Firstly, sorry it's been such a long time between posts! We have lots of reasons but not really any excuses. We haven't stopped reading though so prepare for us to make it up to you with millions, nay BILLIONS, of book reviews starting from this exact moment.
Secondly, Shaun Tan is a life hero of mine. His books are just magical. The English department doesn't know it yet but my thesis is going to have a whole chapter on him in it.
Eric is his latest, gorgeous, and - I say this without irony - heartwarming creation. The book is as tiny as it's titular character, but Tan is always concerned with minutia, of both the un/observable world and of everyday extraordinary things.
On his website (it's really pretty, you should visit) Tan has explained the inspirations behind
Eric. You can see them
here if you like :)
Eric is the story of a foreign exchange student that comes to visit and then prefers to sleep in a cupboard than the spare room. It's quiet, and beautiful, and sad. It's about misunderstandings, even amongst the best of intentions. It's also about all the things we share comfort spaces with, use and take for granted, but don't really look at until someone shows you a new way to see.
****/***** (Four out of Five stars)
Yay, you're back! :D I think you should review everything Shaun Tan has ever done.
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