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A Series of Unfortunate Events #1-11
The Cumbersome Collection
Enjoy Lemony Snicket's hilariously gloomy series from the beginning! Full of all the unpleasantness children and adults have come to love, The Cumbersome Collection includes the first 11 books of the wildly popular A Series of Unfortunate Events. As always, be forewarned that there is nothing to be found in this series but "misery, despair, and discomfort." Read at your own risk.
Hardcover
First published September 21, 2004
33 people are currently reading
1031 people want to read
About the author
Lemony Snicket
315 books26.5k 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
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
June 20, 2020
3.63 based on average of each book
June 6, 2014
I first started reading these books when I was ten years old and still love them now.
Lemony Snicket is such a unique author and his wit is hilarious. I love the characters in these books, even Count Olaf who is one of my favourite book-villains. I read these as a child, yet I still marvel at the intricate and clever plot of these books.
If you haven't read these books or have only read a few then I definitely recommend this series as it is unique from other books, gripping, funny and just incredible. If you have watched the film but not read the books then please do not judge the books by the film. The film covers only some content from the first three books and although the film was rather good and the casting spot-on, the books are so much better! And there's 13 of them! (Even though I would love there to be more)
Each book is fast paced and involves the three orphans orphans, Violet, Klaus and Sunny being in a different situation but the plot continues from the previous books so I would recommend to read them all in order. I love this element of the series, having the orphans being in different places from book to book makes it exciting and introduces new characters. For example, in the Reptile Room (Book 2) the orphans stay with Uncle Monty and in the Wide Window (Book 3), Aunt Josephine is a new character. These are not just your every day characters, they are so interesting, weird and wonderful.
As are the main characters, Violet, Klaus and Sunny who each have their own attributes and reasons why you cherish them as characters. Also, the narration in these books is what makes it stand out from other books, Lemony Snicket's sharp wit and cynical attitude draws you to the book and makes you forever curious. Also, I love the small bits of text about Beatrice at the start of each book and would recommend the Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket to anyone who also find the whole Beatrice thing intriguing.
Therefore, inevitably I give these books five stars, as they provide me with so much enjoyment every time I read them.
Lemony Snicket is such a unique author and his wit is hilarious. I love the characters in these books, even Count Olaf who is one of my favourite book-villains. I read these as a child, yet I still marvel at the intricate and clever plot of these books.
If you haven't read these books or have only read a few then I definitely recommend this series as it is unique from other books, gripping, funny and just incredible. If you have watched the film but not read the books then please do not judge the books by the film. The film covers only some content from the first three books and although the film was rather good and the casting spot-on, the books are so much better! And there's 13 of them! (Even though I would love there to be more)
Each book is fast paced and involves the three orphans orphans, Violet, Klaus and Sunny being in a different situation but the plot continues from the previous books so I would recommend to read them all in order. I love this element of the series, having the orphans being in different places from book to book makes it exciting and introduces new characters. For example, in the Reptile Room (Book 2) the orphans stay with Uncle Monty and in the Wide Window (Book 3), Aunt Josephine is a new character. These are not just your every day characters, they are so interesting, weird and wonderful.
As are the main characters, Violet, Klaus and Sunny who each have their own attributes and reasons why you cherish them as characters. Also, the narration in these books is what makes it stand out from other books, Lemony Snicket's sharp wit and cynical attitude draws you to the book and makes you forever curious. Also, I love the small bits of text about Beatrice at the start of each book and would recommend the Beatrice Letters by Lemony Snicket to anyone who also find the whole Beatrice thing intriguing.
Therefore, inevitably I give these books five stars, as they provide me with so much enjoyment every time I read them.
April 28, 2015
Great read even for adults! Own Complete Set
July 3, 2014
Thanks to the glory of e-books, I managed to read all of these more as though they were a single book, rather than individually. Though they can each stand on their own (well, the first six or seven maybe), there is an overarching tale being told, so this was an acceptable way to consume these books.
My initial impression, at least for the first few books, was that these were cute, sort of funny, though maybe a bit tedious books for kids. They weren't bad -I was far too old to be reading them -but they had an appeal. There was some good meta humour, an interesting atmosphere to the stories (I pictured a lot of Tim Burton-esque images), and semi-interesting plots. Yes, the nefarious villains were cartoonish, as were the well-meaning but delusional adults, but it's a kid's book, so I didn't let it get to me too much. It didn't have the broad appeal of Harry Potter (which I always felt like it was trying to emulate, thanks to the bespectacled child on the front of the books) but I could see the appeal.
In the middle of the series (maybe books 7-10 or so) things start to take off. The children's journey becomes second fiddle to an overarching plot. The author is involved in this story, so there's more metacommentary, which is enjoyable and creates an atmosphere of collusion and almost soviet-era spygames. These were the most intriguing chapters in the Baudelaire's story to me, as I became more and more curious about the lives of the adults and what was going on around the kids. They try to investigate, but every time they nearly discover something, they're interrupted. The first one or two times this happens it's funny and dramatic, but then... it keeps happening. It's kind of absurd. And no longer funny absurd, but irritating. But still, I felt like we were heading to a destination, and was more interested to see where it was going overall.
Finally the end. First of all: shit goes off the rails. The atmosphere (Tim Burton-esque, as I mentioned) dissolved, and the mysteries kept piling up, and ultimately (spoilers? kind of?) none of them really get revealed. There's a big moment at the very very very end that I think is supposed to make all sorts of stuff fall into place... but it really doesn't. You don't find out what happened to most of the characters. You learn there is a whole overarching scheme, but you never actually get to read what it was. By the end of the story you don't even really care about the protagonists anymore, because so many other interesting people have been dropped on you, and honestly the Baudelaires are... boring.
I get that the whole thing "Snicket" is trying to teach us is that no one's story has a real beginning or end, and everyone and everything overlaps, and not everything is peachy all the time. I get that discovering the schemes and plots wasn't really the "point" of the books. But, my god, I invested so much time being interested in it and then... nothing. If these books were written for actual adults (which might have been nice, as I wouldn't have had to read so many definitions for words and idioms) it might have been fine to make vague, philosophical endings. But they're kids books! Sure, they can contain important life lessons and truths to carry into the future, but c'mon. Don't build up this whole fascinating web of lies and deceit and then resolve NOTHING. Fine, leaving us with more questions than answers is realistic and poignant in its own right, but you have to be a really good writer and very clearly accomplish some other moral/theme if you're doing that. Unfortunately I don't think "Snicket" (I forget the guy's real name) is that good. I'd almost be tempted to re-read them to see if earlier stuff makes more sense knowing the end (and I suspect it would), but they're too tedious to bother with that.
Ultimately I cant heartily recommend these books. If kids wanted to read them I'd say fine, whatever gets them to read, but they lack the heart and soul of children's books that appeal to adults. Maybe I'd feel differently if I had read them when I was younger, who knows? As it is, I'd be way, way, WAY more interested in reading an adult novel about the grown-ups in these books. They seem much more interesting, and hell, I want ANSWERS.
My initial impression, at least for the first few books, was that these were cute, sort of funny, though maybe a bit tedious books for kids. They weren't bad -I was far too old to be reading them -but they had an appeal. There was some good meta humour, an interesting atmosphere to the stories (I pictured a lot of Tim Burton-esque images), and semi-interesting plots. Yes, the nefarious villains were cartoonish, as were the well-meaning but delusional adults, but it's a kid's book, so I didn't let it get to me too much. It didn't have the broad appeal of Harry Potter (which I always felt like it was trying to emulate, thanks to the bespectacled child on the front of the books) but I could see the appeal.
In the middle of the series (maybe books 7-10 or so) things start to take off. The children's journey becomes second fiddle to an overarching plot. The author is involved in this story, so there's more metacommentary, which is enjoyable and creates an atmosphere of collusion and almost soviet-era spygames. These were the most intriguing chapters in the Baudelaire's story to me, as I became more and more curious about the lives of the adults and what was going on around the kids. They try to investigate, but every time they nearly discover something, they're interrupted. The first one or two times this happens it's funny and dramatic, but then... it keeps happening. It's kind of absurd. And no longer funny absurd, but irritating. But still, I felt like we were heading to a destination, and was more interested to see where it was going overall.
Finally the end. First of all: shit goes off the rails. The atmosphere (Tim Burton-esque, as I mentioned) dissolved, and the mysteries kept piling up, and ultimately (spoilers? kind of?) none of them really get revealed. There's a big moment at the very very very end that I think is supposed to make all sorts of stuff fall into place... but it really doesn't. You don't find out what happened to most of the characters. You learn there is a whole overarching scheme, but you never actually get to read what it was. By the end of the story you don't even really care about the protagonists anymore, because so many other interesting people have been dropped on you, and honestly the Baudelaires are... boring.
