The main thing that kept me reading these books was that the kids never gave in to despair. Terrible things keep happening to them but they keep going because they refuse to believe that terrible things are all that happen in the world.The last book gave a kind of closer that the world is a dark place but darkness isn’t everything there is.
I remember being so mad at the way the series ended. I was terribly upset by it. But my younger brother explained to me why he loved the ending and it made me appreciate the series and the ending. My baby brother told me that in life, we don't always get the answers to the questions we have and that's okay. We can still choose to be happy with what we've got. Just because we don't have all the answers doesn't mean we can't have closer and try to be happy.
As someone who's childhood was neither whimsical nor happy, I appreciated this series so much for representing children dealing with loss and adult neglect/incompetence without losing hope.
One other thing I love about these books is how they reflect a lot of frustrations and experiences children deal with in a more extreme light. Whenever the adults in power in these books dismiss the children’s ideas just because they come from a child Count Olaf gets away, someone dies, or some other terrible but preventable thing happens because the siblings aren’t given any agency in their own lives and situations. A lot of the time when you’re a child you often feel like you get talked down to or taken seriously because of your age, and it can often be very frustrating. I think it’s really neat to have a book series reflect this, while also allowing children to appreciate that it’s just them moving house and not an evil actor trying to steal their fortune.
I read the books as they came out when I was younger and loved them. I've read them 3-4 times since. I'm in my 30s now, and I still enjoy them. I enjoy the satire, and as I've aged, I've come to love the very non-Disney angle of the storytelling and the commentary on childrens' insightfulness and adults' tendency to overlook that proficiency.
God i loved these books as a kid! I loved the narration and Count Olaf's disguises. But i especially loved Violet and Klaus. No matter what happened and hopeless things felt, they always got out because they were incredibly clever and inventive.
When Handler was at his peak of popularity he came to my local Barnes and Noble. This event catapulted him from an author I liked into a performer I loved. Because even his author signings were in universe. He appeared as Snicket’s “publicist” Daniel Handler, he spoke of Snicket himself still being on the run and unable to come, he did an accordion musical number about Count Olaf as if he was a real person, and if you brought the Unauthorized Autobiography to be signed like I did he signed it as Daniel Handler in the introduction but also as Lemony Snicket on the title page. He signed only Snicket if you brought a book of the main series. You only got Handler’s autograph if you brought Unauthorized Autobiography. He was *dedicated* to the bit more than any author I’ve ever seen. By far the greatest book signing I have been to and likely will ever attend.
I read this at 9 years old, and I loved it. It felt like a series of mysteries novel, where every book the Baudelaire's who have to solve the crime in order to escape Count Olaf. And Daniel Handler might have been on to something when he choose an adult narrator in order for kids not to internalize things because thinking back on it, I do have a layer of detachment I probably wouldn't have if I went and dusted out the books to read them now.
@@magicbymikailaI read that series and almost completely agree with you,it does make me wanna put it down,but uh-I loved it.edit:I loved the tv series even more.because uh-it incorporated Beatrice so wonderfully
When I was like, 8 or 9 in 3rd or 4th grade, I found this book in the library, and started reading. I was OBSESSED. The idea that even in books, not everything’s perfect, not everyone lives a perfect life, and that not everything is fair, had me absolutely loving it, because not many books represent it so well. I remember being super upset that the 3rd book wasn’t in the library, but my English teacher had it and let me borrow it ❤
I read these books in middle school and I'm 31 now. I loved these books, for one thing, for the narrator's tone. I don't think I've ever read anything like it even still all these years later. I also liked learning new words from them. I've always had a morbid curiosty so these books just hit the perfect atmosphere for me, whimsical darkness. The slowest of slowburning angst with the saddest hint of hope at the end. Consequently, probably why I don't have much of a tolerance for angst anymore because I got my fill of it from this series at a young age 😂
I tried reading this series in middle school but I couldn't even finish the first book because it was too depressing. But then a few years ago I tried reading it again and absolutely fell in love with it. Lemony Snicket is such a clever writer
I think I definitely appreciated the prose and cleverness of the storytelling more as an adult than I would have if I read it as a kid! It’s just a unique narration, I loved it so much 👏🏼
I think the big difference between the books and the series is that Netflix also drew from the prequel/sequel book, The Beatrice Letters, which gave some closure to the Baudelaire saga.
I watched the Netflix show and when season 2 ended with them losing Sunny and falling off a cliff I immediately went and read the books and I was really impressed that it was almost a 1:1 adaptation. One of my curiousities was about the VFD and the sugar bowl and unfortunately that remained unanswered so I read his other series called "All the Wrong Questions" and everything remained a mystery. Even the monster in the ocean.
I know this sounds terrible but reading the series was very educating. It made me appreciate what I had because my life as a kid wasn't easy. But it was one of the first books I read that taught “it could be worse.”
I read these books as a kid and I really enjoyed it because even though it was really unfortunate, the mystery behind VFD was really interesting. I also obtained “The Pony Party” or “Lemony Snicket’s Unauthorized Autobiography” and it really explained everything that I had a question about.
I love reading _A Series of Unfortunate Events_ as a kid. I like to imagine this as a morbid cartoon serial about Violet, Klaus, and Sunny and how they just barely escape Count Olaf's devious schemes. It's a quirky and dark and fun world I liked exploring. I haven't revisited it in a while, but I love that it teaches me that how good things and behavior will not always be rewarded but you should never give up.
I'll never get over the darkest death in the books: that hypnotist tripping backwards into a freaking running log saw. The books were freaking metal for doing that.
Where the Percy Jackson tv series lost its fantastical nature, I viewed the Unfortunate Events tv series as losing its grim qualities. Also you should watch the movie, honestly a creative and equally dark adaptation.
I was amazed by the books when I cried when Count Olaf died. A man who did horrible things for 12 past books, and still you feel sorry for him is amazing story writing.
Thx so much for reading these! These were my favorite books ever when I was 8 or so; I used to spend lunch reading these. Their messages are so timeless and the characters stay with you forever, that despite the passing of the years, I still remember these books so clearly.
I watched the Netflix show and instantly fell in love. From their I read the books while watching the show and it was an interesting thing because I liked show so much and found comfort in its different take on the books. But the books were just so well written and different than anything else I'd seen and so raw and I felt seen and I absolutely loved them! I think I read them when I was 11 to 13 and this series (both the books and the show) will just forever be so close to my heart. Thank you for covering this series, the nostalgia combined with one of my favourite TH-camrs made my day :)
I read these books as a kid and listened to the audiobooks on road trips. I'm not sure if the ones on Spotify now have the quirky little songs that the ones back in ye olden days did, but I adored them. I liked the books for the writing-the random definitions and illustrations of figures of speech and concepts in literature within the story itself. It's so clever and just my sense of humor, and I loved the narrator's over the top, mournful tone and the occasional excursions by both the narrator and the characters into literary lecture town. But I also liked the messaging. Adults are not trustworthy or reliable. Governments are not trustworthy or reliable. The world is cold, bureaucratic procedure is often imbecilic, and the people who should be protecting you and setting an example have the same glaring, crippling character flaws as anyone. You will eventually make horrible mistakes and/or do terrible things yourself-driven to them, in ignorance, or on purpose because you are a human and humans sometimes do horrible things. But! But, but, but . . . You can be ingenious and enduring anyway. You can choose kindness and truth and grace. Even if the world around you doesn't, you can choose this. You can trust in your mind and rely upon the love of your dearest ones. And books of every sort and nature are always excellent sources of knowledge worth harvesting.
Listening to the books actually got me interested in the music of Stephin Merritt, I went straight from liking the Gothic Archies songs to Magnetic Fields and 20 years of loving all his different bands. I remember buying the album of songs from the books at Barnes and Noble and they asked me “have you heard them before? They’re really really strange, like not at all kids music.” I think they had some surprised parents buying them for kids since they were branded with the series.
I watched the one movie as a kid and made my mom buy the books for me. Violet’s inventiveness led to many broken items in my house as I played the story out lol. I appreciated the idea of three siblings who had each others backs most of all. The only thing consistent in the events is their loyalty. As a kid, the terrible things weren’t even that memorable to me- instead I wrote my own story ending. And mainly the anxious young kid I was enjoyed the way the story admits the world is flawed. It doesn’t sugar coat it, it highlights it. I cried when they realized there parents were dead after they got that false hope- but I also remember feeling resolve? Like I knew they could handle it. I also told my teacher “well if they died in the end I hope they died together.” Which is morbid but 🤷♀️
I’m 29, I read this series as a kid. I loved them because they were very different. I wasn’t a very happy kid, but these books made me feel grateful that I wasn’t The Baudelaire’s. Also, when I was little I thought Aunt Josephine was ridiculous, but as an adult I am slowly becoming more and more like her. Child me would have been absolutely horrified.
Damn, I think you really hit the nail on the head with the fact that the world is so intangible that the horrific events aren't internalised. I read this as a kid and all I remember is that I loved Violet (makes sense that I'm studying engineering now) and that I had a mild sense of frustration at the end of the series.
I am 12. And I read 12 of the books. As an avid reader, I was not prepared. But I kept coming back anyway, because indeed Handler's writing style is quite unique. It is mysterious, entertaining, educational, and even funny in some ways, like how he discussed dé ja vu in a page and the next page was almost an exact duplicate. I was half- paying attention, because I have a tendency to read at the most unusual times (I was getting picked up from school), so I double-checked, and when I realized that I was tricked, I genuinely laughed. I also love how Handler continues to use a specific term to describe the situation and relate to it. Like how he used the water cycle to express that the Baudelaires found something boring. I also loved the way he was able to change the storyline entirely in ways one could not have considered or even thought possible. Something about the writing style compells you to read the book. Furthermore, the story itself was well-organized and well-written, so that the story is just so...wonderful. Yes, it is depressing, but you just get excited the more you read, even when it brutally crushes all hope of the Baudelaires ever having a nice and normal life. It's because they overcome problem after problem, tragedy over tragedy, even the deaths of a few decent people along the way, but their being there for eachother is what makes them so resilient, so powerful, and it's really inspiring. Also, each character introduced makes a significance in the playing-out of the story, so that they actually feel real. Lastly, the Baudelaires actually do go through things and some character development, and if any of them were missing from the group, everything would feel incomplete; partially because each of the three got them out of countless drastic situations and are vital to the survival of the others, partially because the three truly are the embodiments of integrity, so much so that when they do bad things to get out of these situations, they thought that they themselves became criminals, and also because they are much too loyal to eachother, and they all try to reassure one another. Although, despite all that I said, I am definitely taking a break before I read the last book, because I'm not mentally prepared for the ending and because I would deeply despair to end such a marvelous book series. I feel like I grew with them.
"How did you guys read these books at the age of 11, or 12? Did you also eat rocks for breakfast?" Funnily enough, i can say yes to both of these things as a child. 😅 I was a bit dumb as a child.
this series was my favorite collection of books I owned as I child. I loved the style of the cover art, the dull yet colorful spines, and the purposely ragged edges of the pages.
I read ASOUE as a kid! (11) I loved it so much. Amazing subplot, impeccable vibes, the depressing jewish tone, the writing style, THE ALLEGORIES, the characters??! They were all so bizzare and charming. I think there's a lot of conplexity to the plot and the world that gets overlooked so often. From the depths of my soul, PLEASE READ ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS!! pls pls
I read these in high school and college. I loved them because they were so different from HP or JP, bc of how so depressing they were it was so different than how I grew up and was raised on. Bc of how realistic they are that you can be a good person and do good things but life is sh!t the majority of the time and it will not work out for you no matter what you do.
This was one of my favorite book series as a kid! I personally prefer a bitter sweet ending to a happy ending so I loved the darkness of the books. While the books are dark they balanced by brilliant humor and absurdism. I also loved the set up of kids vs adults. I actually do see the ending of the series as mostly happy, the Baudelaires are free and can live their lives as they choose.
I'm 17 now, I read this series all throughout elementary and middle school. I was an 'old soul' (aka, 'probably autistic but let's not think about it too hard') and the seemingly off-putting tone was right up my alley. I could relate to Violet, me being the oldest sibling with one of my brothers being about the same age difference to me as Klaus was to her. I was very independent, and reading these books, as well as a lot of speculative fiction geared towards kids and teenagers where the protagonists tend to be independent, was an escapist thing. My favorite books were the later ones, where they introduced the triplets. It also was super frustrating reading these though, it took me years to track down the last book and it was like baby's first lesson in betrayal when I reached the end and so many questions were left unanswered. I still read it through multiple times after that.
I loved these books as a kid and aside from loving the whimsical writing and strengths of the Baudelaire children, I think having a consistent structure to the books was comforting in a way for me because of a lack of structure in my home life and from having ADD. It was something dependable in an otherwise undependable existence, and that really says something about how great the writing is that over two decades later, I still remember how I felt while reading the books. I think quite possibly that providing a dependency that children could rely on was at least one reason Handler/Snicket chose to write the books in such a way, along with the message that the world is unpredictable and bad things happen, but there are things you can depend on, and good things can and will happen too, especially if we hold onto each other. I loved your insights into this and you made me want to pick up the series again. My overstuffed book case of unread books won't be happy about that, but I'm sure I will be ☺
I read it when I was 11. I found it in my school library and read the first one and was hooked. I don’t quite remember why I loved them so much tbh, but they were so cool and I got so interested in the Bauldaire’s journey. My family wasn’t very happy about what I was reading but I personally couldn’t put them down.
I did read it kinda young and what i quite liked about it was the narration, which as you say, is quite unique, and how the story and plot interacts with the actual readers. :)
I read the series when I was 13, I liked it because I enjoyed the unique writing style and it made me laugh several times (some highlights being the two or three pages of just the word "ever," "He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over.", and the chapter opener on deja vu followed by...a chapter opener on deja vu). I was hooked from the first page, and that only grew after the mystery of VFD was introduced. I absolutely had to finish so I could find out what VFD stood for. I also loved All the Wrong Questions, which I read about two years ago.
I came across this series in middle school. I instantly loved it. At the time I was moving every week bouncing between my abusive mother and my father who never stayed in the same place more than a month. And then my dad gave up custody... I understood the constantly moving around and not really having consistant adults that cared about your well being that the MCs experienced. I kept reading because if they could keep going despite the relentless battering they had to deal with, then so could I.
I did not know that the writer was Jewish and inspired by stories he heard growing up. You should do a three part series comparing the books to the movie to the show. I read it when I was around twelve and maybe it was because I grew up one step away from being homeless but I was fine I liked that it showed good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.
Yes yes yes I'm so glad you finally made this video. I think that the series makes for some very fascinating discussion, especially if you do compare it to the TV show which is definitely telling a different story while still staying true to the books in a way that doesn't feel like it takes away from the original. It's like a master class in adaptations. When I was a kid, the thing that kept me hooked the most was, ironically, the writing style. Lemony Snicket being a character himself and telling us this story was just such a neat idea to me. As an adult now, I think that the message of the books is so important and also important is the realisation that these adults aren't just incompetent or whatever. They're adults. You can't always rely on them because they're people, too. The Baudelaires don't get to rely on anyone but themselves by the end, but they still have good moments with most* of their guardians and other supportive figures. Justice Strauss might be totally fooled by Olaf's marriage plot, but she still welcomed the Baudelaires into her library and allowed them to make light of their bad situation. Uncle Monty might've been under a horrible misconception the entire book which got him killed, but he treated the Baudelaires to entertainment and a warm environment and family of, well, reptiles. But still. Even Aunt Josephine, who on paper seems like the worst guardian known to man still cared deeply for the children and the Baudelaires could see that despite all of her flaws, she was still a good person. I could go on and on, but... Alas. My favorite book is The Wide Window, which isn't the most popular pick, but I relate a little too much to Aunt Josephine for my own good and the literary focus and the hidden code... Also I grew up with the movie, too, and TWW was easily the highlight. I do recommend watching the movie. Unlike The Lightning Thief, it's a very enjoyable watch IMO. There are definitely some pretty big faults, but overall, I really like it and holy moly is the cast one of all-stars.
The first book was required reading for us in 8th grade along with the hobbit. The teacher wanted to early on teach us that life wasn't fair but that didn't mean we couldn't find happiness. I've read the entire series and I think it's influenced my ironic deadpan humor as an adult. Daniel Handler is very influenced by Kafka cause his world gives me 'The Trial" kind of feels, where stuff doesn't make sense and is jumbled up.
I read these in... like... high school, and i found them to be light hearted and comical/whimsical. In hindsight, that probably should've tipped me off to the fact that I was Going Through Some Stuff.... 😬 Edit - continued: And you're right, I read books for escapism too, which is why Im usually drawn to high fantasy. I would LOOOOOOOOVE to see your take on The Name Of The Wind ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
A bunch of my classmates read these when we were in 3rd and 4th grade in like 2004. I never did. I was another kind of old soul, reading first edition translations of Narnia (language evolve and the way they are written, most kids can't comprehend the grammar and traditional spelling, not then, certainly not now). Harry Potter, Deltora Quest, The Breadwinner & sequels, Spiderwick and the Septimus Heap books. Etc. Good (very late) night 🌙 from the EU!
I'm 26, I read them all at the age of 12. I read the entire collection about five times before finishing high school and I'm now revisiting the books reading them in french. (Nor english or french are my mother tongue tough). I did read the prequels during my high school and college years (hightly recommend). I always felt that more than anything, the series was telling me an universal truth no other book "for kids" was willing to tell: being good doesn't affect the world around you to be good to you; more than that, it talks about how difficult it could be to keep doing good, even if all you got was bad as payback. It felt true, raw and bittersweet. A little like life itself is as we grow. Remaining good and doing good is about who you are as a person, not how people are going to treat you. It's about what you're willing to sacrifice. And as an adult now, I feel that some of these adult characters (although, sure, their shortcomings are enlarged) that felt so comical do reflect, in some degree, real adults. I remember talking to my mom at the age of 12 that there was no way grown ups would be like that. She replied with "maybe not exactly like that, but they can come pretty close. Adults who are bad are bad kids who grew older, not wiser, and now have power." I vowed to never be like that.
When I watched the show, it stressed me out so bad. Like I loved it but the back to back to back to well you get it… back, tragedy’s just had be all messed up. Like it definitely lived up to its name and was extremely unfortunate. Like those kids couldn’t get a break ever
That is so cool! I didn't know the author was Jewish... that made the books make a lot more sense. I'm part jewish, so that made the books more special to me. That was interesting, the insight you made that him being Jewish, where many different people would argue over what one verse in the Talmud meant, versus how Catholics just tell you what it means and you have to accept it, was very interesting to me in the paralell in the adults and kids in the stories who pretended to know everything, and weren't willing to learn, vs the adults and kids in the stories who would try to find out what things meant. I love this in the stories, and how they emphasize the importance of learning all you can, and finding things out for yourselves, I also liked, from the adult perspective, the themes of the importance of listening to your children.
