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Poison for Breakfast

A cautionary tale about life and its mysteries

Lemony Snicket author Margaux Kent illustrator

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Oneworld Publications

Published:2nd Sep '21

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Poison for Breakfast cover

This captivating tale explores life's complexities through Lemony Snicket's distinctive lens. Poison for Breakfast invites readers on a thought-provoking journey filled with humor and introspection.

In Poison for Breakfast, the beloved author Lemony Snicket presents a unique and introspective tale that explores the intricacies of life and the inevitability of death. This book serves as a cautionary narrative, offering readers a glimpse into the author's own reflections on mortality. With his signature wit and charm, Snicket invites both children and adults to ponder profound questions while navigating the whimsical and often perplexing world he has created.

The story begins with a mysterious note that reads, You had poison for breakfast, setting off a chain of events that leads Snicket on a quest to unravel the meaning behind this ominous message. As he follows the clues, readers are treated to a blend of humor, sadness, and philosophical musings that characterize Snicket's writing. The journey is not just about solving a mystery; it is a meditation on the experiences that shape our understanding of life.

Poison for Breakfast is not merely for the young; it resonates with anyone who has ever questioned their existence. The narrative is filled with curious information and emotional depth, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate the complexities of the human experience. This book is a love letter to readers of all ages, encouraging them to embrace the unpredictable nature of life and to find joy even in the face of uncertainty.

‘Reading this little book feels like opening a window to let in air and light. It’s filled with curious information and powerful feelings, and is humorous, sad, meditative and rapturous by turns – with ambiguous questions to be mulled and savoured.’

-- Guardian

‘A wittily macabre treatise about philosophy, creativity, connectivity, gratitude and bravely facing one’s demise while living as well as possible in the meantime.’

-- Financial Times

a genial, discursive ramble of a book… The tone throughout is Vonnegutian – bewildered, amused, quizzical – and if the book fails to deliver any startling philosophical breakthrough, that’s rather the point, since it’s more about the journey than the destination. A bit like life, then.’

-- James Lovegrove * FT *

‘Poison for Breakfast is a strange, beguiling, beautiful book. No one else could have written it, or anything even a little like it. If Lemony Snicket didn’t exist, we’d have to invent him.’

-- Anthony McGowan, author of Lark

Poison for Breakfast is a book to savour. Every sentence is perfectly balanced to surprise, delight, intrigue and, yes, bewilder the reader. A book about impending death which captures the simple, but profound, joys of being alive. I am a long-time Lemony Snicket fan and this is his best yet.’

-- Sarah Hagger-Holt, author of Nothing Ever Happens Here

‘Witty, clever and unsettling – it’s Lemony Snicket at his finest, and bright minds that love dark delights will gobble it right up.’

-- Rachel Delahaye, author of Mort the Meek

‘Poison for Breakfast is a murder mystery like no other, which will bewilder and beguile both children and adults alike. It’ll have you questioning everything – from whether or not you can outrun death, to even bigger questions such as whether or not you are choosing the most respectable method to cook your eggs each morning.’

-- Hana Tooke, author of The Unadoptables

‘Full of Snickety goodness, philosophical acrobatics and wry wit. A veritable treasure trove for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events.’

-- Gareth Osborne, Bath Children's Novel Award Winner

Poison for Breakfast is a delicious read with sentences to savour and philosophical questions to keep you awake long past midnight snack-time... It’s diabolically good.’

-- Jack Meggitt-Phillips, author of The Beast and the Bethany

‘Fans who have grown up with his novels may appreciate the opportunity to explore [Lemony Snicket’s] mind.’

-- Books for K

ISBN: 9780861543335

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

176 pages

Faber Signed Edition