I get that the whole thing "Snicket" is trying to teach us is that no one's story has a real beginning or end, and everyone and everything overlaps, and not everything is peachy all the time. I get that discovering the schemes and plots wasn't really the "point" of the books. But, my god, I invested so much time being interested in it and then... nothing. If these books were written for actual adults (which might have been nice, as I wouldn't have had to read so many definitions for words and idioms) it might have been fine to make vague, philosophical endings. But they're kids books! Sure, they can contain important life lessons and truths to carry into the future, but c'mon. Don't build up this whole fascinating web of lies and deceit and then resolve NOTHING. Fine, leaving us with more questions than answers is realistic and poignant in its own right, but you have to be a really good writer and very clearly accomplish some other moral/theme if you're doing that. Unfortunately I don't think "Snicket" (I forget the guy's real name) is that good. I'd almost be tempted to re-read them to see if earlier stuff makes more sense knowing the end (and I suspect it would), but they're too tedious to bother with that.
Ultimately I cant heartily recommend these books. If kids wanted to read them I'd say fine, whatever gets them to read, but they lack the heart and soul of children's books that appeal to adults. Maybe I'd feel differently if I had read them when I was younger, who knows? As it is, I'd be way, way, WAY more interested in reading an adult novel about the grown-ups in these books. They seem much more interesting, and hell, I want ANSWERS.
August 17, 2015
هشتاد درصد خیال پردازی های دوران نوجوانیم . رده بنده دیویی - سوالی که برام ایجاد شد درمورد سیستم کتابخونه ها و تا الان که کتابدارم . تاثیر گذار تر از هری پاتر حتی
May 16, 2022
Started reading this series when I was like ten years old, and still read them today :,) Have always loved this series.
June 6, 2024
Reread all of these as an adult to see if they hold up… they do
November 6, 2025
I don’t remember all of the details of these stories because I read them in my childhood. I do remember the profound effect they had on me though. I am planning to read them all again so I can experience Lemony Snicket’s amazing storytelling of disastrous events.
August 27, 2021
Best series ive read in a while. Count Olaf is one of my favorite villans ever.
July 23, 2025
This is a long one so buckle up.
If you had told me as a kid that a book series could be this dark, this twisted, and this hilarious all at once, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are, and A Series of Unfortunate Events is basically my childhood’s spirit animal — an eternal, chaotic, misfit anthem that somehow managed to make misery so compulsively readable.
Let’s start with the Baudelaire orphans: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Brilliant, inventive, and totally out of their depth in a world where adults either don’t notice the creeping doom or are actively villainous. These kids aren’t your typical “magical chosen ones,” but instead sharp, resourceful survivors who constantly have to MacGyver their way out of situations that should have ended them weeks ago.
What makes this series so special is Lemony Snicket’s voice — a narrator who’s both a grieving friend and a delightfully cynical commentator. His dry, dark humor is the glue that holds the series together. He warns you repeatedly that things are going to be terrible, which somehow makes you turn the page faster, despite yourself. It’s like a literary roller coaster of misery with an expertly delivered “but wait, there’s more!” every time.
The villain, Count Olaf, is the embodiment of pure, relentless evil dressed in terrible disguises. He’s absurdly theatrical, endlessly cunning, and always just one step ahead of the law. Yet, despite the fact that he should be caught in literally every book, the adults’ incompetence or apathy lets him slip through. It’s the perfect metaphor for childhood frustration — adults never quite seeing what’s really happening while the kids fight their battles alone.
This series doesn’t shy away from the bleak, the bizarre, or the downright depressing, but it balances that with wit, absurdity, and moments of genuine hope and courage. It respects its readers’ intelligence by not sugarcoating anything, yet still manages to be wildly entertaining and strangely comforting.
And honestly? The themes of resilience, the blurred lines between good and evil, and the idea that sometimes you have to face terrible odds with only your wits and your weird little family by your side hit me hard — still do. It’s a childhood staple, a soul mate, and a reminder that even when everything is going wrong, there’s always a way to keep going.
Would I recommend this to anyone who’s ever felt like the world was against them? Absolutely.
Would I reread it and cry about my childhood all over again? Yes, and maybe also start a fan club for Count Olaf because honestly, that man is iconic.
If you had told me as a kid that a book series could be this dark, this twisted, and this hilarious all at once, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here we are, and A Series of Unfortunate Events is basically my childhood’s spirit animal — an eternal, chaotic, misfit anthem that somehow managed to make misery so compulsively readable.
