The Bad Beginning

Photo credit Scholastic.com

“If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book. In this book, not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle… I’m sorry to tell you this, but that is how the story goes” (Snickett, 1999, p.1). The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snickett, illustrated by Brett Helquist is the first in a Series of Unfortunate Events. If you dare, you can read about the lives of the Baudelaire youngsters as they encounter many unfortunate events.

Snickett’s description in The Bad Beginning uses a very precise vocabulary and enhances the readers’ comprehension by adding in a definitions without making them feel like they wouldn’t already know these words. He, in no way, doubts the reader’s intelligence. He is able to slide the definition in subtly. For example, Snickett says, “the word rickety, you probably know, here means ‘unsteady’ or ‘likely to collapse” He assumes the reader knows, but wants to ensure the meaning for any readers who may not know. Snickett also incorporates his precise language to add a gloomy description to the setting, “The children looked from the well-scrubbed house of Justice Strouss to the dilapidated one next door.” the reader can see that the house is the opposite of the well scrubbed house, and the word dilapidated feels right in the setting.

While a narrator telling a story is fairly common, Snickett uses a very unique second person point of view in this story, allowing the narrator to tell the story, while also talking directly to the reader in certain parts of the story, when they need more information. For example, “Unless you have been very, very lucky, young have undoubtedly experienced events in your life that have made you cry. So unless you have been very, very lucky, you know that a good, long session of weeping can often make you feel better…” In this case, the narrator makes a connection between the reader’s life before continuing on with the story of the Baudelaire’s. That connection, the narrator assumes, will help the reader understand the story better and develop a more meaningful experience with the characters. In doing this, the narrator is including you in the story along with the characters, even though you are not necessarily a part of the Baudelaire’s story, you are now a part of the book.

The illustrations done by Brett Helquist, utilize simple, sharp lines that are very precise and unfluid, like they are set in stone. Some of the illustrations create an element of foreshadowing at the beginning of each chapter. In the illustration before chapter 3, we can see a dark sketching of a pair of very evil looking eyes, with only one eyebrow across the top. These eyes look menacing and mischievous. In this chapter, we later find out that this is a description of Count Olaf, whom the Baudelaires are meeting for the first time. This is a nice way to mysteriously engage readers to what they are about to experience. Within the story, similar style illustrations create a visual for the reader that show more details and create an extension to the depth of this story. These illustrations, while simply just lined with no color, are incredibly detailed and capture the reader’s attention.

While this book is a mystery, I unexpectedly really made a connection to Violet within this story. Violet, being the oldest like myself, felt a major responsibility to care for and protect her siblings. As the oldest it feels like your job, and I wholeheartedly connected to that as I feel I need to protect my younger sister and keep things from her sometimes for her own benefit. This insight and connection was not something I expected, yet gave me a personal connection to the story that a lot of other oldest children can relate to. I really enjoyed this mystery with lots of twists and turns and very unique characters. The Bad Beginning is a great start to the series. I give it 4 out of 5 stars!

Lemony Snickett has created such a unique and mysterious take on a children's story that is incredibly engaging. The illustrations are dark, and detailed to pull in readers to encourage them try to figure out what the images could mean. Not only do the illustrations pull the readers in, but the narrator speaking directly to the reader really makes them a part of the book, while also separating readers from the story itself. Along with the enhanced vocabulary choices Snickett uses throughout out the story, this makes for a very different take for a children’s book. It’s individual style engages readers right from the start and will keep readers trying to solve the mystery all the way through the series!

Snickett, L. (1999). The Bad Beginning. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers Inc.