Parents' Guide to The End: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13

Book Lemony Snicket Humor 2006
The End: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13 Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

By Matt Berman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 9+

The misery ends at last -- or does it?

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 9+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

See all
age 10+

Based on 5 parent reviews

 

 

See all 5 parent reviews
age 9+

Based on 30 kid reviews

Kids say that the final installment of the series provides a fulfilling conclusion to the characters' journey, although some find it boring at times and feel it doesn't live up to the excitement of earlier books. Many appreciate the complexity of the characters and the interesting plot twists, but note the mature themes and darker elements that may not suit all young readers.

  • great conclusion
  • mature themes
  • some boredom
  • complex characters
  • recommend for ages 9+
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 30 kid reviews

What's the Story?

The Baudelaire orphans -- Klaus, Violet, and Sunny -- are cast up on a desert (but not deserted) island with their nemesis, Count Olaf, and their friend, the very pregnant Kit Snicket. There they find a group of people, led by the mysterious Ishmael ("Call me Ish"), who are determined to stay apart and safe from the world's troubles, and who are the first people besides the Baudelaires who seem to be able to see through Olaf.

But everything eventually washes up on this island, and not only is Olaf still scheming, but the island is intimately related to the Baudelaires' parents and history. Even Ishmael is not what he seems. Much will finally be revealed -- and much will not.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 5 ):
Kids say ( 30 ):

Fans of the A Series of Unfortunate Events books will eat up THE END, and those new to the series won't understand much of it. Adults love the mordant humor. Kids love the melodramatic adventure.

Part mystery, part Dickensian melodrama, with a few touches of fantasy, all served up with a sort of glum hilarity, A Series of Unfortunate Events is like Oliver Twist narrated by Eeyore. With frequent witty explanations of vocabulary, extended cockeyed metaphors, and much tongue-in-cheek woe and misery, it's the kids' version of a mock-tragedy, a literary jape that even those who don't get the joke can enjoy. Anyone worried about the verbal and literary acuity of today's generation can relax -- judging by the popularity of this smart series, something must be going right after all.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the dilemmas in which the Baudelaire children keep finding themselves.

  • How have they been forced to commit acts they regret?

  • Did they have other choices? Are the things they've done really bad?

  • Is it possible for good people with good intentions to do bad things?

  • Also, is it possible to be safe from the turmoils of the world? Is it desirable?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

The End: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 13 Poster Image

What to Read Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate