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stitchbooks22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Blood, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
chavagrenville'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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Pedophilia
hannahlsmith's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Pedophilia
ann_s'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
4.75
Moderate: Pedophilia
Minor: Child abuse
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
staceyinthesticks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Moderate: Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
Minor: Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, and Child abuse
caitlin_123a's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Minor: Abandonment, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Death of parent, and Physical abuse
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
erebus53's review against another edition
- 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
ophycore'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
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