Wednesday 20 April 2011

Books: The Tale of One Bad Rat

_______________________________________________________________________________

The Tale of One Bad Rat
By Bryan Talbot

1995





Available now from Islington Libraries
You can reserve this item for free here:
http://www.library.islington.gov.uk/TalisPrism/

Be warned right from the start: this is a harrowing book. That's not to say that the artwork isn't excellent (because it is: clean, detailed, evocative, perfect in it's use of colour and everything drawn to feel weighted and real): the characters are distinct and believable and the plot is simple but very effective: stomach-churning, tense and gripping right from the get go. That harrowing part comes from the subject-matter: Helen Potter is homeless - a teenage runaway living on the streets of London with a past that she has yet to come to grips to. Obsessed with Beatrix Potter and her only friend a small pet rat this comic follows her attempts to overcome and survive the things that have happened to her. A mini-masterpiece that will leave you emotionally drained but satisfied.

..................................................................................................................................................
Links: Good Ok Bad Review, Ninth Art Review.

Further reading: The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, I Kill Giants, A Small Killing, Maus.

Profiles: Bryan Talbot.

All comments welcome.

No comments: