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The Tale of One Bad Rat
Helen Potter lived a happy life until she got lost in a nightmare of sexual abuse. Now she's on a journey that takes her through urban and rural England along the same path that another Potter, Beatrix Potter, once took. Across the decades, two lives touch, and Helen discovers that the strength of two is far greater than one. She becomes the armored knight before her own personal demons in this story of heroism and courage.
117 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 1991
About the author
Bryan Talbot
261 books181 followersTalbot began his comics work in the underground comix scene of the late 1960s. In 1969 his first work appeared as illustrations in Mallorn, the British Tolkien Society magazine, followed in 1972 by a weekly strip in his college newspaper.
He continued in the scene after leaving college, producing Brainstorm Comix, the first three of which formed The Chester P. Hackenbush Trilogy (a character reworked by Alan Moore as Chester Williams for Swamp Thing).
He started The Adventures of Luther Arkwright in 1978. It was originally published in Near Myths and continued on over the years in other publications. It was eventually collected together into one volume by Dark Horse. Along with When the Wind Blows it is one of the first British graphic novels.
In the early to mid-eighties he provide art for some of 2000 AD's flagship serials, producing 3 series of Nemesis the Warlock, as well as strips for Judge Dredd and Sláine.
The Tale of One Bad Rat deals with recovery from childhood sexual abuse.
Talbot moved to the American market in the 1990s, principally for DC, on titles like Hellblazer, Sandman and Batman. He also produced the art for The Nazz by Tom Veitch and worked with Tom's brother Rick Veitch on Teknophage, one of a number of mini-series he drew for Tekno Comix.
Talbot has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game.
He has also illustrated Bill Willingham's Fables, as well as returning to the Luther Arkwright universe with Heart of Empire. He has also worked on The Dead Boy Detectives.
In 2006, he announced the graphic novel Metronome, an existential, textless erotically-charged visual poem,written under the pseudonym Véronique Tanaka. He admitted that he was the author in 2009.
In 2007 he released Alice in Sunderland, which documents the connections between Lewis Carroll, Alice Liddell, and the Sunderland and Wearside area. He also wrote and drew the layouts for Cherubs!, which he describes as "an irreverent fast-paced supernatural comedy-adventure."
His upcoming work includes a sequel to 2009's Grandville, which Talbot says is "a detective steampunk thriller" and Paul Gravett calls it "an inspired reimagining of some of the first French anthropomorphic caricatures". It is planned as the first in a series of four or five graphic novels.
Source: Wikipedia
He continued in the scene after leaving college, producing Brainstorm Comix, the first three of which formed The Chester P. Hackenbush Trilogy (a character reworked by Alan Moore as Chester Williams for Swamp Thing).
He started The Adventures of Luther Arkwright in 1978. It was originally published in Near Myths and continued on over the years in other publications. It was eventually collected together into one volume by Dark Horse. Along with When the Wind Blows it is one of the first British graphic novels.
In the early to mid-eighties he provide art for some of 2000 AD's flagship serials, producing 3 series of Nemesis the Warlock, as well as strips for Judge Dredd and Sláine.
The Tale of One Bad Rat deals with recovery from childhood sexual abuse.
Talbot moved to the American market in the 1990s, principally for DC, on titles like Hellblazer, Sandman and Batman. He also produced the art for The Nazz by Tom Veitch and worked with Tom's brother Rick Veitch on Teknophage, one of a number of mini-series he drew for Tekno Comix.
Talbot has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game.
He has also illustrated Bill Willingham's Fables, as well as returning to the Luther Arkwright universe with Heart of Empire. He has also worked on The Dead Boy Detectives.
In 2006, he announced the graphic novel Metronome, an existential, textless erotically-charged visual poem,written under the pseudonym Véronique Tanaka. He admitted that he was the author in 2009.
In 2007 he released Alice in Sunderland, which documents the connections between Lewis Carroll, Alice Liddell, and the Sunderland and Wearside area. He also wrote and drew the layouts for Cherubs!, which he describes as "an irreverent fast-paced supernatural comedy-adventure."
His upcoming work includes a sequel to 2009's Grandville, which Talbot says is "a detective steampunk thriller" and Paul Gravett calls it "an inspired reimagining of some of the first French anthropomorphic caricatures". It is planned as the first in a series of four or five graphic novels.
Source: Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
April 27, 2012
So...
Um...
Yeah.
The art was spectacular. The story too much on the nose, for the most part. I suppose where it strays from reality for me was when daughter confronts her dad and he has a sort of "what have I done" moment and then she moves on with her life and begins her process of healing. This was a little too simplistic for me and didn't match what I've experienced or encountered with others, which is closer to confrontation leads to denial, more abuse, chastisement, criticism, hatred etc. and "healing" simply means getting better at ignoring it, rationalizing how it made you feel and act, recognizing when it's influencing your current situation and choices. He did sort of hit that point. However, most of the book really did ring true. It was spectacularly researched.
I sort of picked this one up at random 'cause I liked the art and the rat is ridiculously cute and I was not expecting such a difficult read. Perhaps if I knew what was coming, I would have been able to prepare myself and I wouldn't have been so upset by it. But I really was.
In the end, the author talks about his research for this one and there was a few passages that I thought were especially illuminating. He quotes Miriam Saphira in "The Sexual Abuse of Children," where she says "The first step towards prevention and to provision of supportive services for the girls who've been abused is bringing abuse into the open...Incest is not taboo. It seems that talking about incest is the real taboo."
He continues "It's only recently that abuse has been openly discussed in some small way in the media, and there's a backlash of opinion about even this. People don't want to hear it, don't want to think about it...This backlash is often expressed in dismissive terms, as if we all know about the subject now and there's no point bringing it up again. Sexual abuse occurs a great deal more frequently than murder, but watch television for a night, pick up a novel, go to the cinema, and what do you see? But then, talking about murder is not taboo."
I've never specifically talked about my abuse in an open forum like this before. I worry about what people will think of me (or my family) when they know and what if future employers read this? I imagine the world's grimace, the one I've seen on the faces of friends when I've finally mentioned what happened to me. And I just NOW realize at the moment that I'm typing this that the reason why nearly 2 decades later I'm still thinking like this is because despite the fact that I can logically conquer the shame I felt as a child, I still carry it inside of me in some form and I believe that others will judge me for speaking up. Not for being abused, but for having the audacity to show my family's "dirty laundry," which we just don't do. Shouldn't I be ashamed of sharing my family's secrets? Isn't it a huge betrayal? Not to mention it's about sex. We don't talk about sex when it's happy healthy sex, let alone rape and/or incest. Are we afraid that if we talk about it, we'll get desensitized to it? Or as long as we don't know about it, then we're not accepting it?
