Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories

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Overview

From breathtaking stop-action animation to bittersweet modern fairy tales, filmmaker Tim Burton has become known for his unique visual brilliance — witty and macabre at once. Now he gives birth to a cast of gruesomely sympathetic children — misunderstood outcasts who struggle to find love and belonging in their cruel, cruel worlds. His lovingly lurid illustrations evoke both the sweetness and the tragedy of these dark yet simple beings — hopeful, hapless heroes who appeal to the ugly outsider in all of us, and let us laugh at a world we have long left behind (mostly anyway).

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More About This Book

Overview

From breathtaking stop-action animation to bittersweet modern fairy tales, filmmaker Tim Burton has become known for his unique visual brilliance — witty and macabre at once. Now he gives birth to a cast of gruesomely sympathetic children — misunderstood outcasts who struggle to find love and belonging in their cruel, cruel worlds. His lovingly lurid illustrations evoke both the sweetness and the tragedy of these dark yet simple beings — hopeful, hapless heroes who appeal to the ugly outsider in all of us, and let us laugh at a world we have long left behind (mostly anyway).

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble Review
Tim Burton has always kept himself enough in the shadows of public scrutiny, avoiding the limelight like a bashful vampire, to remain a genuinely enigmatic figure in the world of entertainment. As the director and/or creator of some of the most unusually stylized films of the last decade or so -- "Edward Scissorhands," "Beetlejuice," and the original "Batman," to name a few -- he is the quintessential cult auteur. Now he's produced his first work of fiction. "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories", a collection of delectably macabre little tales in verse with accompanying drawings, is funny, sad, and as you would expect, more than a little bit twisted.

For the protagonists of these stories, Burton has spawned an array of fantastically misbegotten, partly human children, each one tragic and sweet, gruesome and heroic in his own way. Like Edward Scissorhands, who so gracefully and eerily embodied the tragedy of misunderstood youth, these poor little misfits appeal to the awkward, anxiety-ridden outsider in all of us. Take Voodoo Girl, for instance, whose plight is a sad one:

Her skin is white cloth, and she's all sewn apart and she has many colored pins sticking out of her heart. She has a beautiful set of hypno-disk eyes the ones that she uses to hypnotize guys.

The accompanying illustration is of a "Nightmare Before Christmas"-esque voodoo doll impaled all over by pins, with blazing eyes and red lipstick. It's both revolting and comical. And though as the story goes on, Voodoo Girl can woo all the boys she wants, the end has anunhappy and metaphor-laden twist:

But she knows she has a curse on her, a curse she cannot win. For if someone gets too close to her, the pins stick farther in.

There's also Roy, the Toxic Boy, mortally allergic to fresh air (his favorite toy is a can of aerosol spray); Mummy Boy (with his mummy dog), mistaken at a birthday party for a piñata; and a host of others. They could easily be Edward's mutant little brothers and sisters, and though they're horrible, they're also silly and sympathetic.

One of the great things about watching Burton's films is that they are so visually striking and atmospherically unusual that they give you the distinct sense that you're seeing things through the eyes of someone with a thoroughly unique perspective. He has a knack for re-creating the world as something that reflects whatever story he's telling. "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy" has a similar effect. It's a sparse, smallish black hardcover that looks disquietingly like someone's diary. This is somehow appropriate, because the delicate drawings and poems inside seem extremely personal. To open the book is to step into a strange fantasy land. It's very much the same experience as watching one of Burton's movies.

Like all of Burton's creations, these stories are wildly original; they're also pretty grotesque -- several of them enough so as to be truly unsettling (the climax of the title story is one of the most outrageous and hideous things ever to happen in a cartoon). It might take a rarefied (some would say warped) sense of humor to appreciate it, but this is brilliantly dark storytelling in a simple, uncluttered form. If you liked any of Tim Burton's movies, you'll like this book. It's guaranteed to make you smirk and cringe.--Olli Chanoff

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780688156817
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 10/28/1997
  • Edition number: 1
  • Pages: 128
  • Sales rank: 33,661
  • Product dimensions: 5.27 (w) x 7.79 (h) x 0.68 (d)

Meet the Author

Tim Burton is the creative genius behind Batman, Beetlejuice, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks!, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, among others. He began his career at Disney, where his first project was a six-minute tribute to Vincent Price. His second film, the twenty-seven-minute Frankenweenie, was deemed unsuitable for children and never released in theaters. He lives in New York and Los Angeles.

Read an Excerpt

Stick Boy and Match Girl in Love


Stick Boy liked Match Girl,
He liked her a lot.
He liked her cute figure,
he thought she was hot.

But could a flame ever burn
for a match and a stick?
It did quite literally;
he burned up pretty quick.




Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy. Copyright © by Tim Burton. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Available now wherever books are sold.

Table of Contents

Stick Boy and Match Girl in Love 1
Robot Boy 5
Staring Girl 11
The Boy With Nails in His Eyes 23
The Girl With Many Eyes 25
Stain Boy 26
The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy 29
Voodoo Girl 51
Stain Boy's Special Christmas 55
The Girl Who Turned Into a Bed 59
Roy, the Toxic Boy 63
James 71
Stick Boy's Festive Season 73
Brie Boy 74
Mummy Boy 77
Junk Girl 89
The Pin Cushion Queen 93
Melonhead 94
Sue 97
Jimmy, the Hideous Penguin Boy 101
Char Boy 103
Anchor Baby 105
Oyster Boy Steps Out 113
Customer Reviews
Average Rating 4.5
( 37 )

Rating Distribution

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 8, 2004

    Sea Food Gone Wrong

    I have loved Tim Burton since I saw Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (first movie I saw in theaters) and now that I read this book I can tell he's more of a genious then I ever thought he was. The poem's are funny (Stick Boy and Match Girl in Love, Stain Boy's Special Christmas) and depressing (The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, Roy, the Toxic Boy). I wouldn't say the book is a children's book (because of Anchor Baby and others) but I would say that you should at least be 12 to read this book. If you are a parent don't buy this book until you think your children should read it. But, it is pretty funny (Sue) because of the dramatic irony (The Reptile Room). I used to think Tim Burton was dead until I saw Big Fish and now, I just hope he writes a sequel to this book. A sort o' Oyster Boy comes back from the dead sorta thing. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next! -Matt McGinnis

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 14, 2005

    AN OUTSTANDING BOOK FROM AN OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR

    Tim Burton is a great legendary director,and now he has wrote this book that is so sad and funny it deserves to win an award.WARNING BOOK IS NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 14, 2003

    Outrageously Brilliant

    I am a tough critic. More for movies then for books. Tim Burton is my favriote director because of his dark vision for everything is simply outstanding. How can a vision Be dark? How can a dark vision be good? Read this and you will find out. Great Book. Loved it and proves that Tim Burton is still a visionary genius.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 7, 2002

    Delightfully evil

    one of the best books i ever read, all of them are sad, but you have to look at them with a dark sense of humor. my favorite poem in the book was "the boy with nails in his eyes". this is surely on of the greatest literary works of our time

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 20, 2001

    Lovable

    Tim Burton is with out a doubt one of the most amazing creative geniuses of our time, and this book proves it. It is touching, beautiful, and often times quite amusing. The poems will leave tears in your eyes, humor in your heart, and a smile on your face. The pictures add a wonderfully visual second dimension, and add insight to Tim. I have always been a HUGE Tim Burton fanatic, and this book did nothing but increase the enthusiasm towards him and his works. It is totally lovable- if you are considering, with out a doubt- buy it!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted August 1, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Wish He Would Write More!

    This is one of my most cherished books because it is very rare. It is amazing,funny,but not for kids there is lots of sexual stuff,but a great read.

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  • Posted April 8, 2010

    1.RATINGS Reader Rating * Please provide an overall Reader Rating before you add Detailed Ratings. Detailed Ratings What's this? Not Applicable = Not Applicable You can now share additional feedback with your fellow shopper

    All this talent in one body. Bravo for Tim Burton's witty, beautifully illustrated book.A keeper!

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  • Posted December 31, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Classic Tim Burton

    This is an amazing collection of short stories for any fan of Tim Burton. New or old. Some are quite funny but also very serious at the same time. I like how each story can relate to anyone at some point in their life. Burton has an incredible mind and a very vivid imagination. This is quite an old collection of stories, written a little over a decade ago, but is a great start for anybody looking to get inside the mind of Tim Burton.

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  • Posted July 10, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    Not for everybody

    Hi, everyone! I loved this book! But I can tell it's not a book for just everybody. I would not give it as a present to someone I don't know much and most definitely I would give it to someone special who at least like these kind of dark stories. I guess the one who wrote the review "You people must be mad!" DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. But it's ok. We all who like Tim Burton and this kind of books forgive him. :) He he he. Thanks for reading my review!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2008

    Amzingly cool

    It was very dark and mysterious and was at times very histerical!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 13, 2008

    You people must be mad!

    This book isn't poetry, it's an acrimonious celebration of death and gloom. That alone is not enough to ruin a book, but when it is combined with some of the most inept poetry writing ever, you have a recipe for disaster. I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone, especially those with even the slightest resemblance to an intellectual mind.

    0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 6, 2004

    funny with a twist

    i got this book when i was in third grade as a gift, and read it but didn't understand most of it. i didn't think of the book untill i saw it on the shelves of hot topic, so i went home and re-read it. it is probably one of the funnyist books that i own.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 3, 2004

    Simply Amazing

    The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories just goes to show just how much of a genious Tim Burton is. Film maker, producer, director, poet, artist, comic, he's nothing and everything all at once, a true prodigy. This book is a favorite of mine and always will be, if you enjoy his movies or enjoy morbid humor, then you need this book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 16, 2001

    Oyster Boy

    I love this book. His poetry is amazing and tragic.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 19, 2001

    Gorey with color!

    This book is wonderful. It definately reminds me of Edward Gorey's morbid humor. The drawings are excellent!!! This book cracked me up!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 5, 2001

    Fantastically Sweet, Morbid, and Funny

    Ive loved Tim Burtons movies and happened to see this book in the barnes and noble cafe, I opened it up to an anonymous poem, read it and started cracking up laughing. Everyone was staring. When I got it, I took it to school and it was stolen... it got around the school and back to me. Next thing you know, everyone who read it LOVED it and the art students were drawing the characters. GREAT book, one of my favorites amoung my collection of books. You HAVE to get it!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted November 6, 2000

    excellent rip-off of edward gory

    rip- off may be to strong but the gory influence is beyond obvious. still an excellent book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 31, 2000

    beautiful

    i doubt i have seen any book so beautiful in my whole life. the pictures are stunning and the poetry is remarkable. i stroungly suggest this book to everyone that has ever felt left out of anything at any point in their lives.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 12, 2000

    This Is SO funny! - olive

    this book is great, the first time i read it i was in barnes and nobles coffee shop, i think they where about to kick us out we where laughing so loud! you have to read it!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 30, 2000

    funny!

    this book has poetry and comedy packed into one compact book. Tim Burton is a Genieus(i probably spelled that wrong)and is a brilliant director. !!!!!A MUST BUY!!!!!

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