I’m only familiar with the Netflix adaption so I don’t know if Lemony’s little comments to Beatrice are in there but they were my favourite part of the show
they’re in the book too, there’s a little page right before the book starts that has the note to Beatrice! I love how the Netflix show included Lemony Snicket and his commentary, it thought it was done in such a clever way! 👏🏼
I listened to them at 8 and loved the audiobooks. I think they made it feel more whimsical. I still love this series but it angers me to no end and I’m 14. Also the slippery slope is my favorite cuz sunny starts cooking and I love her.
I could tell from the spine in the thumbnail what this was. I loved this series, film, and netflix show alot. The video games based on the film is good also. I am 27 years old and read these in elementary-middle school. I always likes how with these books the kids always got into unfortunate events, but always found a way out somehow.
I loved these books as someone with an unfortunate household. It was more comforting than anything having strong characters learn to face whatever comes at them and refused to be doomed. I liked them as a kid because you root for them and feel their passion to continue to walk through all kinds of hell just to have the happiness they deserve.
I was a child when I read the series (probably about 11/12) and I did find it sad and Count Olaf was creepy but I also still had hope even though the story and Lemony Snicket kept telling us that hope was pointless! I did enjoy the mysteries as well as the story went on. And Violet, Klaus and Sunny are incredible characters. I remember being annoyed with the adults not believing them as well, especially in the early books. I used to get annoyed with Snicket sometimes defining words I already knew, now I appreciate it as part of his style.
Lol, finished the series at 9 and I loved it! I genuinely didn’t realise how messed up it was until I re-read it! Like, how did I read it all at such a young age? I’m so shocked at my child self!
I read these when I was a preteen to teenager. These books work best when kids start understanding sarcasm and satire, which is about preteen age. I really liked the tone, how original they were, the vocab words. Even though it is dark, it still manages to be light enough for kids to read. It's just so well done. I did think books 4-10 were repetitive, but by the end I was genuinely concerned that it wouldn't end well! And while it wasn't a happy ending, it wasn't too tragic. Like you said, it ended on a question and that feeling was perfect for the series.
I read the series when I was around 10. I remember really enjoying how smart and inventive the kids were. My take away was that no matter what your circumstances are you can still make it through. It really instilled a great value for being smart, creative, and observant and I think it unintentionally had me appreciating my siblings and circumstances more. My life not being as hard and frustrating as the Baudelaires was a plus.
I read this series in two weeks when I was in first grade, mostly because there weren't any chapter books available at the school library for my age group that were thicker than a centimeter and these were some of the books available at home that I hadn't already read. My favorite books were 2 and 6, which I reread many times more than the rest of the series. They are very sad, and I'm a very emotional person so it Really got me, but my whole time reading I thought "as long as Olaf gets his." And even so, it taught me early on to respect a tragedy's place in the ecosystem of writing, even if I can't really reread the last couple books. Or a few of the middle ones. Book 11 has had me unable to look at mushrooms for almost 20 years though...
as a twelve year old who read them at ten i liked them because of the way they were written. kinda like with trip and t'pol i loved their relationship bc it kept feeling like it was about to happen but something got in the way. ig it just kept me hooked, which is more than my 10 year old unmedicated adhd brain could say about almost anything
Hi Mikaila, I dare you to read scholomance. It's relatively new but it's basically Harry Potters Darker Version with a badass female lead. Loved the Series and quite certain you would love it too.
I read these books as a teenager and loved them so much. They remind me of that quote about fairy tales not telling children about monsters. But telling them they can be defeated. The books were like that for me. Telling me its possible to keep hope no matter how big the minsters are because you will find sanctuary and love somewhere
I read this series at a fairly young age. (I think I started it when I was around 7 or 8?) I remember very little about the series, but I think the atrocities that the children went through didn't hit me nearly as hard because I didn't yet have the mental capacity for nuance. An example from book 1 i(which I remember the best because that was the one I owned a copy of and thus reread several times) is that many of Count Olafs evil actions fall under the category of child labor. At that age, I couldn't really mentally differentiate between that and basic chores like cleaning my room. Because I didn't have the mental capacity to truly understand how horrible their circumstances were, I truly wasn't upset by them. I thought of them as problems to solve, not child abuse. I think I may need to reread the series now, and see how that ends up.
I read this as my first series of chapter books I’ve ever read (9 years old), and fell in love. It’s how I realized I loved fiction, whimsical, mystery novels over realistic fiction. I think it’s a deep dive into how children are much smarter than adults believe. The fact that they could go through all that at such a young age, and still be doubted by adults. Which is why most children love the series because they feel seen and heard. They are underestimated and come out of every situation with all this hope and life still somewhere in them. Lemony Snicket is truly a very clever and talented writer.
I read this series from ages 8 to 10. I loved it. I was a dark child even though my parents tried to raise my to be "normal" watching Disney movies but I always preferred the darker version except for beauty and the beast. In other words I adored this book series because it was so Dark and I have always wanted to understand the darker parts of human nature early in life. FYI I am 27 now.
As a jewish girlie that grew up reading these books as they came out, I loved hearing your interpretation of them! I had no idea about any of those interviews with Handler.
I enjoyed it as a child. It felt realistic for me. Felt like i was reading something that wasn't afraid to take me to a dark place. I was like middleschool age, and Klaus and Violet were very relatable for me in how the world viewed them. But how smart they were. I had alot of that as a neurodivergent child in the south.
I think, part of the reason behind the repetitive nature of the books is also to lull you into a sense of "security" (for lack of a better term, given the setting of constant misfortune) so that the ending hits that much harder, if that makes sense? That probably seems like a very vague and generalised statement to anyone who hasn't read the full series, but if you have then you maybe get what I mean? Also, I think that there actually was change and "growth" (again for lack of a better term) between the books (despite the very repetitive concept) because the Baudelaire children go from thinking they are just good people whom bad things are happening to, to questioning their own morality/the cause they are aligning with - even as kids being put into these positions against their will by adults who should be more competent, they have to deal with these complex situations and address darker topics (although they shouldn't have had to) - as well as their parents'. And I think the mystery grows throughout the books too - of what truly happened to their parents, whether they're still alive, of what was happening to the Quagmires, of the sugar bowl and most famously the mystery that spanned all 13 books - VFD). The children also grow tired of being put in these situations by adults who should be more competent when at first they were trying to hold on to hope (at least a little bit) and trying to make the best of the situation. And in a way they become more jaded and question their choices more. I guess you could call this "character growth" if "growth" also described a negative aspect. They also go from expecting to depend on their new (adult!) caregivers to just taking care of themselves on their own without question (not that they should have to). Maybe "character development" is a more fitting word for this change lol. There's also change as the Baudelaire children grow older and find new skills/as we realise they are multifaceted, and how they deal with problems (again not that they should have to), as well as how they form friendships in their new situations, or even romance (for Klaus and Violet). Also, there is some kind of change throughout the books because at the end (spoiler alert) Olaf's death still invokes sadness/emptiness and a sense of "what now?" despite him being an obviously evil and selfish character. Idk how the writer did it because I never felt sympathy for him, but at the end??? yeah. Anyway, Idk how so many of us read these books so young but I think the absurdist parts of the storyline/some characters are (and how ridiculous it was that basically the same thing would happen 13 times in a row because of ridiculously incompetent adults who should know better/do their jobs better/be more observant) kind of balances out the depressing parts of the story. Like, it didn't feel as _real_ despite how real/realistic the misfortunes themselves are - the repetitive nature of said misfortune and the absurd elements of the story make it feel less "this could happen to me" as a kid, if that makes sense. Like obviously, adults are incompetent in real life and misfortune happens all the time to just about anyone - but because it was so repetitive such that it was almost comical (plus the absurdist details), it felt less real or perhaps like an imminent issue as a kid/reader. So I guess in that way Handler/Snicket was right in that the absurd elements and timeless, almost-anachronistic world-building helped young readers not internalise it. I had actually never thought about it that way until I watched this video and heard that quote, but I think he's right. Either way he did a great job writing. Despite the depressing themes and almost constant (and unjustified) misfortune (which he clearly outlines from the get go lol) we still can't help but wonder what will happen next, so we read the next book, and the next. Like tapping into morbid curiosity. I guess because sometimes shit happens, and it doesn't matter who you are lol. Even kids. Dark, I know, but I guess that's the point.
i read the first 5 books when i was around 8 or 9; i quite enjoyed them. i was more into darker themes as a child than i am nowadays, so i found them fairly mild on that front. never ended up finishing the series
i had to come on here to comment because when i read the book it was because i loved the mystery and the hidden messages of it.yes we dont get explicitly told what is in the sugar bowl,but if you search the book its obvious.if you cant be bothered to reread the seies like me,there is an amazing blog called the snicket sleuth that delves into each mystery in depth with quotes, and even closes some mysteries you probs werent even sure existed, like who killed the parents and why mr poe kept sending the baudelaires to horribe people,and the fact that lemony snicket actually appears in the book as one of the characters, and i am BEGGING you to go check it out because its MINDBLOWING. its like all the random tangents lemony goes on in the book have hidden clues, and almost every word had a double meaning its so insanely clever!
