I venture to suggest that The Melancholy Death and Oyster Boy and Other Stories (1997 in the US) was only published because Tim Burton was already famous. [Yes, the Tim Burton of ‘Beetlejuice’, ‘Batman’, ‘Edward Scissorhands’, ‘Mars Attacks!’ etc.]
While the drawings are proficient, whacky and creepy, the writing isn’t. Very few of the poems scan, and the rhythms are all over the place.
Shame on Faber (who published it in the UK, 1998); they could have spent their time and money on someone / something much more worthwhile.
Picked my copy up in a charity shop – which is where it may end up again…
Ian Gouge - Writer 