The Beatrice Letters (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Suspiciously Linked to Book the Thirteenth)

A quirky supplementary book to the popular Series of Unfortunate Events books, this collection of letters is meant to be read before the thirteenth, and last, book in the series. Upon opening the book, one discovers that it is like an accordion file with two pockets. In this first pocket is the

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book, and in the second is a poster. The book alternates between written letters from two authors and small pictures that are small screen shots from the larger poster with a cut-out letter in the middle. The letters are written by Lemony Snicket to Beatrice, and by Beatrice to Lemony. It soon becomes apparent that the recipient Beatrice is the one from the forwards to all the books, the lady whom Lemony loves, and the writer Beatrice is an altogether younger girl who is searching for Lemony to help her find her family. Since I read the thirteenth book before I read this collection, I knew the identity of the younger Beatrice, but it would be a nice teaser to readers still waiting to read the finale. The poster, likewise, offers many clues to events that will transpire in the final Baudelaire adventure.

The letters maintain the same delightful dark humor as found in the Series of Unfortunate Events, with forebodings and word play galore. They also divulge quite a bit of information about Lemony Snicket's past, in particular his early relationship with Beatrice, which becomes a doomed and tragic memory later in his life. Furthermore, the package is so unique and original, with hidden codes, letters that are meant to be punched out and arranged in anagrams, and an accompanying poster. I always appreciate book innovations, and this is a lovely presentation with hidden information about a fun series. This is like an easter egg in book form. Certainly fans of the Unfortunate Events series will enjoy this, but the material is so pointed that people unfamiliar with the Baudelaire adventures will be mostly puzzled.

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As a young man, Lemony Snicket writes a number of love letters to his unrequited love, Beatrice Baudelaire. Another Beatrice Baudelaire altogether writes letters to an older Lemony Snicket, hoping to get help from him in tracking down her lost relatives -- Violet, Sunny, and Klaus Baudelaire.

This

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book is a supplement to the popular children's book series, A Series of Unfortunate Events. While I quickly read all the books when they came out years ago, for some reason I never got around to this title even though I wanted to read it. When I watched the new Netflix series based on the books recently, I was reminded that I hadn't read this title yet so I checked it out of the library.

The book is quite lovely in creation, with the various letters sent back and forth illustrated to look like small notecards, crumpled up pieces of paper, and so forth. The letters themselves are rather funny in the clever, tongue-in-cheek, and snarky ways you'd expect from Lemony Snicket. There is one rather long passage about how much Snicket loves Beatrice that is a must read. It is beautifully touching with just enough humor and silliness to prevent it from becoming overly sentimental.

I did enjoy this title, but I think reading it closer to the original series would have been smarter. There were definitely some details and nuances that I did not remember well this many years later. So if you and/or your kids are reading and enjoying the Series of Unfortunate Events books, I'd recommend checking out this book soon after as well.

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A very cute companion piece to A Series of Unfortunate Events. I love the design of the book.

My friend and I read this one together..very puzzling and we still haven't understood what it means or how it ends yet it was brilliant all the same. Now that's an accomplishment.

Letters to the Baudelaire’s mother and from the Baudelaire’s daughter.

This book, part of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" was published between books 12 and 13. At that time, fans of the series were very anxious to find out more about this Beatrice, who first kept popping up in the dedications of the various books and by the eleventh book was a full- blown character

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in the story. The book was very confusing. I did figure out eventually that the letters from Snicket are all to one Beatrice, and the letters to Snicket are from a different Beatrice entirely. Knowing this helped a lot when I finally read "The End."
The color pictures in the book are fascinating, and I had the feeling that I was missing a lot while I was reading it. That's what Lemony Snickett does to you.

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Incomprehensible. I'm sure there's a mystery contained in this book that if one had the patience to puzzle it out, it might give some clues to the further story of the Beaudelaires, but I honestly do not have time to figure it out.

This book is problably only good if you are waiting for the next book in a series of unfortunate evnts.
If you are not it might still be worth reading through if you need some more information on Beatrcie, so if you don't feel like you know everything about her do read it because she is an

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interesting factor in the series.

