Tatanic

by Laurence Tramaux (scriptwriter), Tom Viguier (artist)

À Gonesse, en banlieue parisienne, une bande de copains vit de combines et de plans B. Si Jérôme s’en sort en escroquant les clients du magasin de cuisine dans lequel il travaille, certains comme Badji sont menacés de prison. Chômeurs, petits délinquants ou jeunes à la recherche d’un avenir meilleur, tous ont une bonne raison de quitter la France. Pour cela, Jérôme a un plan : traverser l’Atlantique et rejoindre la Guadeloupe en voilier. Mais la fuite ne sera pas de tout repos ! Avec un ton vif et même drôle, sans misérabilisme, Laurence Tramaux et Tom Viguier retracent avec réalisme les errances et le quotidien difficile de jeunes banlieusards acculés à la fuite. Le récit d’une aventure humaine à l’issue incertaine, loin des clichés du genre.

102 pages, Unknown Binding

Published August 18, 2011

Reviews

[Alfle Harriet]

An interesting read with a strong premise and a very specific social setting. It may not work for everyone, but the combination of crime, escape, and friendship kept me curious until the end.

[Darrell Taylor]

A gritty and unusual story about a group of young people trying to escape the limits of their everyday lives. The mix of humor, bad decisions, and desperation gives it a very distinctive tone.

[Donna Thompson]

The story has an interesting premise and a strong sense of place. Some of the characters are frustrating, but that actually makes the group dynamic feel believable.

[George Crawford]

I liked how the book mixes crime, friendship, and the dream of starting over somewhere else. The characters are messy, but that is part of the appeal.

[Jennifer Calra]

There is a rough, street-level energy to this story that makes it feel different from more polished adventure narratives. The plan to leave France gives everything a sense of urgency.

[John Robert]

The pacing felt uneven in places, but the characters and their situation kept me interested. It has a very specific atmosphere that works well with the story.

[Joy Smith]

The strongest part for me was the group of friends. Everyone seems to have a different reason for wanting to leave, which makes the journey feel more personal.

[Juliet Jackson]

A surprisingly engaging story about people who feel trapped and are willing to take huge risks for the possibility of a different life.

[Kristin Guzman]

Some of the choices the characters make are obviously questionable, but that is also what creates the tension. It is not a clean or idealized story.

[Loraine Johnson]

The book balances humor and darker circumstances well. Even when the characters are getting themselves into trouble, there is still a sense of friendship holding everything together.

[Maria Graves]

I enjoyed the contrast between life in the Paris suburbs and the fantasy of escaping across the Atlantic. That difference gives the story a strong emotional direction.

[Melissa Morgan]

Not every character worked equally well for me, but the overall concept is interesting and the visual storytelling adds personality to the book.

[Michael Bray]

A character-driven story about ambition, survival, and wanting something better. The roughness of the characters actually makes the story feel more authentic.

[Natasha Brave]

The friendship dynamics are probably the most memorable part. There is a constant feeling that one bad decision could change everything for the group.

[Otis Marsh]

What I liked most was that the story never feels too polished or predictable. The characters make mistakes, take risks, and keep moving because staying where they are feels worse.