I remember trying to find someone to talk to about all this and finding it incredibly difficult. Even the counselor at school said "I can't deal with this," and promptly escorted me out of her office. That is literally and exactly what happened. So is there a taboo about talking about this? Oh yes. Definitely. And that taboo leads to more children feeling like they should be quiet, that it is shameful, like a bad word, like no one cares, like they should shut up and get over it 'cause they would if they were strong enough and smart enough, like it's their fault. Why would they feel afraid to talk if it wasn't their fault? Why do people get uncomfortable and look at them like that when they say something? Even nice, sympathetic people. Why do they make nice people and their friends uncomfortable? They should just keep it to themselves. It's all really gross. The cycle repeats.
If it makes you uncomfortable to just to hear about it, how do you imagine someone LIVED through it?
There's a good chance this book will make you uncomfortable. But that's okay, let it. It SHOULD be unnerving. The author used transcripts of interviews with abuse survivors, to let the victims speak for themselves. Practice listening to it. We NEED you to be prepared to hear it. If you cringe and change the subject, it just makes us feel worse.
We're reaching out for support.
"It's been estimated that one in three girls will be molested before they're 18. Approximately 90% of that abuse is committed, not by the stereotypical stranger in the rain coat, haunter of the schoolgates, but by a close, male relative. And less than one in twenty of reported offenders are prosecuted." I heard this one before, but I think it's good to repeat.
Thank you, Bryan Talbot and Dark Horse and everyone else who made this comic happen. Truly. I've never loved to hate a book so much.
Um...
Yeah.
The art was spectacular. The story too much on the nose, for the most part. I suppose where it strays from reality for me was when daughter confronts her dad and he has a sort of "what have I done" moment and then she moves on with her life and begins her process of healing. This was a little too simplistic for me and didn't match what I've experienced or encountered with others, which is closer to confrontation leads to denial, more abuse, chastisement, criticism, hatred etc. and "healing" simply means getting better at ignoring it, rationalizing how it made you feel and act, recognizing when it's influencing your current situation and choices. He did sort of hit that point. However, most of the book really did ring true. It was spectacularly researched.
I sort of picked this one up at random 'cause I liked the art and the rat is ridiculously cute and I was not expecting such a difficult read. Perhaps if I knew what was coming, I would have been able to prepare myself and I wouldn't have been so upset by it. But I really was.
In the end, the author talks about his research for this one and there was a few passages that I thought were especially illuminating. He quotes Miriam Saphira in "The Sexual Abuse of Children," where she says "The first step towards prevention and to provision of supportive services for the girls who've been abused is bringing abuse into the open...Incest is not taboo. It seems that talking about incest is the real taboo."
He continues "It's only recently that abuse has been openly discussed in some small way in the media, and there's a backlash of opinion about even this. People don't want to hear it, don't want to think about it...This backlash is often expressed in dismissive terms, as if we all know about the subject now and there's no point bringing it up again. Sexual abuse occurs a great deal more frequently than murder, but watch television for a night, pick up a novel, go to the cinema, and what do you see? But then, talking about murder is not taboo."
I've never specifically talked about my abuse in an open forum like this before. I worry about what people will think of me (or my family) when they know and what if future employers read this? I imagine the world's grimace, the one I've seen on the faces of friends when I've finally mentioned what happened to me. And I just NOW realize at the moment that I'm typing this that the reason why nearly 2 decades later I'm still thinking like this is because despite the fact that I can logically conquer the shame I felt as a child, I still carry it inside of me in some form and I believe that others will judge me for speaking up. Not for being abused, but for having the audacity to show my family's "dirty laundry," which we just don't do. Shouldn't I be ashamed of sharing my family's secrets? Isn't it a huge betrayal? Not to mention it's about sex. We don't talk about sex when it's happy healthy sex, let alone rape and/or incest. Are we afraid that if we talk about it, we'll get desensitized to it? Or as long as we don't know about it, then we're not accepting it?
I remember trying to find someone to talk to about all this and finding it incredibly difficult. Even the counselor at school said "I can't deal with this," and promptly escorted me out of her office. That is literally and exactly what happened. So is there a taboo about talking about this? Oh yes. Definitely. And that taboo leads to more children feeling like they should be quiet, that it is shameful, like a bad word, like no one cares, like they should shut up and get over it 'cause they would if they were strong enough and smart enough, like it's their fault. Why would they feel afraid to talk if it wasn't their fault? Why do people get uncomfortable and look at them like that when they say something? Even nice, sympathetic people. Why do they make nice people and their friends uncomfortable? They should just keep it to themselves. It's all really gross. The cycle repeats.
If it makes you uncomfortable to just to hear about it, how do you imagine someone LIVED through it?
There's a good chance this book will make you uncomfortable. But that's okay, let it. It SHOULD be unnerving. The author used transcripts of interviews with abuse survivors, to let the victims speak for themselves. Practice listening to it. We NEED you to be prepared to hear it. If you cringe and change the subject, it just makes us feel worse.
We're reaching out for support.
"It's been estimated that one in three girls will be molested before they're 18. Approximately 90% of that abuse is committed, not by the stereotypical stranger in the rain coat, haunter of the schoolgates, but by a close, male relative. And less than one in twenty of reported offenders are prosecuted." I heard this one before, but I think it's good to repeat.
Thank you, Bryan Talbot and Dark Horse and everyone else who made this comic happen. Truly. I've never loved to hate a book so much.
November 12, 2011
The Tale of One Bad Rat is one of those classics of the medium, one of those books that was an indelible footnote in the quest to prove that comics could be about more than just superheroes and melodrama. Whether Bryan Talbot's intent or not, One Bad Rat became one of the arguments for comics being a medium of communication worth the same level of serious consideration as literature. Or if not literature, then at least the same sober reflection that cinema could garner. In a way, that's kind of an unfair burden to saddle upon the slim graphic novella.
