different story from the book but Jim Carey plays Count Olaf by the book. You will enjoy this book and like me probably collect the entire series. I got all 13 on a Sale at USD 2 each at a local bookstore chain. All hardcover printed in Italy it is a bargain of a lifetime I pulled off. The wonderful Baudelaire kids with the pretty inventor Violet and the thoughtful all reading Klaus and the cutest baby in literature - Sunny, make for wonderful light reading and I bought these 13 books yesterday and am already into book 2. Buy the first one and give it a try. Unless you are one of those parents who thinks their kids will become Devil worshippers through something as lame as Harry Potter or are overprotective enough of your kids to bar them from going to a regular school, preferring home education under lock and key - unless you are that type of person - your kids will surely enjoy it very much. An inspiring story. Better than Dicken's orphans but not as thrilling as Mark Twain's orphans.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2017
- Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2017
Top reviews from other countries
-
Client d'AmazonReviewed in Belgium on June 2, 2024
leuk jeugdboek, maar verpakking is niet waterdicht
-
HenkReviewed in Germany on July 12, 2013
Eine Geschichte, so fesselnd wie die 'Unendliche Geschichte' und eine gute Version für den Preis
-
PatriReviewed in Spain on June 4, 2018
Son geniales!
Compré este libro y otro de la misma serie y estoy encantada con los productos. Han llegado antes de la fecha prevista, en perfectas condiciones y mejor de lo que me esperaba.PatriSon geniales!
Reviewed in Spain on June 4, 2018
Son de tapa dura y las páginas tienen un aspecto antiguo, color amarillento y las hojas como desgastadas pero se nota que esta hecho a propósito.
Lo recomiendo 100%
Images in this review
-
- Different itemReviewed in India on December 17, 2024
Very interesting book
This is quite interesting book with many twists.it starts and ends with misery of 3 children.worth readingDifferent itemVery interesting book
Reviewed in India on December 17, 2024
Images in this review
