3.0 out of 5 based on 5 reviews. – Customer review on 05/03/2010

I love Tim Burton's stuff, and so when I first spied this book (in France, actually) I grabbed it straight away thinking it'd be a bunch of cool stories with Burton's own illustrations. As it turns out, the stories are quite sick and twisted - in a not good, not bad kinda way. The stories themselves are pretty ordinary too, but the illustrations are quirky. You'd have to be a pretty big Burton fan to get this though. I gave away my copy to a friend who's a huge fan, and he loved it.

5.0 out of 5 based on 5 reviews. – Customer review on 03/12/2006

The illustrations in this book are instantly recognisable by anyone who has ever seen 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', or the more recent 'Corpse Bride'. The characters are in many instances spindly, emaciated and not at all like other little boys and girls. Whether its 'Jimmy The Hideous Penguin Boy', or 'The Girl Who Turned Into A Bed', all of Burton's creations are both whimsical and slightly tragic. Much like the director himself, they stubbornly defy normality, and it is this refusal to conform in the face of a world that demands conformity which is usually responsible for their misery/failure/gruesome demise.

You can keep your Cat In The Hat and Thomas The Tank Engine. If, through some horrible twist of fate, I ever produce children, they'll be reading 'The Melancholy Death Of Oyster Boy'.

4.0 out of 5 based on 5 reviews. – Customer review on 27/11/2006

A typically Burton-esque book that's dark and thoroughly engaging. A great gift book for those who like the "cult" genre. You can't go wrong there. The stories are written in metric verse and are very very funny in a dark sort of way. As the title suggests its about two parents who are very disturbed by their half oyster child. It's really dark but also very very funny. You just have to read it.

5.0 out of 5 based on 5 reviews. – Customer review on 26/03/2006

One of my favourite books.... if you are a Goth, or Gothically inclined, or love dark, morbid humour, then you must own this book. Stop making excuses, just go out and buy it.

It is a hard to get book, most bookstores dont carry it. I have seen it in a comic shop for $57!

This book is a little treasure, I love it even more than Tim's films (and trust me, I love Tims films!).

The poem 'Stainboy' was actually made into a series of Flash movies a few years ago.

If you like this, then go look at the works of Jhonen Vasquez and Roman Dirge! Oh, and check out 'Creepy Susie' by Angus Oblong - Another hard to get book and someone stole my copy!

4.0 out of 5 based on 5 reviews. – Customer review on 29/01/2006

"The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories" is full of dark humour and strange characters. Accompanied by stylised ink drawings, most are in the format of a short poem.
Like Tim Burton's movies, this book is odd and seems to stand a little bit away from other books. A must for any fan.