Saturday, November 6, 2010

Tales from Outer Suburbia


Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan is weird. That's probably why I like it so much. This collection of short stories is all over the map. Sometimes they are hilarious, like the kids of the neighborhood who all get advice from a water buffalo. Sometimes they are heartbreaking, but still satisfying, like when the area dogs get revenge on the owner who beat one of their own to death.


My favorite story in the collection is about Eric, the foreign exchange student. Sounds like a pretty normal thing, until you see Eric, who lives in the pantry. The greatest concern for the family is if Eric is happy where he is, and I love how their question is answered.



While the stories themselves make this anthology a good read, the pictures make it breathtaking. Together, they tell a story with a normal setting that isn't so normal.

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