These books are smart, witty and well-written, but I honestly can't get past the perpetually gloomy tone. It's frustrating to know that every time something good happens to the characters, something bad will come and ruin it again, and this book was no exception. Also, it seems to raise more questions than it answers, especially for those unfamiliar with the rest of the series.
Despite that, they're still worth reading, if only for Snicket's acrid sense of humor and intimate knowledge of the English language. Violet, Klaus and Sunny also made for resourceful and interesting protagonists, though not ones as easy to relate to as those in the Potter or Percy Jackson novels.