This is one of my favorite series, I read it when I was in college, mostly listening to the audiobooks (literally on tape, cassette tapes), in particular I love the Tim Curry versions rather than the full cast or Daniel Handler ones. I loved the playful, ornate language and the tone, it felt like such an irreverent take on my favorite bland childhood orphan series. I find them beautiful and devastating and brilliant and I wish I had them when I was a kid. But given the theater education I was getting when I was reading them involving a lot of sophisticated theory and Brecht and stuff like that, I probably was primed for appreciating it on a different level than I would have been able to as a kid. As I’ve read more Shirley Jackson and other books I’ve gained more and more levels of appreciation over the years. And I can’t overstate how beautiful I find the writing, the extra volume of Beatrice letters is stunning.
I read the series off and on from age 11 to when I finally finished at 14 and I loved these books. I think they really comforted me actually, as a pretty depressed kid even really young I kind of already knew that bad things happen and would continue to happen and finding the admittedly dark humor in those situations fit me, and the siblings sticking together and them finding moments of joy with each other and always working out a way to rescue themselves was reassuring because I already knew that life in a way was going to be full of a repetitive series of unfortunate events but I didn't have to be alone in facing those events.
I did watch the show when I was 10 (I am currently 12), but I never actually read the books mainly because I never knew there were books until a year later, although I do go back to watch the show since it’s really good! I remember my mom did watch the first episode when I was maybe 6? I don’t remember but I was really young. I also remember trying to tie up my hair because of Violet 😂. I love how mysterious the series is. I’m assuming that the books have the same vibe though. I did get so invested that I actually got mad when no one believed them. I loved/love how smart the kids are, but also IT IS DEPRESSING 😭!
The Series of Unfortunate Events were so relatable to a 10 years old me and ridiculous at the same time. I've loved every page of them. I liked the certainty of the fact that everything always goes sideways, just like in real life, but you can survive to see another day. But I didn't realise it was a sad occasion for you, Mikhaila... Have you been a good daughter?
I loved the movie/show as a kid. (17) I read it for the first time last month. Binged all 13 (and some of the prequel series) in 2 weeks. Lost momentum a little towards the end, but hyperfixation is a hell of a thing.
I read this series at 10 and re-read it a few times as an older teen, and WOW the way it shaped my mind (at least the way I think/thought about the world, like how bad things happen all the time to good people - _and_ bad people, and how some people really are just cruel and selfish lol). Also I just love the writing, melding dark themes and absurd/semi-illogical ideas - I would find myself laughing at some points and being distraught at other times. The writing is not quite like anything else I've ever read, even until now as an adult. And the author's right that I didn't exactly internalise the negative parts of the books as a kid and become depressed about it - probably _because_ of the absurdist themes and sometimes anachronistic world-building. Instead, I also laughed, as well as felt sad for the characters. And I also always thought that the kids could overcome their horrible circumstances because of their talents, skills, wits and complexities. Not that they should have to, they obviously should be taken care of as kids, etc. Anyway, these books not only improved my vocabulary but greatly impacted my view of writing, particularly with interesting and unique and complex characters.
Read them between the ages of 14/15 so a little late - my favourite part is all the mystery and the hidden references, so I enjoyed the “all the wrong questions” series even more. It was interesting and more than a little satisfying when the Netflix series pieced everything together so well - they really tied up all the loose ends (ie. Ish being the founder of VFD and Principle of the Austere Academy) and I still can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not.
If it helps, I had a very similar reaction. I saw the warnings all throughout the story and was like, “Geez, I can’t really believe it. I believe there will be a different, more positive perspective….somehow.” I confess, though, I kind of forget the ending of the books. So perhaps I got to take away a semi-positive perspective simply because I forgot certain details. And not gonna lie, as backwards-entertaining as this series was to read, I too, nearly could not finish it. I kept thinking, “geez, how much more punishing is this going to get?” And what’s great is that I like the conversation people have about the series almost more than reading it. Because I too, enjoy reading for escapism, and I also like to learn things sometimes. But I like learning what other people got from the story. I like that you made an interesting point about how the story does feel repetitive, but the new characters do teach you different lessons. That is genius, and I never noticed that one before. You also make a great point about how Violet is depicted as an engineer, and that’s not really typical for how women are portrayed. I also liked Cinema Therapy’s take on the movie that they made of the first three books, and how he said that you can’t always change your circumstances, but you need to learn to be happy where you are. And the final, most spicy opinion I heard that you briefly touched upon, is that the children are portrayed as sensible, intelligent, and kind; many adults are portrayed as inept, oblivious, or sometimes downright malicious, and even the adults that are kindly are still impotent. The opinion I heard is that this was done on purpose in an effort to bring to light how often adults belittle children, even when they are being absolutely sensible, or are able to see more clearly than adults. Children are sometimes not even treated as people. Even Violet, who was the oldest, was not even treated like a teenager. It makes the story weirdly relatable to a younger audience, and kind of shows how becoming an “adult” only means so much. There are more important things to becoming a person than just achieving adult status.
I read it during the pandemic at about 13-14. I did enjoy it and the tv show as well. But yes it was really depressing and it did take me a long time to get through it
I started the books at age 9 or 10 but I definitely internalized them at the time lol. I too primarily consume media for escapism and these books made me so very sad but I loved them. I remember other kids hated the "annoying and snobby" narrator and his meandering tangents about vocabulary and obscure topics but I was enchanted by it. Snicket's dry wit, melancholy, whimsy, anxiety, and pessimistic yet earnest outlook spoke to me as an undiagnosed neurodivergent child unable to understand her first depressive episode. The books made me feel seen and understood. It validated my feelings of despair at an unjust world, yet also gave me hope because goodness could exist despite the arbitrary cruelty of the world. I looked up to the Baudelaire siblings so much and tried to channel their curiosity, empathy, and fierce loyalty to each other. A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Percy Jackson series were foundational to my inner world as I entered adolescence and even now, in my twenties, their impact remains. P. S. I also almost couldn't finish the series. I put off reading books 12 and 13 for nearly a year.
I started reading the series when I was 12? 13? I was a very depressed child...i feel like reading these books helped me learn to accept the cruel realities of the world.
Me and my older sister loved these books so much when we were younger. I remember i started reading them in kindergarten and it has literally been my favorite book series ever since
When I first read this series as a kid, and even when I was a adult, I really enjoyed watching the Baudelaires suffer. Why? Because I'm a heartless monster lol!
Oh, commenting again to add that I listened to them all with my daughter when she was 8 and the number of advanced literary concepts and words she learned from the series is immense, like deus-ex-machina. And so many turns of phrase and sayings.
I don't think I remember hearing of this series until the movie came out. I feel like I would be too sensitive to read them now because a tragic character in FF14 made me depressed. I can't imagine reading of constantly bad things happening.
I read these first as a kid when I was around 10. This was one of the first series that I read with darker themes, and one of the first I felt like a book wasn’t trying sugarcoat things or talk down to me. A few years before I started reading these books my father died, and I’m autistic so the Baudelaire’s experience of grief and a world that has rules that don’t make much sense and keep on changing was something I could relate to. So I loved this series for that and the unbreakable bonds between Violet, Klaus, and Sunny their resilience gave me hope.
I am 27 and I loved these books growing up. I thought they were a great escape, and made me feel better about my own situation. Also, it instilled in me the feeling when I was a kid a sense of self-empowerment over the clunky corrupt adults in my life.
ASOUE is a great book series, tragic but great. That being said, the Netflix show expanded the universe in a way that makes it feel similar but different.
I loved it as a kid (I'm 31 now). My mom used to read it to my siblings and me. I do remember it being dark and frustrating but mostly FUNNY and that's what made it enjoyable. In retrospect, reading it alone might have made it hit harder. I was a sensitive kid, but now as a mom myself, I'm pretty sure rereading those books would break my heart.
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The main thing that kept me reading these books was that the kids never gave in to despair. Terrible things keep happening to them but they keep going because they refuse to believe that terrible things are all that happen in the world.The last book gave a kind of closer that the world is a dark place but darkness isn’t everything there is.
Yeah this series I always felt was hopeful
I remember being so mad at the way the series ended. I was terribly upset by it. But my younger brother explained to me why he loved the ending and it made me appreciate the series and the ending. My baby brother told me that in life, we don't always get the answers to the questions we have and that's okay. We can still choose to be happy with what we've got. Just because we don't have all the answers doesn't mean we can't have closer and try to be happy.
There is no darkness without light and no light without darkness
As someone who's childhood was neither whimsical nor happy, I appreciated this series so much for representing children dealing with loss and adult neglect/incompetence without losing hope.
Same
One other thing I love about these books is how they reflect a lot of frustrations and experiences children deal with in a more extreme light. Whenever the adults in power in these books dismiss the children’s ideas just because they come from a child Count Olaf gets away, someone dies, or some other terrible but preventable thing happens because the siblings aren’t given any agency in their own lives and situations. A lot of the time when you’re a child you often feel like you get talked down to or taken seriously because of your age, and it can often be very frustrating. I think it’s really neat to have a book series reflect this, while also allowing children to appreciate that it’s just them moving house and not an evil actor trying to steal their fortune.
you being jewish is a bigger plot twist than most of the ones in the series you discuss
Jews come in all ethnicities :)
For me it’s the lovely freckles on the thumbnail☺️
That genuinely took me off guard.
