Meet Jim and Hilda Bloggs. They are the characters through which Raymond Briggs tells the story of the impact of nuclear war. They could be anyone's grandparents.
The story starts off in colourful detail. Jim, having lived through The Blitz, hears that war could once again be rearing it's ugly head. He's picked up some leaflets from the library on how to prepare for "The Bomb". Hilda worries about Jim ruining the paintwork and what will happen to their milk order. And no way is she using anything other than a toilet for the bathroom!
This war will be different from the one he remembers. As with many things, the memories of World War II become a little less frightening with the passing of time. Sleeping in a Morrison shelter was fun and wasn't it nice to hear Vera Lynn singing. Spitfires and Hurricanes in the blue skies over cornfields, those were the days.
The airplanes that will come this time have even more sinister cargo on board.
This is where you start to feel quite sick for these two characters. With the turning of a page you see only white and know that the worst has happened, The Bomb has been dropped. There is no longer very much colour in the illustrations and we watch these two lovely people struggle to maintain life as normal while being affected by radiation sickness. The stiff upper lip and all that, ever present until the end. Even writing about this story brings tears to my eyes and I will never forget it. For Raymond Briggs to take you from smiling to tears in less than an hour in comic book form shows how talented he is. An amazing piece of work.
Meet Jim and Hilda Bloggs. They are the characters through which Raymond Briggs tells the story of the impact of nuclear war. They could be anyone's grandparents. 
The story starts off in colourful detail. Jim, having lived through The Blitz, hears that war could once again be rearing it's ugly head. He's picked up some leaflets from the library on how to prepare for "The Bomb". Hilda worries about Jim ruining the paintwork and what will happen to their milk order. And no way is she using anything other than a toilet for the bathroom!
This war will be different from the one he remembers. As with many things, the memories of World War II become a little less frightening with the passing of time. Sleeping in a Morrison shelter was fun and wasn't it nice to hear Vera Lynn singing. Spitfires and Hurricanes in the blue skies over cornfields, those were the days. 
The airplanes that will come this time have even more sinister cargo on board.
This is where you start to feel quite sick for these two characters. With the turning of a page you see only white and know that the worst has happened, The Bomb has been dropped. There is no longer very much colour in the illustrations and we watch these two lovely people struggle to maintain life as normal while being affected by radiation sickness. The stiff upper lip and all that, ever present until the end. Even writing about this story brings tears to my eyes and I will never forget it. For Raymond Briggs to take you from smiling to tears in less than an hour in comic book form shows how talented he is. An amazing piece of work.
I found this book absolutely terrifying when I read it aged 14, and I don't think I've revisited it. But I remember it being very poignant, in the way that the Snowman is, and beautifully illustrated, even if it is a very harsh tale. I'm glad you found a copy!
ReplyDeleteverity, This copy came from a library two cities away. I can't believe we don't have it in our own collection.
ReplyDeleteDarlene, I found this book beautiful and heartrendingly poignant; it still resonates with me a few years later.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the film?
Now this sounds much, much darker than The Snowman! I really must look for his other books. I hadn't heard of this one.
ReplyDeletePaperback Reader, There's a film!!! The quest has begun! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful review, Darlene! I just loved Ethel & Ernest, now I'm off to check the library website for this one!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, Let me know what you think! I wish Mr Briggs had more titles along these lines for adults.
ReplyDelete