It's not that Talbot's exploration of abuse and homelessness and the by-turns-villainous-and-kind nature of the human animal is in any way bad, because it's not. It's more just that the book, as good as it is (in its way), doesn't do very much to prove the medium. It hints at possibilities and broaches potential, but it doesn't carry comics quite where they would need to in order to be taken seriously. Though I will grant that in 1994, this was a good step forward in the evolution of the medium and it's not as if One Bad Rat doesn't contribute anything to the argument.
One Bad Rat does two things for the medium. It presents a serious issue in a dramatically plausible way and it incorporates literary allusion in a largely worthwhile manner.
Young and homeless teen protagonist Helen plays refugee from two abusive parents, trying to muddle her way through a world that cannot make sense to a mind scarred so early and deeply by counterfeit love. Over the book's first half, Talbot offers an empathetic look at how life outside of a home might play out. It's a heavy read, though not so heartbreaking as it could be, largely because Talbot keeps the real problem off-screen and unspoken for most of the journey. Certainly there are allusions to the sinister throughout, but the true horror of her situation is never laid out gratuitously.
Beyond this, Talbot not only makes Helen an ardent fan of Beatrix Potter (her life and works), but skillfully uses that character-interest to build his story. Helen sees things in Potter-esque terms. For much of the second half of the Tale, she is accompanied by a human-sized rat, functioning as silent confidant. That Helen would grasp onto Potter's history and millieu so strongly makes good sense in the world of Talbot's telling and it gives one the sense that One Bad Rat is something more than just one more trite examination of abuse. Beatrix Potter becomes a talisman for Helen, one by which she hopes to find the strength to grow beyond her terrible past.
And it all almost entirely works. Almost.
The first problem is likely less Talbot's fault and more mine for not having the patience to read dialogue that is written in dialect. One Bad Rat takes place in Britain (specifically in the city and in the lushly-illustrated environs around where Potter wrote her own famous Tales) and some characters speak with one variety or another of British English. And Talbot writes his dialects out phonetically. This is problematic, especially for those readers unfamiliar with the ins and outs of various dialects. It only takes a few moments, hopefully, for a reader to understand that "gel" is just an abhorrent pronunciation of "girl," but those moments serve to interrupt flow and create a distance between the story and the reader.
There is of course the possibility that this was Talbot's intent and that Helen herself is having the same difficulty understanding these persons as we are—though she never lets on that this is the case.
The other problem is the final device: a Beatrix-Potter–style tale designed to show us Helen's growth and vector for rehabilitation. It's a good idea and is worked into the story well and believably, but it was pages longer than its use merited. The writing was, I suppose, a reasonable facsimile of Potter's style (though perhaps approximating one of her lesser stories) and reframes Helen's arc in a sometimes-amusing fashion. Still, it just seemed to go on and on and in the end probably wasn't worth the effort. (For Helen, it obviously would have been, but she's still just a kid and even kids who become adept at copying their favourite tales or art styles rarely have the discipline to know when to reign in their excesses.)
Apart from these few complaints, the art is marvelous and Talbot excels both in his depictions of landscape and his framing of scenes. Even (and sometimes especially) his quiet contemplative scenes pack a subdued dramatic power due wholly to the particular vantage he grants the reader. All told, a good book that suffers for the burden that had been unfairly placed upon it as the medium developed (much the same as with Spiegelman's Maus).
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
It's not that Talbot's exploration of abuse and homelessness and the by-turns-villainous-and-kind nature of the human animal is in any way bad, because it's not. It's more just that the book, as good as it is (in its way), doesn't do very much to prove the medium. It hints at possibilities and broaches potential, but it doesn't carry comics quite where they would need to in order to be taken seriously. Though I will grant that in 1994, this was a good step forward in the evolution of the medium and it's not as if One Bad Rat doesn't contribute anything to the argument.
One Bad Rat does two things for the medium. It presents a serious issue in a dramatically plausible way and it incorporates literary allusion in a largely worthwhile manner.
Young and homeless teen protagonist Helen plays refugee from two abusive parents, trying to muddle her way through a world that cannot make sense to a mind scarred so early and deeply by counterfeit love. Over the book's first half, Talbot offers an empathetic look at how life outside of a home might play out. It's a heavy read, though not so heartbreaking as it could be, largely because Talbot keeps the real problem off-screen and unspoken for most of the journey. Certainly there are allusions to the sinister throughout, but the true horror of her situation is never laid out gratuitously.
Beyond this, Talbot not only makes Helen an ardent fan of Beatrix Potter (her life and works), but skillfully uses that character-interest to build his story. Helen sees things in Potter-esque terms. For much of the second half of the Tale, she is accompanied by a human-sized rat, functioning as silent confidant. That Helen would grasp onto Potter's history and millieu so strongly makes good sense in the world of Talbot's telling and it gives one the sense that One Bad Rat is something more than just one more trite examination of abuse. Beatrix Potter becomes a talisman for Helen, one by which she hopes to find the strength to grow beyond her terrible past.
And it all almost entirely works. Almost.
The first problem is likely less Talbot's fault and more mine for not having the patience to read dialogue that is written in dialect. One Bad Rat takes place in Britain (specifically in the city and in the lushly-illustrated environs around where Potter wrote her own famous Tales) and some characters speak with one variety or another of British English. And Talbot writes his dialects out phonetically. This is problematic, especially for those readers unfamiliar with the ins and outs of various dialects. It only takes a few moments, hopefully, for a reader to understand that "gel" is just an abhorrent pronunciation of "girl," but those moments serve to interrupt flow and create a distance between the story and the reader.
There is of course the possibility that this was Talbot's intent and that Helen herself is having the same difficulty understanding these persons as we are—though she never lets on that this is the case.
The other problem is the final device: a Beatrix-Potter–style tale designed to show us Helen's growth and vector for rehabilitation. It's a good idea and is worked into the story well and believably, but it was pages longer than its use merited. The writing was, I suppose, a reasonable facsimile of Potter's style (though perhaps approximating one of her lesser stories) and reframes Helen's arc in a sometimes-amusing fashion. Still, it just seemed to go on and on and in the end probably wasn't worth the effort. (For Helen, it obviously would have been, but she's still just a kid and even kids who become adept at copying their favourite tales or art styles rarely have the discipline to know when to reign in their excesses.)
