Synopses & Reviews
Dear Listener,
I'm sorry to say that the audiobook you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very beginning of this program when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short audiobook alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to tell these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from turning off this audio and listening to something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket
Review
"[Curry's] performance is masterful, a wonderful exaggeration." Philadelphia Inquirer
Review
"Curry's recordings of the Series of Unfortunate Events are sublime, the perfect marriage of material and performer and the only audiobook I've heard that manages to improve creatively on the print version." Laura Miller, Salon.com
Review
"[Curry is a] master of multiple voices and deadpan delivery....Fabulously funny, the first two volumes afford Curry, as the deeply sorrowful, omniscient narrator, an opportunity to display his enormous talents." AudioFile
Review
"British actor Tim Curry...is terrific in this adaptation....Curry plays Olaf with an appropriately spooky whispering hiss and deserves extra kudos for his convincing portrayal of Poe's racking, sometimes phlegmy cough." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Written with old-fashioned flair, this fast-paced book is not for the squeamish....Those who enjoy a little poison in their porridge will find it wicked good fun." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"This series...has subtle humor, Roald Dahl-like pathos, and lots of action. [Tim Curry] is so good that he qualifies as a character; he is chummy at times, entertaining at others..." Children's Literature
Review
"The arch-sounding narrator may seem witty and explanatory but do not be fooled....Unlike the good snake doctor this series promises to have a long, productive life." Ron Charles, Christian Science Monitor
Review
"The writing, peppered with fairly sophisticated vocabulary and phrases, may seem daunting, but the inclusion of Snicket's perceptive definitions of difficult words makes these books challenging to older readers and excellent for reading aloud." Library Journal
About the Author
Lemony Snicket grew up near the sea and currently lives beneath it. To his horror and dismay, he has no wife or children, only enemies, associates, and the occasional loyal manservant. His trial has been delayed, so he is free to continue researching and recording the tragic tales of the Baudelaire orphans for HarperCollins.
Tim Curry's numerous film credits include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Muppet Treasure Island, Legend, Annie, and The Hunt for Red October.