I read the books as they came out when I was younger and loved them. I've read them 3-4 times since. I'm in my 30s now, and I still enjoy them. I enjoy the satire, and as I've aged, I've come to love the very non-Disney angle of the storytelling and the commentary on childrens' insightfulness and adults' tendency to overlook that proficiency.
God i loved these books as a kid! I loved the narration and Count Olaf's disguises. But i especially loved Violet and Klaus. No matter what happened and hopeless things felt, they always got out because they were incredibly clever and inventive.
When Handler was at his peak of popularity he came to my local Barnes and Noble. This event catapulted him from an author I liked into a performer I loved. Because even his author signings were in universe. He appeared as Snicket’s “publicist” Daniel Handler, he spoke of Snicket himself still being on the run and unable to come, he did an accordion musical number about Count Olaf as if he was a real person, and if you brought the Unauthorized Autobiography to be signed like I did he signed it as Daniel Handler in the introduction but also as Lemony Snicket on the title page. He signed only Snicket if you brought a book of the main series. You only got Handler’s autograph if you brought Unauthorized Autobiography.
He was *dedicated* to the bit more than any author I’ve ever seen. By far the greatest book signing I have been to and likely will ever attend.
I read this at 9 years old, and I loved it. It felt like a series of mysteries novel, where every book the Baudelaire's who have to solve the crime in order to escape Count Olaf. And Daniel Handler might have been on to something when he choose an adult narrator in order for kids not to internalize things because thinking back on it, I do have a layer of detachment I probably wouldn't have if I went and dusted out the books to read them now.
Loved hearing your perspective reading it as a kid, thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for being the cool Book friend we all need ❤
thanks so much for watching! 🥹
Couldn't agree more 👏
@@magicbymikailaI read that series and almost completely agree with you,it does make me wanna put it down,but uh-I loved it.edit:I loved the tv series even more.because uh-it incorporated Beatrice so wonderfully
When I was like, 8 or 9 in 3rd or 4th grade, I found this book in the library, and started reading. I was OBSESSED. The idea that even in books, not everything’s perfect, not everyone lives a perfect life, and that not everything is fair, had me absolutely loving it, because not many books represent it so well. I remember being super upset that the 3rd book wasn’t in the library, but my English teacher had it and let me borrow it ❤
I read these books in middle school and I'm 31 now. I loved these books, for one thing, for the narrator's tone. I don't think I've ever read anything like it even still all these years later. I also liked learning new words from them. I've always had a morbid curiosty so these books just hit the perfect atmosphere for me, whimsical darkness. The slowest of slowburning angst with the saddest hint of hope at the end. Consequently, probably why I don't have much of a tolerance for angst anymore because I got my fill of it from this series at a young age 😂
I tried reading this series in middle school but I couldn't even finish the first book because it was too depressing. But then a few years ago I tried reading it again and absolutely fell in love with it. Lemony Snicket is such a clever writer
I think I definitely appreciated the prose and cleverness of the storytelling more as an adult than I would have if I read it as a kid! It’s just a unique narration, I loved it so much 👏🏼
@@magicbymikaila I died on the third book
I think the big difference between the books and the series is that Netflix also drew from the prequel/sequel book, The Beatrice Letters, which gave some closure to the Baudelaire saga.
I watched the Netflix show and when season 2 ended with them losing Sunny and falling off a cliff I immediately went and read the books and I was really impressed that it was almost a 1:1 adaptation. One of my curiousities was about the VFD and the sugar bowl and unfortunately that remained unanswered so I read his other series called "All the Wrong Questions" and everything remained a mystery. Even the monster in the ocean.
Every time I pick up a lemony snicket book I think it might answer some questions but it always leaves me with more
I know this sounds terrible but reading the series was very educating. It made me appreciate what I had because my life as a kid wasn't easy. But it was one of the first books I read that taught “it could be worse.”
THAT DOESN'T SOUND TERRIBLE . I LEARNT THE EXACT SAME LESSON AND WAS GRATEFUL FOR MY LIFE ALONG WITH LOVING THE BOOKS / SHOW❤❤❤
I read these books as a kid and I really enjoyed it because even though it was really unfortunate, the mystery behind VFD was really interesting. I also obtained “The Pony Party” or “Lemony Snicket’s Unauthorized Autobiography” and it really explained everything that I had a question about.
The level of in-depth explanations in that book were truly unparalleled. No question was left unanswered when I finished it.
I love reading _A Series of Unfortunate Events_ as a kid. I like to imagine this as a morbid cartoon serial about Violet, Klaus, and Sunny and how they just barely escape Count Olaf's devious schemes. It's a quirky and dark and fun world I liked exploring.
I haven't revisited it in a while, but I love that it teaches me that how good things and behavior will not always be rewarded but you should never give up.
I probably shouldn’t have read this as young as I did
same tbh
Fr
Same
Agreeable
I'll never get over the darkest death in the books: that hypnotist tripping backwards into a freaking running log saw. The books were freaking metal for doing that.
Where the Percy Jackson tv series lost its fantastical nature, I viewed the Unfortunate Events tv series as losing its grim qualities. Also you should watch the movie, honestly a creative and equally dark adaptation.
It also has the little elf.
I was amazed by the books when I cried when Count Olaf died. A man who did horrible things for 12 past books, and still you feel sorry for him is amazing story writing.
You just unlocked a memory for me, I just remembered I cried when he died as well. I completely agree with your point 💜
Thx so much for reading these! These were my favorite books ever when I was 8 or so; I used to spend lunch reading these. Their messages are so timeless and the characters stay with you forever, that despite the passing of the years, I still remember these books so clearly.
I watched the Netflix show and instantly fell in love. From their I read the books while watching the show and it was an interesting thing because I liked show so much and found comfort in its different take on the books. But the books were just so well written and different than anything else I'd seen and so raw and I felt seen and I absolutely loved them! I think I read them when I was 11 to 13 and this series (both the books and the show) will just forever be so close to my heart. Thank you for covering this series, the nostalgia combined with one of my favourite TH-camrs made my day :)
I read these books as a kid and listened to the audiobooks on road trips. I'm not sure if the ones on Spotify now have the quirky little songs that the ones back in ye olden days did, but I adored them.
I liked the books for the writing-the random definitions and illustrations of figures of speech and concepts in literature within the story itself. It's so clever and just my sense of humor, and I loved the narrator's over the top, mournful tone and the occasional excursions by both the narrator and the characters into literary lecture town. But I also liked the messaging. Adults are not trustworthy or reliable. Governments are not trustworthy or reliable. The world is cold, bureaucratic procedure is often imbecilic, and the people who should be protecting you and setting an example have the same glaring, crippling character flaws as anyone. You will eventually make horrible mistakes and/or do terrible things yourself-driven to them, in ignorance, or on purpose because you are a human and humans sometimes do horrible things. But! But, but, but . . . You can be ingenious and enduring anyway. You can choose kindness and truth and grace. Even if the world around you doesn't, you can choose this. You can trust in your mind and rely upon the love of your dearest ones. And books of every sort and nature are always excellent sources of knowledge worth harvesting.
Listening to the books actually got me interested in the music of Stephin Merritt, I went straight from liking the Gothic Archies songs to Magnetic Fields and 20 years of loving all his different bands. I remember buying the album of songs from the books at Barnes and Noble and they asked me “have you heard them before? They’re really really strange, like not at all kids music.” I think they had some surprised parents buying them for kids since they were branded with the series.
I watched the one movie as a kid and made my mom buy the books for me. Violet’s inventiveness led to many broken items in my house as I played the story out lol.
I appreciated the idea of three siblings who had each others backs most of all. The only thing consistent in the events is their loyalty. As a kid, the terrible things weren’t even that memorable to me- instead I wrote my own story ending.
And mainly the anxious young kid I was enjoyed the way the story admits the world is flawed. It doesn’t sugar coat it, it highlights it. I cried when they realized there parents were dead after they got that false hope- but I also remember feeling resolve? Like I knew they could handle it. I also told my teacher “well if they died in the end I hope they died together.” Which is morbid but 🤷♀️
I’m 29, I read this series as a kid. I loved them because they were very different. I wasn’t a very happy kid, but these books made me feel grateful that I wasn’t The Baudelaire’s. Also, when I was little I thought Aunt Josephine was ridiculous, but as an adult I am slowly becoming more and more like her. Child me would have been absolutely horrified.
Damn, I think you really hit the nail on the head with the fact that the world is so intangible that the horrific events aren't internalised. I read this as a kid and all I remember is that I loved Violet (makes sense that I'm studying engineering now) and that I had a mild sense of frustration at the end of the series.
P.S. I still haven't watched any of it yet
I am 12. And I read 12 of the books. As an avid reader, I was not prepared. But I kept coming back anyway, because indeed Handler's writing style is quite unique. It is mysterious, entertaining, educational, and even funny in some ways, like how he discussed dé ja vu in a page and the next page was almost an exact duplicate. I was half- paying attention, because I have a tendency to read at the most unusual times (I was getting picked up from school), so I double-checked, and when I realized that I was tricked, I genuinely laughed. I also love how Handler continues to use a specific term to describe the situation and relate to it. Like how he used the water cycle to express that the Baudelaires found something boring.
I also loved the way he was able to change the storyline entirely in ways one could not have considered or even thought possible. Something about the writing style compells you to read the book.
