Tyranny

Peach’s Picks Rating


Title:
Tyranny

Author:
Lesley Fairfield

Illustrator:
Lesley Fairfield

ISBN:
978-0-88776-903-0

Publisher:
Toronto, Ontario: Tundra Books

Copyright:
2009

Length:
114 pages

Plot Summary:
Meet, Anna, the protagonist of this graphic novel who suffers from anorexia and bulimia. Tyranny, her alter ego representing eating disorders and self-doubt, has Anna in a choke hold screaming, “I told you not to eat. You are too fat!!” They argue for a few pages and then Anna looks at the reader and says, “How did I get to this place?” Anna explains her childhood, full of happiness, dreams, and expectations of becoming a wife, mother, and writer. Then puberty hits and Tyranny becomes her friend and nemesis. Anna drops out of high school because she cannot concentrate. Her boyfriend breaks up and she works at a series of jobs, all the time battling Tyranny. During her journey she encounters other young women who suffer from eating disorders and one dear friend eventually dies. Anna is tells about her struggles with laxatives and her fear of dying. She visits doctors and therapists. Anna is placed in an inpatient therapy center still struggling with Tyranny. She echoes the thoughts of so many who suffer from eating disorders, always obsessing over food and thinking “I’m too fat.”

Critical Evaluation:
School Library Journal awards this book a starred review saying, “Every public and school library should own at least one copy of this amazing book”. The book paints a very strong and clear picture about the struggles of those suffering from anorexia and bulimia. It is didactic, but not in a moralizing or preachy manner. The author simply tells the story of one young woman’s struggle beginning in childhood and lasting into her adult years. The main character’s name, Anna, is an affectionate nickname for anorexia used by sufferers. Tyranny, the antagonist, is a frightening, skeletal, dominating figure that is larger and thinner than the main character. Sometimes it is shown strangling her or being carried on her back, all metaphors for Anna’s feelings. No blame is placed on Anna or her parents for the eating disorder. There is some blame placed on society and its current depiction of an ideal woman as a thin model-like beauty. Rather than blame, the author emphasizes that a person suffering from eating disorders has a malfunctioning brain, preventing viewing oneself accurately. The black and white drawings are cartoon-like. The panels are placed similarly to a traditional comic book. The text is printed in capital letters and is easy to read and follow. The book is printed on glossy paper and is very appealing. The cover is a striking. The background is black and a shiny, silver colored side-view of Tyranny’s face leers at the viewer. The book’s size is very alluring, inviting a reader to pick it up and page through it.

Reader’s Annotation:
Anna suffers from anorexia and bulimia. She drops out of school, loses her boyfriend, and can barely keep a job. She is afraid she will die, but she will never be thin enough to please herself.

Author Information:
Graduate of Ontario College of Art and Design
Has illustrated many children’s books
Has battled anorexia and bulimia for 30 years
(little information available)

Genre:
Alternative format – graphic novel - issues

Curriculum Ties:
Use in literature, creative writing, and human development classes

Booktalking Ideas:
This book is great to read along with the book Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. It gives a greater understanding to the characters found in that book and to those who suffer from anorexia and bulimia.

When reading this graphic novel about Anna’s struggle with anorexia and bulimia, you might recognize yourself. I did.

Reading Level/Interest Age:
Teens

Additional Books by Author:
None

Challenge Issues:
Eating disorders, nudity
Deal with challenge by having a challenge policy in place, selection policy in place (ALA policies). Meet with library administration if necessary. Provide positive review(s) from professional publications.

Why this work is included in Peach’s Picks:
This book is included because it received a starred review in School Library Journal and positive reviews in Booklist and Kirkus Reviews. Five peaches are awarded for the book’s honest handling of an important topic.

Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Tyranny-Lesley-Fairfield/dp/0887769039/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273353760&sr=8-1

References:
Lipinski, A. (2010). “Tyranny”. School Library Journal, 56(3), 184-185. Retrieved May 1, 2010, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database.