If you’re a 90’s kid like me, you probably grew up reading Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events”. The gripping 13 book series follows the lives of three young children who are suddenly orphaned, a word which here means “left all alone when their parents perish in a tragic fire taking their entire house with it”, and are constantly trying to escape the clutches of their greedy distant relative- Count Olaf. Constantly disguised, Count Olaf pursues the orphans in hopes of getting his hands on their enormous fortune. Along the way, the orphans begin to uncover clues to a secret society that their deceased parents were once a part of. The enticing plot, along with the incredible array of characters and amazingly witty writing make this series compelling from the devastating beginning to the bitter end.

When Netflix announced their remake of the series, the 8-year-old in me jumped for joy. I couldn’t wait, and I immediately began to re-read the series to refresh my memory. Reading these books again as an adult, I’m enjoying them just as much, if not more. What really stands out to me as I’m older, (and an aspiring author myself) is the amazing flow of the writing. Daniel Handler, who penned the series under the pseudonym “Lemony Snicket” has such a captivating writing style that fascinates me with every page. I’ve honestly never read anything like it.

Handler himself is an executive producer on the show, so we can be assured that the plot will stay on track, and who better to give advice on the characters than the man who created them? The series is set to premiere Friday, January 13, 2017. (Friday the 13th, how appropriate) and I’m sure we won’t be disappointed with the performance of Neil Patrick Harris as the infamous, a word which here means “dirty, greedy, and disgustingly wicked”, Count Olaf.

Ladies, tie up your hair, gentleman, put on your reading glasses, and babies, make sure you have plenty of things to bite while you watch all of the leeches, snakes, submarines and lumber mills that this treacherous series will have in store. Is it January yet?

“And what might seem to be a series of unfortunate events may, in fact, be the first steps of a journey.” - Lemony Snicket