I’ve gone on at length about how I find much of the stylistic elements of the Series of Unfortunate Events books irritating – the interruption of the text to define words in particular – so it seems like the ideal book to adapt. The gothic stylings of the story, sets, and trappings of the Baudelaire orphan stories all are right up my alley, but I don’t like kids being talked down to – children’s books don’t have to explain everything to them once they’re past the board book stage.
I haven’t seen either the Jim Carrey feature length movie or the Netflix series with Neil Patrick Harris, but I’m interested. This book might be the one I’d adapt, too – with a sea-side setting and unique house with a picture window – I’m curious to see how it would look on film. From what little I’ve seen of both, they appear to be well cast, and I’m interested in what they would do with the youngest Baudelaire, who is alternately written as an infant and a two year old. (She’s said to be no larger than a loaf of bread, but does speak some non-babble words and acts with agency – this is schrodinger’s baby, alternately a toddler and a newborn as the story calls for it).
This story as well seems like an actor’s buffet, with the Baudelaires having to pretend to be pleased with their aunt’s misguidedly selfish attempts at ingratiating herself and irritated at having to deal with Olaf in a nakedly obvious disguise.