The Back of the Book

'The most original and enchanting romance I have read in a long time' Erica Wagner, The Times

'The story is told in the cool precise voice of spinster librarian Peggy Cort, whose life is transformed the day that an exceptionally tall 11-year-old walks into the library. As the years pass and he grows to over eight feet, Peggy invests her life, love and energy in this sad boy who faces life as a freak ... McCracken avoids the temptations of easy humour and writes with great pathos and delicacy about the complexities of love' Christina Patterson, Observer

'The lucid, compelling prose convinces us that this mismatched pair do become a real couple: improbably, disturbingly, and very movingly, theirs is a true love story' Margaret Walters, Sunday Times

'The Giant's House is the work of a writer who is as singular and astute as the characters she creates ... funny, ambitious and precise ... a beautifully composed portrait of people struggling agains tthemselves with the full force of their courage and desire' Lavinia Greenlaw, Times Literary Supplement

'Every so often a novel comes along which transcends whimsy with the beauty of its writing. Elizabeth McCracken's small masterpiece is one of these' GQ

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RABCK

I've not heard of this book before, but it looks fasinating. (OK, I admit it, I've already peeked at the first couple of pages!) Thank you so much for thinking of me.

Updated 19/10/06. Well, as you may have gathered by now, I read the book and then released it at a Clarence Thursday lunchtime meet! Unfortunately I haven't been in an internet cafe in order to udate this since....

The book is lovely, a really sweet - bittersweet, anyway - romance. It's not a fast paced read, but a steady flow that draws you in, and I for one wanted to find out about the librarian's life.

Picked up at the minimeet at the Clarence.

Readable, but I can't say I found it as moving as the reviewers cited on the back cover. On the other hand there was never any way I wasn't going to finish it.

RELEASE NOTES:

I almost swiped this one last week, from in front of Speedytuft's nose. But I resisted when I thought about my exams. This week, when it came back (how does that man read so quickly) and my exams all done, I graciously gave into temptation.

RELEASE NOTES:

This one is being sent to a bookmoocher in Belgium

I mooched the book from bookmooch.com and when I've read it I'll probably send it on its way in the world again either on that site or at a local bookswappers' group that also charts bookcrossers.