''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' is a series of thirteen
children's novels
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader.
Children's ...
written by American author
Daniel Handler
Daniel Handler (born February 28, 1970) is an American author, musician, screenwriter, television writer, and television producer. He is best known for his children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and ''All the Wrong Questions ...
under the pen name
Lemony Snicket
Lemony Snicket is the pen name of American author Daniel Handler (born February 28, 1970). Handler has published several children's books under the name, most notably ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', which has sold over 60 million copies and s ...
. The books follow the turbulent lives of
Violet
Violet may refer to:
Common meanings
* Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue
* One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly:
** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
Places United States
* Viol ...
,
Klaus
Klaus is a German, Dutch and Scandinavian given name and surname. It originated as a short form of Nikolaus, a German form of the Greek given name Nicholas.
Notable persons whose family name is Klaus
* Billy Klaus (1928–2006), American baseba ...
, and
Sunny Baudelaire
The children's literature, children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and its Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, film and A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV series), television adaptations features a large cast of ch ...
. After their parents' death in a fire, the children are placed in the custody of a murderous relative,
Count Olaf
The children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and its film and television adaptations features a large cast of characters created by Daniel Handler under the pen name of Lemony Snicket. The original series follows the turbulent ...
, who attempts to steal their inheritance and later, orchestrates numerous disasters with the help of his accomplices as the children attempt to flee. As the plot progresses, the Baudelaires gradually confront further mysteries surrounding their family and deep conspiracies involving a
secret society
A secret society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence a ...
known as the V.F.D. (Volunteer Fire Department).
Characterized by
Victorian Gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
tones and
absurdist textuality,
[Olson, Danel]
21st-Century Gothic: Great Gothic Novels Since 2000
Retrieved 13 January 2017. the books are noted for their dark humour, sarcastic storytelling, and
anachronistic
An anachronism (from the Greek , 'against' and , 'time') is a chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time periods. The most common type ...
elements, as well as frequent cultural and literary allusions.
[Noah Cruickshank and Kevin McFarland (October 25, 2012)]
Dissecting the repetition and hidden messages of ''A Series Of Unfortunate Events''
''The A. V. Club''. Retrieved 13 January 2017.[Charney, Maurice. ''Irony in Children's Literature'']
Comedy: A Geographic and Historical Guide, Volume 2
Retrieved 13 January 2017. They have been classified as
postmodern
Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...
and
metafiction
Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasises its own narrative structure in a way that continually reminds the audience that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story ...
al writing, with the plot evolution throughout the later novels being cited as an exploration of the psychological process of the transition from the idyllic innocence of childhood to the moral complexity of maturity.
[Sadenwasser, Tim]
The Gothic Fairy Tale in Young Adult Literature: Essays on Stories from Grimm to Gaiman
Retrieved 13 January 2017. As the series progresses, the Baudelaires must face the reality that their actions have become morally ambiguous, blurring the lines between which characters should be read as "good" or "evil".
[Pugh, Tison]
Innocence, Heterosexuality, and the Queerness of Children's Literature
''What, Then, Does Beatrice Mean?: Hermaphroditic Gender, Predatory Sexuality, and Promiscuous Allusion in Daniel Handler/Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events''. Retrieved 19 January 2017.[Ahlin, Charlotte (February 18, 2016)]
What ''A Series Of Unfortunate Events'' Taught Me About Justice
''Bustle.com''. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
Since the release of the first novel, ''
The Bad Beginning
''The Bad Beginning'' is the first novel of the Children's literature, children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The novel tells the story of three children, Violet Baudelaire, Violet, Klaus Baudelaire, Klaus, ...
'', in September 1999, the books have gained significant popularity, critical acclaim, and commercial success worldwide, spawning a
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
, a
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
, assorted merchandise, and a
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
. The main thirteen books in the series have collectively sold more than 60 million copies and have been translated into 41 languages.
[Spangler, Todd. (July 6, 2015)]
Fake Trailer for Netflix's 'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events' Lights Up YouTube.
''Variety''. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
''Publishers Weekly''. Retrieved July 11, 2014. Several companion books set in the same universe of the series have also been released, including ''
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography'', ''
The Beatrice Letters
''The Beatrice Letters'' is a book by Lemony Snicket. It is a tangential prequel to the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', and was published shortly before the thirteenth and final installment. According to its cover, the ...
'', and the
noir prequel tetralogy ''
All the Wrong Questions
''All the Wrong Questions'' is a four-part children's book series and prequel to ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket (the pen name of American author Daniel Handler). The series explores Snicket's childhood apprenticeship to the ...
'', which chronicles Snicket's childhood.
[R. della Cava, Marco (October 22, 2012)]
Daniel Handler's new Snicket series dives into noir
''USA Today''. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
Background
Prior to the publication of ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', Handler had never written for children.
According to an interview with Handler, he was encouraged to try writing children's books by his friend and editor, Susan Rich.
In a separate author interview, Daphne Merkin wrote that Handler adapted a manuscript for a "mock-gothic" book originally intended for adults into a series more suited for children.
Handler invented the pseudonym "Lemony Snicket" as an inside joke among friends years before the publication of ''A Series of Unfortunate Events''.
Handler acknowledges
Edward Gorey
Edward St. John Gorey (February 22, 1925 – April 15, 2000) was an Americans, American writer, Tony Award-winning costume designer, and artist, noted for his own illustrated books as well as cover art and illustration for books by other w ...
and
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has be ...
as influences for his writing style in the series.
The first book in the series was ''The Bad Beginning'', released on September 30, 1999.
Series overview
Plot
The series follows the adventures of three orphaned siblings. Lemony Snicket documents their lives and explains to the readers that very few positive things happen to the children.
The series begins when the orphans are at a beach alone, when they receive news that their parents were killed in a fire that also destroyed the family mansion. In ''
The Bad Beginning
''The Bad Beginning'' is the first novel of the Children's literature, children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The novel tells the story of three children, Violet Baudelaire, Violet, Klaus Baudelaire, Klaus, ...
