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The Girl Giant
by
Kristen Den Hartog (Goodreads Author)
“Something good can come from even the most terrifying things. For every thing that is taken away, something else is given.” Ruth Brennan is a giant, “a rare, organic blunder pressed into a dollhouse world,” as she calls herself. Growing up in a small town, where even an ordinary person can’t simply fade into the background, there is no hiding the fact that Ruth is differe...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
June 12th 2012
by Simon & Schuster
(first published July 27th 2011)
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I was just notified I won this book on First Reads Giveaway. Thank you!
Received this book in the mail yesterday. Started reading it today.
Set just after WWII, this story is about Ruth, a normal child inside a constantly growing body. Her parents, James and Elspeth, met in a hat shop in London at the end of the War. Married soon after, James returned to Canada and Elspeth boarded a ship full of brides headed to new lives in Canada.
Ruth was born in 1947, a healthy baby girl, weighing a little over...more
Received this book in the mail yesterday. Started reading it today.
Set just after WWII, this story is about Ruth, a normal child inside a constantly growing body. Her parents, James and Elspeth, met in a hat shop in London at the end of the War. Married soon after, James returned to Canada and Elspeth boarded a ship full of brides headed to new lives in Canada.
Ruth was born in 1947, a healthy baby girl, weighing a little over...more
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I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
James and Elspeth met in England at the end of WWII. After the war, she traveled by ship to Canada with the other girls going to marry their Canadian boyfriends. She had little left in England, her immediate family had all perished in the war.
In 1947 James and Elspeth had a healthy baby girl weighing just over eight pounds. In the next year, Ruth began to grow at a rapid rate. So fast, that Elspeth couldn't keep up making h...more
James and Elspeth met in England at the end of WWII. After the war, she traveled by ship to Canada with the other girls going to marry their Canadian boyfriends. She had little left in England, her immediate family had all perished in the war.
In 1947 James and Elspeth had a healthy baby girl weighing just over eight pounds. In the next year, Ruth began to grow at a rapid rate. So fast, that Elspeth couldn't keep up making h...more
It is always a great delight to find that a slim, little book can carry the largest, most astute story. The Girl Giant by Kristen den Hartog falls firmly into this category. The novel’s narrator, Ruth Brennan, is born in 1947 to a Canadian and his English war bride, and begins to grow, and grow, and grow. Ruth also has the unusual gift of being able to see things others cannot, including rare insights into her parent’s feeling and motivations, as well as into their pasts. Her giantess status by...more
TL;DR version - more Ruth, less marital woes. This book is called 'The Girl Giant' right? Not 'Days of Our Lives.'
Like most people, I love the premise of this book - but I only like half of it. One half coming of age (the best part), the other half marital woes (the slow tedious awful part). I'm not saying all of the talk between protagonist Ruth's parents is bad; it just isn't very interesting and there is too much of it. For a coming-of-age book about a girl who just happens to be a giant, it...more
Like most people, I love the premise of this book - but I only like half of it. One half coming of age (the best part), the other half marital woes (the slow tedious awful part). I'm not saying all of the talk between protagonist Ruth's parents is bad; it just isn't very interesting and there is too much of it. For a coming-of-age book about a girl who just happens to be a giant, it...more
A story about Ruth a giant girl with a big heart. The refusal of everyone in the family to admit there is a problem with Ruth's growth eventually leads to an accident which is part blessing and awakening.
Gravity Brings Me Down by Natale Ghent has similar themes of a teenager who is on the outskirts and who builds and unlikely friendship.
Gravity Brings Me Down by Natale Ghent has similar themes of a teenager who is on the outskirts and who builds and unlikely friendship.
Book Description:
Ruth Brennan is a giant, “a rare, organic blunder pressed into a dollhouse world,” as she calls herself. Growing up in a small town, where even an ordinary person can’t simply fade into the background, there is no hiding the fact that Ruth is different: she can see it in the eyes of everyone around her, even her own parents. James and Elspeth Brennan are emotionally at sea, struggling with the devastation wrought on their lives by World War II and with their unspoken terror that...more
Ruth Brennan is a giant, “a rare, organic blunder pressed into a dollhouse world,” as she calls herself. Growing up in a small town, where even an ordinary person can’t simply fade into the background, there is no hiding the fact that Ruth is different: she can see it in the eyes of everyone around her, even her own parents. James and Elspeth Brennan are emotionally at sea, struggling with the devastation wrought on their lives by World War II and with their unspoken terror that...more
I recently finished reading THE GIRL GIANT, and I absolutely loved it. What an incredibly moving portrait of a young girl, and of a marriage. Although Ruth’s condition is not universal, many her emotions and experiences are, and she is (somewhat surprisingly) an incredibly relatable character. While I did at times feel sorry for her, I was drawn to her naiveté and so often found myself (or I should say, my younger, childhood self) identifying with her desire for love, friendship, and normalcy.
K...more
K...more
This was a very intriguing premise- and I wanted to learn more about what it would mean for a girl to be a giant, how she would see things and how others would see her. The problem was that I found Ruth to be annoying and not sympathetic or interesting or all that insightful. The insights seemed artificial and a result of her almost mythical ability to report on events at which she was not even present. It was odd that she referred to her parents by their first names. And was this story told in...more
I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads first reads.
The story is written in first person, but it's the oddest attempt at first person that I've encountered. Ruth is the narrator / star of the book, but her condition gives her the ability to intuit the inner workings of the minds of her parents. Nobody else, apparently - just her parents. But, this quirk gives our author the ability to pack more into this story than just Ruth's - we get the story of the parents as well.
The pare...more
The story is written in first person, but it's the oddest attempt at first person that I've encountered. Ruth is the narrator / star of the book, but her condition gives her the ability to intuit the inner workings of the minds of her parents. Nobody else, apparently - just her parents. But, this quirk gives our author the ability to pack more into this story than just Ruth's - we get the story of the parents as well.
The pare...more
OL fiction2012 touching young adult book..this retired reader still enjoyed this quick read. fiction-real giant individuals referenced thru history. Questions to discuss at end of this paperback
pg80"No one ever rushes to tell you that all is okay,they rush to tell you how it should be, or to warn you of what's to come. And I was happy; I didn't want to be warned..." pg152 "Memory was diffent than a recollection, since a memory just came unbidden, and a recollection was someting you sought out;...more
pg80"No one ever rushes to tell you that all is okay,they rush to tell you how it should be, or to warn you of what's to come. And I was happy; I didn't want to be warned..." pg152 "Memory was diffent than a recollection, since a memory just came unbidden, and a recollection was someting you sought out;...more
Ruth, the narrator of The Girl Giant, cannot stop growing. She outgrows her baby clothes on an almost weekly basis, is almost five feet tall her first day of school. She is taller than her parents while still in elementary school and soon she is over seven feet tall. Her parents must knock down walls and doors and the roof in the house to accommodate their daughter's growing body.
She's an outcast at school, where her classmates won't play with her and instead, mock her. Her father, James, is hau...more
She's an outcast at school, where her classmates won't play with her and instead, mock her. Her father, James, is hau...more
I am not even sure how to review this one. Upon finishing it, the word to describe how I feel is probably bemused. I loved the premise, and some of the writing was really lovely but, I don't know, it just didn't do it for me. I found the changes of voice jarring at times, and though I very much wanted to, I did not find the story compelling. I found Ruth's personality to be flat and inexplicable. The parents' story was interesting, what there was of it, which wasn't nearly enough to build the ki...more
The story of Ruth offers an aeticulate and intriguing story of the time period directly following WWII. Ruth is an early baby boomer, born to a former Canadian soldier and a British bride. Through Ruth's point of view, the reader understands the shame both parents carry with their secrets that divide them. We also experience childhood and puberty through the eyes of a girl vastly different from her peers and the shame of her status and stature.
The book is small, short and succinct. Easy to read...more
The book is small, short and succinct. Easy to read...more
Story Description:
Broadview Press|January 4, 2011|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-1-55481-054-3
Ruth grew too fast.
A young girl over seven feet tall, she struggles to conceal the physical and mental symptoms of her rapid growth, to connect with other children, and to appease her parents, Elspeth, an English seamstress who lost her family to the war, and James, a mailman rethinking his devotion to his wife. Not knowing how to help Ruth, Elspeth and James turn inward away from one another. As their marri...more
Broadview Press|January 4, 2011|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-1-55481-054-3
Ruth grew too fast.
A young girl over seven feet tall, she struggles to conceal the physical and mental symptoms of her rapid growth, to connect with other children, and to appease her parents, Elspeth, an English seamstress who lost her family to the war, and James, a mailman rethinking his devotion to his wife. Not knowing how to help Ruth, Elspeth and James turn inward away from one another. As their marri...more
This was a very unique, odd & touching work. It inspired me to search out the history of the other "giants" mentioned. Having Ruth "speak" through James & Elspeth (and own their perspectives) was at times very off putting and this disrupted the overall flow. In the end, this resulted in a narrative that focused on a marriage & it's struggles more than the story of Ruth. If that was the author's ultimate intention, then it succeeded. If it was the author's goal to tell Ruth's story, i...more
Although I gave "The Girl Giant" a five star rating, I don't believe it fits into any existing book rating or reviewing system. Some works can't and shouldn't be labeled. One hundred stars wouldn't be correct either. Read this book and you'll know why I've just written what I have above. Please read this book because you I promise you that you have never read anything like it before no matter who you are and because you will be losing a once in a lifetime gift if you don't read it.
I need to wait...more
I need to wait...more
3 likes · like · see review
The narration ruined any chance of getting more than 3 stars from me. It's first person (and I understand why), but it's first person omniscient. I didn't understand how that could be the case in the context of the story, and it was distracting. Third person would have been just as, if not more, effective, especially because the mom's and the dad's points of view were important.
The story was good. There were some lovely bits of writing. The friendship with the girl next door was predictable (tha...more
The story was good. There were some lovely bits of writing. The friendship with the girl next door was predictable (tha...more
First, thank you so much to Goodreads for this incredible gift. This book begins with the chance meeting and marriage of a young couple during the war. It tells of their love affair and the child resulting from their union. Everyone hopes for the perfect child. When something happens to alter that dream, while it isn't the end of the world, we sometimes feel like it is. Ruth must learn to understand and deal with her body's super size changes. She must also learn to cope with people who are just...more
This is the first book I've ever read by Kristen den Hartog and I intend to read more.
The book tells the story of Ruth Brennan, a girl who grew too fast. She is a giant, standing 5 feet tall by the time she is 7. The narration is a bit like Ruth herself; she is able to get into the heads of her parents, and see in all directions. The book explores how Ruth's gigantism affects her parents' marriage and relationships with each other.
The book is is really a meditation on what it is like to be diffe...more
The book tells the story of Ruth Brennan, a girl who grew too fast. She is a giant, standing 5 feet tall by the time she is 7. The narration is a bit like Ruth herself; she is able to get into the heads of her parents, and see in all directions. The book explores how Ruth's gigantism affects her parents' marriage and relationships with each other.
The book is is really a meditation on what it is like to be diffe...more
I think this book is really good because its explores the complex life of a little girl with a giant body. It also has a real meaning in our reality. Because some others human beings have to live with problems to express their real feelings about their bodies or their thoughts because sometimes they do not match with the normal standards. It can be so awesome if instead of feel sorry for those people, We start to understand their problems and see them trough their souls and not trough of their...more
I had high expectations, but I was a little disappointed. It was an easy book to read and it was also a fast read, unfortunately I was not overwhelmed by the this book.
Ruth was a sympathetic character and I just wanted what was best for her, but I couldn’t stand Suzy! However, at the end of the book I still didn’t feel that I had a firm understanding of Ruth’s life. It ended a little abruptly for me. Definitely not my favorite book of the year, but a solid effort.
*This book was provided for revi...more
Ruth was a sympathetic character and I just wanted what was best for her, but I couldn’t stand Suzy! However, at the end of the book I still didn’t feel that I had a firm understanding of Ruth’s life. It ended a little abruptly for me. Definitely not my favorite book of the year, but a solid effort.
*This book was provided for revi...more
A story about the effects of war, the development of a marriage, Ruth (a baby girl is born with growth disorder), and insights and feelings of people who encounter her. Both heart breaking and inspiring. The author uses the main character, Ruth, to give us insight into the thoughts of many different people. There was something about this book which touched me deeply. Most definitely one of my favorite books.
Why does the narrative voice shift? The giantess, Ruth, writes in the first person of her life from sensient embryo to present. The rest of the characters and events might be as seen by her or as seen by the omniscient third person. There does not seem to be much point to the story other than "geeks are people, too." It was a good read, but ultimately comes up short. I would not press it on a friend.
This is the story of Ruth, a young girl with a growth issue, and her parents Elspeth and James.
Elspeth and James met in England, when James went looking for a hat for his mother at the hat shop Elspeth worked at. Elspeth followed James back to his home in Canada, and began doing piecework in the local suit factory. James went back to his job as a mailman. They were pleased with their child Ruth, but began to worry when she kept growing. They worry about her relationship with others and about her...more
Elspeth and James met in England, when James went looking for a hat for his mother at the hat shop Elspeth worked at. Elspeth followed James back to his home in Canada, and began doing piecework in the local suit factory. James went back to his job as a mailman. They were pleased with their child Ruth, but began to worry when she kept growing. They worry about her relationship with others and about her...more
May 30, 2012
Jennifer
marked it as facebook-chat
From June 2012 Real Simple magazine 7 addictive summer novels -
"In a post-World War II Canada, a young girl quickly grows to seven feet tall. This absorbing novel chronicles the excruciating loneliness of her adolescence, the strains in her parents' marriage, and the development of her uniquely optimistic view toward life." - Julia Edelstein
"In a post-World War II Canada, a young girl quickly grows to seven feet tall. This absorbing novel chronicles the excruciating loneliness of her adolescence, the strains in her parents' marriage, and the development of her uniquely optimistic view toward life." - Julia Edelstein
I loved this book. Its deceptively simple style makes the ending all the more emotional and impactful. It was moving and heartbreaking. The author portrays the cruelty and fickleness of childhood friendships and the loving blindness of parents in a very real and thoughtful way. I'm looking forward to reading this again and again.
Quick read about a girl giant growing up in Canada shortly after WWII. Ruth is ostracized by all the children at school and yet doted on by her caring parents. The lonely Ruth finally finds a friend in the new neighbor girl. A simple, melancholy tale that was inspired by a newspaper photograph "Jewish Giant with his Parents."
This book had a fun and interesting premise. A girl is very tall and has to exist in society. The book was extremely short and I felt that the only character I enjoyed was the main one. I did not like the parents. The book was a bit too short and I didn't love it.
The book has an interesting premise, but the author never executes. The characters are one- dimensional. The parents are inexcusably and unbelievably selfish. Ruth is sympathetic due to her plight but nothing beyond that. It is a quick read though.
I won this book as a part of the Good reads First Reads program.
This book was okay. Not quite an easy read, and it would have been more interesting to me personally if it had been a true story.
The characters were endearing.
This book was okay. Not quite an easy read, and it would have been more interesting to me personally if it had been a true story.
The characters were endearing.
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I’m Kristen den Hartog, the author of And Me Among Them, published in the U.S. as The Girl Giant. My earlier novels include Water Wings, The Perpetual Ending, and Origin of Haloes. My first non-fiction book, The Occupied Garden: A Family Memoir of War-torn Holland, was written with my sister, Tracy Kasaboski, and explores the life of our father’s family during the Second World War. I’m currently a...more
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