Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan

 

I have always really enjoyed reading books with illustrations, so when I spotted Shaun Tan's Tales from the Inner City on an endcap at Barnes and Noble a few years ago, I was instantly interested. I was really drawn to the strange, beautiful artwork on the cover, and I loved feel of the thick, glossy pages inside. I bought it, of course, but I consistently put off reading it. This was one of those books that I was always "saving for later" for some reason. I knew it was going to be a special one, so I guess I was waiting for the perfect time. I decided to put it on my 22 in 2022 challenge list this year so I would feel like I had permission to finally read it. Since I haven't been loving my picks so far for this month, I figured that the time was finally right to give this one a try.

Tales from the Inner City is a collection of short stories, poetry, and illustrations about interactions between people and animals. The stories are not realistic. They are dreamlike, impossible, and not always easy to understand. The understanding part doesn't matter so much though, because everything in this book is special and interesting. The themes of the stories vary across the text, but all focus on appreciating the natural world in some way and treating animals with kindness and respect. Some of them are sad, some are heartwarming, and some are just plain weird. For example, in the frog story, a boardroom full of executives suddenly turn into frogs. Rather than be upset at his turn of events, they are ecstatic that they are finally free. In another story, all of the bears decide to hire lawyers and sue humans for their crimes against nature. It does not turn out well for either side. Each piece in the book is wildly different and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. It's a very quirky and memorable read.

Just like I predicted, I did absolutely love this book. It was the good kind of weird - the kind that sticks in your brain for a long time after reading it. There wasn't a story in here that I didn't like, although some of my favorites were the aforementioned bear story, the sunfish story, and a very unique piece about some amorous gigantic snails. The opening story about crocodiles living on the eighty-seventh floor of an office building was great too. The pictures were so good that it's really beyond my ability to describe them. This is most definitely one of those books best enjoyed in its physical form so you can really appreciate the artistry that went into it. It was such a good read.

Tales from the Inner City has definitely become a new favorite for me, and I'm very glad I decided to finally pick it up. There's a lot to love about it, but my favorite thing overall was the clear reverence for animals that was woven throughout every story and drawn into every illustration. It is clear that Shaun Tan has a deep respect for all creatures, and that came through in a really beautiful, interesting way here. I can see myself recommending this to a lot of people, but anyone who follows my advice is going to have to buy their own copy - I'm definitely not letting this one off my shelves! 

Challenge Tally

22 in 2022: 14/22

Total Books Read in 2022: 70