The spiritual successor to A Series of Unfortunate Events, although narratively speaking it’s a prequel. It follows the adventures of a young Snicket in the town of Stain’d-By-The-Sea.

It feels a bit lighter than the originals, possibly deliberately so – seems like there’s a bit less depth in the story than the Baudelaire books – but it still retains the charm of the originals, and I consumed it in a single sitting. I care enough to read the sequel at some point, which is probably a good thing.

Probably good as an introduction to Snicket and/or if you’re a fan of ASOUE, but I don’t think it’s essential reading.

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