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A review by serru
The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken
3.0
This book has such a strange premise-- a timid and antisocial 26 year old librarian falls in love with the 11 year old boy suffering from gigantism-- which is why, of course, it caught my attention. I thought I'd struggle with accepting and believing the storyline, but I found it wasn't hard at all to believe that something like this could happen. Peggy, as a character, is fully-realized, as is James and the small town they live in. You can almost believe that this is a true story that happened somewhere once.
I really enjoyed seeing the progression of Peggy's and James's friendship, and I really felt for Peggy the whole time. Her longing seeps through the pages, and I could feel just how much she held herself back-- from love, from happiness, from life. She's a pretty tragic character, if you think about it. I have to admit, I was growing a bit frustrated that she wasn't doing much about her feelings, but it's understandable given the incredible age difference of the characters. However, I think it's a testament to Elizabeth McCracken's writing ability that I came to root for this odd couple, despite the taboos and moral misgivings.
McCracken also has a real ability to write about the mundane in a completely enchanting way. The Cape Cod town her characters inhabit emanates a kind of quiet and subtle magic, inviting you into the story with lovely details about its various ongoings. This was just such a wonderfully written book overall, with many quotable parts, and lots of wisdom.
I have mixed feelings about the ending.
I really enjoyed seeing the progression of Peggy's and James's friendship, and I really felt for Peggy the whole time. Her longing seeps through the pages, and I could feel just how much she held herself back-- from love, from happiness, from life. She's a pretty tragic character, if you think about it. I have to admit, I was growing a bit frustrated that she wasn't doing much about her feelings, but it's understandable given the incredible age difference of the characters. However, I think it's a testament to Elizabeth McCracken's writing ability that I came to root for this odd couple, despite the taboos and moral misgivings.
McCracken also has a real ability to write about the mundane in a completely enchanting way. The Cape Cod town her characters inhabit emanates a kind of quiet and subtle magic, inviting you into the story with lovely details about its various ongoings. This was just such a wonderfully written book overall, with many quotable parts, and lots of wisdom.
I have mixed feelings about the ending.