Book summary

This is the first in the fantastically popular series about the exceptionally intelligent and exceedingly unlucky Baudelaire siblings--Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Their story begins when their parents perish in a fire, throwing the hapless trio into a series of hilariously nightmarish scenarios comprised of well-meaning, ignorant adults, questionable motives, and serious danger. Miserably settled with Mr. Poe, the constantly coughing executor whose wife forces them into garish, itchy clothes, the children eventually find themselves at the mercy of the decidedly creepy Count Olaf. A money-grubbing distant relative with an ominous tattoo, the Count doesn't always seem to have the children's best interest in mind. In this darkly comic story, the Baudelaire children must rely on their wits, and each other, in order to survive. Illustrated with occasional Gothic-style B&W drawings.

Media reviews

"The author uses formal, Latinate language and intrusive commentary to hilarious effect, even for readers unfamiliar with the literary conventions he parodies...Exquisitely detailed drawings of Gothic gargoyles and mischievous eyes echo the contents of this elegantly designed hardcover."