Let’s start with the Baudelaire orphans: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Brilliant, inventive, and totally out of their depth in a world where adults either don’t notice the creeping doom or are actively villainous. These kids aren’t your typical “magical chosen ones,” but instead sharp, resourceful survivors who constantly have to MacGyver their way out of situations that should have ended them weeks ago.
What makes this series so special is Lemony Snicket’s voice — a narrator who’s both a grieving friend and a delightfully cynical commentator. His dry, dark humor is the glue that holds the series together. He warns you repeatedly that things are going to be terrible, which somehow makes you turn the page faster, despite yourself. It’s like a literary roller coaster of misery with an expertly delivered “but wait, there’s more!” every time.
The villain, Count Olaf, is the embodiment of pure, relentless evil dressed in terrible disguises. He’s absurdly theatrical, endlessly cunning, and always just one step ahead of the law. Yet, despite the fact that he should be caught in literally every book, the adults’ incompetence or apathy lets him slip through. It’s the perfect metaphor for childhood frustration — adults never quite seeing what’s really happening while the kids fight their battles alone.
This series doesn’t shy away from the bleak, the bizarre, or the downright depressing, but it balances that with wit, absurdity, and moments of genuine hope and courage. It respects its readers’ intelligence by not sugarcoating anything, yet still manages to be wildly entertaining and strangely comforting.
And honestly? The themes of resilience, the blurred lines between good and evil, and the idea that sometimes you have to face terrible odds with only your wits and your weird little family by your side hit me hard — still do. It’s a childhood staple, a soul mate, and a reminder that even when everything is going wrong, there’s always a way to keep going.
Would I recommend this to anyone who’s ever felt like the world was against them? Absolutely.
Would I reread it and cry about my childhood all over again? Yes, and maybe also start a fan club for Count Olaf because honestly, that man is iconic.
April 17, 2020
I loved reading these books! I would suggest them to any and every younger person I know. They are great books that will get you stuck. Reading the terrible fortunes of these children kept me on edge the entire collection.
July 5, 2022
This series reminds me why I've always loved Silence of the Lambs, Coraline, and Nightmare Before Christmas. There is an underlying layer of eeriness that just crawls under your skin. Sometimes it also feels nice to revel in your sadness, and there is no absence of that in these books.
August 1, 2017
I loved these books as a kid. They were quick, yet interesting reads. I remember once buying one with my mother and finishing it in an hour as we pulled into the driveway at home.
December 9, 2022
re-reading!
November 8, 2024
Why is it only 1-11? Where are 12 and 13 in this collection?
February 23, 2025
Started and finished this series when I was a tween. Oddly eerie, entertaining, hopefully and relatable. Never forgot this series and enjoyed the Netflix adaptation when it came out.
May 10, 2025
I don’t remember but I recall it being good at the tender age of 16 😭
November 4, 2023
Very entertaining and appeals to all ages! The Netflix series is also amazing!
January 5, 2023
This series was pure escapism of adventure! I loved it so much!
September 18, 2019
Charming!
May 7, 2024
A Disgustingly Sadistic Story
Whoever likes reading about bad stuff happening to orphans and finds it funny, is a weird person, just as these are weird books.
This is an incredibly sadistic story, with awful things happening to the Baudelaire orphans on every page. They're guardians are almost always clueless, or they don't care. On the rare chance that they are kind, they are killed by Count Olaf and the Baudelaires are plunged back into a series of unfortunate events.
I mean, this is a story about a baby, ten year-old, and fourteen year-old being hunted by a lunatic who is determined to make their lives miserable, or else kill them for their money.
There is a second set of orphans, the Quagmire Triplets, who are really twins because their third brother was killed. They spend most of the series being locked up or kidnapped.
There is a sinister connection to something called the V.F.D. which had something to do with the fire that killed the Baudelaire's parents.
I'm not sure what it stands for because I didn't bother finishing this sadistic series, but I think it stands for Volunteer Fire Department, because they had something to do with a huge fire.
This is a really weird, gloomy, and cruel-minded series of truly unfortunate events, and I would never recommend them to anyone.
Take the narrators advice and read something else like the Happy Little Elf. This series is not worth anyone's time.
Whoever likes reading about bad stuff happening to orphans and finds it funny, is a weird person, just as these are weird books.
This is an incredibly sadistic story, with awful things happening to the Baudelaire orphans on every page. They're guardians are almost always clueless, or they don't care. On the rare chance that they are kind, they are killed by Count Olaf and the Baudelaires are plunged back into a series of unfortunate events.
