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A Series of Unfortunate Events #1-2
The Reptile Room, The Bad Beginning
A Series of Unfortunate The Bad Beginning/The Reptile Room 2-book set
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
329 people want to read
About the author
Lemony Snicket
316 books26.4k followersLemony Snicket had an unusual education and a perplexing youth and now endures a despondent adulthood. His previous published works include the thirteen volumes in A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Composer is Dead, and 13 Words. His new series is All The Wrong Questions.
For A Series of Unfortunate Events:
www.lemonysnicket.com
For All The Wrong Questions:
www.lemonysnicketlibrary.com
For A Series of Unfortunate Events:
www.lemonysnicket.com
For All The Wrong Questions:
www.lemonysnicketlibrary.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 3, 2017
Verdient viel mehr Aufmerksamkeit:
December 19, 2017
Eine sehr kurzweilige Geschichte, die mir sehr viel Spaß gemacht hat. Ich freue mich schon sehr auf den zweiten Doppelband und bin gespannt, wie die traurige Geschichte der Baudelaire Kinder weitergeht.. eine ausführliche Rezension folgt auf meinem Blog: https://liveyourlifewithbooks.wordpre...
March 18, 2023
Another terrible tale in the lives of the Baudelaires’. A book even a bit more sinister than ‘The Bad Beginning’.
October 15, 2023
Brilijantan, pomalo šašav početak odličnog serijala za djecu/tinejdžere koji su skloniji mračnijim temama i žanrovima, definitivno “must read”.
January 15, 2025
1. knjiga završena: 16.11.2024.
2. knjiga završena: 12.01.2025.
2. knjiga završena: 12.01.2025.
January 4, 2023
"Scream and Run Away."
This is a review mainly of the unabridged recording of "The Bad Beginning” read by Tim Curry, with an interview of Lemony Snicket by Leonard C. Marcus. And the song "Scream and Run Away performed by the Gothic Archies. This is also a review of the book.
Initial listening of this book brought horror and disgust (which in this case means repugnance.) Determined to finish the story despite the author's constant warnings, I must say that I became enamored of his style.
There are several pluses to listening to the recording. The pace of the recording helps keep you going when you would have set the book aside. The absence of the book's illustrations by Bret Helquist allowed you to imagine a more sinister Count Olaf and a cuter, yet with a tad of tomboy, Violet. Now the significant plus is the unmistakable voice of Tim Curry of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Oscar" (1991 as Dr. Poole) fame. His interpretation of the voices gave just as much panache to the characters as Lemony's writing.
Not in the book, but as additions to the recording are two significant items that help with the understanding of the story, where it came from, and where it is going. First is an interview with the author. It covers many of the standard questions asked in an interview; the answers and the communication style are somewhat unique and a little over the top. Also, there is a recording of a song that Mr. Snicket says is played by the Baudelaire memorial orchestra; I have since found that it was performed by the Gothic Archies, written by Gay and Loud.
I do not want to give away the plot however I can tell you that at one point they are forced to eat "boiled chicken, boiled, potatoes and 'blanched'- here means 'boiled'- string beans"
This is a review mainly of the unabridged recording of "The Bad Beginning” read by Tim Curry, with an interview of Lemony Snicket by Leonard C. Marcus. And the song "Scream and Run Away performed by the Gothic Archies. This is also a review of the book.
Initial listening of this book brought horror and disgust (which in this case means repugnance.) Determined to finish the story despite the author's constant warnings, I must say that I became enamored of his style.
There are several pluses to listening to the recording. The pace of the recording helps keep you going when you would have set the book aside. The absence of the book's illustrations by Bret Helquist allowed you to imagine a more sinister Count Olaf and a cuter, yet with a tad of tomboy, Violet. Now the significant plus is the unmistakable voice of Tim Curry of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Oscar" (1991 as Dr. Poole) fame. His interpretation of the voices gave just as much panache to the characters as Lemony's writing.
Not in the book, but as additions to the recording are two significant items that help with the understanding of the story, where it came from, and where it is going. First is an interview with the author. It covers many of the standard questions asked in an interview; the answers and the communication style are somewhat unique and a little over the top. Also, there is a recording of a song that Mr. Snicket says is played by the Baudelaire memorial orchestra; I have since found that it was performed by the Gothic Archies, written by Gay and Loud.
I do not want to give away the plot however I can tell you that at one point they are forced to eat "boiled chicken, boiled, potatoes and 'blanched'- here means 'boiled'- string beans"
June 15, 2018
In the second book in A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket hits a new, improved level of dark humor that young kids are likely to miss but older readers will laugh over. It appears that the author has fully committed to writing with an attitude of shrugged shoulders and the implied comment, "What are you going to do? Life stinks for some of us." The Baudelaire orphans endure tragedy, but endure they do, with the cohesion and comfort of a family that sticks together. There's that.
If you are reading aloud to a child or, as in my case, a grandchild who is sensitive to loss and danger, avoid reading this story at nighttime. Daytime reading will be fine, though, particularly if you change up the voices of the characters so that it is clear who to trust and who not to. Hint: Read Count Olaf in a nasty, oily, very bad voice.
If you're reading only to yourself, give yourself permission to laugh when terrible things happen to nice people. It's okay. Really.
If you are reading aloud to a child or, as in my case, a grandchild who is sensitive to loss and danger, avoid reading this story at nighttime. Daytime reading will be fine, though, particularly if you change up the voices of the characters so that it is clear who to trust and who not to. Hint: Read Count Olaf in a nasty, oily, very bad voice.
If you're reading only to yourself, give yourself permission to laugh when terrible things happen to nice people. It's okay. Really.
December 30, 2019
Es ist betrüblich, wie wenig Aufmerksamkeit diese beiden Romane bekommen. Auch wenn es sich eigentlich um ein Jugendbuch handelt, gefällt mir der düster angehauchte Humor und der ernste zugrundeliegende Tonfall indem eine Konfrontation mit dem Schlechten im Leben auf unterhaltsame Weise herüber gebracht wird. Definitive Leseempfehlung für jedermann.
September 13, 2018
We stopped reading this one for the summer so it seems as though it took months for it to be read. It Did Not! LOL Anyway, this series is hilarious and full of fun. We even enjoy reading, then comparing to the Netflix original series.
March 16, 2018
Ein fantastisches Buch.
October 30, 2023
Bauldedaire orphans have made it to a relative who is a herpetologist. Count Olaf enters the picture again to try to steal their fortune, and in the process they lose another guardian.
November 5, 2023
I just reread this book and it's well done. Its a fast read
July 26, 2024
A fun read.
October 9, 2024
We love uncle monty
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews