1. A Series of Unfortunate
Events: The Slippery Slope
BECKY DITULLIO
B O O K R E P O RT ( S H O RT )
ENGLISH 9C
B AVA R I A N I N T E R N AT I O N A L S C H O O L
11 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

2. Publisher Information
 Publisher: Harper Collins
 City of Publication:
Boston, Massachusetts
 Year of Publication: 1999
 Book Length: 337 Pages
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3. Book Summary
 The novel tells of the two
elder Baudelaire’s journey
through the mountains to
rescue their baby sister
Sunny Baudelaire from the
clutches of the evil Count
Olaf and his sidekicks. They
must travel to the VFD
headquarters to discover if
one of their parents really
did survive the fire when
they were children.
 I chose to read this book
because I was recommended
to my by cousins, and
because I had read the other
books of this series.
 The novel can be classified
as an absurdist fiction. It can
also be classified as a
steampunk, mystery, or
gothic fiction novel.

4. Characters
 Violet Baudelaire is a 14 year old
 I love the fact that the children are
girl, and the eldest Baudelaire. She
has incredible inventing skills and
is a clear leader. Klaus Baudelaire
is a 12 year old boy, and the
middle Baudelaire child. He is
extremely intelligent and has
researching skills. (There are other
main characters.)
 I love the fact that the children are
independent. They are forced to
take care of themselves, and be
brave. I think it’s one of the only
stories I’ve read where the
children are the true heroes.
independent. They are forced to
take care of themselves, and be
brave. I think it’s one of the only
stories I’ve read where the
children are the true heroes.
 These characters are very
relatable, as they don’t very
conventional personalities.
They are different, but that’s
what makes them special and
helps them to survive. I think
that’s a great message for
kids, that being yourself pays
off.

5. Literary Devices
 Lemony Snicket uses
literally devices such a
sentence
length, hyperbole, alliteratio
n, and many more.
 He uses these very
effectively, they make the
novel much more
interesting, and handles
heavy topics without being
depressing, often keeping it
lighthearted.
 This story teaches us about
bravery. No matter how old
you are, you need to be able
to stand up for yourself. The
children in this story have to
stand up for themselves on
many occasions, which is an
important skill. Although
they face hardships, they
stay true to themselves and
stay loyal to their family.

6. Literary Devices (continued)
 Although this story has no
clear setting, it had many
vague references to the
late 19th and early 20th
century. Although this is
not something we have
experienced, Snicket
makes us feel as though
we are living in this time
period, as if we are the
children.
 The story is written from an
outside perspective, but the
narrator is Lemony Snicket
himself. He is involved in
the story, but he never
mentions his role in these
events. His family and
feelings are involved, but he
never specifically references
himself, only his
siblings, Kit and Jacques.

7. My Impressions
 This novel really makes you
think. It forces you to
compare these events to your
own life, and how you would
deal with it.
 I would definitely
recommend this book. It
contains plot twists, surprise
events, tragedies, and much
more. It’s an amazing
read, as is the entire series.
The characters are
intriguing, whether they be
the heroic
Baudelaire siblings, or the
evil Count Olaf.
 I would give this book, and
the overall series, a 5 out of
5. They are amazing
reads, no matter what your
age. They’re great for kids
just growing up, or for
people who grew up a long
time ago. Everyone can
relate to the story in one way
or another.