This was one of my favorite series during my formative years in elementary and middle school, and years later, it's evident why: the humor and general insanity. Daniel Handler's penchant for dry humor and tragic situations is on full display, and the somewhat antiquated tone of the narration and dialogue just adds to the book's considerable charm. I really felt like there was nothing else like this series, and I think that may still be the case. 
 This book was a good start, but lacked the cleverness of some of the next books in the series. The main plot is a little thin, and the humor isn't as prevalent as I would've liked. However, it sure as heck is tragic; unfortunate is certainly an understatement (though it is probably just part of the old-timeyness of the series). In any case, I still enjoyed the book, despite my complaints. It remains as novel and interesting as I remembered, and I look forward to the rest of the series.