The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket is the first book in A Series of Unfortunate Events and tells the sad story of the Baudelaire orphans—Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. After their parents die in a mysterious fire, the children are sent to live with Count Olaf, a distant relative who only wants their family fortune. Even though they are smart and try their best, the Baudelaires face many challenges as they try to outsmart Olaf and learn more about what really happened to their parents. This book, with its dark humour, introduces the unlucky events that continue throughout the series. I have a bit of a dark sense of humour, and A Series of Unfortunate Events really hit that note for me. What I enjoy most about these books is the writing style and tone. The author clearly aimed to introduce kids to big, interesting words and cleverly mixed them with playful language. I have read about nine of the books. The downside is that the villain never changes, and the core plot remains the same: the kids end up in a terrible situation, and Count Olaf returns to try and steal their money. It does get a bit repetitive, but the writing style kept me interested. The first book is definitely worth a read, and it’s a quick one too. I’d recommend giving it a try.