Essex County: Tales from the Farm v. 1 (Essex County)
by Jeff Lemire
published
March 21st 2007
by Top Shelf Productions Inc.
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binding
Paperback, 112 pages
literary awards
Alex Award
isbn
1891830880
(isbn13: 9781891830884)
description
Xeric Award-winning cartoonist Jeff Lemire (Lost Dogs) illustrates the tale of Lester, an orphaned 10-year-old who goes to live on his Uncle's farm. T...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 160)
Read in March, 2008
Yes, this is a slim little volume and yes, I probably would have preferred reading all three volumes at once, but Tales from the Farm is beautifully drawn, and the characters and dialogue are achingly honest. I loved the strained relationship between Lester and his Uncle Kenny and I love how the landscape was such a crucial part of the story. Some reviewers here have mentioned that the Canadian setting and the hockey might be a potential stumbling block for young American readers. To me this was...more
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Read in April, 2008
This is the first in a trilogy and I can't wait to read the second one. Even though the dialogue is quite simple, I felt very moved by the three characters in this story. When 10yr old Lester's mom dies, his uncle is the only family left to take care of him. Their relationship is awkward and they both seem to withdraw from each other at times. Then Lester befriends Jimmy,an old hockey star who now owns a gas station. Everyone thinks Jimmy is slow because his career ended when he was hit in th...more
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Read in January, 2008
I enjoyed this book, but it was not stellar. The art is very rough. It's not my style of art. It's good - in it's own way. I really enjoyed the story. It's about a 10 year old boy living with his uncle because he doesn't have a dad and his mom recently died of cancer. He's just trying to live life as a 10 year old, but he has some inner struggles with some real issues. The book doesn't touch on those much, but there are dark undertones. I enjoyed it, but it's not the best book I've read this wee...more
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The story of Lester, an orphan on the Canadian plains, and his superhero imagination, "Tales from the Farm" sometimes risks preciousness but never falls into that trap. Lemire's austere narration and rich, liquid ink mark the story as distinct from more common entries in the swollen genre of magical-realism semi-autobiographical graphic novels about sensitive children. This book seems to be that, but it's subtler, lonelier, and more beautifully draw. I'll read everything Lemire publish
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Read in July, 2008
This poignant graphic novel is a must-read. Lester moved in with his uncle after his mother passed away from cancer, and the two are struggling to connect through their grief. Lester deals with his loneliness by diving into comic books, and he finds an unexpected friend in the town's local gas station clerk. Lemire's illustrations convey the isolation and longing of the characters very well. This book shows what a unique niche graphic novels have in literature.
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This book is very good and a very Steinbeck-slash-Twain tone to it that you can't but help and enjoy. The story is quite sobering, though, so I recommend you read it in a state where you can handle it, because it might ruin someone's day. It is really brilliant, though, and I think everyone should read it, along with the rest of the Essex County trilogy, this being the first one.
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
thoughtful GN readers of all ages
Lemire does a wonderfully understated job of portraying the world of a lonely, sad ten year old boy whose mother has died. His uncle has taken him in but doesn't understand anything about the boy who believes himself to be a superhero. It is not until he finds friendship with a former hockey star who was injured that his world begins to be whole again.
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Read in December, 2007
An extremely quick yet cute read. The downside for me is that I found the characters a bit underdeveloped due to its brevity. It seemed to me like too much time was spent on backstory as opposed to the current going-ons of the characters. Hopefully the second book in the trilogy will do a bit more fleshing out of the characters.
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Read in June, 2008
i love this story. seemingly simple. the illustrations are great and the use of flashbacks interesting. i love how some of the frames were slightly askew. i love Jimmy Lebeuf. i'm (clearly) looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
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I enjoyed the story, but I don't know how popular it will be with the YA crowd. Being the first in a trilogy I am curious to see how the main character will grow. The animation is sparse, the setting is rural. We'll just have to see how popular it is.
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Sometimes harsh lines for a sometimes harsh (yet often oh-so-tender) story of a ten-year-old boy on his uncle's farm. Set in Canada, this is a tribute to men who are trying hard to love. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
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Read in September, 2008
There was something haunting about the bleak, primitive style. I was really relieved that this didn't turn out to be a child molestation story, and I love that he uses his own kid cartoons in this graphic novel.
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Oh man, the part where he includes Lester's Heroes and Villains hand-made comic hit really close to home. The sketchy, inky style throughout grows on you. This is one of the better ones I've read recently.
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
fans of Craig Thompson
A short but engrossing tale of hockey and heartache. The loneliness the characters try to deal with is matched flawlessly by Jeff Lemire's drawing style. First in a trilogy... next up is Vol. 2 Ghost Stories.
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recommends it for:
fans of sparse, expansive, and emotional fiction
I wasnt sure how i was going to like this but i took a risk and was well rewarded. a really quick read that has a surprising amount of emotional punch in its simple drawings and sparse unverbosedness.
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Read in January, 2008
Sparse Canadian landscapes. O.k. story. YALSA gave it an ALEX award, but I don't see too many High Schoolers clamoring for this. Plus it has a hockey subplot...never gonna work in the U.S.
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This is a short vignette about a young boy trying to adjust to living with his uncle after the death of his mother. I liked the art work, and enjoyed the book. I'll continue on with the series.
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Read in March, 2008
recommends it for:
anyone
Lester goes to live with his uncle on a farm in Ontario, and escapes from his sad memories of his mother's death by drawing comic books and dreaming of superheroes and aliens.
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Read in January, 2007
Really strong little story. Loved the artwork and the way the tale reminds me of the simplicity of imagination as a child. Looking forward to the next one.
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Read in May, 2008
I stumbled onto this graphic novel in the library last week. The story is simple and beautifully written and drawn. I'll look for more novels by G. Lemire!
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