'', they are sent to live with a distant relative named
Count Olaf
The children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and its film and television adaptations features a large cast of characters created by Daniel Handler under the pen name of Lemony Snicket. The original series follows the turbulent ...
after briefly living with
Mr. Poe, a banker in charge of the orphans' affairs. The siblings discover that Count Olaf intends to get his hands on the enormous Baudelaire fortune, which Violet is to inherit when she reaches the age of eighteen. In the first book, Olaf attempts to marry Violet to steal the Baudelaire fortune, and pretends that the marriage is the storyline for his latest play, but the plan falls through when Violet uses her non-dominant hand to sign the marriage document, thus causing the marriage to not be successful. After the crowd realizes, Olaf manages to escape with his henchmen.
In the following six books, Olaf disguises himself, finds the children, and, with help from his
many accomplices, tries to steal their fortune, committing arson, murder, and other crimes. In the eighth through twelfth books, the orphans adopt disguises while on the run from the police after Count Olaf frames them for one of his murders. The Baudelaires routinely try to get help from Mr. Poe, but he, like many of the adults in the series, is oblivious to the dangerous reality of the children's situation.
As the books continue, another running plot is revealed concerning a mysterious secret organization known as the Volunteer Fire Department or V.F.D. From ''
The Austere Academy
''The Austere Academy'' is the fifth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaire orphans are sent to a boarding school, overseen by monstrous employees. There, the orphans meet new fr ...
'' onwards, the relationship between the Baudelaires, V.F.D., and their parents' deaths are slowly revealed, leading the siblings to question their previous lives and the history of their family. The siblings continue to get more involved with the organization until they are forced to flee with Count Olaf to an island where Olaf accidentally causes the deaths of himself and possibly the idyllic colonists of the island, whose fates are left unknown. Having finally found a safe place to live, the children spend the next year raising the baby of one of their parents' friends from V.F.D. who died giving birth to the child. After a year, the siblings decide to try to return to the mainland to continue their lives.
Setting
The books seem to be set in an alternate, "timeless"
world with stylistic similarities to both the 19th century and the 1930s, though with contemporary, and seemingly
anachronistic
An anachronism (from the Greek , 'against' and , 'time') is a chronological inconsistency in some arrangement, especially a juxtaposition of people, events, objects, language terms and customs from different time periods. The most common type ...
scientific knowledge
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
. For instance, in ''
The Hostile Hospital
''The Hostile Hospital'' is the eighth novel in the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket, the pseudonym of Daniel Handler. It takes place shortly after ''The Vile Village'' and is followed by a sequel, ''The ...
'', the Baudelaire children send a message via
Morse code
Morse code is a method used in telecommunication to encode text characters as standardized sequences of two different signal durations, called ''dots'' and ''dashes'', or ''dits'' and ''dahs''. Morse code is named after Samuel Morse, one of ...
on a telegraph, yet the
general store they are in has
Fiber-optic cable
A fiber-optic cable, also known as an optical-fiber cable, is an assembly similar to an electrical cable, but containing one or more optical fibers that are used to carry light. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with ...
for sale.
An "advanced computer" appears in ''
The Austere Academy
''The Austere Academy'' is the fifth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaire orphans are sent to a boarding school, overseen by monstrous employees. There, the orphans meet new fr ...
.''
Danielle Russell, a professor at
Glendon College
Glendon College is a public liberal arts college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formally the federated bilingual campus of York University, it is one of the school's nine colleges and 11 faculties with 100 full-time faculty members and a student po ...
, argues that the settings are reflective of familiar places, but are "bizarre" enough that young readers feel distanced from the Baudelaires' world.
The setting of the world has been compared to ''
Edward Scissorhands
''Edward Scissorhands'' is a 1990 American fantasy romance film directed by Tim Burton. It was produced by Burton and Denise Di Novi, written by Caroline Thompson from a story by her and Burton, and starring Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Anthony Mi ...
'' in that it is "suburban
gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
".
While the film version sets the Baudelaires' mansion in the city of
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
, real places rarely appear in the books, though some are mentioned. For example, in ''
The Ersatz Elevator
''The Ersatz Elevator'' is the sixth novel of the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaires are sent to live with the wealthy Esmé and Jerome Squalor.
Plot summary
Mr. Poe takes the Baude ...
'', a book in
Jerome
Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...
and
Esmé Squalor
The children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and its film and television adaptations features a large cast of characters created by Daniel Handler under the pen name of Lemony Snicket. The original series follows the turbulent ...
's library was titled ''Trout, In France They're Out.''
There are also references to the fictional nobility of North American regions, specifically the Duchess of
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
and the King of
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
.
Characters
Violet Baudelaire
The children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and its film and television adaptations features a large cast of characters created by Daniel Handler under the pen name of Lemony Snicket. The original series follows the turbulent ...
, the eldest, is fourteen when the series begins and is an
inventor
An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...
.
Klaus Baudelaire, the middle child, is twelve when the series begins; he loves books and is an extraordinary
speed reader
Speed reading is any of many techniques claiming to improve one's ability to read quickly. Speed-reading methods include chunking and minimizing subvocalization. The many available speed-reading training programs may utilize books, videos, ...
with a first-class
photographic memory
Eidetic memory ( ; more commonly called photographic memory or total recall) is the ability to recall an image from memory with high precision—at least for a brief period of time—after seeing it only onceThe terms ''eidetic memory'' and ''pho ...
.
Sunny Baudelaire
The children's literature, children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and its Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, film and A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV series), television adaptations features a large cast of ch ...
is a baby at the beginning of the series, and enjoys biting things with her abnormally large teeth; she develops a love for
cooking
Cooking, cookery, or culinary arts is the art, science and craft of using heat to Outline of food preparation, prepare food for consumption. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire to using electric ...
later in the series.
In most books, the children's skills are used to help them defeat Count Olaf's plots; for instance, Violet invents a lockpick in ''
The Reptile Room
''The Reptile Room'' is the second book in the children's series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket. The book tells the story of the Baudelaire orphans, as they are sent to live with a ...
''. Occasionally, the children's roles switch (Klaus inventing and Violet reading in ''
The Miserable Mill
''The Miserable Mill'' is the fourth novel of the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. In this novel, the Baudelaire orphans live with the owner of Lucky Smells Lumber Mill. The book was published on Apr ...
'') or other characters use their skills to assist the Baudelaires (e.g. Quigley's cartography skills help Violet and Klaus in ''
The Slippery Slope
''The Slippery Slope'' is the tenth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. It was illustrated by Brett Helquist and released on September 23, 2003. In the novel, Violet and Klaus Baudelaire mak ...
'').
