A Review of All My Reviews Thus Far
Phew! What a month. Lots of e-mailing and tweeting and facbooking as the first reviews ofThe House That Groaned came in. And let me tell you it is scary stuff. So… here in one location is an unadulterated warts and all list of all the reviews (I know of) of my graphic novel thus far.
A big thank you to all the reviewers! And please contact fmurphy@randomhouse.co.uk if you’d like your own copy to review. I’d love to know what you think!
K x
‘KARRIE FRANSMAN breaks all the rules of storytelling; accumulated over the past thousands of years. She creates a confusion at first, that suddenly bursts into the obvious and simplest fact; that all the stories of, and in our lives, are personal and private. Unlinked and unlike anyone else’s…..like our DNA. The only way this wonderful ‘Book’ could have been written is by illustration….not by word…..rather like the hidden stories drawn on the walls of caves. Nicholas Roeg (director of Don’t look Now and Walkabout)
‘The oddball tenants of a shared London house jump off the page in Karrie Fransman’s bleak yet beautiful graphic novel’ The Observer Full Review Here.
‘It’s an enjoyable tale, dark but full of energy, fascinated by the private lives and perversity that bulge beneath suburbia’s facade’ The Guardian Full Review Here.
‘Oddly macabre and moving at the same time, more absurdist magic realism than gritty kitchen-sink drama, few British debut graphic novels have been as audacious and unsettling as this.’ Paul Gravett (Journalist and author of 1001 Comics to Read Before You Die) Full Review Here
‘The House That Groaned is definitely not the usual fare I have come to expect from young women’s graphic novels, those coming-of-age stories replete with weight problems and dates that go wrong. No coming of age here, although we do get some frightening insights into a good number of childhoods. As for bad dates, all the tenants of the rotting Victorian apartment house have dates that go horribly wrong. And let’s not begin to talk about weight problems! So the issues in the typical graphic novel by women are present here, but cleverly twisted, as are the wretched tenants and the groaning house itself. Karrie Fransman’s art style, which can only be described as creepy, augments the general malaise of the story. I recommend this book to all lovers of dark humor.’ Trina Robbins (Writer, Historian of Women’s Comics)
‘The beautifully evocative illustrations remind us of the work of Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis) and Alison Bechdel (Fun Home), but the darkly funny story – a tale of urban alienation, hungry women and sexuality – is uniquely Fransman’s. Stylist Editor’s Picks. Full Review Here.
‘But although there’s wonderfully-funny grotesque touches, there is a complexity and a depth to her creations that somehow anchors the whole thing in real life.’ It’s Nice That Full Review Here.
Shout-out in my old home… The Guardian’s G2: Seen Here.
‘The House That Groaned is the type of story that graphic novels are made for. Visually compelling and narratively complex. It’s also a book that challenges the conventions and expectations of what the medium can do. Can we have more books like this? Please!’ Gav Reads (Super blogger) Full Review Here.
RTE Radio Interview: Listen Here at 50:16.
‘Replete with understated yet observant social commentary — dressed up in the trappings of black comedy, surreal pathos and often downbeat drama –The House that Groaned is an exceptional first-time graphic novel. Karrie Fransman is a name to carefully watch in the ever burgeoning U.K. indie graphic novel scene.’Broken Frontier Full Review Here.
‘So all in all it’s a damn fine book; hugely, spectacularly impressive for a debut. But the flaws in it make it more a technical and storytelling success than a really great, engaging, intriguing, fascinating thng.’Richard Burton (Forbidden Planet) Full Review Here.
‘A brave and sophisticated book, The House that Groaned digs deep into the psyche of flat dwellers and what goes on behind their closed doors. It’s exaggerated caricature but it’s stuffed full of social observation. It’s a fantastic read: dramatic, surreal, sophisticated, hilarious and horrific in equal measure.’ Grovel.org.uk. Full Review Here.
‘It is rather ‘adult’ content though and not one to leave around for youngsters to flick through.’ Sarah Broadhurst (Super blogger) Full Review Here.
“The House That Groaned” is an original, well written, and completely enrapturing read that deserves a wide audience.’ Sam Quixote (Amazon Top 50 Reviewer) Full Review Here.
‘It’s also darkly humorous, definitely surreal and very highly recommended.’ Pamflet Full Review Here.
‘It’s a great literary graphic novel that touches upon so many different aspects of life. It is also an utterly beautiful object to hold in your hands and shouts very loudly that physical books aren’t going anywhere.’Dog Ear Discs. Full Review Here.
‘The House The Groaned is a story of fantasy dripped in reality and I recommend you follow the advice of The Midnight Feast Front Woman and gorge yourself on it immediately.’ Graphic EngineFull Review Here.
And one of my favourites…
‘This is a graphic novel I found in an independent bookshop that smells really good. It’s a weird one but I liked it.’ Frankie at Hurry Up Please It’s Time. Found Here.
Now, hurry along and go buy one for yourself. And your nan. And her dog.