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  Lemony Snicket: pro or contra

  Since I joined Shelfari, I noticed the Lemony Snicket books on a lot of shelves, and I saw very enthousiastic reviews too. So on our last UK holiday, I was tempted to buy the whole series - the books do look good! But for once I was prudent and only bought the first book. I'm glad I did: I was disappointed. I really do not like the pessimistic tone. I did not think this "funny", just depressing, and I wonder what children think of them. I certainly would have hated the books when I was young.
  What are your thoughts and feelings on this series?

  mjacobs started this discussion 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Alicia 

  I haven't read them either & had wondered the same. I'll be curious to see what people say.

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    mjacobs 

    Well, Alicia, they are not saying much....

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    Alicia 

    LOL, no they're not. Maybe someone will see this soon & respond. We can only hope!

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Aimeesue 

  I, for one, enjoyed them, but they are a bit much to read all at once. I LIKE a dark humor, which you certainly find here. Kind of a modern, in your face Roald Dahl=ish thing, I guess.

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  booter09 

  I, too was disappointed. I read the first two (the second in hopes that it had improved.) I didn't like the pessimistic tone. The treatment of the children by the adults in their life really bothered me. Perhaps I'm taking them too seriously.

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    mjacobs 

    Yes, but would a child not do the same?

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    booter09 

    I'm not sure. The kids that I've witnessed that read them seem to like the dark humor and enjoy them. We had a huge reserve list for the last one at my library. I'm not sure how seriously they take them, I'll have to ask our readers about that:)

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  sistina 

  I have read about half of them. Yes, they are depressing and sad...no happy endings, but the author warns you from the get go. The Baudelaire orphans are smart resourceful and charming. They are the only family unit they 've got. These books are unlike any you might find. I think that is what is attractive to the young reader. At the end of each book the children turn out fine and better for the worse. It is a good series and it is written for young children. Adults may not find them good, but they are not written for the adult mind.

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  freda 

  What bothers me most about this series, and other children's books, is the emphasis on adults who don't love/like/help children, including many y.a. books focusing on disfunctional families. One or two is ok, but where are the books that show loving adults/parents?

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    Nora 

    I agree with you. I would like to think that there are good homes out there and would like to see them protrayed in books and movies. By the third book of this series I almost couldn't stand to read one more. If one more horrible thing happened to this kids I was going to scream - My daughter made me finish the series. I heard that the author had a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Atlanta and there were hundereds and hundres of parents and children that came to see him. They started to line up at 5p.m. and he finished signing the last bookat midnight. So, these books have struck a cord with many.
    I did keep reading because the author was funny. He would have clever writing elements in these books - like the dejuve page(sp?) where he just repeated the exact page all over again. Other clever things like that made it bearable finish the series. I would like more books that explore the good relationship with parents and children too. I loved the mixed up files of Mrs. B. Frank Wiler. The relationship with the parents got strained but that the end they worked out some of their issues. It was so mysterious to live in a museum.

    posted 11 months ago. ( reply )

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  yapips 

  my daughter is ten years old and LOVES this series! i've read the books too and i think they're great. at first i thought they would be depressing, too, but they're actually really funny...it's the way the stories are told...i think the humor is like The Simpsons or Calvin and Hobbes, there are a lot of puns and inside jokes about culture, literature, etc... there are even grammar lessons!

  posted 12 months ago. ( reply )

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