Apart from these few complaints, the art is marvelous and Talbot excels both in his depictions of landscape and his framing of scenes. Even (and sometimes especially) his quiet contemplative scenes pack a subdued dramatic power due wholly to the particular vantage he grants the reader. All told, a good book that suffers for the burden that had been unfairly placed upon it as the medium developed (much the same as with Spiegelman's Maus).
[review courtesy of Good Ok Bad]
June 20, 2019
A vantagem de partirmos para uma leitura sem sabermos nada sobre o seu autor ou a história em si é que tudo nos surpreende.
Em 'A história de um rato mau' encontrei uma história triste contada em diversas cores, num paralelismo entre duas Potter à descoberta do seu lugar no mundo.
Uma história de superação sobre um tema que não deve ser tabu, mas antes enfrentado, denunciado e punido.
Em 'A história de um rato mau' encontrei uma história triste contada em diversas cores, num paralelismo entre duas Potter à descoberta do seu lugar no mundo.
Uma história de superação sobre um tema que não deve ser tabu, mas antes enfrentado, denunciado e punido.
September 23, 2020
Comics don't get much better than this, or more important, for that matter. It's one of those books everyone should read for various reasons. The inclusion of pet rat was just fantastic. And, paradoxically, somehow real as broken bone even after he continued to follow the main protagonist as imaginary friend. Perhaps, even more after that. As other reviewers said, this is either very well researched, or told from personally experienced perspective.
February 4, 2017
Шістнадцятирічна Гелен - звичайна лондонська втікачка: голодна, змерзла, розгублена, незвикла до великого міста та його небезпек (і до ночівлі в картонній коробці також незвикла). Але дещо вирізняє дівчину серед інших волоцюжок. У неї є ручний щурик, дивний талант провалюватися на секунду в інші часи чи світи та великий-великий секрет, про який татуньо звелів нікому не казати. І жити з цим секретом дедалі важче, бо можна втекти до Лондона, ��ле не можна втекти від себе.
"The Tale of One Bad Rat" - це дуже болюче читання, якому додаткову - і надзвичайно жорстоку у певному сенсі - химерність забезпечує фіксація Гелен на показово затишному світі казочок Беатрис Поттер. Щоправда, Ніл Ґейман в передмові до графічного роману пише, що не все так сонячно з Поттер та її замріяним акварельним всесвітом (не можу з ним не погодитися). Та для Гелен казкова реальність є не лише нагадуванням про те, яким її життя було "до", але і дороговказом, й інструкцією, і обіцянкою щасливого фіналу. Тільки до нього ще треба дійти... То маємо доволі просту й чесну, проте моторошну історію про аб'юз, ПТСР та шляхи видужування. І кілька галузевих премій. І приклад дівчинки, яка змогла, вартий захвату (а, може, й наслідування, бо видавці - справжні молодці і на останніх сторінках подають телефони ліній довіри для дітей та підлітків).
"The Tale of One Bad Rat" - це дуже болюче читання, якому додаткову - і надзвичайно жорстоку у певному сенсі - химерність забезпечує фіксація Гелен на показово затишному світі казочок Беатрис Поттер. Щоправда, Ніл Ґейман в передмові до графічного роману пише, що не все так сонячно з Поттер та її замріяним акварельним всесвітом (не можу з ним не погодитися). Та для Гелен казкова реальність є не лише нагадуванням про те, яким її життя було "до", але і дороговказом, й інструкцією, і обіцянкою щасливого фіналу. Тільки до нього ще треба дійти... То маємо доволі просту й чесну, проте моторошну історію про аб'юз, ПТСР та шляхи видужування. І кілька галузевих премій. І приклад дівчинки, яка змогла, вартий захвату (а, може, й наслідування, бо видавці - справжні молодці і на останніх сторінках подають телефони ліній довіри для дітей та підлітків).
July 3, 2019
Насправді, окрім відсилок і�� протиставленням на твори Поттер, що заінтригувало мене до прочитання, нічого особливого я в тому не знайшов. Малюнок дуже стильовий, але без жодних цікавих наративних ходів, і навіть тему ПТСР розкрито не те, щоб сильно круто. Якось не зачепило, чи що. Як нагадування про те, що і серед соціалки треба ще шукати, що читати.
January 29, 2009
Okay, let’s see. The basic premise, according to Talbot, was “a homeless girl with a synchronistic link with Beatrix Potter follows Potter’s escape into her new life in the Lakes.” He goes on to admit that having Helen flee sexual abuse at the hands of her father was a plot device to get her homeless, but that it is a common cause of teenage homelessness.
Fine then. So it’s common. That explains the cliché way he dealt with it? I don’t think so.
And I’ll tell you what I really think:
Scenery/Setting: Now we’re dealing with something new to me, a graphic novel. Perhaps this section should be relabeled “artwork.” Let’s pretend I did that. I will say that Bryan can draw just about any emotion into a facial expression. That’s a talent I covet for sure.
There’s also some lighting that sets some really great moods. I don’t feel entirely comfortable going on about it, as I’m not sure Talbot’s talent is uncommon in his field. I know I was impressed, but take that from a first-time reader of anything of this style that was longer than three panels.
Characters/Plot: (We’re putting them together this time because they bled together this time.)
Helen the Homeless had me at first, especially with the vivid and realistic daydreams she has. I think it’s something that Talbot planned long before he went for the abuse idea, mainly because it was something Beatrix Potter experienced and Helen was supposed to have the synchronistic link with her, if you will recall. I wonder, though, if he really understood them, or their often-common history with abuse.
That’s not the point. The point is, I liked Helen a lot more before she demonstrated every stereotypical sign of abuse. It wasn’t so much that she said, “Don’t touch me,” it was who she said it to, when she said it, and what she did after it that was far too contrived.
I think, perhaps, the problem with Helen’s character is that Talbot spoke with a lot of victims of sexual abuse, but didn’t get to know any of them. I’m sure he would tell you he got to know them, I’m sure he even believes he got to know them, and I’m sure a lot of them think he got to know them. I don’t want this review to be a lecture, nor do I plan on divulging any information on the people I have known that make me want to lecture, so it’s best we move on.
Look, it's not that sexual abuse and the like is overdone in literature; it's that it's overdone as a plot device. Stop that; it's cheap and offensive.
Now then, the climax of the story had to do with Helen inviting her mother and father to the little place she works in the country toward the end of her tale. The climax of the story was Helen confronting her father about what he did to her. And the climax was so scripted it was hard to keep myself from skipping over it out of boredom and out of anger because it was so...twelve-step program.
The dad, by the way, was every clichéd abuser. I was unimpressed. The best character in the whole damn story was Ben, and he wasn’t in it for long.
Oh wait. There was a rat. Helen’s rat. An interesting angle for sure. Hey, I love rats. I’ve had a few so I instantly liked Helen because she traveled with this rat. I even dug the imaginary rat that followed her around. It worked out well that The Tale of One Bad Rat alluded to Potter’s title styles. Yeah, yeah, I dig that Helen’s the title rat in the end. It’s the best feature of the book, but I can’t even fire up the strength to go into it.
Overall: Despite what you may be thinking, I am glad I read it. The graphic novel experience was interesting, indeed. It made me want to check out more of this type of writing.
Fine then. So it’s common. That explains the cliché way he dealt with it? I don’t think so.
And I’ll tell you what I really think:
Scenery/Setting: Now we’re dealing with something new to me, a graphic novel. Perhaps this section should be relabeled “artwork.” Let’s pretend I did that. I will say that Bryan can draw just about any emotion into a facial expression. That’s a talent I covet for sure.
There’s also some lighting that sets some really great moods. I don’t feel entirely comfortable going on about it, as I’m not sure Talbot’s talent is uncommon in his field. I know I was impressed, but take that from a first-time reader of anything of this style that was longer than three panels.
Characters/Plot: (We’re putting them together this time because they bled together this time.)
Helen the Homeless had me at first, especially with the vivid and realistic daydreams she has. I think it’s something that Talbot planned long before he went for the abuse idea, mainly because it was something Beatrix Potter experienced and Helen was supposed to have the synchronistic link with her, if you will recall. I wonder, though, if he really understood them, or their often-common history with abuse.
That’s not the point. The point is, I liked Helen a lot more before she demonstrated every stereotypical sign of abuse. It wasn’t so much that she said, “Don’t touch me,” it was who she said it to, when she said it, and what she did after it that was far too contrived.
I think, perhaps, the problem with Helen’s character is that Talbot spoke with a lot of victims of sexual abuse, but didn’t get to know any of them. I’m sure he would tell you he got to know them, I’m sure he even believes he got to know them, and I’m sure a lot of them think he got to know them. I don’t want this review to be a lecture, nor do I plan on divulging any information on the people I have known that make me want to lecture, so it’s best we move on.
Look, it's not that sexual abuse and the like is overdone in literature; it's that it's overdone as a plot device. Stop that; it's cheap and offensive.
Now then, the climax of the story had to do with Helen inviting her mother and father to the little place she works in the country toward the end of her tale. The climax of the story was Helen confronting her father about what he did to her. And the climax was so scripted it was hard to keep myself from skipping over it out of boredom and out of anger because it was so...twelve-step program.
The dad, by the way, was every clichéd abuser. I was unimpressed. The best character in the whole damn story was Ben, and he wasn’t in it for long.
Oh wait. There was a rat. Helen’s rat. An interesting angle for sure. Hey, I love rats. I’ve had a few so I instantly liked Helen because she traveled with this rat. I even dug the imaginary rat that followed her around. It worked out well that The Tale of One Bad Rat alluded to Potter’s title styles. Yeah, yeah, I dig that Helen’s the title rat in the end. It’s the best feature of the book, but I can’t even fire up the strength to go into it.
Overall: Despite what you may be thinking, I am glad I read it. The graphic novel experience was interesting, indeed. It made me want to check out more of this type of writing.
October 27, 2016
I'm between a 3 and a 4 in the gr stars. This book does many things beautifully and well, and also sometimes it feels like a dated manual of some kind, detailing the negative affects of abuse. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just the book gets a little klunky in moments and then resolves kind of quickly.
That said, Talbot does some delicate and beautiful storytelling in here. Helen, the protagonist, has run away from home, fleeing the abuse and neglect of her parents. She manages to keep herself relatively out of harm's way, though she suffers and winds up in potentially dangerous situations and there are quite a few close calls with violent men.
When the book begins, Helen's sleeping in a cardboard box. She soon makes friends with a musician who invites her to squat with him and some friends but there may be strings attached. In any case, it isn't clear who Helen can or should trust, and by the end of the book I felt as jumpy as Helen did about any male characters she comes across. I appreciate the way the book sheds a light on every-day horrific violence and violent attitudes. I recently read "Becoming Unbecoming" and reading the two within a few days of each other is upsetting to say the least, but a pairing that gives me an opportunity to compare and contrast and think about types of narration and POV. Both books address male violence and it is visible in both books as a cultural epidemic. Because of Helen's hallucinations I found myself thinking also about "Swallow Me Whole." All three books consider mental illness and trauma from different angles and in very different narrative modes.
Perhaps the thing that allows Helen to stay somewhat grounded even when she is in a bleak place, is her connection to the art and storytelling of Beatrix Potter. When the book opens, she has a pet rat, and her love for the rat and her role as 'caretaker' is also grounding for her. She is an artist herself, mainly practicing by copying Potter's images, Potter's animals, and Helen knows a lot of rat facts. She shares these in conversation and narration, which adds depth to her character and the story. At a certain point she has a giant invisible rat friend (or, rat friend only she can see). The 'hallucination' type events in this book are very different than the ones in "Swallow Me Whole" but they both try to address our complicated neurology and how this relates to trauma. I found myself feeling doubtful about the address of hallucination in both books, but I'm trying to rethink it with a different frame of mind. Looking at what the artists are trying to communicate rather than focusing on whether I think it necessarily 'works.'
That said, Talbot does some delicate and beautiful storytelling in here. Helen, the protagonist, has run away from home, fleeing the abuse and neglect of her parents. She manages to keep herself relatively out of harm's way, though she suffers and winds up in potentially dangerous situations and there are quite a few close calls with violent men.
When the book begins, Helen's sleeping in a cardboard box. She soon makes friends with a musician who invites her to squat with him and some friends but there may be strings attached. In any case, it isn't clear who Helen can or should trust, and by the end of the book I felt as jumpy as Helen did about any male characters she comes across. I appreciate the way the book sheds a light on every-day horrific violence and violent attitudes. I recently read "Becoming Unbecoming" and reading the two within a few days of each other is upsetting to say the least, but a pairing that gives me an opportunity to compare and contrast and think about types of narration and POV. Both books address male violence and it is visible in both books as a cultural epidemic. Because of Helen's hallucinations I found myself thinking also about "Swallow Me Whole." All three books consider mental illness and trauma from different angles and in very different narrative modes.
