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wuthrinheights's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It has been too long since I read this, so I forgot a lot of details, but the one thing I remember (and loved) about Lemony Snicket is how great his voice is. His writing is incredibly unique and unforgettable. It's eloquent, whimsical, humorous, and informative. I love how he would teach idioms or phrases, or explain what certain words would mean in between telling this tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans.
The Bad Beginning was an incredible start to this fantastic series. It is (as per his warnings in every chance he could sneak in) terribly miserable and frustrating. From losing their parents at a young age to getting adopted by this unknown relative who abused them, to having adult friends who were of no help at all, it makes me want to weep for these three beautiful, smart, kind children. I know it's a series of unfortunate events, but my God. It truly is unfortunate.
Minor: Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Addiction, Death of parent, Incest, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Torture, Sexual harassment, Violence, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, and Slavery
alyvia_jeane's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Grief, and Bullying
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Pedophilia
maggieoc_x's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, and Death of parent
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Kidnapping
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Confinement, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
erebus53's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The tone of the story is charming and peppered with conversational notes for children on vocabulary and grammar ("vocabulary and grammar", in this sense means, the words that are used, and in which order, so that they make good sense.) I laughed at parts of the story such as when a child is reading late at night and is so tired that he repeats the same part over and repeats the same part over and repeats the same part over.
I find it a little irksome that to have scary adult characters they lean into the body horror, caricaturing an amputee with two hooks for hands and a fat, gender indeterminate person with white eyes. It's a bit circus freakshow, and challenges my desire for positive representation of Disability. Call me a snowflake, I dare you.
For a book that ostensibly has nothing but unfortunate happenings, sad beginnings, and sad endings, I was still not surprised that the children use their extensive resourcefulness to solve problems. It would be utterly unengaging if there was no hope, but the whole point is that these children are relatively irrepressible (which means that compared to most people, they don't let unfortunate or difficult things stop them). Yes the ending faces them with a new valamity, but such is the way with serial stories.
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Grief, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, and Bullying
sara_n's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Moderate: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
courteneykenyon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment and Bullying
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Alcohol
bellaq's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Bullying and Blood
Count Olaf his klaus and ties sunny in a cage but most of the book is alrightsallytumbler13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Toxic relationship
eureadthis's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Bullying, and Death of parent
snazzysie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Minor: Bullying, Grief, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Death of parent