Snicket translates for the youngest Baudelaire orphan, Sunny, who in the early books almost solely uses words or phrases that make sense only to her siblings. As the series progresses, her speech often contains disguised meanings. Some words are spelled phonetically: 'Suruchi' in ''The Slippery Slope ''and 'Kikuchi?' in ''The End''; some are spelled backwards: '' in ''
The Carnivorous Carnival
''The Carnivorous Carnival'' is the ninth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket.
Plot summary
Following the events of ''The Hostile Hospital'', Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire arrive at ...
'', and '' in ''
The Miserable Mill
''The Miserable Mill'' is the fourth novel of the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. In this novel, the Baudelaire orphans live with the owner of Lucky Smells Lumber Mill. The book was published on Apr ...
''. Some contain references to culture or people: for instance, when Sunny says "Bushenyi" (combining the last names of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, presumably), it is followed by the definition of "you are a vile man who has no regard for anyone else". Some words Sunny uses are foreign, such as "Shalom", "Sayonara" or "Arête". Some are more complex, such as when she says "Akrofil, meaning, 'they were not afraid of heights'", which phonetically translates to acrophilia, meaning one who loves heights. She begins to use standard English words towards the end of the books, one of her longer sentences being "I'm not a baby" in ''The Slippery Slope''.
When asked in a ''
Moment Magazine
''Moment'' is an independent magazine which focuses on the life of the American Jewish community. It is not tied to any particular Jewish movement or ideology. The publication features investigative stories and cultural criticism, highlighting th ...
'' interview about the Baudelaire children and Snicket's own Jewish heritage he replied, "Oh yeah! Yes. The Baudelaires are Jewish! I guess we would not know for sure but we would strongly suspect it, not only from their manner but from the occasional mention of a rabbi or bar mitzvah or synagogue. The careful reader will find quite a few rabbis."
Literary analysis
Allusions
While the books are marketed primarily to children, the series features numerous references that adults or older children are more likely to understand.
Many of the characters' names allude to other fictional works or real people with macabre connections. For example, ''The Reptile Room'' includes allusions to
Monty Python
Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...
(the Baudelaire children's uncle Monty has a large snake collection, including a python, and a reference to the "
Self-Defence Against Fresh Fruit
"Self-Defence Against Fresh Fruit" is a Monty Python sketch that appeared in the episode " Owl Stretching Time". It is about an RSM-type instructor who is teaching a class about self-defence, but all he teaches is how to defend oneself against an ...
" sketch). The Baudelaire orphans are named after
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poetry, French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticis ...
; Violet's name also comes from the T.S. Eliot's poem ''The Waste Land'', specifically its verses concerning the "violet hour,"
and Sunny and Klaus take their first names from
Claus Claus (sometimes Clas) is both a given name and a German, Danish, and Dutch surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name
*Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (1907–1944), a German officer who, along with others, attempted to assassina ...
and
Sunny von Bülow
Martha Sharp "Sunny" von Bülow (; September 1, 1932 − December 6, 2008) was an American heiress and socialite. Her second husband, Claus von Bülow (1926−2019), was convicted in 1982 of attempting to murder her by insulin overdose, but the ...
, while Mr. Poe is a reference to
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
(his sons are named
Edgar and Albert).
[Kramer, Melody Joy (October 12, 2006)]
A Series Of Unfortunate Literary Allusions
''National Public Radio
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other n ...
''. Retrieved 13 January 2017. In the seventh installment, ''The Vile Village,'' Count Olaf's disguise, Detective Dupin, is an allusion to
C. Auguste Dupin
''Le Knight, Chevalier'' C. Auguste Dupin is a fictional character created by Edgar Allan Poe. Dupin made his first appearance in Poe's 1841 short story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", widely considered the first detective fiction story. He rea ...
, a fictional detective created by Edgar Allan Poe.
Isadora and Duncan Quagmire are named after
Isadora Duncan
Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...
, a notorious dancer also remembered for her unusual death by strangulation when her scarf entangled around the wheels of the open car in which she was a passenger.
In the fourth book, ''The Miserable Mill'',
Dr. Georgina Orwell is a reference to British author
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...
.
Orwell finished his famous book ''
1984
Events
January
* January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888.
* January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeast A ...
'' in 1948, and in the sixth book, ''The Ersatz Elevator'', it is not clear if the skyscraper in which Esmé and Jerome Squalor live has 48 or 84 stories. The Squalors' names reference
Jerome David "J. D." Salinger and his short story ''
For Esmé – with Love and Squalor
For or FOR may refer to:
English language
*For, a preposition
*For, a complementizer
*For, a grammatical conjunction
Science and technology
* Fornax, a constellation
* for loop, a programming language statement
* Frame of reference, in physics
...
'',
while in an auction on which the plot hinges, Lot 49 is skipped, i.e. not cried, an allusion to
Thomas Pynchon
Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr. ( , ; born May 8, 1937) is an American novelist noted for his dense and complex novels. His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter, genres and themes, including history, music, scie ...
's ''
The Crying of Lot 49
''The Crying of Lot 49'' is a 1966 novel by American author Thomas Pynchon. The shortest of Pynchon's novels, the plot follows Oedipa Maas, a young Californian woman who begins to embrace a conspiracy theory as she possibly unearths a centuries-ol ...
''. Both Salinger and Pynchon were reputed at one time not to be actual persons. The ninth book in the series, ''The Carnivorous Carnival'', takes place at Caligari Carnival; the carnival's name is a nod to the 1920 silent horror film ''
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (german: Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari) is a 1920 German silent horror film, directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Considered the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, ...
''.
Also in the ninth book, Hugo the Hunchback's name is an allusion to French author Victor Hugo, who wrote the famous book ''
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
''The Hunchback of Notre-Dame'' (french: Notre-Dame de Paris, translation=''Our Lady of Paris'', originally titled ''Notre-Dame de Paris. 1482'') is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story o ...
''. Subsequently, many of the inhabitants of the island in which the Baudelaires find themselves on in ''The End'' are named after characters from ''
The Tempest'', a play by
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
,
while some are named after characters from ''
Robinson Crusoe
''Robinson Crusoe'' () is a novel by Daniel Defoe, first published on 25 April 1719. The first edition credited the work's protagonist Robinson Crusoe as its author, leading many readers to believe he was a real person and the book a tra ...
