Life, and Death, and Giants
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital review copy in advance. This book hits shelves today, September 9th.
Within the first couple of chapters, I could tell this book would be something special. The story revolves around a small town in Wisconsin where a boy weights 18 pounds at his birth and only grows more giant over time. His mother, Rachel, dies in childbirth and the novel follows orphan Gabriel’s life as told through the lens of people around him—his Amish grandmother, Hannah, the local veterinarian who delivered Gabriel, the local bar owner, and a high school football coach. I read a digital copy, but I see that the audiobook is full-cast and I can only imagine how that might enhance the experience. The distinct voices were one of the highlights of this book and the way the writing style changed for each character was quite masterful, in my opinion. I was especially drawn to Hannah’s perspective, even when I vehemently disagreed with her worldview and concept of God.
So, why am I not giving this five stars? I smiled at the humor. I cried at the tender moments. It was memorable enough that 10 days after finishing, I don’t have to look up the plot or the character names to tell you about it (which I can’t say for every book). I think that the volume of suffering these characters undergo broke my heart a little. And while there is growth, change, and healing, I like to take my tragic stories with a larger helping of hope. This was not without it; I just wanted slightly more by its ending.
I think fans of Ethan Joella could appreciate this story. Rindo writes in a similar vein, but adds a whimsical and miraculous element with the “giant” boy, Gabriel. Overall, this was an emotionally deep, thoughtful book and I’m glad I read it.
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If you don’t want any spoilers, avoid this section. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this book depicts death, miscarriage, and incest.
