WHO’S READING WHAT . reader’s recommendations
Published by London: Faber, 2005
Call No.: English 811.54 BUR
From the creative juices of the man who brought you the movies, “Batman”, “The Corpse Bride” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, comes this collection of strange yet haunting stories about fantastical characters. Simple yet eloquent in its messages, Burton’s stories will make you cringe and sympathize at the peculiarities of his truly original characters.
With “Stick Boy and Match Girl in Love”, the doomed lovers discover just how deadly their personality clashes can be. For those who have a phobia of being scrutinized and stared at, I suggest that you’ll skip the gruesome story, “Staring Girl”. And no matter how many times his story is read, “Stain Boy” will surely leave a deep impression with those who aspire to be superheroes in their lifetimes.
At times, you really have to wonder what kind of childhood experiences Burton must have gone through to create such a tragic oddity that is the Oyster Boy. Conceived while on a holiday trip by the ocean, Oyster Boy is an outcast from the start, even with his parents, and struggles hard to find his own place in this cruel world. True to his roots in macabre storytelling, Burton lets Oyster Boy meet with an end that is, shall we say, difficult to swallow?
Blending innocent overtones with dark themes, Burton manages to prepare a feast for the fertile imagination, especially with his grim illustrations of these ill-fated characters. But, in this author’s view, a sense of hope and light is provided by the last story, “Oyster Boy Steps out”, and may leave readers with a much more palatable reading experience.
Contributed by Elizabeth Lee, Children’s Librarian, Public Library Services
(Editor’s note: This book was previously reviewed as well.)
Have you read this book? Do you have something else to recommend?
Post your comments, or send a longer book review to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Felicia // Oct 5, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hmmm it reminds me of the Roald Dahl Omnibus and Jim’s Crace’s Devil’s Larder. All these short, slightly disturbing, with sinister overtones (plus suggestive) kind of stories. Will definitely look out for the book!
2 Ivan Chew // Oct 6, 2008 at 12:05 am
Another book on my “To Read” list. Wonder how “dark” Burton compares to Dahl.
3 Shuying // Jan 29, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I read this! Was an enjoyable read.. humorously dark. =)
4 W. // Jun 29, 2009 at 4:37 am
I loved the metaphors the stories contain with real life. Contrary to Elizabeth’s opinion I thought the last one, Oyster Boy Steps Out, was not a last impression of light and hope, but in fact the opposite. I thought it showed how Oyster Boy yearned to fit in, how he thought he wasn’t good enough, a wonderful but sad metaphor on many people today.
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