Katharina Ikarus 2008
A series of unfortunate events
Klaus, Sunny and Violet
Author: Lemony Snicket
Book published by: HarperCollins
Book published: 30.September 1999
Pages: 163
Genere: children, black comedy
A series of unfortunate events
The book is about three children who never seem to have luck at all. Everything starts when their parents die in a big fire. They left their kids a big fortune and in their will they announced that they should live with their nearest relative.
Unfortunately their nearest relative is Count Olaf whom they never met before. He had heard about the fortune and tries with every bit of his might to get their guardianship. After that he wants to kill them to get their money.
When this plan fails he wants to marry the oldest kid in a play. This wouldn’t make anyone suspicious but be legally anyway.
But thank goodness the three children are very clever and discover his incredible mean plan before he can make it work.
They have to convince a few grown-ups – which is not very easy for them – but then they are out of harm's way.
The book ends at the point Count Olaf pressurizes them to come back and catch them wherever they are. So it seems like they are still not very protected.
The characters:
Violet: The oldest Baudleire kid is very clever. She likes inventing things very much and s very good at it. She invents things the whole day long. When she is thinking very hard about something her hair is tied up in a ribbon and she does not talk for a while. Her motto is: “there is always something”
Klaus: Klaus loves reading and he read nearly every book on earth. He remembers everything he once read. Many people do not like him because he is so intelligent for his age and they think he would feel superior but in reality he is a very nice boy.
Sunny: Sunny is still an infant and can not speak properly.She loves biting things – just as young ones do at her age. Whenever she verbalizes it has its own meaning but only her siblings can guess it.
Count Olaf: He would do everything for money. He is an actor but a really terrible one and never got work and has never been successful. Therefore he is really grumpy and unfair. He can not stand children.
From left to right: Violet; Count Olaf; Klaus
My opinion:
I like the book very much because it is very amusing and very different to other books. It is easy to read and you can picture everything very good. It has very often an unexpected twist and that makes it thrilling and exhilarating. I also like the way Count Olaf is described – the completeness of a bad character is really fascinating. I would recommend it to boys and girls at every age.