Perhaps the thing that allows Helen to stay somewhat grounded even when she is in a bleak place, is her connection to the art and storytelling of Beatrix Potter. When the book opens, she has a pet rat, and her love for the rat and her role as 'caretaker' is also grounding for her. She is an artist herself, mainly practicing by copying Potter's images, Potter's animals, and Helen knows a lot of rat facts. She shares these in conversation and narration, which adds depth to her character and the story. At a certain point she has a giant invisible rat friend (or, rat friend only she can see). The 'hallucination' type events in this book are very different than the ones in "Swallow Me Whole" but they both try to address our complicated neurology and how this relates to trauma. I found myself feeling doubtful about the address of hallucination in both books, but I'm trying to rethink it with a different frame of mind. Looking at what the artists are trying to communicate rather than focusing on whether I think it necessarily 'works.'
September 19, 2011
A 16 year old girl called Helen Potter leaves home, running from an abusive father and a mother who doesn't care. She finds herself begging on the streets of London and, along with her pet rat and a bag full of Beatrix Potter books, she begins a journey similar to Potter's out of her horrible situation into a place where she is safe and happy both in mind and body.
Bryan Talbot does a fantastic job depicting the horrors of street life in London. The sprawl, the crazies who are out there preying on the young and vulnerable, and those who would help them, namely those in similar circumstances albeit somewhat older. Talbot also deals with the issue of abuse delicately and yet brutally as well. We see the circumstances in which it happened and how it affected Helen. The psychological damage it does to a young mind is written clearly and honestly so those who haven't been abused (eg. me) could follow and begin to understand the victim's feelings.
Talbot also throws out facts about rats and their history, as well as the life story of Beatrix Potter. Helen's journey takes her to the Lake District which was Potter's home for many years and he draws absolutely stunning landscapes of the area. He also puts together a Beatrix Potter-esque story at the end of the book "written" by Helen. The artwork throughout is brilliant with Talbot opting for the first time to use human models to draw from to add an extra dimension of reality to the story.
Why this is labelled "Young Adult" is insulting as anyone should be able to read this without being put off that it might be "childish". It's a searingly honest look at a taboo issue in our society and deserves a wider audience than simply "young adults".
A brilliant and moving comic book from one of the masters of the medium, Bryan Talbot's "The Tale of One Bad Rat" is an utterly engrossing and wonderful read. Highly recommended.
Bryan Talbot does a fantastic job depicting the horrors of street life in London. The sprawl, the crazies who are out there preying on the young and vulnerable, and those who would help them, namely those in similar circumstances albeit somewhat older. Talbot also deals with the issue of abuse delicately and yet brutally as well. We see the circumstances in which it happened and how it affected Helen. The psychological damage it does to a young mind is written clearly and honestly so those who haven't been abused (eg. me) could follow and begin to understand the victim's feelings.
Talbot also throws out facts about rats and their history, as well as the life story of Beatrix Potter. Helen's journey takes her to the Lake District which was Potter's home for many years and he draws absolutely stunning landscapes of the area. He also puts together a Beatrix Potter-esque story at the end of the book "written" by Helen. The artwork throughout is brilliant with Talbot opting for the first time to use human models to draw from to add an extra dimension of reality to the story.
Why this is labelled "Young Adult" is insulting as anyone should be able to read this without being put off that it might be "childish". It's a searingly honest look at a taboo issue in our society and deserves a wider audience than simply "young adults".
A brilliant and moving comic book from one of the masters of the medium, Bryan Talbot's "The Tale of One Bad Rat" is an utterly engrossing and wonderful read. Highly recommended.
June 30, 2017
Bottled up emotions... it's best to let it out. I didn't quite like how Helen confronted her abuser though. A talk. That's all? I was expecting something violent. Now, that would be more satisfying :)
I also don't see the point of all those boring facts about rats (thrown in here and there) throughout random conversation between characters. Felt unnecessary.
But still, an overall good read.
I also don't see the point of all those boring facts about rats (thrown in here and there) throughout random conversation between characters. Felt unnecessary.
But still, an overall good read.
December 13, 2008
This was truly a work of art.
I remember my mother wanted to read it back in my childhood, but she never picked up any of the issues. So I was quite excited when I found a battered collection of them at my new library.
Bryan Talbot handles this touching story of childhood lost, molestation, and street living with a realism and humanity that I've not seen from authors before. Most turn their stories into Lifetime movies, almost making caricatures of the people involved. And perhaps that's the strangest part of this, a comic, where people should be caricatures here more than anywhere else. But they aren't, they are human.
The best part is the ending. Although perhaps too ideal to be considered realistic, it is nonetheless uplifting and joyous.
The art was excellent as well, perfectly treading the line between Beatrix Potter and urban grit.
I cannot recommend this book more to young adult and adult readers.
I remember my mother wanted to read it back in my childhood, but she never picked up any of the issues. So I was quite excited when I found a battered collection of them at my new library.
Bryan Talbot handles this touching story of childhood lost, molestation, and street living with a realism and humanity that I've not seen from authors before. Most turn their stories into Lifetime movies, almost making caricatures of the people involved. And perhaps that's the strangest part of this, a comic, where people should be caricatures here more than anywhere else. But they aren't, they are human.
The best part is the ending. Although perhaps too ideal to be considered realistic, it is nonetheless uplifting and joyous.
The art was excellent as well, perfectly treading the line between Beatrix Potter and urban grit.
I cannot recommend this book more to young adult and adult readers.
January 17, 2013
This Graphic Novel (Capital G, Capital N) made me cry.
I cried because I felt the suffering of the main character Helen Potter.
I cried because I felt joy at her overcoming her adversities.
I cried because this was a perfect example of how the graphic medium can be; just as mature and well drafted as any Novel out there.
Then I cried when I had finished reading it, just because.
I cried because I felt the suffering of the main character Helen Potter.
I cried because I felt joy at her overcoming her adversities.
I cried because this was a perfect example of how the graphic medium can be; just as mature and well drafted as any Novel out there.
Then I cried when I had finished reading it, just because.
January 22, 2013
This is a graphic novel centred around a survivor of parental emotional/sexual abuse, Helen,who loves Beatrix Potter and empathises with rats. It follows her journey in dealing with, and eventually healing from, this abuse.
The positives first: the art was good and gave a solid sense of Britain in the Nineties, and some of the character moments/elements depicting reaction to abuse and trauma were well done. The fake Beatrix Potter book at the end was perfect. I was glad to see a narrative where the main character actually rejects her unhealthy biological family in favour of a healthy chosen one; apart from Matilda, I don't recall ever reading such a thing. And it was written with good intentions + input from abuse survivors.
The negatives are sadly much longer. Half the character dialogues sound like people repeating things from a book; facts about rats, abuse, incest... dialogue from a 'How to deal with survivors/How to deal with being a survivor' type of book. When Helen talks about deciding to confront her father just before she does so, I actually laughed in horror at how poorly it was written.
I also found her recovery after this confrontation and final rejection to be too pat; I don't want to be too personal in a public review, but from what I know of abuse survivors it can take many, many years (if not the rest of their lives) to deal with what happened to them. I don't think it's always a healthy or kind thing to encourage a confrontation of any kind between the survivor and the abuser, and even if the survivor is capable of it there's still no guarantee of what would be called a 'happy ending'.
ETA: As the reviews are full of people talking about how this book shows that the world of sequential art is more/'better' than 'just' superhero comics, I will recommend Ed Brubaker's writing on Catwoman as an example of decent treatment of sexual abuse and sex workers. There's around 40 issues of it, available in book (trade paperback) form and accesible even if you only know about Catwoman and the like from a cartoon or the recent Batman film.
The positives first: the art was good and gave a solid sense of Britain in the Nineties, and some of the character moments/elements depicting reaction to abuse and trauma were well done. The fake Beatrix Potter book at the end was perfect. I was glad to see a narrative where the main character actually rejects her unhealthy biological family in favour of a healthy chosen one; apart from Matilda, I don't recall ever reading such a thing. And it was written with good intentions + input from abuse survivors.
The negatives are sadly much longer. Half the character dialogues sound like people repeating things from a book; facts about rats, abuse, incest... dialogue from a 'How to deal with survivors/How to deal with being a survivor' type of book. When Helen talks about deciding to confront her father just before she does so, I actually laughed in horror at how poorly it was written.
I also found her recovery after this confrontation and final rejection to be too pat; I don't want to be too personal in a public review, but from what I know of abuse survivors it can take many, many years (if not the rest of their lives) to deal with what happened to them. I don't think it's always a healthy or kind thing to encourage a confrontation of any kind between the survivor and the abuser, and even if the survivor is capable of it there's still no guarantee of what would be called a 'happy ending'.
ETA: As the reviews are full of people talking about how this book shows that the world of sequential art is more/'better' than 'just' superhero comics, I will recommend Ed Brubaker's writing on Catwoman as an example of decent treatment of sexual abuse and sex workers. There's around 40 issues of it, available in book (trade paperback) form and accesible even if you only know about Catwoman and the like from a cartoon or the recent Batman film.
September 13, 2009
A young woman, Helen, flees her cruel, cold stepmother and her sexually abusive father, becoming a ward of the streets. Following the trail of Beatrix Potter, her favorite author, Helen survives drunken statesmen, police, squatter houses, and opportunistic "good" Samaritans, at last reaching her promised land in the countryside and finding healing there.
This hits a bit close to home, as several people close to me have histories that mirror portions of this book: sexual assault, a life on the street, squatter houses, etc. It's an important story, one that underlines the need for victims to find healing and to be freed from their pasts. I'm not aware of many other graphic novels that approach this subject.
This hits a bit close to home, as several people close to me have histories that mirror portions of this book: sexual assault, a life on the street, squatter houses, etc. It's an important story, one that underlines the need for victims to find healing and to be freed from their pasts. I'm not aware of many other graphic novels that approach this subject.
June 6, 2014
Intense, and no doubt groundbreaking for the time. Yay for bringing abuse stories into the foreground. These stories are necessary. Appreciated the rat as metaphor. Obviously triggering for some. The ending is a bit hard to believe, but probably necessary. Cheers for color illustration, and integrating literature and it's impact into story. Pretty tough to read.
May 19, 2024
What in the hell?
4.5 stars.
Read 02/23/24
4.5 stars.
Read 02/23/24
March 3, 2023
Helen è un'adolescente scappata di casa per non dover più subire abusi da parte del padre e la storia inizia proprio con lei che chiede l'elemosina in metropolitana. La ragazza ha intenzione di compiere un viaggio sulle orme della sua autrice preferita, Beatrix Potter, anche lei segnata da un'infanzia difficile e un triste rapporto con i genitori. Questo viaggio sarà solo il pretesto per Helen per affrontare i suoi traumi e iniziare finalmente una nuova vita. Lo stile di disegno mi è piaciuto tantissimo, le tavole sono ricche di dettagli e i volti molto espressivi. La storia è introspettiva e la questione degli abusi sessuali sui minori è trattata con estrema professionalità, si vede che l'autore si è informato molto e si percepisce il suo intento di porre l'attenzione su questa piaga.
July 7, 2018
Kresba, která se snažila o co největší přístupnost necomicsovým čtenářům mi moc nesedla. Příběh je vydařený. Jen když sáhnete do knihovny, vytáhnete Pohádku o zlobivé kryse a čekáte, že si na noc přečtěte podobně odpočinkový příběh jakým je Grandville, ptž se přece zase bude jednat o nějaká zvířátka, tak vás to trochu překvapí.
April 26, 2017
The artwork was beautifull! Also I loved the explanation of the author at the end of the book. it is very nice to read that an authoer makes such deliberate choices producing a book.
Some things went a bit too fast in my opinion (the time she needed to resolve some issues), but overall it is a beautifull book nicely connecting a children stories, Beatrix Potter, with more serious themes, sexual abuse and homelessness.
Some things went a bit too fast in my opinion (the time she needed to resolve some issues), but overall it is a beautifull book nicely connecting a children stories, Beatrix Potter, with more serious themes, sexual abuse and homelessness.