'', ''
Moby-Dick
''Moby-Dick; or, The Whale'' is an 1851 novel by American writer Herman Melville. The book is the sailor Ishmael (Moby-Dick), Ishmael's narrative of the obsessive quest of Captain Ahab, Ahab, captain of the whaler, whaling ship ''Pequod (Moby- ...
'' and others after general nautical or island-based literature. The Fire and the Sugar Bowl was inspired by
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
''We Have Always Lived in the Castle'' is a 1962 mystery novel by American author Shirley Jackson. It was Jackson's final work, and was published with a dedication to Pascal Covici, the publisher, three years before the author's death in 1965. Th ...
by
Shirley Jackson
Shirley Hardie Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Over the duration of her writing career, which spanned over two decades, she composed six novels, two me ...
.
The name of Beatrice, Snicket's
dedicatee, may be an allusion to the poem ''La Beatrice'' by
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poetry, French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticis ...
. The poem references an "actor without a job", like the actor Count Olaf. The poem also begins with the line "In a burnt, ash-grey land without vegetation", similar to the Baudelaire mansion burning down at the beginning of the series. The name Beatrice could also be an allusion to Italian poet
Dante
Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
. Dante dedicated all of his works to "Beatrice", with whom he was obsessed, and who was also dead, like Snicket's Beatrice.
[Weldy, Lance]
Crossing Textual Boundaries in International Children's Literature
Retrieved 13 January 2017.
In the final book, in an allusion to the
Book of Genesis
The Book of Genesis (from Greek ; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, ( "In the beginning") ...
, a
snake
Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...
offers the children a life-giving
apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
(which the other characters in ''The End'' refuse to eat despite the fact that it is a cure for a fatal illness).
Feminist critique
Tison Pugh argues that the series challenges traditional gender roles and norms.
The Baudelaire children's ability to traverse these gender lines causes them to become "hermaphroditic" characters who embody multiple genders at once.
Genre
This series is most commonly classified as
children's fiction
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader.
Children's ...
, but the book has also been classified in more specific genres such as
gothic fiction
Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...
, or some variety thereof, whether it is mock-gothic,
a satire of gothic literature, neo-Victorian or "suburban gothic".
The series has been described as
absurdist fiction
Absurdist fiction is a genre of novels, plays, poems, films, or other media that focuses on the experiences of characters in situations where they cannot find any inherent purpose in life, most often represented by ultimately meaningless action ...
, because of its strange characters, improbable storylines, and
black comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
.
The books can be categorized as mystery novels. According to Chris McGee, The Baudelaires spend the series trying to uncover the truth about their parents’ deaths.
He also likens the series to noir fiction.
Danielle Russell argues that mysteries are solved for the reader by their end. So, the lack of clear answers in ''
The End
The End may refer to:
Films
* ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine
* ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds
* ''The End'' (1997 film), a Canadian film of 1997
* ''The End'' (1998 film), a skateboarding document ...
'' does not align with this genre.
Although the series does not neatly fit into the genres of fantasy or science fiction, it does feature occasional instances of whimsy, the supernatural, and
steampunk
Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era or ...
technology. There is a constant theme of some form of fate guiding the characters throughout the books. The Baudelaires are capable of communicating with their infant sister, as well as with reptiles. The Reptile Room houses a variety of fantastical reptiles, including the Incredibly Deadly Viper, which is extremely intelligent and seems to have a humanoid consciousness. There is a mysterious
aquatic monster known as the Bombinating Beast.
In a paper for the
Maria Curie-Sklodowski University, Barbara Kaczyńska claims that "realism" is absent within the series.
Russell disputes this, noting that throughout the novels, the narrator insists that the stories he recounts are completely true. She believes that this strong level of realism discredits any argument that the books can be classified as fantasies.
Morality in the series
Social commentary
Social commentary is the act of using rhetorical means to provide commentary on social, cultural, political, or economic issues in a society. This is often done with the idea of implementing or promoting change by informing the general populace ab ...
is a major element in the books, which often comment on the seemingly inescapable follies of
human nature
Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or ...
. The books consistently present the Baudelaire children as
free-thinking
Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other metho ...
and independent, while the adults around them obey authority and succumb to
mob psychology
Crowd psychology, also known as mob psychology, is a branch of social psychology. Social psychologists have developed several theories for explaining the ways in which the psychology of a crowd differs from and interacts with that of the individ ...
,
peer pressure
Peer pressure is the direct or indirect influence on peers, i.e., members of social groups with similar interests, experiences, or social statuses. Members of a peer group are more likely to influence a person's beliefs, values, and behavior. A g ...
, ambition, and other social ills. A high account is given to learning: those who are "well-read" are often sympathetic characters, while those who shun knowledge are villains.
Tison Pugh argues that the central issue of the series is whether the Baudelaires are morally good and distinct from the villains of the story, or whether their actions make them as morally ambiguous as the so-called evil characters.
The books have strong themes of
moral relativism
Moral relativism or ethical relativism (often reformulated as relativist ethics or relativist morality) is used to describe several philosophical positions concerned with the differences in moral judgments across different peoples and cultures. ...
.
Evil characters are shown to have sympathetic characteristics. Similarly, good characters' flaws become major problems. The books highlight the inevitability of temptation and moral decision-making, regardless of the external situation. This indicates that regardless of one's outside influences, one always has the final choice in whether to be good or bad. Characters that make brave decisions to fight back and take charge are almost always "good", and characters that just go along end up as "bad." However, some characters suggest that people are neither good nor bad, but a mix of both. Rebecca-Anne C. Do Rozario notes the nihilistic tone of the series, claiming the lines between good and evil acts become blurred to the point where they become meaningless.
Narration style
The series is narrated by Lemony Snicket, the pseudonym of Daniel Handler. He dedicates each of his works to his deceased love interest, Beatrice, and often attempts to dissuade the reader from reading the Baudelaires' unfortunate story. Handler has referred to Lemony Snicket as a "character" who also doubles as the series' narrator.
Some details of his life are explained somewhat in a supplement to the series, ''
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography''.
When Snicket describes a word the reader may be unfamiliar with, he typically prefaces it with the saying "a word which here means . . . ."
He sometimes follows this phrase with a humorous definition, or one that is relevant only to the events at hand (for example, he describes "adversity" as meaning "Count Olaf").
