The life of orphans is rarely easy, but for Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, it starts particularly dark. After their parents’ sudden death, the three children inherit a substantial fortune, prompting the greedy, unscrupulous Count Olaf to act.
Plot summary
The Baudelaire children learn about the tragedy from Mr Poe, a family friend, banker, and executor of their parents’ will. Overworked and emotionally unavailable, he places the orphans as instructed in the care of a relative, Count Olaf. An eccentric actor and neglectful guardian, Olaf forces the children to do the household chores. But this is nothing compared to his sinister scheme: he intends to seize their inheritance.
Themes, Illustration and Writing Style
The Bad Beginning is a dark but engaging book, with a fast-moving plot that leaves little room for boredom. Lemony Snicket warns readers from the very beginning that this is not a happy story. The novel has something of the atmosphere of classic orphan narratives familiar from Dickens’s Oliver Twist and David Copperfield. One distinctive feature is that it introduces the main conflict in the opening pages, a technique also familiar from Anne Fine’s Bill’s New Frock.
In The Bad Beginning, the author also uses symbolism: the eye tattooed on Count Olaf’s ankle, repeated throughout his house, creates a sense of threat, control, and constant supervision. Against this bleak backdrop, the kind, mother-figure prototype of Justice Strauss stands out. Her library is not only welcoming but also the key to uncovering Olaf’s plan. An effective approach is to suggest that knowledge and books can offer genuine protection. However, some readers might have difficulty with specialised terms such as “will” and “nuptial law”. On the other hand, the author explains non-technical terms clearly and considers the needs of younger readers.
Final Thought
The Bad Beginning is a suitable read for children aged 9 to 11, particularly those who enjoy mysteries, suspense, and characters forced to show courage in an unfair world.
Further Information:
If you love A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning, check out more information about its author and illustrator:
The Stats:
- Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning
- Author and Illustrator: Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
- ISBN: 1 4052 0867 8
- Publication Date:
- Page Count: 192
- Publisher: HarpperCollins Children’s Books
- Recommended age: 9-11
- Categories/Topic: orphans, mysteries, series
Where to Find it:
- Buy on: Bookshop UK
- Buy on: Amazon
Further readings:
The BFG by Roald Dahl – Sophie is an orphan who lives in an orphanage before she is taken by the big, friendly giant.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – a classic story. An orphan, Mary Lennox, moves to live with her cousin, a semi-orphan. A moving story about friendship and nature.
The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell – Vita is not an orphan, but she joins a group of resourceful children to oppose injustice and powerful adults, similar to Snicket’s storyline.