Furthermore, the story itself was well-organized and well-written, so that the story is just so...wonderful. Yes, it is depressing, but you just get excited the more you read, even when it brutally crushes all hope of the Baudelaires ever having a nice and normal life. It's because they overcome problem after problem, tragedy over tragedy, even the deaths of a few decent people along the way, but their being there for eachother is what makes them so resilient, so powerful, and it's really inspiring. Also, each character introduced makes a significance in the playing-out of the story, so that they actually feel real.
Lastly, the Baudelaires actually do go through things and some character development, and if any of them were missing from the group, everything would feel incomplete; partially because each of the three got them out of countless drastic situations and are vital to the survival of the others, partially because the three truly are the embodiments of integrity, so much so that when they do bad things to get out of these situations, they thought that they themselves became criminals, and also because they are much too loyal to eachother, and they all try to reassure one another.
Although, despite all that I said, I am definitely taking a break before I read the last book, because I'm not mentally prepared for the ending and because I would deeply despair to end such a marvelous book series. I feel like I grew with them.
Alright, I have now finished the last book. It ended abruptly but not too soon or too late. Yet another talent of Mr. Handler.
"How did you guys read these books at the age of 11, or 12? Did you also eat rocks for breakfast?" Funnily enough, i can say yes to both of these things as a child. 😅 I was a bit dumb as a child.
I recognized the book as soon as I saw the hardcover-to-spine transition
Same even though ive only watched the netfix seriers
this series was my favorite collection of books I owned as I child. I loved the style of the cover art, the dull yet colorful spines, and the purposely ragged edges of the pages.
I read ASOUE as a kid! (11) I loved it so much. Amazing subplot, impeccable vibes, the depressing jewish tone, the writing style, THE ALLEGORIES, the characters??! They were all so bizzare and charming. I think there's a lot of conplexity to the plot and the world that gets overlooked so often. From the depths of my soul, PLEASE READ ALL THE WRONG QUESTIONS!! pls pls
I read these in high school and college. I loved them because they were so different from HP or JP, bc of how so depressing they were it was so different than how I grew up and was raised on. Bc of how realistic they are that you can be a good person and do good things but life is sh!t the majority of the time and it will not work out for you no matter what you do.
This was one of my favorite book series as a kid! I personally prefer a bitter sweet ending to a happy ending so I loved the darkness of the books. While the books are dark they balanced by brilliant humor and absurdism. I also loved the set up of kids vs adults. I actually do see the ending of the series as mostly happy, the Baudelaires are free and can live their lives as they choose.
I'm 17 now, I read this series all throughout elementary and middle school. I was an 'old soul' (aka, 'probably autistic but let's not think about it too hard') and the seemingly off-putting tone was right up my alley. I could relate to Violet, me being the oldest sibling with one of my brothers being about the same age difference to me as Klaus was to her. I was very independent, and reading these books, as well as a lot of speculative fiction geared towards kids and teenagers where the protagonists tend to be independent, was an escapist thing. My favorite books were the later ones, where they introduced the triplets. It also was super frustrating reading these though, it took me years to track down the last book and it was like baby's first lesson in betrayal when I reached the end and so many questions were left unanswered. I still read it through multiple times after that.
I loved these books as a kid and aside from loving the whimsical writing and strengths of the Baudelaire children, I think having a consistent structure to the books was comforting in a way for me because of a lack of structure in my home life and from having ADD. It was something dependable in an otherwise undependable existence, and that really says something about how great the writing is that over two decades later, I still remember how I felt while reading the books. I think quite possibly that providing a dependency that children could rely on was at least one reason Handler/Snicket chose to write the books in such a way, along with the message that the world is unpredictable and bad things happen, but there are things you can depend on, and good things can and will happen too, especially if we hold onto each other.
I loved your insights into this and you made me want to pick up the series again. My overstuffed book case of unread books won't be happy about that, but I'm sure I will be ☺
I read it when I was 11. I found it in my school library and read the first one and was hooked. I don’t quite remember why I loved them so much tbh, but they were so cool and I got so interested in the Bauldaire’s journey. My family wasn’t very happy about what I was reading but I personally couldn’t put them down.
I did read it kinda young and what i quite liked about it was the narration, which as you say, is quite unique, and how the story and plot interacts with the actual readers. :)
And I learnt new words! 😅😂
I read the series when I was 13, I liked it because I enjoyed the unique writing style and it made me laugh several times (some highlights being the two or three pages of just the word "ever," "He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over.", and the chapter opener on deja vu followed by...a chapter opener on deja vu). I was hooked from the first page, and that only grew after the mystery of VFD was introduced. I absolutely had to finish so I could find out what VFD stood for.
I also loved All the Wrong Questions, which I read about two years ago.
Snicket's warning is essentially a "Dead Dove: Do not eat" tag...
I came across this series in middle school. I instantly loved it. At the time I was moving every week bouncing between my abusive mother and my father who never stayed in the same place more than a month. And then my dad gave up custody...
I understood the constantly moving around and not really having consistant adults that cared about your well being that the MCs experienced.
I kept reading because if they could keep going despite the relentless battering they had to deal with, then so could I.
I did not know that the writer was Jewish and inspired by stories he heard growing up. You should do a three part series comparing the books to the movie to the show. I read it when I was around twelve and maybe it was because I grew up one step away from being homeless but I was fine I liked that it showed good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.
Yes yes yes I'm so glad you finally made this video. I think that the series makes for some very fascinating discussion, especially if you do compare it to the TV show which is definitely telling a different story while still staying true to the books in a way that doesn't feel like it takes away from the original. It's like a master class in adaptations. When I was a kid, the thing that kept me hooked the most was, ironically, the writing style. Lemony Snicket being a character himself and telling us this story was just such a neat idea to me. As an adult now, I think that the message of the books is so important and also important is the realisation that these adults aren't just incompetent or whatever. They're adults. You can't always rely on them because they're people, too. The Baudelaires don't get to rely on anyone but themselves by the end, but they still have good moments with most* of their guardians and other supportive figures. Justice Strauss might be totally fooled by Olaf's marriage plot, but she still welcomed the Baudelaires into her library and allowed them to make light of their bad situation. Uncle Monty might've been under a horrible misconception the entire book which got him killed, but he treated the Baudelaires to entertainment and a warm environment and family of, well, reptiles. But still. Even Aunt Josephine, who on paper seems like the worst guardian known to man still cared deeply for the children and the Baudelaires could see that despite all of her flaws, she was still a good person.
I could go on and on, but... Alas. My favorite book is The Wide Window, which isn't the most popular pick, but I relate a little too much to Aunt Josephine for my own good and the literary focus and the hidden code... Also I grew up with the movie, too, and TWW was easily the highlight. I do recommend watching the movie. Unlike The Lightning Thief, it's a very enjoyable watch IMO. There are definitely some pretty big faults, but overall, I really like it and holy moly is the cast one of all-stars.
The first book was required reading for us in 8th grade along with the hobbit. The teacher wanted to early on teach us that life wasn't fair but that didn't mean we couldn't find happiness. I've read the entire series and I think it's influenced my ironic deadpan humor as an adult. Daniel Handler is very influenced by Kafka cause his world gives me 'The Trial" kind of feels, where stuff doesn't make sense and is jumbled up.
I read these in... like... high school, and i found them to be light hearted and comical/whimsical.
In hindsight, that probably should've tipped me off to the fact that I was Going Through Some Stuff.... 😬
Edit - continued: And you're right, I read books for escapism too, which is why Im usually drawn to high fantasy.
I would LOOOOOOOOVE to see your take on The Name Of The Wind ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
A bunch of my classmates read these when we were in 3rd and 4th grade in like 2004. I never did. I was another kind of old soul, reading first edition translations of Narnia (language evolve and the way they are written, most kids can't comprehend the grammar and traditional spelling, not then, certainly not now). Harry Potter, Deltora Quest, The Breadwinner & sequels, Spiderwick and the Septimus Heap books. Etc.
Good (very late) night 🌙 from the EU!
I never read them but i absolutely loved the Netflix show and it still makes me cry
I'm 26, I read them all at the age of 12. I read the entire collection about five times before finishing high school and I'm now revisiting the books reading them in french. (Nor english or french are my mother tongue tough). I did read the prequels during my high school and college years (hightly recommend). I always felt that more than anything, the series was telling me an universal truth no other book "for kids" was willing to tell: being good doesn't affect the world around you to be good to you; more than that, it talks about how difficult it could be to keep doing good, even if all you got was bad as payback. It felt true, raw and bittersweet. A little like life itself is as we grow. Remaining good and doing good is about who you are as a person, not how people are going to treat you. It's about what you're willing to sacrifice.
And as an adult now, I feel that some of these adult characters (although, sure, their shortcomings are enlarged) that felt so comical do reflect, in some degree, real adults. I remember talking to my mom at the age of 12 that there was no way grown ups would be like that. She replied with "maybe not exactly like that, but they can come pretty close. Adults who are bad are bad kids who grew older, not wiser, and now have power." I vowed to never be like that.
When I watched the show, it stressed me out so bad. Like I loved it but the back to back to back to well you get it… back, tragedy’s just had be all messed up. Like it definitely lived up to its name and was extremely unfortunate. Like those kids couldn’t get a break ever
That is so cool! I didn't know the author was Jewish... that made the books make a lot more sense. I'm part jewish, so that made the books more special to me.