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I read "The Beatrice Letters" twice - I read it before "The End" the last book in Lemony Snicket's Unfortunate Series of Events and I read it again after reading "The End". I enjoyed the word play in the book the first time I read it, especially in the letter where Snicket tell Beatrice how long he

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will love her. Snicket also has great fun with the word "letter" as in letters of the alphabet and letters you write, often mixing the two until the reader is thoroughly confused. There are tons of anagrams (some obvious and some not) as well as codes. Even the front cover has some hidden clues. There are supposedly thirteen clues in the book, I'm not sure that I found them all.

But "The Beatrice Letters" was much more enjoyable the second time I read it because I could see how cleverly Snicket hinted at events to come in "The End". I was initially puzzled by the seeming differences between the letters Lemony Snicket was writing to Beatrice and the letters Beatrice was writing to Snicket - which was explained in "The End". Other things that are casually mentioned in "The Beatrice Letters", such as a ring, turn up in "The End". Finally, the back cover itself is a direct, humorous reference to the last book.

Fans of Lemony Snicket don't have to read "The Beatrice Letters" to enjoy the Unfortunate Series, but it's a nice addition. There are hints as to what happened to the Baudelaires later in life, but there are also plenty of mysteries created and unsolved; a Lettergram in the book is especially intriguing. I can't help wondering if we have indeed heard the last from Snicket about the Baudelaires.

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I liked this book. Of course, I'm a big fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events.

This is one of those books that, unless you're a big fan or a completist, you probably wouldn't gain any more understanding from. In alternating letters, it very loosely explains what happens after The End, as well as

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gives one a bigger glimpse of the character of Lemony Snicket.

Not for everybody, but I certainly enjoyed it on a narrative level, a subtextual level, and a book-design level.

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This is a collection of letters from Lemony Snicket to Beatrice and from a different Beatrice to Snicket. The letters written to Beatrice explain who the much-lauded Beatrice in the series is, they are all written before the series begins. The letters written to Lemony Snicket actually take place

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after the events in the series’ final book and are written from a different Beatrice (Kit Snicket’s daughter).

This book explained so much that was missing from the series. We learn that the Beatrice Lemony Snicket is constantly referring to, his lost love, is actually the mother of the triplets, a crucial bit of info. After learning that, so many of the events in the series fell into place and finally made sense. The slim book also includes one of the oddest and sweetest love letters I’ve ever read.

BOTTOM LINE: This one is an absolute must for fans of the A Series of Unfortunate Events. If you aren’t a big fan of the series then skip it.

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This was a very interesting book to read, although if you don't know the "catch" it might confuse the heck out of you.

SPOILER
There are two different Beatrices.

"The Beatrice Letters" is a post-script of sorts to "A Series of Unfortunate Events". It contains exactly what you think, letters (missives) and letters (of the alphabet). The missives are love letters from Lemony Snicket to Beatrice Baudelaire, the elder; letters of inquiry regarding her siblings

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from Beatrice Baudelaire, the younger, to Lemony Snicket, and letters of warning from Beatrice Baudelaire, the elder, to Lemony Snicket. Much is inferred from these letters that was hinted at in the 13th book of the series. A revealing poster is included which portrays the remains of the shipwrecked "Beatrice" upon rocks in the middle of the ocean on one side of the poster, and a view from a cave (with bats) where remnants from the shipwreck have ended up on the other side of the poster. We can surmise that the children did not fair well on the boat, but from Beatrice Baudelaire, the younger's, letters we discover that she, at least, survived and at the age of 10 is trying to find out what happened to her so-called siblings. Why the love story between Lemony Snicket and Beatrice Baudelaire, the elder, ended is never really elucidated. Then, there are the letters... of the alphabet that is. When put together in the correct order the anagrams reveal some secret, but, alas, I am not so good with anagrams. (Plus the actual letters themselves were punched out and not in the letter folder... I had bought the book second-hand.) Interesting tidbits, but wouldn't make any sense unless you've read the entire series.

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Beautifully done. A little teaser for the final book