A ‘happily-ever-after’ fairy tale ending isn’t uncommon in fiction, but The Bad Beginning, the first book in the series Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler(under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket who is a character himself) clearly starts the book off with a warning that the series starts, ends, and contains only—as the title suggests—unfortunate events.
The three Baudelaire siblings are described as remarkable: 14-year-old Violet is an avid inventor, 12-year-old Klaus has a passion for reading and knowledge. On the other hand, Sunny, their infant sister, is said to love biting, still being at a young age (which is never exactly specified). When three Baudelaires are confronted with news of a fire and their parents’ passing, their lives change drastically. Left with nothing but each other and their large inheritance—which can only be accessed once Violet turns 18—the three orphans are sent to live with their geographically closest, distant relative, Count Olaf, after briefly living with the family of Mr. Poe, a banker and their late parents’ friend.
It quickly becomes clear that living with Count Olaf needs to change. Endless chores, extremely poor living conditions, and an overly demanding and violent guardian, are all additions to the siblings’ lives. However, unlike the book claims, the children are able to find some happiness in their kind neighbor, Justice Strauss, and her library. But when it’s revealed that Count Olaf will do whatever it takes to get his hands on their inheritance and has concocted a seemingly foolproof plan for it, their unfortunate circumstances get even darker.
Despite the juvenile fiction book having an almost cartoonish quality, the characters and the setting around them are brought to life so well through the details, it isn’t hard to root for them. In the end, it’s exactly what a series with a premise like this needs: loveable characters that keep readers turning the pages out of concern and interest.
The book is very aptly named: though The Bad Beginning has a tidy, clever resolution considering the bleakness of their circumstances within the story, it’s apparent that much more unfortunate is in the cards for the Baudelaires. Even though it isn’t one of the stories that readers can disappear into as a impossibly hopeful escape from reality, The Bad Beginning can do much of the same, and readers can both appreciate their surroundings and hope that the Baudelaires continue to find clever ways out of their too-frequent unfortunate events.
