By: Bryan Talbot Publisher: Dark Horse Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Dark Horse Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 136 Publication Date: October 15, 1995
Product Description: Bryan Talbot constructs a very special story in The Tale of One Bad Rat, which immediately endears the reader. The victim of child sexual abuse, Helen Potter becomes the armored knight before her own personal demons. It's a story of heroism and courage, and of defeating the greatest enemy--the one which lives within each of us. Full-color throughout. Graphic novel format.
Amazon.com Review: Helen Potter lived a happy life until she got lost in a nightmare of sexual abuse. Now she's traveling through urban and rural England on a journey that is remarkably similar to the one Beatrix Potter once took. Bryan Talbot's inspirational story of young Helen Potter and her journey of healing won numerous awards and unending acclaim for the British writer/artist . . . even letters of commendation from Judy Taylor, the chair of the Beatrix Potter Society. This book is yet another example of a touching story that transcends the misperceptions that comics are disposable, juvenile pap.
very important, very heartbreaking, very hopeful I decided to read this book because I've been impressed with Talbot's work in Gaiman's Sandman series, and I was surprised at how much I liked it. It addresses the important issue of sexual abuse in a way that makes it very personal. It also cleverly worked in the synchronicity between the protagonist's life and that of Beatrix Potter. My only criticism is that sometimes the theme of abuse wasn't brought in subtly enough, but overall this was an excellent graphic novel.
Very Informative I bought this book to write a research paper for my PhD course. My personal impression is that young readers prefer to see more visual material even when 'reading'. This is a great source to inform and educate them on the events that happen in the story. Also the preword and the epilogue are very useful.
Heartfelt & moving This fine graphic novel is a stellar example of what comics can do better than any other artform. Prose by itself wouldn't convey the combined power of text & illustration Talbot uses to such stunning effect. Beginning with the Beatrix Potter-style cover art, he offers layers of emotional & artistic meaning, utilizing flashbacks, fantasy, and harsh realism to tell the story of a damaged but ultimately victorious young woman -- and he's able to tell it from both the inside & from a more omniscient viewpoint. His detailed & expressive faces provide nuances that would do many accomplished actors proud.
What makes this work is that it's not just A Very Special Episode sort of story. Helen is an individual, not a case study, for all the extensive background material. Her story is not simply about healing & recovery, but about the importance of art, as well as the struggle towards wholeness that every human being must undergo. And the lush, colorful art only adds to the richness of this work, which rewards many rereadings. Highly recommended!
A Real Stunner Like Spiegelman's Maus and Satrapi's Persepolis books, this graphic novel shows how powerful this genre can be in dealing with brutality, in this case with childhood sexual abuse as well as with animal experimentation, social isolation, homelessness, and a horrifying family life. As society and family prey on Helen, the protagonist, she thinks, she reads, she develops her own thoughts and insists on going her own way--and on getting others, including readers, to think differently about their own preconceptions and assumptions as she sheds her abusers.
Take the example of rats--far from being reviled at best and something to be experimented on at worst, Helen shows other characters and us, the readers, that they're intelligent, amazing creatures that should be respected and even worshipped, as in Hindu religion. What's especially great about this novel is the way that it mixes an unflinching look at horror and brutality (Helen being abused by her father and rejected by her mother; fantasies of suicide; scenes of sexual predation as she hitchhikes; and much more) with a clear appreciation for the power of art and thinking (as well as the positive example of another assertive individual, Beatrix Potter) to help someone come into her own and leave her abusers behind.
need to clear something up... I've seen several people criticizing the cover art of this book, and I think this needs clarifiction.
If you read Beatrix Potter books as a child, as I did, you would have recognized immediately that the cover is a direct homage to the classic white covers of the little books. The plain white background, centered watercolor illustration, and even the title font is a faithful echo of every tale she ever published. Go check out one and see if you don't revise your opinion. I was, in fact, drawn to the book immediately BECAUSE I recognized it as a Beatrix Potter concept.
Oh, and the story is a very good one, and timely. :)
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