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The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy: And Other Stories |  | Author: Tim Burton
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Category: Book
List Price: £8.99
Buy Used: £0.01
as of 23/11/2009 14:45 GMT details
You Save: £8.98 (100%)
New (35) Used (43) from £0.01
Seller: grabmore
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 4062
Media: Paperback
Edition: New edition
Pages: 128
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 4.8 x 0.5
ISBN: 057122444X
EAN: 9780571224449
ASIN: 057122444X
Publication Date: November 18, 2004
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Occupying a similarly sinister and macabre world to the American artist Edward Gorey Tim Burton's work is similarly difficult to place. This is a beautifully produced book filled with fine line drawings--many in colour--illustrating 23 small verse stories which all centre on a surreal deformity--the eponymous Oyster Boy, Stain Boy, The Boy with Nails in his Eyes, Junk Girl, The Pin Cushion Queen...The tales are all quietly disturbing. As with Burton's cinematic work (IEdward Scissorhands/I, INightmare Before Christmas/I and IMars Attacks/I) the book seems aimed at children but the subtexts feel too disquieting. This however is where Burton's genius lies. Children are outcasts in the adult world and their own notion of what is important, grave, frightening and odd is different to ours. We each remember the child inside of us and so are each compelled to recognise the otherness within ourselves: the outcasts that Burton paints are somehow strangely well known to us. As dark and disturbing as the best fairy tales Burton shares a space with the Brothers Grimm--a place that all children know exists when the lights go out and the adults leave the room. --IMark Thwaite/I
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
An unusually enchanting and cherished read January 9, 2004
S J Hamilton
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This collection of poems are essentially short stories about misunderstood children, outcast from society and mentally tortured by their abnormalities. Such characters include #8220;The Boy with Nails in His Eyes#8221;, #8220;The Pin Cushion Queen#8221; and #8220;Jimmy, the Hideous Penguin Boy#8221;. Each short story portrays the loneliness and sadness, which consume these characters as they struggle to find compassion, love and acceptance in their lives.brEach story is simply, yet beautifully illustrated by Burton who designs the sets, costumes and mise-en-scene for his films in the same intricate manner. The illustrations are almost childish but provoke a feeling of deep sorrow in the reader. Each illustration is roughly coloured with faint watercolours enhancing the fragility and innocence of youth in these individuals. . In contrast to the saddening drawings, the poems are surprisingly funny in a twisted, typically Burton-esque way. The stories are a complex combination of humour and tragedy, disguising deep and serious subtexts with a light hearted mask. brAlthough this book has the appearance of an illustrated storybook for children, the macabre subjects of the stories and satirical humour can only be fully appreciated by adults. But it is the childlike and innocent nature of the book which makes it such an unusually enchanting and cherished read.
Rantings of a Tim Burton lover! June 20, 1999
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As this is my first ever encounter of actually READING a book by Tim Burton I found it quite strange, yet altogether fascinating at the same time. I almost felt as though Jack, pumpkin king was reading the text. Tim Burton writes as well in books as in his films and I am now a dedicated fan! A lot of my friends have commented on the books adult humour and it's 'sickness', but I found it amusing, heartwarming, dark and macabre, all the things you would expect from a Tim Burton book. A fabulous book!!!!!!
Dark, but splendid! November 14, 2004
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
The ratio of the price to the number of words you get from this book is terribly high. One may think this is kind of a dishonest way of publishing. However, if you look into the contents and you will see that it is actually worth buying it. The stories will 'haunt' you (not too much in such a terrible way) as they are absolutely weird. The illustrations are also very well-done so as to get you into these strange short stories easily.pTim Burton's unique style has been fully reflected in this dark but splendid piece of work. If you like his movies, you will like this book and will hang on to it forever.
Just go and read it a hundred times! December 27, 2006
C.G. (Amsterdam, NL)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
"The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy: And Other Stories" is a book for which you can say "I have read it more than a hundred times!".
br /And indeed you will.
br /Sometimes simple is more complicated, it also leads the art to be more everlasting in our minds.
br /The simplicity and harmony I find in Tim Burton's creations is one of that kind.
br /Every single word echoes in my mind.
Dark and macabre , just how we like Tim burton. June 1, 2006
Spider Monkey (UK)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
This book is genius. Great little poems with dark, yet hilarious illustrations. I buy this for all my warped friends so we can laugh together. I defy you not to laugh at the girl who takes her eyes out to rest them after staring too much, buy it and see what I mean!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 30
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