That was interesting, the insight you made that him being Jewish, where many different people would argue over what one verse in the Talmud meant, versus how Catholics just tell you what it means and you have to accept it, was very interesting to me in the paralell in the adults and kids in the stories who pretended to know everything, and weren't willing to learn, vs the adults and kids in the stories who would try to find out what things meant. I love this in the stories, and how they emphasize the importance of learning all you can, and finding things out for yourselves,
I also liked, from the adult perspective, the themes of the importance of listening to your children.
I’m only familiar with the Netflix adaption so I don’t know if Lemony’s little comments to Beatrice are in there but they were my favourite part of the show
they’re in the book too, there’s a little page right before the book starts that has the note to Beatrice! I love how the Netflix show included Lemony Snicket and his commentary, it thought it was done in such a clever way! 👏🏼
@@magicbymikaila One of my personal favourites was:
“You were pretty
And I was lonely
Now I am pretty lonely.”
I listened to them at 8 and loved the audiobooks. I think they made it feel more whimsical. I still love this series but it angers me to no end and I’m 14. Also the slippery slope is my favorite cuz sunny starts cooking and I love her.
I could tell from the spine in the thumbnail what this was. I loved this series, film, and netflix show alot. The video games based on the film is good also. I am 27 years old and read these in elementary-middle school. I always likes how with these books the kids always got into unfortunate events, but always found a way out somehow.
I loved these books as someone with an unfortunate household. It was more comforting than anything having strong characters learn to face whatever comes at them and refused to be doomed. I liked them as a kid because you root for them and feel their passion to continue to walk through all kinds of hell just to have the happiness they deserve.
I was a child when I read the series (probably about 11/12) and I did find it sad and Count Olaf was creepy but I also still had hope even though the story and Lemony Snicket kept telling us that hope was pointless! I did enjoy the mysteries as well as the story went on. And Violet, Klaus and Sunny are incredible characters. I remember being annoyed with the adults not believing them as well, especially in the early books. I used to get annoyed with Snicket sometimes defining words I already knew, now I appreciate it as part of his style.
Lol, finished the series at 9 and I loved it!
I genuinely didn’t realise how messed up it was until I re-read it!
Like, how did I read it all at such a young age?
I’m so shocked at my child self!
I read these when I was a preteen to teenager. These books work best when kids start understanding sarcasm and satire, which is about preteen age. I really liked the tone, how original they were, the vocab words. Even though it is dark, it still manages to be light enough for kids to read. It's just so well done. I did think books 4-10 were repetitive, but by the end I was genuinely concerned that it wouldn't end well! And while it wasn't a happy ending, it wasn't too tragic. Like you said, it ended on a question and that feeling was perfect for the series.
I read the series when I was around 10. I remember really enjoying how smart and inventive the kids were. My take away was that no matter what your circumstances are you can still make it through. It really instilled a great value for being smart, creative, and observant and I think it unintentionally had me appreciating my siblings and circumstances more. My life not being as hard and frustrating as the Baudelaires was a plus.
I read this series in two weeks when I was in first grade, mostly because there weren't any chapter books available at the school library for my age group that were thicker than a centimeter and these were some of the books available at home that I hadn't already read. My favorite books were 2 and 6, which I reread many times more than the rest of the series. They are very sad, and I'm a very emotional person so it Really got me, but my whole time reading I thought "as long as Olaf gets his." And even so, it taught me early on to respect a tragedy's place in the ecosystem of writing, even if I can't really reread the last couple books. Or a few of the middle ones.
Book 11 has had me unable to look at mushrooms for almost 20 years though...
as a twelve year old who read them at ten i liked them because of the way they were written. kinda like with trip and t'pol i loved their relationship bc it kept feeling like it was about to happen but something got in the way. ig it just kept me hooked, which is more than my 10 year old unmedicated adhd brain could say about almost anything
Hi Mikaila,
I dare you to read scholomance. It's relatively new but it's basically Harry Potters Darker Version with a badass female lead. Loved the Series and quite certain you would love it too.
It literally always kept me thinking about what would happen next in the books
I read these books as a teenager and loved them so much. They remind me of that quote about fairy tales not telling children about monsters. But telling them they can be defeated. The books were like that for me. Telling me its possible to keep hope no matter how big the minsters are because you will find sanctuary and love somewhere
I loved this series! The writing style, all of it ❤
I read this series at a fairly young age. (I think I started it when I was around 7 or 8?) I remember very little about the series, but I think the atrocities that the children went through didn't hit me nearly as hard because I didn't yet have the mental capacity for nuance. An example from book 1 i(which I remember the best because that was the one I owned a copy of and thus reread several times) is that many of Count Olafs evil actions fall under the category of child labor. At that age, I couldn't really mentally differentiate between that and basic chores like cleaning my room. Because I didn't have the mental capacity to truly understand how horrible their circumstances were, I truly wasn't upset by them. I thought of them as problems to solve, not child abuse.
I think I may need to reread the series now, and see how that ends up.
I read this as my first series of chapter books I’ve ever read (9 years old), and fell in love. It’s how I realized I loved fiction, whimsical, mystery novels over realistic fiction. I think it’s a deep dive into how children are much smarter than adults believe. The fact that they could go through all that at such a young age, and still be doubted by adults. Which is why most children love the series because they feel seen and heard. They are underestimated and come out of every situation with all this hope and life still somewhere in them. Lemony Snicket is truly a very clever and talented writer.
I read these books because I heard that there was an overlapping mystery and as a mystery fan, I hopped on that idea!
I read this series from ages 8 to 10. I loved it. I was a dark child even though my parents tried to raise my to be "normal" watching Disney movies but I always preferred the darker version except for beauty and the beast. In other words I adored this book series because it was so Dark and I have always wanted to understand the darker parts of human nature early in life. FYI I am 27 now.
As a jewish girlie that grew up reading these books as they came out, I loved hearing your interpretation of them! I had no idea about any of those interviews with Handler.
I enjoyed it as a child. It felt realistic for me. Felt like i was reading something that wasn't afraid to take me to a dark place. I was like middleschool age, and Klaus and Violet were very relatable for me in how the world viewed them. But how smart they were. I had alot of that as a neurodivergent child in the south.
I think, part of the reason behind the repetitive nature of the books is also to lull you into a sense of "security" (for lack of a better term, given the setting of constant misfortune) so that the ending hits that much harder, if that makes sense? That probably seems like a very vague and generalised statement to anyone who hasn't read the full series, but if you have then you maybe get what I mean?
Also, I think that there actually was change and "growth" (again for lack of a better term) between the books (despite the very repetitive concept) because the Baudelaire children go from thinking they are just good people whom bad things are happening to, to questioning their own morality/the cause they are aligning with - even as kids being put into these positions against their will by adults who should be more competent, they have to deal with these complex situations and address darker topics (although they shouldn't have had to) - as well as their parents'. And I think the mystery grows throughout the books too - of what truly happened to their parents, whether they're still alive, of what was happening to the Quagmires, of the sugar bowl and most famously the mystery that spanned all 13 books - VFD). The children also grow tired of being put in these situations by adults who should be more competent when at first they were trying to hold on to hope (at least a little bit) and trying to make the best of the situation. And in a way they become more jaded and question their choices more. I guess you could call this "character growth" if "growth" also described a negative aspect. They also go from expecting to depend on their new (adult!) caregivers to just taking care of themselves on their own without question (not that they should have to). Maybe "character development" is a more fitting word for this change lol. There's also change as the Baudelaire children grow older and find new skills/as we realise they are multifaceted, and how they deal with problems (again not that they should have to), as well as how they form friendships in their new situations, or even romance (for Klaus and Violet). Also, there is some kind of change throughout the books because at the end (spoiler alert) Olaf's death still invokes sadness/emptiness and a sense of "what now?" despite him being an obviously evil and selfish character. Idk how the writer did it because I never felt sympathy for him, but at the end??? yeah.
Anyway, Idk how so many of us read these books so young but I think the absurdist parts of the storyline/some characters are (and how ridiculous it was that basically the same thing would happen 13 times in a row because of ridiculously incompetent adults who should know better/do their jobs better/be more observant) kind of balances out the depressing parts of the story. Like, it didn't feel as _real_ despite how real/realistic the misfortunes themselves are - the repetitive nature of said misfortune and the absurd elements of the story make it feel less "this could happen to me" as a kid, if that makes sense. Like obviously, adults are incompetent in real life and misfortune happens all the time to just about anyone - but because it was so repetitive such that it was almost comical (plus the absurdist details), it felt less real or perhaps like an imminent issue as a kid/reader. So I guess in that way Handler/Snicket was right in that the absurd elements and timeless, almost-anachronistic world-building helped young readers not internalise it. I had actually never thought about it that way until I watched this video and heard that quote, but I think he's right. Either way he did a great job writing. Despite the depressing themes and almost constant (and unjustified) misfortune (which he clearly outlines from the get go lol) we still can't help but wonder what will happen next, so we read the next book, and the next. Like tapping into morbid curiosity. I guess because sometimes shit happens, and it doesn't matter who you are lol. Even kids. Dark, I know, but I guess that's the point.
i read the first 5 books when i was around 8 or 9; i quite enjoyed them. i was more into darker themes as a child than i am nowadays, so i found them fairly mild on that front. never ended up finishing the series
i had to come on here to comment because when i read the book it was because i loved the mystery and the hidden messages of it.yes we dont get explicitly told what is in the sugar bowl,but if you search the book its obvious.if you cant be bothered to reread the seies like me,there is an amazing blog called the snicket sleuth that delves into each mystery in depth with quotes, and even closes some mysteries you probs werent even sure existed, like who killed the parents and why mr poe kept sending the baudelaires to horribe people,and the fact that lemony snicket actually appears in the book as one of the characters, and i am BEGGING you to go check it out because its MINDBLOWING. its like all the random tangents lemony goes on in the book have hidden clues, and almost every word had a double meaning its so insanely clever!
