When contacted about doing an interview with Jeremy Tarr on his debut book (S)mythology, there were quite a few emotions. Excitement that someone had purposefully wished for me to do a review for them, but also being scared that I was not going to like the book. But, I made my list of questions and while I felt bad that I had not finished the book by the time I had conducted the interview, I was not worried about not liking the book any longer.
Taking from the classic stories about gods and goddesses Jeremy wrote a modern story about a girl who was born from the sea and was lost to her parents. The life of a girl who did not know what her past had held, walked through her future with eyes only partially open. As she found the disadvantages her life held for her, she struggled through them and showed the strength that a god would be proud to have his daughter hold.
Not only are there witches who change their ways, the main character struggles through a life she does not understand and comes out strongly by the end. With the inclusion of the long truthful saying that “Love is Blind” and taken to a different extreme.
But, let’s also not forget the magnificent illustrations done by Katy Smail. They are unique and while often sad, fit the storyline so very well. When the question was brought to Jeremy Tarr if he had told her which images to provide he had said for the most part no. She had read the storyline and then provided images that popped to her while she was reading. Her illustrations showed the extra that, while not necessarily needed, improved upon the story all the more.
While not a long book there is so much that happens within it that providing a review of the book without giving anything wonderful away is nearly impossible. Each page held something that was looked forward to from the page previous. The story included love, death, right, wrong, family, struggles, and so much more.
No, you probably have not heard of Jeremy Tarr before, but if this book shows anything of his talent, I cannot wait to see other things coming from him. When I spoke to him during his book signing, he told of a graphic novel in the works along with other things in the works with the book’s illustrator Katy Smail.
Jennie Ivins