Lemony Snicket continuously maintains that the story is true and that it is his "solemn duty" to record it. Snicket often goes off into humorous or satirical asides, discussing his opinions or personal life.
Lemony Snicket's narration and commentary are characteristically cynical and despondent. In the blurb for each book, Snicket warns of the misery the reader may experience in reading about the Baudelaire orphans and suggests abandoning the books altogether. However, he also provides ample
comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Definition
Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
with wry,
dark humor
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
. Snicket's narration has been described as "self-conscious" and "post-modern."
[Cruz, Lenika (October 23, 2014)]
Postmodernism — for Kids
''The Atlantic''. Retrieved 10 January 2017. Daphne Merkin characterizes Snicket's narration style as "droll and detached."
When describing a character whom the Baudelaires have met before, Snicket often describes the character first and does not reveal the name of the character until they have been thoroughly described. Lemony Snicket starts each book with a "post-modern dissection of the reading experience"
before linking it back to how he presents the story of the Baudelaires and what their current situation is. Snicket often uses
alliteration
Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase, often used as a literary device. A familiar example is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers". Alliteration is used poetically in various ...
to name locations, as well as book titles, throughout the story. Many of the books start with a theme being introduced that is continually referenced throughout the book—such as the repeated comparisons of the words "nervous" and "anxious" in ''The Ersatz Elevator'', the consistent use of the phrase "where there's smoke, there's fire" in ''The Slippery Slope,'' and the descriptions of the water cycle in ''The Grim Grotto''.
Repetition
The plots of the first seven books follow the same basic pattern: the Baudelaires go to a new guardian in a new location, where Count Olaf appears and attempts to steal their fortune. The books following pick up where the previous book ended.
There are thirteen books in the series and each book has thirteen chapters. The last book in the series, ''The End'', contains two stories: ''The End'', which has 13 chapters, and a separate "book" that is titled ''Chapter Fourteen''. The location of each book's events is usually identified in the book's title; the first twelve book titles are generally
alliterative
Alliteration is the conspicuous repetition of initial consonant sounds of nearby words in a phrase, often used as a literary device. A familiar example is "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers". Alliteration is used poetically in various ...
.
Secrets in the series
![VFDlogo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/VFDlogo.svg)
After the fourth book, Barbara Kaczyńska argues that secrets play a more important role in the story.
In the final book, ''The End'', the concept is especially important, as demonstrated by a several-page-long discussion of the phrase "in the dark." The children hear of a massive schism within the organization of V.F.D., which was once noble but became filled with corruption and split into two sides, "volunteers" and "villains." While many of the critical plot points are given answers, Snicket explains that no story can be fully devoid of questions as every story is intertwined with numerous others and every character's history is shared in a great web of mysteries and unfortunate events that make up the world's legacy, making it impossible for anyone to know all the answers to every question. The Baudelaire children and Count Olaf's story is said to be merely a fragment of a much bigger story between numerous characters with the central connection being the organization of V.F.D.
Transtextuality
There is a full-page picture at the end of each book, showing a hint or clue about the content of the next book. This may be show a flyer or piece of paper drifting by, though sometimes by a significant object: a snake appears at the end of ''The Bad Beginning'', referring to Montgomery's snake collection in the following book. The same picture is used at the start of the succeeding book. This practice continued at the end of ''The End'' which shows a boat sailing off into the sunset and at the start of ''Chapter Fourteen''. The picture at the end of ''Chapter Fourteen'' includes a shape of a question mark.
Following the picture is a
letter to the editor
A letter to the editor (LTE) is a Letter (message), letter sent to a publication about an issue of concern to the reader. Usually, such letters are intended for publication. In many publications, letters to the editor may be sent either through ...
, which explains to the editor how to get a manuscript of the next book. Snicket is writing from the location of the next book and usually reveals its title. Snicket notes that the editors will find various objects along with the manuscript, all of them having some impact in the story. Starting with the fourth book (which previews the fifth), each letter has a layout relating to the next book, such as torn edges, fancy stationery, sopping wet paper, or telegram format. The letters change dramatically starting with the letter at the end of ''The Hostile Hospital''—for this preview letter, the letter is ripped to shreds and only a few scraps remain. The remaining letters are difficult to read, and some do not reveal the title. The final letter appears at the end of ''The End'' and simply has "The end of THE END can be found at the end of THE END." There is no letter after ''Chapter Fourteen''.
Each book begins with a dedication to a woman named Beatrice, and references to her are made by Snicket throughout the series, describing her as the woman he still loves while emphasizing the fact that she apparently died long ago. At the end of the ''Chapter Fourteen'' epilogue, it is revealed that Beatrice was the Baudelaires' late mother, who married their father after an unknown event caused her to return Snicket's engagement ring, alongside a two-hundred-page book explaining all the reasons she could not marry him.
Distribution
Books
The series includes thirteen novels as follows below:
# ''
The Bad Beginning
''The Bad Beginning'' is the first novel of the Children's literature, children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The novel tells the story of three children, Violet Baudelaire, Violet, Klaus Baudelaire, Klaus, ...
'' (1999)
# ''
The Reptile Room
''The Reptile Room'' is the second book in the children's series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket. The book tells the story of the Baudelaire orphans, as they are sent to live with a ...
'' (1999)
# ''
The Wide Window
''The Wide Window'' is the third novel of the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. In this novel, the Baudelaire orphans live with their aunt Josephine, who is seemingly scared of everything. The book was p ...
'' (2000)
# ''
The Miserable Mill
''The Miserable Mill'' is the fourth novel of the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. In this novel, the Baudelaire orphans live with the owner of Lucky Smells Lumber Mill. The book was published on Apr ...
'' (2000)
# ''
The Austere Academy
''The Austere Academy'' is the fifth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaire orphans are sent to a boarding school, overseen by monstrous employees. There, the orphans meet new fr ...
'' (2000)
# ''
The Ersatz Elevator
''The Ersatz Elevator'' is the sixth novel of the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The Baudelaires are sent to live with the wealthy Esmé and Jerome Squalor.
Plot summary
Mr. Poe takes the Baude ...
'' (2001)
# ''
The Vile Village
''The Vile Village'' is the seventh novel in the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket.
In ''The Vile Village'', the Baudelaire orphans are taken into the care of a whole village, only to find many rules ...
