A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book the Second

We have been zipping through this unfortunate series on audio as we’ve driven across the Midwest recently, and I find myself regularly pausing the story when we stop to get gas or if I have to run into Starbucks, because I don’t want to miss anything myself!

From the first installment to this series, A Bad Beginning, the audience is fully aware of Count Olaf and his wicked intentions toward the young Baudelaire orphans. Those unfamiliar with the series, however, may have been as surprised as we were to find that Count Olaf makes a reappearance in this second story too, again as the key villain! This fact will be repeated throughout the remainder of the series as wickedly thin (and just plain wicked) Count Olaf devises new and intriguing ways to try and steal the Baudelaire fortune.

Other aspects to this story surprised me, I must admit. The tale includes real murder and even the word “damn!”, not because Lemony Snicket wants to fill his readers’ heads with carnality, but because this is the dark turn of reality that life has taken his characters. Sure, he’s the supposed author and he could have written these turns however he liked (my writing teacher from long ago would have said that there’s never a need to include vulgarity), but sometimes I agree that the story needs to take some dark turns and requires aspects of realism in order to keep things interesting. You as a parent or teacher may disagree, and that’s fine.

My children really loved the classic “He knows that we know that he knows, you know?” exchange, asking me to rewind so they could hear it again. I myself was more partial to the explanation and repetition of “Meanwhile, back at the ranch.” That’s some clever writing, which is why these books appeal to “children” of all ages.

At one point toward the end, Mr. Poe rails against Count Olaf for scolding them about telling lies: “I don’t think you’re in any position to give moral advice to children, Olaf!” This sparked a quick discussion in our car about the moral dilemmas in which these unfortunate children have thus far found themselves. Knowing how much further we’ll get into their sad lives before the end, I’m sure this will not be the last opportunity for that!

We’ve listened to a few of the books already, and I’ve polled my kids. My daughter votes this story as her favorite of the series thus far.

©2021 E.T.

Read More in A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket:

1. A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket (1999)
2. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket (1999)
3. The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket (2000)
4. The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket (2000)
5. The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket (2000)
6. The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket (2001)
7. The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket (2001)
8. The Hostile Hotel by Lemony Snicket (2001)
9. The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket (2002)
10. The Slipper Slope by Lemony Snicket (2003)
11. The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket (2004)
12. The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket (2005)
13. The End by Lemony Snicket (2006)