Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan was one of the most exciting things I found on that day I flipped through every fiction page on Book Outlet. Friends have been gushing about Shaun Tan's illustrations for years. I honestly didn't pay attention to the title so it wasn't until right before the book arrived and I read a review that I found out Tales from Outer Suburbia is just what it sounds like, a slim book of short stories, beautifully illustrated.
I thought of Tan as merely an illustrator but his quirky stories are loads of fun. My particular favorite is the one that goes with the cover image. I don't want to give anything away because all of the stories are so surprising and fun. At least one made me laugh out loud and repeat the story to my husband. I will reread this book numerous times, I'm sure.
Highly recommended - Tales from Outer Suburbia is a pure delight, not only for the uniqueness of the short fiction but also for the stunning illustrations. It's an eyeball feast. I'll be looking for more by Shaun Tan.
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Yes, pure delight.
ReplyDeleteIt is great, isn't it? I'm pleased that I bought a copy so that I can return to it.
DeleteI really liked this one too. My favorite Shaun Tan so far (but I haven't read them all) is The Arrival. It's a graphic novel without text- all told in pictures- and excellent!
ReplyDeleteAha! I thought there was one with just illustrations but was wondering if I'd just imagined that. I'll have to look it up. Frankly, now I want to see everything he's ever done. Thanks for mentioning The Arrival!
DeleteThe Arrival is one of my favourite books ever. I even bought a special edition which is currently sitting here within arms reach to look at on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteSuper! I have much to look forward to. His illustrations are amazing.
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