Tamara Drewe

Very interesting story. Nice drawings. Nice characters.Different point of views of the same story. Good humor too! They go through little and big drama but they keep on with life(for most of them). It is just what life is about.

This well-received graphic novel began life in serialized form, published in a British newspaper (and still online here). The soapy story is laden with rich characterization and relatable situations. A decidedly PG-13 (at the very least) tale, which may make some parents uncomfortable with its depictions of teen angst and antics, frank sexuality, and drug use (and clear consequences), Tamara Drewe is certainly no worse than sundry stories depicted within popular daytime television dramas--or Judy Blume novels. Though "inspired" by Thomas Hardy's novel Far from the Madding Crowd, Posy Simmonds' sublimely written and drawn story is a horse of a different color. The tragicomedy of manners and misunderstandings is set at a rural English writers' retreat, an ideal backdrop for mischief and melodrama. Owned by a couple whose marriage is problematic (to say the least), the country getaway, a farm, hosts a cast of colorful guests who interact with the pair, each other, and the local townspeople. The title character is a once-ugly young woman whose nose job has transformed her into a seductive and flirtatious figure. The pacing is perfect for this type of tale. Affairs ensue, writerly conflicts flare, relationships are tested, and the usual melodramatic flourishes ebb and flow throughout the story. Though there are few sympathetic characters and no protagonists to speak of, the cast is generally harmless. Their self-absorption and shallowness--despite ample pretense to the contrary--mostly comes off as comic rather than venal. But Simmonds doesn't sell them (or us) short when true tragedy occurs and admirably allows it to happen rather than pull punches or portray it as more--or less--than what it really is. Overall, though, Tamara Drewe is a comedy and those elements are predominant. Simmonds is a wonderful artist. Her fluid storytelling skills are strong and her clean, illustrative style is a delight. Great faces, landscapes, still lives, and emotions are portrayed with precision and panache. The coloring is subtle yet effective, and her language is simple yet rich and evocative. With all the talk of web comics, Posey Simmonds took full advantage of the format and created a substantial though thoroughly entertaining and satisfying work that's fine online yet works equally well in the old-fashioned dead-trees medium too. One would hope that other newspapers and creators would similarly seize the opportunity. -- Richard Pachter

Tamara Drewe is a loose, contemporary re-staging of Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd, and Simmonds does a smooth job translating it to a modern-day setting. I love the look and feel of Posy Simmonds' work, a hybrid of a graphic novel and typeset prose. Her pictures integrate with the story and characters in a remarkably seamless way. Highly Recommended.

I enjoyed everything about this book- the illustrations, story, even the size and format. This is a contemporary mystery/soap-opera with a fairly big cast of characters set in rural England at a writer's retreat. The book is told in first-person perspective, following a handful of characters through their intertwined story, which is apparently based on Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd (Signet Classics), though I haven't read that one (yet!) The characters are well defined, consistent and interesting. I'm from a "literary family," and boy did I recognize some of those writer types! The story is told in blocks of text and balloon captions and the combination keep the narrative ripping along. The illustrations are excellent- well drawn, pleasing page layouts that mix it up between comic format and a scrapbook layout. The English countryside is beautifully rendered. I'm an Anglophile and a comic fan, especially graphic novels by and about women, and I just loved this book. I'm compelled to read Hardy's version next!

The graphic novel, Tamara Drewe by Posy Simmonds, is rich in multiple characters, several story lines (involving the multiple characters), suspense, totally surprising climaxes - all put together expertly by the hand and imagination of Posy Simmonds. The drawings, alone, pull the viewer along in fascination at the facial expressions (so true to the accompanying words!), the body language of the characters (down to the most minute detail), the scenic beauty of the place depicted, and the choice of the limited color scheme - which becomes limitless in Miss Simmonds' expert hands. A feature that is particularly endearing is the character description, at the time the character is introduced. Yes! And as this character is followed, he or she exhibits all the traits one would expect with the description. Yet, just as in real life, (and the complexity of the human psyche)there are tantalizing surprises (just when the reader thought she had the character down pat!)Maddeningly wonderful! And the fascinating ending holds the clue to, perhaps, more to come! This reader is waiting. Hats off to Posy Simmonds.