The Epiplectic Bicycle

"Embley and Yewbert were hitting one another with croquet mallets when they heard a noise behind the wall, and an untenanted bicycle rolled into view."

This brief book is a delightful snippet of Edward Gorey's twisted talent. Stark drawings, random oddness, gothic gloominess -- all his trademarks are here. It's not as dark as some of his work, but it's still a far cry from the day-glo cheeriness of your average illustrated story. Which probably explains why his work has such appeal to adults.

All too brief, but wonderful.

Having misread the title as "The Epileptic Bicycle", I was waiting for some kind of velocipedic convulsion which never happened. Having re-read the title, I understand why.

Both text and illustrations are slight and, while not without interest, neither really grabbed me. But, I think there may be more in here than my first reading uncovered, so I'll give it a short while and read it again to see if I can plumb some hidden depths.

Update 25-05-2015: I have read it again, and there are no hidden depths to be plumbed, as far as I can tell. Nonetheless, there is something about the book that I like (possibly that Yewbert looks a bit like Curt Cobain? That the bird reminds me of the 'nuisance bird' in The Phantom Tollbooth?), so I will give it show more an extra ½ star = 3½ stars. show less

A quirky and non-sensical pocket sized children's book, with many a laugh for all ages. Lovely black and white pencil sketches and clever prose. One for imaginative children.

A brother and sister fight to take control of an unnatended bicycle. They eventually ride together. They meet a crow who warns "beware of this and that," Embly looses 14 pairs of yellow shoes, they ride through a "lengthy puddle" and meet an alligator. They return to their original spot and discover an obelisk which "said it had been raised to their memory 173 years ago." The bike falls to bits. This is a quirky dark story with charming black and white drawings. It is great for both adults and unique kids.

Gorey is dark, twisted and quirky. His drawings add an additional unique vibe, I just can't get enough.

A brother and sister - Embley and Yewbert - are fighting each other in a garden when an empty bicycle rolls through the gate. They embark on one of Gorey's fabulously strange and fantastical journeys, to return home to a surprise.

Gorey's shorts: nothing else in all of literature like them.