'' (2001)
# ''
The Hostile Hospital
''The Hostile Hospital'' is the eighth novel in the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket, the pseudonym of Daniel Handler. It takes place shortly after ''The Vile Village'' and is followed by a sequel, ''The ...
'' (2001)
# ''
The Carnivorous Carnival
''The Carnivorous Carnival'' is the ninth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket.
Plot summary
Following the events of ''The Hostile Hospital'', Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire arrive at ...
'' (2002)
# ''
The Slippery Slope
''The Slippery Slope'' is the tenth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. It was illustrated by Brett Helquist and released on September 23, 2003. In the novel, Violet and Klaus Baudelaire mak ...
'' (2003)
# ''
The Grim Grotto
''The Grim Grotto'' is the eleventh novel in the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The book was released on Tuesday, September 21, 2004.
This novel tells the subsequent story of the Baudelaire orphans ...
'' (2004)
# ''
The Penultimate Peril
''The Penultimate Peril'' is the twelfth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket.
Plot
The Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus and Sunny are travelling with pregnant V.F.D. member Kit Snicket t ...
'' (2005)
# ''
The End
The End may refer to:
Films
* ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine
* ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds
* ''The End'' (1997 film), a Canadian film of 1997
* ''The End'' (1998 film), a skateboarding document ...
'' (2006)
Appearance
Bruce Butt describes the hardcover books as "elegant" and "collectible."
He argues that the
endpaper
The endpapers or end-papers of a book (also known as the endsheets) are the pages that consist of a double-size sheet folded, with one half pasted against an inside cover (the pastedown), and the other serving as the first free page (the free end ...
s and overall book design resemble Victorian-era novels.
Russell argues that the visual stylization of the books adds to their sense of timelessness.
The hardcover books were printed with a
deckle
A deckle is a removable wooden frame or "fence" used in manual paper-making. It can also mean deckle edge paper, which is a type of industrially produced paper with rough cut, distressed edges used in the book trade.
Deckle frame
In manual pape ...
edge.
A paperback release of the series, featuring restyled covers, new illustrations, and a serial supplement entitled ''The Cornucopian Cavalcade'' happened with ''
The Bad Beginning: or, Orphans!'', ''
The Reptile Room: or, Murder!'', and ''
The Wide Window: or, Disappearance!'', but stopped after the third.
Accompanying books
There are books that accompany the series, such as ''
The Beatrice Letters
''The Beatrice Letters'' is a book by Lemony Snicket. It is a tangential prequel to the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', and was published shortly before the thirteenth and final installment. According to its cover, the ...
'', ''
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography'', and ''
The Puzzling Puzzles''; journals ''
The Blank Book
This is a list of books by Lemony Snicket, the pen name of American author Daniel Handler. Works published under the name Daniel Handler are not included. Handler, as Snicket, has published 26 fiction novels, thirteen in the main ''A Series of U ...
'' and ''
The Notorious Notations
This is a list of books by Lemony Snicket, the pen name of American author Daniel Handler. Works published under the name Daniel Handler are not included. Handler, as Snicket, has published 26 fiction novels, thirteen in the main ''A Series of Un ...
''; and short materials such as ''
The Dismal Dinner
This is a list of books by Lemony Snicket, the pen name of American author Daniel Handler. Works published under the name Daniel Handler are not included. Handler, as Snicket, has published 26 fiction novels, thirteen in the main ''A Series of Un ...
'' and ''
''. Humorous quotes from the series were used in a book published under the Snicket name, ''
Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid''.
''All the Wrong Questions''
Lemony Snicket's ''All the Wrong Questions'' is a four-part young adult series focused on Snicket's childhood working for V.F.D. It is set in the same universe as ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' and features several of the same characters and locations. The first book was titled ''
Who Could That Be at This Hour?
''Who Could That Be at This Hour?'' is the first novel of the Children's literature, children's novel series ''All the Wrong Questions'' by Lemony Snicket, a series set before the events of ''A Series of Unfortunate Events''. The novel tells the s ...
'', and was released in October 2012. The second, ''
When Did You See Her Last?'', was released in October 2013, and the third, ''
Shouldn't You Be in School?
''Shouldn't You Be in School?'' is the third book in Lemony Snicket's children's series ''All the Wrong Questions''. The series features young apprentice Snicket, who is attempting to uncover the mystery behind a villain named Hangfire in Stain'd-b ...
'', was released in September 2014. The final book, ''
Why Is This Night Different from All Other Nights?'' was released on September 29, 2015.
In other media
Television
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
, in association with
Paramount Television
The original incarnation of Paramount Television was the name of the television production division of the American film studio Paramount Pictures, that was responsible for the production of Viacom television programs, until it changed its name ...
, announced in November 2014 its plans to adapt the books into an original TV series with 25 total episodes spanning 3 seasons, with 2 episodes dedicated to each book, with the exception of the 13th book, The End.
Author Daniel Handler serves as a writer and executive producer.
On September 4, 2015, it was announced that filmmaker
Barry Sonnenfeld
Barry Sonnenfeld (born April 1, 1953) is an American filmmaker and television director. He originally worked as a cinematographer for the Coen brothers before directing films such as ''The Addams Family'' (1991) and its sequel ''Addams Family Va ...
and ''
True Blood
''True Blood'' is an American fantasy horror drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball. It is based on ''The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris. A reboot is currently in development.
The serie ...
'' showrunner
Mark Hudis
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* Finn ...
had agreed to helm the series. Hudis would serve as showrunner, Sonnenfeld as director, and both as executive producers. Daniel Handler is penning the scripts. On December 3, 2015, an open casting call was announced for the roles of Violet and Klaus Baudelaire, with the casting call confirming that the series would begin production in March 2016.
In January 2016, Netflix announced that Hudis had left the project and they have not yet named a replacement showrunner. However, it was announced that Sonnenfeld and Handler were both still on board, and that
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
had been cast as Count Olaf and
Malina Weissman
Malina Weissman (born March 12, 2003) is an American actress and model, best known for playing the roles of Violet Baudelaire in the Netflix series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', young April O'Neil in ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' and y ...
and
Louis Hynes
Louis Oliver Hynes (born 9 October 2001) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Klaus Baudelaire in the Netflix series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', which ran from 2017 to 2019 and as Vlad in the first season of Hulu series ...
as Violet and Klaus.
