I cannot overstate how much of a fucking gift A Series of Unfortunate Events was to my developing child brain in ways I did not realize until my adult years. A series that captured the magic of a beautiful vocabulary, the humor in chaos and misfortune, the hopelessness of living as a child, the inherent tragedy that comes with simply being alive in the world, the tenderness and vulnerability buried in grief, and the value of resourcefulness and honing your unique talents. But more importantly, teaching that anyone —even a child— can be a champion of self-dignity and courage, that anyone —even an adult— can be flawed and weak, and how love is sometimes the only thing we have left that makes life somewhat livable when everything else is a fucking dumpster fire.
