The Giant's House: A Romance

I just finished this and am decidedly unsatisfied on many levels. Although I think the writing itself is decent enough in that the overall word usage and editing is professional, the story lacked too much. There seemed to be too much left unsaid or not described at all, the reader was just supposed to think "oh, so it's like this now?", I guess. I can't really give specific examples without plot spoiling. I think the idea was for a good story and it just got out of hand in the telling. The characters were not well fleshed out, I ended up really only caring for two of the supporting characters. The two main characters were really rather flat. I did not believe the romance part of this story one bit. I definitely did not like the idea of a 30-something woman falling "in love" with a fifteen year old boy, not matter how tall he was. I thought at first it was more like aunty or motherly love, which would have made more sense anyway with the rest of the story, though made it into a "love story" rather than a "romance". But no. And that creeped me out a bit. The morality of this "romance" was not even addressed until one or two lines at the end. There was just too much this book tried to do and failed at and could have been successful at and wasn't. I would not recommend this to anyone.

This is a difficult review to write, but then this was a difficult book to read, so I suppose it all evens out. Some reviewers have remarked on the age difference of the two main character. And how one bordered on being a pedophile. Although the relationship was never consummated, and no sexual thoughts were mentioned... there was still a creepy feeling throughout the entire book. The thought of "I'd keep my young child away from this woman, just in case she ever did cross the line", kept running through my head. It was obvious there was something disturbing about her relationships in general, so her reasons for latching onto to this child were questionable, but not sexual, at least not blatantly so. And no overtures were ever made by her. Still be forewarned of the icky feeling it gives one and that the feeling will stay with you for a while afterwards... this is one book I wish I hadn't read.Three stars for the writing and cover.

This is the fictional story of a boy who grew up to be the tallest man in the world. It's also the story of a small town librarian in Cape Cod, our narrator, who tells the story of James and his too long, too short life. If you crave action in your reading you won't find much here but the story moves inexorably onward, like a sand dune across the desert.The Giant's House is clearly a romance but one between the unlikeliest of couples - the librarian and the giant - with a 15 year or so age difference between them. Yet it somehow works as a story line and is all the more tragic because of it.

A gem. A robust story, filled with humor and pathos. A love affair of sorts. Is there sex? I'm not telling. Peggy Cort is the managing librarian of the Brewsterville, MA public library in the early 1950s. Into her life walks a giant - 6'2 eleven year old she becomes infatuated with (no, NOT sexually). She is drawn to him and insinuates herself into his life and that of his mother and aunt and uncle. Years pass and by the end of the story James is 20 years old and 8'4. Peggy Cort is going on my list of all-time favorite characters. McCracken has fleshed her out with precision and a keen sense of who she is and what she feels - it's one helluva portrait. Peggy's relationship with James expands through the years - every nuance is germane, there are few false notes. I highly recommend this.

Shall we talk about this book? Because, from the synopsis I read online, I was lead to believe this would be a squick-filled book with the main character falling in love with an eleven year old. Instead what happened was an examination in the loneliness one woman went through in her life due to extreme isolation, how she loved (in a familial way) a boy she met in her library, and then how she went a little off the rails.I kept bracing for the squick and it never came. Peggy takes note of James when he comes into her library when he's 11, but, after his mother dies, she becomes his caretaker. Shoot, if we're talking about her declaring herself in love, she does this with a man at Stella's funeral after he asks her to dance and charms her a bit, before James tells her he's uncomfortable and wants to go home.Now at the end, yes, she went off the rails and declared that she loved James, albeit when he (view spoiler) was 20, but other than that, she took care of him, tried to make sure he was getting the most out of his life that he possibly could given his condition. But I also believe that, if we're looking at it, she liked the idea of James more than James himself. She liked the fact that there was another person who was lonely and isolated in their own way and she could link up with them. James never really felt any way towards Peggy, and Peggy never acted any untoward way towards James. Again, she was more like a mother to him than anything else.Anyway, I've greatly enjoyed both of McCracken's novels I've read this year, and I appreciate that she's not afraid to shy away from some of the more desperate looks at how being lonely can affect you.

Made to read for my book club, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. An interesting and sometimes poignant look at the difficulties someone with gigantism faces. Forces you to see things differently, highly recommended book.

A very strange love story beautifully and poetically written, full of intriguing characters and surreal situations. A love story between an antisocial librarian and a much younger boy who is a giant set in 1950s might sound a bit creepy but the writing makes it sadly beautiful and quirky and flfe-affirming enough not to be depressing to read. Give it a go!

Absolutely wonderful romance tale, not all 'hearts and flowery', but an extremely poignant tale about a librarian and her love for the world's tallest man, who happens to be 13 years younger than her and who she first met when he was a young boy. A terrific book about 2 people who meet thanks to their shared love of books, I fully recommend it.

Unusual story,full of charm.

I loved Niagara Falls All Over Again and was really pleased to find this book online. The first few pages were up to standard but then the author seemed to lose her nerve - it is quite a sensitive subject - and in the end I really didn't care what happened to anyone. The age gap was pretty much ignored because the writing was not specific enough and it just all seemed a bit woolly.