Point of View

This novel is told in third-person and omniscient narration from the perspective of Lemony Snicket, the fictional author of the series. Although the entire events are filtered through the consciousness of Lemony Snicket, he has perfect access into the thoughts and emotions of the Baudelaire children. This access is important because it highlights the special bond and unity between the siblings. Through this, the reader sees the children's unique ability to overcome obstacles and love each other in an increasingly dark, depressing world.

The point of view of this novel is unique because the "author" himself is a character. The true author of this series is Daniel Handler, but he has created a failed detective / journalist, Lemony Snicket, to narrate his tales. According to Wikipedia, Snicket is, "a harried, troubled writer" obsessed with the Baudelaire family. This novel, alongside the rest in the series, explain that...