The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket - Book Review

Title : The Reptile Room

Author : Lemony Snicket

Publisher : Egmont Books Ltd

Original Publication Date : August 30th 1999

Rating :  ★ ★ ★

Synopsis : If you have picked up this book with the hope of finding a simple and cheery tale, I'm afraid you have picked up the wrong book altogether. the story may seem cheery at first, when the Baudelaire children spend time in the company of some interesting reptiles and a giddy uncle, but don't be fooled. If you know anything at all about the unlucky Baudelaire children, you already know that even pleasant events lead down the same road to misery.

In fact, within the pages you now hold in your hands, the three siblings endure a car accident, a terrible smell, a deadly serpent, a long knife, a large brass reading lamp, and the re-appearance of a person they'd hoped never to see again.

I am bound to record these tragic events, but you are free to put this book back on the shelf and seek something lighter.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket.

This book follows three orphan children called the Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus and Sunny. The three children become orphans after a house fire that kills both their parents (not a spoiler it happens at the start of the first book haha). After this the children then begin moving around jumping from living with one new relative to the next. Throughout these books the children face a series of unfortunate events, if you pardon the pun 😉 which results in them having to move. 

This book was an easy, quick read and I love the characters. I feel as though the mystery side of it is great as it's not scary and find it amazing how although there is very dark content within this book it is written in a way that wouldn't scare younger children who would read this book.

Although the characters within this book are great and the writer has done a good job of making us like and dislike the right people I still can't warm up to Mr. Poe. I feel he is irritating and I just don't like his personality at all. I mean, it's annoying when people interrupt others, I know that from personal experience and Mr. Poe always tells the children it is rude to interrupt but then he interrupts the children when they are trying to tell him things which agitates me reading it. 

I will say that this book is already very short yet I still feel it didn't need to be as long as it was. Nevertheless I still did quite enjoy this story and I especially loved their uncle Monty. I even at some points of the book wanted to be in the reptile room with the characters as it was described to my interest. I can't wait to get onto book 3 and see where the story takes me next. I would recommend these books if your into children's books as I feel these are super easy to read and I get through them super quick.