Bryan Talbot
The Tale of One Bad Rat (1995)
Author: Bryan Talbot
Genre: Graphic Novel (Literary)
Plot Summary:
Helen is a homeless girl living in London after she runs away from her abusive father and uncaring mother. Helen loves the Beatrix Potter books and dreams of living in the English Lake Country where all Potter's books take place. As Helen and her pet rat struggle to live on the streets of London circumstances lead them on a journey to the home of Beatrix Potter: the Lake Country. Helen's journey parallels both that of the author Beatrix Potter as well as Potter's books. In the end Helen realizes that she has to confront her past for her journey to be complete.
Geographical Setting: England
Time Period:Present Day
Appeal Characteristics:
Anyone who read the Beatrix Potter books as a child will love the parallels in this novel. The main character Helen is very well developed and likeable. The subject of child abuse and incest are really focused on in this novel,and the effects of such abuse on a child are depicted realistically and sympathetically. The drawings in the novel are extremely expressive and give a flow to the story.
Read-alikes: For those who liked the play on classic books like the works of Beatrix Potter, Will Eisner takes a new look at classic literature like Oliver Twist and Don Quixote in his graphic novels Fagin the Jew and The Last Knight. For those who enjoyed a look into the life of a teenage girl try Phoebe Gloeckner's The Diary of a Teenage Girl or Daniel Clowes' Ghost World. Because of the very personal subject matter of this book some people might like graphic novels of a more autobiographical nature such as Epileptic by David B. and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. These autobiographical graphic novels deal with some intense issues in the same genuine and compassionate way that Talbot's novel does.
Red Flags: This novel deals with sexual abuse. There is also mention of prostitution, robbery, drug use, and attempted rape.
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