This is one of my favorite series, I read it when I was in college, mostly listening to the audiobooks (literally on tape, cassette tapes), in particular I love the Tim Curry versions rather than the full cast or Daniel Handler ones. I loved the playful, ornate language and the tone, it felt like such an irreverent take on my favorite bland childhood orphan series. I find them beautiful and devastating and brilliant and I wish I had them when I was a kid. But given the theater education I was getting when I was reading them involving a lot of sophisticated theory and Brecht and stuff like that, I probably was primed for appreciating it on a different level than I would have been able to as a kid. As I’ve read more Shirley Jackson and other books I’ve gained more and more levels of appreciation over the years. And I can’t overstate how beautiful I find the writing, the extra volume of Beatrice letters is stunning.
I read the series off and on from age 11 to when I finally finished at 14 and I loved these books. I think they really comforted me actually, as a pretty depressed kid even really young I kind of already knew that bad things happen and would continue to happen and finding the admittedly dark humor in those situations fit me, and the siblings sticking together and them finding moments of joy with each other and always working out a way to rescue themselves was reassuring because I already knew that life in a way was going to be full of a repetitive series of unfortunate events but I didn't have to be alone in facing those events.
I did watch the show when I was 10 (I am currently 12), but I never actually read the books mainly because I never knew there were books until a year later, although I do go back to watch the show since it’s really good! I remember my mom did watch the first episode when I was maybe 6? I don’t remember but I was really young. I also remember trying to tie up my hair because of Violet 😂. I love how mysterious the series is. I’m assuming that the books have the same vibe though. I did get so invested that I actually got mad when no one believed them. I loved/love how smart the kids are, but also IT IS DEPRESSING 😭!
OMG I didn't expect that when she turned the book, my favorite series of all time appeared😭💗
The Series of Unfortunate Events were so relatable to a 10 years old me and ridiculous at the same time. I've loved every page of them. I liked the certainty of the fact that everything always goes sideways, just like in real life, but you can survive to see another day. But I didn't realise it was a sad occasion for you, Mikhaila... Have you been a good daughter?
It sounded interesting but I couldn’t make it past the first chapter of the first book so I commend you for actually reading the whole thing
I loved the movie/show as a kid. (17) I read it for the first time last month. Binged all 13 (and some of the prequel series) in 2 weeks. Lost momentum a little towards the end, but hyperfixation is a hell of a thing.
I read this series at 10 and re-read it a few times as an older teen, and WOW the way it shaped my mind (at least the way I think/thought about the world, like how bad things happen all the time to good people - _and_ bad people, and how some people really are just cruel and selfish lol). Also I just love the writing, melding dark themes and absurd/semi-illogical ideas - I would find myself laughing at some points and being distraught at other times. The writing is not quite like anything else I've ever read, even until now as an adult. And the author's right that I didn't exactly internalise the negative parts of the books as a kid and become depressed about it - probably _because_ of the absurdist themes and sometimes anachronistic world-building. Instead, I also laughed, as well as felt sad for the characters. And I also always thought that the kids could overcome their horrible circumstances because of their talents, skills, wits and complexities. Not that they should have to, they obviously should be taken care of as kids, etc. Anyway, these books not only improved my vocabulary but greatly impacted my view of writing, particularly with interesting and unique and complex characters.
Read them between the ages of 14/15 so a little late - my favourite part is all the mystery and the hidden references, so I enjoyed the “all the wrong questions” series even more. It was interesting and more than a little satisfying when the Netflix series pieced everything together so well - they really tied up all the loose ends (ie. Ish being the founder of VFD and Principle of the Austere Academy) and I still can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not.
If it helps, I had a very similar reaction. I saw the warnings all throughout the story and was like, “Geez, I can’t really believe it. I believe there will be a different, more positive perspective….somehow.” I confess, though, I kind of forget the ending of the books. So perhaps I got to take away a semi-positive perspective simply because I forgot certain details. And not gonna lie, as backwards-entertaining as this series was to read, I too, nearly could not finish it. I kept thinking, “geez, how much more punishing is this going to get?” And what’s great is that I like the conversation people have about the series almost more than reading it. Because I too, enjoy reading for escapism, and I also like to learn things sometimes.
But I like learning what other people got from the story. I like that you made an interesting point about how the story does feel repetitive, but the new characters do teach you different lessons. That is genius, and I never noticed that one before. You also make a great point about how Violet is depicted as an engineer, and that’s not really typical for how women are portrayed.
I also liked Cinema Therapy’s take on the movie that they made of the first three books, and how he said that you can’t always change your circumstances, but you need to learn to be happy where you are.
And the final, most spicy opinion I heard that you briefly touched upon, is that the children are portrayed as sensible, intelligent, and kind; many adults are portrayed as inept, oblivious, or sometimes downright malicious, and even the adults that are kindly are still impotent. The opinion I heard is that this was done on purpose in an effort to bring to light how often adults belittle children, even when they are being absolutely sensible, or are able to see more clearly than adults. Children are sometimes not even treated as people. Even Violet, who was the oldest, was not even treated like a teenager. It makes the story weirdly relatable to a younger audience, and kind of shows how becoming an “adult” only means so much. There are more important things to becoming a person than just achieving adult status.
I started reading A Series of Unfortunate Events when I was nine, and I really loved it. I honestly don't know why
I Love how you contextualize the process of reading this series.
I read it during the pandemic at about 13-14. I did enjoy it and the tv show as well. But yes it was really depressing and it did take me a long time to get through it
I read the first book when I was 12. I liked it, but then I got distracted by the Hunger Games, and just never picked the series back up.
I read this at age 8/9. I really liked reading a book that didn’t talk down to me, but was still easy to read and interesting.
I started the books at age 9 or 10 but I definitely internalized them at the time lol. I too primarily consume media for escapism and these books made me so very sad but I loved them. I remember other kids hated the "annoying and snobby" narrator and his meandering tangents about vocabulary and obscure topics but I was enchanted by it. Snicket's dry wit, melancholy, whimsy, anxiety, and pessimistic yet earnest outlook spoke to me as an undiagnosed neurodivergent child unable to understand her first depressive episode. The books made me feel seen and understood. It validated my feelings of despair at an unjust world, yet also gave me hope because goodness could exist despite the arbitrary cruelty of the world. I looked up to the Baudelaire siblings so much and tried to channel their curiosity, empathy, and fierce loyalty to each other. A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Percy Jackson series were foundational to my inner world as I entered adolescence and even now, in my twenties, their impact remains.
P. S. I also almost couldn't finish the series. I put off reading books 12 and 13 for nearly a year.
I started reading the series when I was 12? 13? I was a very depressed child...i feel like reading these books helped me learn to accept the cruel realities of the world.
Me and my older sister loved these books so much when we were younger. I remember i started reading them in kindergarten and it has literally been my favorite book series ever since
I read this series when I was 8 or 9. I think I just really loved the author's way of telling the story. And I found it really compelling and unique.
When I first read this series as a kid, and even when I was a adult, I really enjoyed watching the Baudelaires suffer. Why? Because I'm a heartless monster lol!
Oh, commenting again to add that I listened to them all with my daughter when she was 8 and the number of advanced literary concepts and words she learned from the series is immense, like deus-ex-machina. And so many turns of phrase and sayings.
I recommend reading the Artemis Fowl books, as he goes from villain to anti-hero throughout the series.
i read those when i was younger and i loved them! i don't remember the plot of any of the books besides thr atlantis complex or whatever it was called
I don't think I remember hearing of this series until the movie came out. I feel like I would be too sensitive to read them now because a tragic character in FF14 made me depressed. I can't imagine reading of constantly bad things happening.
I read these first as a kid when I was around 10. This was one of the first series that I read with darker themes, and one of the first I felt like a book wasn’t trying sugarcoat things or talk down to me.
A few years before I started reading these books my father died, and I’m autistic so the Baudelaire’s experience of grief and a world that has rules that don’t make much sense and keep on changing was something I could relate to. So I loved this series for that and the unbreakable bonds between Violet, Klaus, and Sunny their resilience gave me hope.
I am 27 and I loved these books growing up. I thought they were a great escape, and made me feel better about my own situation. Also, it instilled in me the feeling when I was a kid a sense of self-empowerment over the clunky corrupt adults in my life.
ASOUE is a great book series, tragic but great. That being said, the Netflix show expanded the universe in a way that makes it feel similar but different.
I loved it as a kid (I'm 31 now). My mom used to read it to my siblings and me. I do remember it being dark and frustrating but mostly FUNNY and that's what made it enjoyable. In retrospect, reading it alone might have made it hit harder. I was a sensitive kid, but now as a mom myself, I'm pretty sure rereading those books would break my heart.
I’m 32 and read it when it came out in ‘99 and last year I read it to my 3rd grade students and they loved it!!
I loved the books and the television series growing up. Now that you've read them, I can't wait to see your book vs movie vs tv series skits!