The three Baudelaire children just had their lives turned upside down. After finding out their parents have died in a horrible fire that destroyed their house and all their belongings, they are whisked off to live with a distant relative they have never even heard of. The strange man has little interest in the children and even less knowledge on how to raise them. His only interest? Their inheritance and how to legally obtain it.
Released in 1999, The Bad Beginning is the first installment in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events series. Widely loved because of the Jim Carey movie, this series delivers relatable characters who show finding hope amongst tragedy is not only possible, but necessary. An award-winning novel, this is just the beginning for Violet, Klaus, and Sunny!
I give The Bad Beginning 4 out of 5 stars. I would have liked to read this before seeing the movie, but that ship sailed a decade ago. I connected with Violet’s character then, and again while reading this book. I love her ingenuity and protectiveness over her siblings. I do wish Klaus and Sunny’s characters had been explored a bit more, but with a short story like this, there’s only so much time to cover the plot. One aspect I wasn’t prepared for was the way the author includes definitions of tougher words in a way that will help younger readers improve their vocabulary – I love it!
With discussions of parental loss and child marriage, this might be best directed to readers over 13. If you enjoyed the movie, you will love this book, just know that there are a few differences. The book also stops well before the movie does – so don’t be surprised when left on the edge of a cliff! This would be a great book to read with your young readers and discuss.
I chose The Bad Beginning for the Read With Lindsey Reading Challenge prompt “Less than 200 pages”. At 176 pages, it also stands at just under 2.5 hours. I did choose the audiobook with multiple voices for my reading – I liked it, but the sound effects and music caught me off guard. If you are heading out of town for the holidays and are looking for something other than music to listen to with the kids while on the road, consider this audiobook – parents and kids alike will love it!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas, James Patterson & Tad Safran
- Current audio book: Streets of Laredo, Larry McMurtry
- Book I’m most looking forward to: She Doesn’t Have a Clue, Jenny Elder Moke
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