Eradicate Bounderies

Graphic novel by Posy Simmonds; Tamara Drewe

A creative illustrator, British newspaper cartoonist and romantic writer with modernist twist best describe the work of Posey Simmonds.  Best known for her drawn work in The Guardian both later pubished; Gemma Bovery (2000) and of course, Tamara Drewe (2005-2006). Depicting the style of 18^th and 19^th Century gothic romantic novel s, Simmonds adds an ironic modernist incline capturing a ‘doomed heroine’ in both her published books. Her ear for dialogue is flawless, and handles a sympathetic yet merciless nature; a cruel but kind disposition making the book gripping and addictive.  Extremely amusing and acutely observed, the book and film gain dramatic strength and satirical thrust from using Thomas Hardy's first Wessex novel Far From the Madding Crowd as inspiration and armature. Tamara Drewe is a modern version of Hardy's headstrong Victorian heroine Bathsheba Everdene.

Reading Simmond’s Tamara Drewe for the first time, I was struck by the effective and incredibly realistic commentary on the way we live now. This book depicts the youthful life of English village life in the mid-2000s and her accuracy follows on right to hoodies crowed round a kebab van on a Friday night. Simmonds is witty, light hearted and thoroughly entertaining.