I mean, this is a story about a baby, ten year-old, and fourteen year-old being hunted by a lunatic who is determined to make their lives miserable, or else kill them for their money.
There is a second set of orphans, the Quagmire Triplets, who are really twins because their third brother was killed. They spend most of the series being locked up or kidnapped.
There is a sinister connection to something called the V.F.D. which had something to do with the fire that killed the Baudelaire's parents.
I'm not sure what it stands for because I didn't bother finishing this sadistic series, but I think it stands for Volunteer Fire Department, because they had something to do with a huge fire.
This is a really weird, gloomy, and cruel-minded series of truly unfortunate events, and I would never recommend them to anyone.
Take the narrators advice and read something else like the Happy Little Elf. This series is not worth anyone's time.
August 12, 2015
These thirteen books were a source of entertainment, inspiration, and confusion. Each episode in this series of unfortunate events offers brilliant characters, settings, and situations that had me enamored. Lemony Snicket's (or Daniel Handler) clever style and constant allusions to literature fed my reader bug causing me to add new words to my vocabulary, new works to my reading list, and new entries to my new commonplace book. However, Handler sacrifices good story-telling for literary braggadocio. This style becomes very muddled and superfluous by the last few entries in the series, and at times, I would turn the page merely to get a page closer to the end. This is my only real complaint. Handler starts the series as a love-letter to reading and its many benefits, but the collection ends on a very philosophical note as he seeks to analyze and summarize humanity. Its a bold attempt, and I'm not sure he fails. I'll have to re-read this collection after some time of reading other works that can help me come to these works with new insight.
February 18, 2023
The Bad Beginning ★★★★
The Reptile Room ★★★★
The Wide Window ★★★★
The Miserable Mill ★★★☆
The Austere Academy ★★★
The Ersatz Elevator ★★★
The Vile Village ★★★
The Hostile Hospital ★★★★
The Carnivorous Carnival ★★★★
The Slippery Slope ★★★★
The Grim Grotto ★★★★
The Reptile Room ★★★★
The Wide Window ★★★★
The Miserable Mill ★★★☆
The Austere Academy ★★★
The Ersatz Elevator ★★★
The Vile Village ★★★
The Hostile Hospital ★★★★
The Carnivorous Carnival ★★★★
The Slippery Slope ★★★★
The Grim Grotto ★★★★
December 17, 2012
I have read a few of this series so far. They are very interesting books! This series again deals with the fight of good vs. evil. The three children are left orphaned to their crazy uncle. They must overcome many different obstacles to try and keep themselves free from his harm. This is a great way for students to get interested in a series of books that will keep them reading. Can be used in the classroom to discuss good vs. evil, family, orphans, and could be used to discuss order of events and retelling stories.
April 23, 2008
The book the bad begenning has a good start!!!!!!!!!! with the entro of the parent of the boldalera's die in a house fire and then they have to go to live with one of their family member that they had never heard of!! His name is Count Olf. He is a very stange person. he has eyes all over his house. What the kids dont know is that he started the fire. Just to tke all the money. witch are bilions of dallers. does he git it find out by reading the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 2, 2014
I was wildly addicted to this series of books due to the way that Lemony Snicket wrote! Always, in an undertone of misery and foreboding, it' sang interesting collection for children aged 7-10 but for more mature readers it might not be ideal, however the book is an excellent work of children's fiction, each book leaving you waiting for the next! I collected this whole series with a vengeance! ✌️
April 19, 2007
For a long time, these books were the only things that worked on my panic attacks. Now that I have xanax, I still treasure them still for the arch humor, the gothic sensibility, and the very important moral lessons they impart. Like, that a well-read person is less likely to be evil (with the important exception of Ayn Rand fans).
November 2, 2014
Reading back on some of this, I feel that Lemony Snicket said some philosophical things about human beings throughout this book that I failed to pick up on when I was younger. However I loved this series and still do, it's always interesting reading back on books you read when you were younger. Usually you see a completely different side.
July 8, 2007
It's my new year's resolution to read all of the "Series of Unfortunate Events books. I'm currently about 1/3 of the way into book 11, "The Grim Grotto." These are charming, witty, clever little books, easy to read and full of satire.
September 18, 2007
These books are incredibly clever. And you can read one in like an hour. Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) is hilarious in person. I dragged Dan to the local high school to see him and he was extremely entertaining (he even played the accordian!).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews