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Book Review By Deidre Woollard
The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken

Peggy Cort is a lonely spinster librarian living on 1950s Cape Cod when an unusual young boy comes into her libarary. He is James Sweatt and he is already taller than any boys in his school and growing at a rapid rate. The book covers the slow friendship that develops between Peggy and James the Giant. Peggy is there when James gets injured, when his mother dies and when he travels.

Peggy realizes about halfway through the book that she is in love with the young giant but doesn't quite know what to do with her emotions. She helps his family build him a giant-sized cottage behind their house. She tries to set him up with a girl his own age as a teenager but eventually his friends grow up and leave and he is left with Peggy as his primary friend to help him deal with the tourists and gawkers who come to see the boy who won't stop growing.

When he is over eight feet tall and nineteen the two go to New York City to participate in the circus. While they are there he meets the smallest woman in the world who talks to him of marriage and he asks Peggy if she wants to get married. They talk about it but nothing comes of it and after they return, although they have declared their love for each other it is too late and the giant is already becoming sicker and dies soon after.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 1930's-1950's
Internal struggle/realization? Yes
Struggle over
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
Ethnicity/Nationality

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 ()
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
Ice Caps/Sea? Yes
Where? - Ocean
Small town? Yes
Small town people: - nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee

Writing Style
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only - touching of anatomy - impregnation/reproduction
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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