Dear Mr. Snicket

"In this large and fierce world of ours, there are many, many unpleasant places to be."

At the end of every book of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" series is a letter by Lemony Snicket, the narrator who wryly recounts the deplorable circumstances of the Baudelaire children. They once lived in a humongous mansion in Boston. Arson fire killed their parents, and the kids have the misfortune of not finding a good guardian. Blame it on Count Olaf, who played an important part in their dreary, if not bizarre, existence.

Daniel Handler, the author of the thirteen-book series, might be suspected of lack of originality. The plight of James Trotter pales in comparison to the Baudelaire orphans, but fans of the novella may point out that there's a similarity between the two. (How will Roald Dahl react to the series?) Handler didn't shy away from following other authors in their reference to past works. ("The End", for instance, has allusion to the Biblical tale of Adam and Even.) And the American can be faulted for repetition.

The series is not for everyone. Nonetheless, they must read a book (from the series). Here are three reasons:

Language lessons to brighten the day. The first chapter of the first book of the series is heartbreaking.

And it gets worse. Snicket snaps readers out of their gloom by defining some expressions. Cul-de-sac, for instance, is not often heard from children. Klaus Baudelaire is unlike any youngster, as the twelve-year-old is a bookworm. Moreover, the kids met sympathetic characters along their journey. (Who can't like Hector? Who can resist his “huevos rancheros”?) The latter books reveal that it's a small world after all, and the Baudelaires can find some comfort in it.

More bad people. It's unfair to compare Count Olaf to Frankenstein. He's not a bloodsucking creature either. But this filthy man is one of many awful characters that Violet, Klaus, and Sunny get acquainted with. Esmé Squalor, for instance, is inconsiderate to the kids. They found out that a past incident was the cause, where their mother stole a sugar bowl from her. The self-proclaimed sixth-most important financial adviser of the city turned out to be another ally of Olaf. And she was more cruel and sinister than readers could imagined.

Expect a field day with literary allusions. If you read the series closely, then you'll be delighted at Handler's research. Let's take "The Ersatz Elevator" for instance. The Baudelaire's residence is located in 667 Dark Avenue, which is one number away from 666. The British call it the neighbor of the Beast. Next is the building, where they live in the vast penthouse. It has 1,849 windows. Fans of Edgar Allan Poe can tell that 1849 is the year of the author's death. Last but not the least, J.D. Salinger fans might smile when they learn about Esmé's whole name. It's a reference to one of the American's short stories. This goes on and on, but you know how it goes.

If you want to know more, then get a copy of the series. It will be a bumpy ride.