This weird novelette by the much-loved Doctor Who actor chronicles the life of a teenaged sociopath called Robert who has a fixation on kicking pigs, or anything pig-related. After a particularly embarrassing public incident, Robert decides he hates the entire human race, and sets about enacting his vengeance. From that point on it is almost literally a train wreck as one thing leads to another. Half the book consists of pen-and-ink illustrations that are rather like a cross between Edward Gorey and Chas. Addams. If you have a sick (and British) sense of humor you will love this story. ( )

Interesting. The language is very curious, and almost all the expressions seem to be particular to England from about 1950 to 1980 - which perhaps isn't that surprising. It's written like a told story, almost conversationally. I can't say I liked it very much, but I certainly didn't hate it and can see why children might love it.
Gruesome and merciless, this is all slime and snails. ( )

bookshelves: published-1999, winter-20132014, tbr-busting-2014, kiddlewinks, amusing, art-forms, under-500-ratings, shortstory-shortstories-novellas, revenge, fraudio, fantasy, boo-scary, doo-lally, ouch, gothic, gr-library, young-adult
Read from September 09, 2013 to January 17, 2014

Who knew, the fourth doctor penned some boy-fun.

Description: Robert Caligari is a thoroughly evil thirteen-year-old who gets his kicks from kicking pigs. After a humiliating episode with a bacon butty, Robert realizes just how much he loathes the human race - and his revenge is truly terrible. This subversive horror-fantasy from Tom Baker (ex-monk, ex-sailor, and the ultimate Doctor Who) is outrageous and funny, and since the hardback was published in 1999 has gone on to become a cult classic. It is illustrated throughout with b/w line drawings from David Roberts.

'Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile', was Robert's favourite quote.

This reads like a cross between Dahl, Snicket and Dennis the Menace, only darker than that! ( )

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1676821.html

It's very short - only 120 pages, and half of those are a series of evocative line drawings illustrating the text. The central character, Robert Caligari, is a horrible boy who enjoys causing fatal road accidents, and comes to a suitably disgusting end (this is not a spoiler as the first paragraph says so). It is told with a certain deep and dark humour, which makes the unpleasant protagonist just interesting enough to keep us engaged. The second half is not as good as the first, with a peculiar digression into mocking local radio presenters which doesn't really work. But it is yet another fascinating insight into Baker's very peculiar mind. ( )

not for faint of heart...as stated beyond the pale ( )