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Tamara Drewe Posy Simmonds 

Mariner Books
ISBN-13/EAN: 9780547154121; $16.95 US

ISBN-10: 0547154127
Trade Paperback; 136 pages
Publication Date: 10/08/2008
Trim Size: 8.88 x 10.25
Carton Quantity: 24

“Inspired by a 19th century novel — in this case, Far From the Madding Crowd. Set in a writers’ retreat, it is a thrilling tale of jealousy and desire.

Posy Simmonds, Britain’s best-loved cartoonist and the author of Gemma Bovery, has now created the irresistible Tamara Drewe, a graphic novel that delightfully skewers modern mores and manners with great wit and understanding for the foibles of humanity. Loosely inspired by Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd, Tamara Drewe follows a year at Stonefield, a bucolic writer’s retreat run by Beth and Nicholas Hardiman, where Dr. Glen Larson, an American professor and struggling novelist, is staying. The ambitious young Tamara Drewe, mourning the loss of her mother, has returned to her family home nearby. A bookish girl not so long ago, Tamara is now a gossipy columnist at a London paper and undeniably sexy. She quickly has every man in the vicinity—Glen, Nicholas, and the handyman, Andy—falling at her feet, while teenage best friends Casey and Jody become infatuated with Tamara and her ex-rock-star fiancé, Ben. Meanwhile, long-suffering Beth sees to the needs of the writers while managing the farm, the household, and the many affairs of her husband, a best-selling detective novelist. Perhaps even more satisfying than your favorite nineteenth-century novel, with its fine, expressive drawings, deft storytelling, and nods to both the past and the present, yet unlike anything that has come before, Tamara Drewe is that rare graphic novel for grownups. Posy Simmonds is the author of many books for adults and children, including the widely acclaimed Gemma Bovery. A. N. Wilson called Gemma Bovery a “work of genius” and more than one reviewer suggested that it should be entered for the Booker Prize. Simmonds has contributed a series of weekly cartoon strips to the

UK’s Guardian since 1977 and has won international awards for her work. She lives in

London.”  Hmm. Well,that’s all I knew about this book and creator. Basically,this book arrived in the post with no covering letter or Press Release as is the norm but let’s make the assumption it’s for review!

One can only assume that the line:”..that rare graphic novel for grownups[sic]” is excluding anything to do with four colour super heroes,horror,sci fi,slice-of-life [such as Love & Rockets] and humour graphic novels?  Oh,this must be for us intellekchules wot reads propa books then!He-hemm.I won’t pretend that I have never heard of Posy Simmonds.  Of course I have.  I’ve just never seen any of her work to my knowledge. So,cup of coffee in hand [a rare thing these days since I’ve cut back] I sat back to read the book.

First thing you notice is that Simmonds is a very good illustrator and the use of colour is quite subtle but very effective. So subtle and effective that you only realise after a while that it is changing your slant on scenes as you read!

Being a fan of L&R and,later,Terry Moore’s Strangers In Paradise,not to mention all those 1980s slice-of-life books by Myra Hancock and Phil Laskey and Eddie Campbell et al how does this compare?  I can tell you that I really liked this.  I had expected some sort of Middle Class angst-ridden soap opera. Maybe it is just that but the characterisations and personal interactions between those characters is very effective.

And setting each part in a season,Spring,Summer,etc.,and using the colours suitable for those seasons works.

Negative points?  Hmmmm. None that I can see but as this book was sent from the States there was no

UK cover price and checking different sites the cover price seems to vary from low to high.

If you do see this book then check it out.  Better still –buy it. I don’t think you’ll regret it!

Now,Mr. Brown can stop complaining about Archie reviews!