Brett Helquist is an author who goes by the pseudonym Lemony Snicket, the narrator of A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning. Snicket investigates the lives of the three Baudelaire children after they receive news that their parents have perished in a fire that destroyed their entire home.

The Bad Beginning is extremely well-written and provides important details in a way that is enjoyable for everyone. The Baudelaires are very intelligent and incredible children who go through a lot, while still staying true to themselves. The book is a good book and it makes the reader want to dive into the lives of the three intelligent Baudelaire orphans.

Mr. Poe, the man in charge of the Baudelaire’s enormous fortune and also the one who delivered the terrible news, lets the Baudelaires stay with him for a couple days until he finds a guardian for the orphans.

While the Baudelaires deal with the death of their parents and the loss of all of their belongings, they also must deal with their new guardian, a wicked man and renowned actor, Count Olaf. Olaf forces the Baudelaires to do many hard chores such as chopping wood and fixing the porch.

He devises a plan to steal the Baudelaire fortune after he learns it can’t be used until Violet Baudelaire, who is 14 and the eldest Baudelaire, comes of age. The Baudelaires become fond of Count Olaf’s kind neighbor, and a judge on the high court, Justice Strauss.

Violet and her siblings, Klaus, the middle child who was a little over 12, and Sunny, who was an infant and scarcely larger than a boot, share a room and are provided with one bed. One day, Count Olaf orders them to cook dinner for him and his theatre troupe.

They use Justice Strauss’ large library to find a recipe and cook Olaf and his troupe pasta puttanesca and chocolate pudding. Complaining that he wanted roast beef, he strikes Klaus and leaves a bruise.

One morning Olaf informs the children that they will participate in a play that him and his theatre troupe are putting on. Klaus will be a cheering person in the crowd and Violet will be the bride of a “handsome man” played by Count Olaf, and Sunny will be held hostage until the play is over.

The children figure out that Olaf isn’t trying to marry Violet figuratively, he is going to marry her literally, and Justice Strauss, who was playing the Judge in the play, would officiate and the crowd would be the witnesses. The two eldest baudelaires outsmart Olaf. Sunny escapes, but so does Olaf.

Mr. Poe, was was in the crowd watching the play, informed the children that they would be sent to live with another guardian, even though they pleaded to stay with Justice Strauss. In the end Olaf threatens the Baudelaires that he will get their fortune and the Baudelaires are sent to someone else.