I read several books this week but I'm saving a couple of them for a post I have planned for Friday. In the meantime, here is a slightly strange yet interesting book that I also read. Life, and Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo is one of those quietly
unusual novels that sneaks up on you with its tenderness. I picked it up
from my library’s shelves without quite knowing what to expect, and I
ended up genuinely touched by its mix of fable-like wonder and
small-town realism.
The story follows Gabriel Fisher, an orphan
born extraordinarily large (eighteen pounds and twenty-seven inches at
birth) whose life unfolds somewhere between myth and Midwest. Raised
first by an older brother and later by strict Amish grandparents who try
to hide him from the world, Gabriel’s journey is both physically and
spiritually outsized. When a high school coach discovers him working in
the fields, his secret life bursts into the open, setting off a series
of events that test faith, love, and community.
Rindo writes
beautifully about rural Wisconsin and the complex, sometimes
claustrophobic ties of family and belief. There’s a quiet moral weight
to the story, a sense that kindness and cruelty coexist in the same
hearts. I especially appreciated how the novel balanced magical realism
with grounded emotional truth.
That said, the pacing felt uneven
at times, and a few plot turns veered toward the sentimental or
predictable. Still, Gabriel himself is such a memorable character, both
gentle and formidable, that I found myself thinking about him long after finishing.
That scarf is simply perfection! I love the ribbed fabric... it was an excellent choice to pair with that gorgeous yarn! At this writing, I have 3 blanket rows to go (plus the bind off) and so it will be done today! Woot! I am listening to a moving story, Sam Wachman's The Sunflower Boys, which is about two boys who live in Ukraine... before and after war. The story is told brilliantly about the stark differences in life before and after.
ReplyDeleteI have never knit slippers! I love that scarf (I keep saying it) but those colors are vibrant and cheerful!
ReplyDeleteYour rainbow scarf is gorgeous! What a cheerful piece. And slippers! I have a pattern (actually several) and have been thinking of knitting some. Great minds think alike. However, I really need to step up the pace on my "family birthday socks" if they are going to be finished in time. And Semplice is still waiting (patiently...sort of) for me to pick it up again.
ReplyDeleteI really want to reach through the screen and squeeze that scarf fabric -- I can tell that it's very squishy! Slippers are a good idea for someone with big feet.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel a bit frustrated when the books I'm reading are just okay, but then I remind myself that not every book will or has to be a five-star book. And those books that are just okay still usually offer me something to think about.