March 2, 2018
A gripping, emotional tale, with amazing artwork throughout
December 9, 2018
Loved this book for the story as well as the making of it that Talbot describes in the end!
December 10, 2021
An interesting adaptation, with beautiful art (Talbot!) and strong narration.
April 5, 2022
Gostei, mas não fiquei encantada. É bom ser um livro que serve para ajudar pessoas mais frágeis a partilharem a sua dor e pedirem apoio (3,5*)
December 20, 2022
No comments on this one. Of Course, it is still mostly a Fairy tale with the happy ending, but it packs a punch and presents an extremely sensitive topic well.
March 1, 2023
Potente e importante. Ma, soprattutto: team sorcio!
February 14, 2023
Bello. Tema non facile affrontato con la giusta dose di delicatezza, violenza e rabbia. Potrebbe apparire un po' didascalico a tratti ma solo perché ha aperto un filone.
July 29, 2024
supposed to be helping catalog books rn but this distracted me... needless to say I teared up in the middle of the library
September 18, 2017
Adoro a Bryan Talbot. Ya está. Ya lo he dicho. Y tampoco me ha defraudado con 'El cuento de la rata mala'.
He postergado mucho la lectura de esta novela gráfica porque su temática me echaba un poco para atrás. Un cómic sobre abusos a una niña en el ámbito familiar... Como padre, me incomoda profundamente que pueda existir eso (aunque existe, claro, vaya si existe) y, en fin, hasta ahora había querido ahorrarme el mal trago de la lectura de esta novela gráfica.
Pero al final he caído, y no me arrepiento nada del viaje.
Nada de nada.
Y es que Talbot es único a la hora de encontrar relaciones ocultas y de identificar esos denominadores comunes que yacen bajo la superficie de muchos fenómenos.
De algún modo, veo esta 'El cuento de la rata mala' como un antepasado lejano de la genial 'Alicia en Sunderland' con la que me conquistó en su día, así que no puedo más que recomendar su lectura.
He postergado mucho la lectura de esta novela gráfica porque su temática me echaba un poco para atrás. Un cómic sobre abusos a una niña en el ámbito familiar... Como padre, me incomoda profundamente que pueda existir eso (aunque existe, claro, vaya si existe) y, en fin, hasta ahora había querido ahorrarme el mal trago de la lectura de esta novela gráfica.
Pero al final he caído, y no me arrepiento nada del viaje.
Nada de nada.
Y es que Talbot es único a la hora de encontrar relaciones ocultas y de identificar esos denominadores comunes que yacen bajo la superficie de muchos fenómenos.
De algún modo, veo esta 'El cuento de la rata mala' como un antepasado lejano de la genial 'Alicia en Sunderland' con la que me conquistó en su día, así que no puedo más que recomendar su lectura.
May 30, 2010
This is a remarkable book, and Talbot -- as far as I'm concerned -- never topped it. The story, though it may come across as a little pop-psych by its climax, is engaging and the illustration is the best Talbot ever created, lush yet simple at the same time. It is telling that this superb work is worlds away from his usually more sci-fi outings.
If there's a single drawback to reading this, it's that I still feel it'd be a more interesting read were I more (or at all) familiar with the works of Beatrix Potter. Not that it's necessary to the enjoyment of the book, but kind of like (to make a terrible example) seeing the old Bond films before watching the Austin Powers movies.
My memory of reading this is that it was the first 'serious' graphic novel I read (though the real history seems otherwise), and it was a fine first (true or not) which led me on a path to further reading I might not have otherwise found. Strangest of strange, I now live in a town Talbot knew well (and mentions in his acknowledgements) and know two of his models!
If there's a single drawback to reading this, it's that I still feel it'd be a more interesting read were I more (or at all) familiar with the works of Beatrix Potter. Not that it's necessary to the enjoyment of the book, but kind of like (to make a terrible example) seeing the old Bond films before watching the Austin Powers movies.
My memory of reading this is that it was the first 'serious' graphic novel I read (though the real history seems otherwise), and it was a fine first (true or not) which led me on a path to further reading I might not have otherwise found. Strangest of strange, I now live in a town Talbot knew well (and mentions in his acknowledgements) and know two of his models!
March 7, 2013
Einfühlsam
Ganz ehrlich, so richtig begeistern konnte mich dieser Titel nicht. Dabei ist sowohl Idee als auch Ausführung sehr gut gelungen: Er greift ein schwieriges und ernstes Thema auf, und setzt dieses dezent und einfühlsam um. Hier wird nicht die Moralkeule herausgeholt, und weder Vater noch Tochter sind in klischeehaften Opfer- oder Täterrollen dargestellt. Die Tat selbst wird immer nur durch mehr Hintergrundinformationen klarer, und erst am Ende offen ausgesprochen - ein sehr intelligenter Aufbau. Die Zeichnungen sind schön und sehr angenehm koloriert.
Vielleicht ist es aber auch ein Titel, der gar nicht die Absicht hat, zu begeistern. Wahrscheinlich ist die ruhige und gemächliche Art dem Thema viel angemessener als die oben angesprochene Moralkeule. In diesem Sinne ist auch die Empfehlung: Unterhaltung ist dies nur bedingt, sondern mehr Auseinandersetzung, und wer das erstere sucht, ist mit anderen Comics deutlich besser bedient.
Ganz ehrlich, so richtig begeistern konnte mich dieser Titel nicht. Dabei ist sowohl Idee als auch Ausführung sehr gut gelungen: Er greift ein schwieriges und ernstes Thema auf, und setzt dieses dezent und einfühlsam um. Hier wird nicht die Moralkeule herausgeholt, und weder Vater noch Tochter sind in klischeehaften Opfer- oder Täterrollen dargestellt. Die Tat selbst wird immer nur durch mehr Hintergrundinformationen klarer, und erst am Ende offen ausgesprochen - ein sehr intelligenter Aufbau. Die Zeichnungen sind schön und sehr angenehm koloriert.
Vielleicht ist es aber auch ein Titel, der gar nicht die Absicht hat, zu begeistern. Wahrscheinlich ist die ruhige und gemächliche Art dem Thema viel angemessener als die oben angesprochene Moralkeule. In diesem Sinne ist auch die Empfehlung: Unterhaltung ist dies nur bedingt, sondern mehr Auseinandersetzung, und wer das erstere sucht, ist mit anderen Comics deutlich besser bedient.
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