Lemony Snicket – A Series of Unfortunate Events

The age group prescribed for this collection is 7 to 14. I saw this movie. I liked the movie; many of my friends did not. So just started reading and I’m happy I did. I sometimes feel smug that I have read so many books. I did not really read so many books but I’d like to think so! ;-) When I come across some new, different book title it makes me feel as if I’m missing out on so much. A Series of Unfortunate Events is one such thing. The story, the story-telling is quite unusual.

This is a story of three children –orphans – who are constantly facing troubles. Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire are the three unfortunate children who lose their parents in a terrible fire. Mr. Poe, the banker who is in charge of the Baudelaire fortune, has to find them a guardian until Violet turns 18. Their first guardian, the main villain of the story, Count Olaf is an evil, shrewd man who is always making plans to make the children’s lives miserable so he could get the Baudelaire fortune.

Wherever these kids go their troubles follow. I won’t tell how unlucky they are or how depressing this story is, because the Lemony Snicket person (the narrator of the story) tells us that at least once in every chapter of every book. And there are thirteen books. Children who are sick of reading Cinderella, Snow white, etc will find this so refreshing. Not just the children, sometimes the unusual grownups like me who love reading books that are listed under the genre ‘Children’ or ‘Young Adult’.

There is a subtle, mild humour mostly in the form of Sunny Baudelaire, sometimes the Count Olaf team and the writing. The plots are quite good. The characters are well defined. There is suspense that is handled well. I have not yet reached the end so I cannot really comment more on this. The usual parameters that are used for a book review cannot justify these books. You just have to read at least one to know what I’m talking about. Admittedly, you might get bored after second or third books. The plot is more or less the same and the ‘humour’ is the same old, same old. I, however, am still reading because I just want to know how it ends.

Also, I liked so many characters, this means so many rantings coming up..!