The traditional elements of many children's stories are in the series. Some of these elements are from old children's books, such as your
parents read (or had read to them) when they were young - mock bindings, the 'ex libris' element at the front, and illustrations.
Unlike most children's stories, however, are encouragements not to read further, and dedications to the author's poor, dead wife.
Many children's books are supposed to be educational, and the Series can teach the reader much, mostly definitions of words which may be new to the child reading, or new definitions of words the child already knows. Sometimes the definitions only reinforce what the reader has already been told, or give a humourous slant to the situation. Other times they reveal the true motives of the characters, when there could be ambiguity, or to explain a euphemism.
Many of the characters are named after famous characters from the past, like Baudelaire, or Edgar Allen Poe (almost).
Most adults are unsympathetic to the plight of the orphans, and to other children.
At the end of each book is a letter from the author to his publisher, which acts as a teaser for the next book.
The books have a strong narrative voice, many vocabulary lessons and a Gothic mood. They seem to be marketed at children, though with adults in mind. Intentionally or not this means that while reading the books to their children, parents have something to entertain themselves.
