Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

26 reviews

kate22492's review against another edition

dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Death and Child abuse

alligatortoast's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I might be biased because I first read this series when I was in the same age range as Klaus and Violet, but I think this is overall a really great series and this book sets the tone for the rest of the series in terms of style and voice. It's not my fav of the series by any means, and reading it again as an adult I do see some problematic plot points. (Like a grown man trying to marry a 14 year old? Even though it's just to get their money it stills feels really creepy and weird.) 

Also as others have said, the constant explaining of words is a bit annoying after a while. I understand this is meant for a younger audience but some of the words explained are words I knew at that age. And the author constantly uses more complicated words that aren't overly explained, so it makes the explanations seem redundant and cumbersome. 

Overall this is a solid debut for an excellent series. The later books delve deeper into the story and subplots, but this one is more about introducing the concept and style of the series. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Child abuse, and Death

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Blood

theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition

dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

A dark children’s book but not so dark that it’s inappropriate. Definitely check the content warnings and make sure you feel this series is appropriate for your child’s age. But there is no cursing or mature content.m; it’s just dark and has realistically scary things. 

We are continuing with the series as a family! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Grief

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Alcohol

alyvia_jeane's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Death, Alcohol, Grief, and Bullying

Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Pedophilia

targrhaegar's review against another edition

funny informative sad fast-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

 A great start to one of my favorite series of all time!

This very short book introduces you to the Baudelaire children, their tragic life, the useless and absurd adults around them and Snicket's witty and funny writing.

I love it.

Lemony is a great narrator and I am in love with his ASOUE world. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

mckiheather's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Having seen the Netflix show a couple times and finally getting to read it, it’s such a good story because I don’t think there’s really any other story like it and it’s told in such an interesting way. I think the audiobook format also adds to that story telling in a really interesting way.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Grief, Violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

stephhamp's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I revisited this book to get out of a reading slump and I'm so glad! It feels so small in my hands. When I was little I thought it was such mature literature and so advanced. And it very much was for a kid. I love how Lemony Snicket treats kids as little people. With thoughts, minds, emotions, and respect. He introduced us to morally grey characters and was honest in the hardships of the world when many weren't.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Child abuse

ophycore's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Fatphobia, Violence, Grief, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Transphobia and Alcohol

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

Neglect, Abduction

annoyedhumanoid's review

adventurous dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

i feel weird critiquing when i know i'm no longer the target audience (🥲) but there are literally five plot points it’s so short. i don't think i fully realized, as a fourth grader, the gravity and emotional trauma of the Baudelaire's situation… like

the slap to the face and all the other adults laugh

?!? pit in my stomach. also, this is not an attempt to "cancel" the book, but what must it be like to read this as a child going through abuse only to have Mr. Snicket tell you twenty times "it doesn't get better for these kids". i guess that’s its form of a trigger warning?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Grief, and Death

Minor: Incest, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Pedophilia

johannarose's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Violence, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Confinement, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment