Customer Reviews

The Gashlycrumb Tinies: Or, After the Outing

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Edward Gorey's dark subversion of children's alphabet books is a tiny book guaranteed to bring a sinister smile to the face of every one with a twisted sense of humor. Opening with "A is for Amy who fell down the stairs" and running all the way to "Z is for Zilla who drank too much gin," the simple but inspired rhymes combine with Gorey's pseudo-Victorian Gothic crosshatch illustrations to wickedly funny effect.

Although his disaster-specific illustrations (such as "R is Rhoda consumed by a fire") are macabrely witty, Gorey is really at his best when he leaves the most to your imagination. Consequently, it is really his illustrations of impending doom ("P is for Prue trampled flat in a brawl") or the shocking aftermath of an unknown circumstance ("K is for Kate who was struck with an ax") that are most likely to inspire a mischievous grin.

Although you might not want to give this to your anxiety-prone niece or your traumatized stepson as a Christmas stocking stuffer unless you wish to make them worry about your intent, older children will likely find it every bit as comical as adults--but adults are the real audience here, much more likely to catch the drop-dead humor involved. Wickedly amusing and sinisterly charming in every way.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Love love love this little hardcover gem! It sits out on a display shelf in my living room. I've purchased three thus far--my nieces (adults, not children) fell for it too and were each gifted a copy at Christmas. A worthwhile addition to your Gorey collection or as a fun gift for the more macabre-minded friend in your life.

I expected it to be a larger book. Its only bout 5" by 5". Still the artwork was very well done and its a very cute book. $10 is for sure worth it!

This is for anyone with that sense of humor that most people just don't seem to get. A genuis dark twist on teaching the ABC's... very delightful.
~CS112_tih2

But you will not die of ennui if you open this book. It illustrates the misfortunes of 26 children with names A-Z to a ghoulishly humorous rhyme. The cover image of the umbrella wielding symbol of death and his doomed "tinies" is one of the most famous artwork out there; especially in the gothic world. Inside are drawings of the children before or after their sudden deaths. My favorite is "H is for Hector done in by a thug" with a drawing of an innocent schoolboy and two arms holding a long piece of cloth in the background. No doubt this scene was inspired by the barbaric cult that practiced ritual strangulation known as the "Thuggies." The most gruesome drawing is "K is for Kate who was struck with an axe" the rest are more witty than grisly. Like the title, this book is tiny in size as well but big on macabre humor!

I'm so surprised to find this book here! I actually have this one! My cousin bought it for me, knowing my morbid sense of humor. It's pretty funny if you have my kind of humor.

Dark, morbid, violent and creatively brilliant. This book adds humor to gore and visually brightens your day, the artwork consists of very good black ink drawings,each page has some specific death for a child in alphabetical order, such as,(K is for Katie who was struck with an axe, or, X is for Xerxes devoured by mice).Noe the fact that all these nasty things happen to children should not dissuade you, its humor people, just don't buy the book for you kids.All of Edward Gorey's book should be collected because of the artwork and the fantastically morbid story's, I know I'll be buying more.

This little book is macabrely funny and delightfully bizarre. From the Mary-Poppins like pose of the skeleton undertaker on the cover to the 26 little tomestones on the back, this book tells the story of the improbable demise of a small child for every letter of the alphabet. A wonderful gothic parody.

This book was my first foray into the wierd Victorian-styled blackly-comedic world of Edward Gorey, and definitely got me hooked. It provides an alphabetical list, in rhyming couplets, of children dying from freak accidents, parental neglect, or their own foolishness ("L is for Leo who swallowed some tacks," f'rinstance). It pokes fun at the Victorian era's placing children on a pedestal by pointing out how easy it is for them to fall and possibly asks, through the absence of parents in any of the illustrations, why did people who held children in such high regard leave theirs in big creepy houses full of potential death-traps?
I give it a 3 because, while silly, it's not the best example of Gorey's quirky humor. If you'd like quirky humor and wierd art without dying children, I highly reccomend The Doubtful Guest or The Epipleptic Bicycle

The Gashlycrumb Tinies is for those with a macabre, but light sense of humor. It is an A to Z tale of children meeting their doom.

WARNING: Please buy this book ONLY if you understand Edward Gorey. He has an odd sense of humor and it is certainly one-of-a kind. The content in this book is not meant to be taken seriously.