In March 2016,
K. Todd Freeman
Kenneth Todd Freeman (born July 9, 1965) is an American actor. He has been nominated for two Tony Awards over the course of his career and has won one Drama Desk Award. He has played supporting roles in films such as ''Grosse Pointe Blank'' (1997 ...
and
Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton (born November 14, 1964) is an American actor.
On television, he has played David Puddy on '' Seinfeld'', the title character on '' The Tick'', Jeb Denton on ''Less Than Perfect'', Jeff Bingham on ''Rules of Engagement'' and Lem ...
were cast as Mr. Poe and Lemony Snicket respectively. The first season, consisting of eight episodes that cover the first four books, was released worldwide on Netflix on January 13, 2017.
''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' was renewed for a second season, which was released on March 30, 2018, and consisted of ten episodes that adapt books five through nine of the novel series.
The television series was also renewed for a third and final season, which was released on January 1, 2019, consisting of seven episodes that adapted the final four books. The last book, ''
The End
The End may refer to:
Films
* ''The End'' (1953 film), a film by Christopher Maclaine
* ''The End'' (1978 film), a comedy by Burt Reynolds
* ''The End'' (1997 film), a Canadian film of 1997
* ''The End'' (1998 film), a skateboarding document ...
'', was adapted into one episode instead of the standard two episodes.
Film
''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'' is a film adaptation of the first three titles in the series, mixing the various events and characters into one story. It was released on December 17, 2004.
Directed by
Brad Seiberling, it stars
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...
as Count Olaf,
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Often described as "the best actress of her generation", Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throu ...
as
Aunt Josephine,
Billy Connolly
Sir William Connolly (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish actor, retired comedian, artist, writer, musician, and presenter. He is sometimes known, especially in his homeland, by the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One"). Known for his ...
as
Uncle Monty,
Emily Browning
Emily Jane Browning
. Celebritywonder, retrieved 30 June 2011 (born 7 December 1988 as Violet,
Liam Aiken
Liam Pádraic Aiken (born January 7, 1990) is an American actor. He has starred in films such as '' Stepmom'' (1998), ''Road to Perdition'' (2002), and ''Good Boy!'' (2003), and played Klaus Baudelaire in ''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortuna ...
as Klaus,
Timothy Spall
Timothy Leonard Spall (born 27 February 1957) is an English actor and presenter. He became a household name in the UK after appearing as Barry Spencer Taylor in the 1983 ITV comedy-drama series ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet''.
Spall performed in '' S ...
as Mr. Poe, and
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Césa ...
as the voice of Lemony Snicket.
The film was financially successful, but received criticism over its comical tone.
Considering the success of the movie, the director and some of the lead actors hinted that they were keen on making a sequel, but no script was written.
Browning has said that further films would have to be produced quickly, as the children do not age much throughout the book series.
In 2008, Daniel Handler stated in a Bookslut Interview that another film was in the works, but had been delayed by corporate shake-ups at
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. In June 2009, Silberling confirmed he still talked about the project with Handler, and suggested the sequel be a
stop motion
Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames i ...
film because the lead actors have grown too old. "In an odd way, the best thing you could do is actually have Lemony Snicket say to the audience, 'Okay, we pawned the first film off as a mere dramatization with actors. Now I'm afraid I'm going to have to show you the real thing.'"
Video game
''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'' is a video game based on the film that was released in 2004 by Adenium Games and
Activision
Activision Publishing, Inc. is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California. It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard, and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one o ...
for
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
,
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
,
Xbox
Xbox is a video gaming brand created and owned by Microsoft. The brand consists of five video game consoles, as well as applications (games), streaming services, an online service by the name of Xbox network, and the development arm by the na ...
,
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
, and
PC. The player plays as all three orphans at points in the game, and encounters characters such as Mr. Poe, Uncle Monty and Aunt Josephine, along with villains such as Count Olaf, the
Hook-Handed Man, the
White-Faced Woman, and the
Bald Man.
The game, like the movie, follows only the first three books in the series.
A separate
casual game
A casual game is a video game targeted at a mass market audience, as opposed to a hardcore game, which is targeted at hobbyist gamers. Casual games may exhibit any type of gameplay and genre. They generally involve simpler rules, shorter sessio ...
titled ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' was published by
Oberon Media
Oberon Media was a multi-platform casual games company, delivering casual games across online, social, mobile/Smartphone, interactive TV and retail categories. Oberon games were adopted by global digital and media companies, such as Acer, Micros ...
the same year as a different tie-in to the books. Set in Count Olaf's house, the game involves his six associates and many objects they use in Olaf's efforts to capture the children. Gameplay includes three difficulty levels and two game modes: Deduction Junction and Swap Monster.
Board games
A
board game
Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, role-playing, and miniatures games as well.
Many board games feature a comp ...
based on the books was distributed by Mattel in 2004, prior to the movie. ''The Perilous Parlor Game'' is for 2–4 players, ages 8 and up. One player assumes the role of Count Olaf, and the other players play the Baudelaire children. Count Olaf's objective in the game is to eliminate the guardian, while the children try to keep the guardian alive. The game employs Clever Cards, Tragedy Cards, Secret Passage Tiles, and Disguise Tiles in play.
Card games
''The Catastrophic Card Game'' is the second game based on the books. In this
card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific.
Countless card games exist, including families of related games (such as poker). A small number of card ...
, players are looking to complete sets of characters. There are 4 different sets: The Baudelaire Orphans, Count Olaf in Disguise, Olaf's Henchmen, and the Orphans Confidants. Players take turns drawing a card from either the draw pile or the
top card
''Top Card'' is a game show that aired on TNN and produced by Reid-Land Productions, replacing TNN's original game show ''Fandango''. The show aired from April 3, 1989 to March 26, 1993 and was based on the card game Blackjack.
Jim Caldwell was ...
from the discard pile in hopes of completing their sets. For 2–4 players, ages 14 and under.
Audio
Audio books
Most of the series of unabridged audiobooks are read by British actor
Tim Curry
Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London ...
, though Handler as Lemony Snicket reads books 3 to 5. Of narrating the audiobooks, Handler has said: "It was very, very hard. It was unbelievably arduous. It was the worst kind of arduous."
As such, future narrating duties were handed back to Curry, of whom Handler states: "he does a splendid job".
The "Dear Reader" blurb is usually read by Handler (as Snicket) at the beginning, although it is missing in ''The Hostile Hospital''. Handler usually reads the "To my Kind Editor" blurb about the next book at the end. Starting at ''The Carnivorous Carnival'', there is another actor who replaces Handler in reading the two blurbs, although they are skipped entirely in ''The Grim Grotto''. All of the recordings include a loosely related song by
The Gothic Archies
The Gothic Archies are an American indie rock/gothic rock band established by Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields. In 1997, Merritt released ''The New Despair''. The EP featured the song "Your Long White Fingers", which appeared frequently i ...
, a novelty band of which Handler is a member, featuring lyrics by Handler's
Magnetic Fields
A magnetic field is a vector field that describes the magnetic influence on moving electric charges, electric currents, and magnetic materials. A moving charge in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to its own velocity and to ...
bandmate Stephin Merritt.
Album
In October 2006, ''The Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by The Gothic Archies was released. The album is a collection of thirteen songs written and performed by
Stephin Merritt
Stephin Raymond Merritt (born February 9, 1965) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the songwriter and principal singer of the bands the Magnetic Fields, the Gothic Archies, and Future Bible Heroes. He is ...
(of
The Magnetic Fields
The Magnetic Fields (named after the André Breton/Philippe Soupault novel ''Les Champs Magnétiques'') are an American Band (rock and pop), band founded and led by Stephin Merritt. Merritt is the group's primary songwriter, producer, and vocali ...
), each one originally appearing on one of the corresponding thirteen audiobooks of the series. Two bonus songs are included.
Reception
Reviews
Reviews for ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' have generally been positive, with reviewers saying that the series is enjoyable for children and adults alike, and that it brings fresh and adult themes to children's stories.
The ''
Times Online
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' refer to the books as "a literary phenomenon", and discuss how the plight of the Baudelaire orphans helps children cope with loss—citing the rise in sales post
September 11, 2001
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
as evidence. Mackey attributes the series' success to the "topsy-turvy moral universe."
Langbauer feels that the series "offers a critique of the pieties" of earlier generations and imparts "its own vision of ethics." In a May 2000 article for ''Publishers Weekly'', Sally Lodge notes kids and educators' enthusiasm for the first four books in the series.
Criticism
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The series has come under criticism from some
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary and secondary schools in various nations.
North America United States
In the U.S, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts, wh ...
s for its dark themes. Access to the books was similarly restricted at
Katy ISD Elementary School in
Katy, Texas
Katy is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Greater Katy area, itself forming the western part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Homes and businesses may have Katy postal addresses without being in the City of Katy. The city of ...
. Similarly, a school in
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in ...
criticized ''
The Reptile Room
''The Reptile Room'' is the second book in the children's series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'', written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym Lemony Snicket. The book tells the story of the Baudelaire orphans, as they are sent to live with a ...
'' for its inclusion of the word “damn,” canceling an author event with Handler in protest.
Criticisms include the suggested
incest
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
in Olaf's attempt to marry his distant cousin Violet in ''The Bad Beginning''.
The series has also been criticized for its formulaic and repetitive storytelling.
For example, Bruce Butt criticizes the series for its formulaic and predictable nature, likening the first eight books to "junk food" for children.
Sales
Within a year of ''
The Bad Beginning
''The Bad Beginning'' is the first novel of the Children's literature, children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. The novel tells the story of three children, Violet Baudelaire, Violet, Klaus Baudelaire, Klaus, ...
''
's publication, the first four books in the series had a combined printing of 125,000 copies.
''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' has been printed in 41 different languages, selling at least sixty-five million copies as of 2015.
Awards
''The Bad Beginning'' won multiple
literary award
A literary award or literary prize is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author.
Organizations
Most literary awards come with a corresponding award ceremony. Ma ...
s, including the Colorado Children's Book Award, the Nevada Young Readers Award and the Nene Award. It was also a finalist for the
Book Sense
IndieBound is a marketing movement for independent bookstores launched in 2008 by the American Booksellers Association. With resources targeted for "indie" booksellers, it promotes fiscal localism. IndieBound's curated reading lists include the In ...
Book of the Year.
Its sequels have continued this trend, garnering multiple awards and nominations. Among these are three IRA/CBC Children's Choice Awards, which it received for ''
The Wide Window
''The Wide Window'' is the third novel of the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket. In this novel, the Baudelaire orphans live with their aunt Josephine, who is seemingly scared of everything. The book was p ...
'', ''
The Vile Village
''The Vile Village'' is the seventh novel in the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket.
In ''The Vile Village'', the Baudelaire orphans are taken into the care of a whole village, only to find many rules ...
'', and ''
The Hostile Hospital
''The Hostile Hospital'' is the eighth novel in the children's book series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket, the pseudonym of Daniel Handler. It takes place shortly after ''The Vile Village'' and is followed by a sequel, ''The ...
.'' ''
The Penultimate Peril
''The Penultimate Peril'' is the twelfth novel in the children's novel series ''A Series of Unfortunate Events'' by Lemony Snicket.
Plot
The Baudelaire orphans, Violet, Klaus and Sunny are travelling with pregnant V.F.D. member Kit Snicket t ...
'' won a best book prize at the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
Kids' Choice Awards
The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards (also known as the KCAs or Kids' Choice) is an annual American children's awards ceremony show that is produced by Nickelodeon. Usually held on a Saturday night in late March or early April, the show honors ...
, and a 2006 Quill Book Award.
Book lists
While not technically awards, ''The Ersatz Elevator'' was named a ''Book Sense 76 Pick'', and ''The Grim Grotto'' is an Amazon.com Customers' Favorite.
See also
*
Lemony Snicket bibliography
This is a list of books by Lemony Snicket, the pen name of American author Daniel Handler. Works published under the name Daniel Handler are not included. Handler, as Snicket, has published 26 fiction novels, thirteen in the main ''A Series of Un ...
*
Charles Baudelaire
Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poetry, French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticis ...
- French poet
References
Bibliography
*
External links
Official website*
Daniel Handler's official website''A Series of Unfortunate Events''on Netflix
{{DEFAULTSORT:Series Of Unfortunate Events
Book series introduced in 1999
Absurdist fiction
Black comedy books
British Book Award-winning works
American children's novels
Novels about orphans
Series of children's books
HarperCollins books
Postmodern novels