Continuing on with my reading “homework” from work, the second book I read is The Thunder of Giants by my fellow Canadian, Joel Fishbane. This absolutely perfect cover drew me in even before I even knew that I had to read this book. I had already requested a digital ARC (advanced readers copy) the day before our committee leader sent out an email saying it would be added to our reading the list. I am so happy to say that the cover did not lie, and this book was every bit as good as I had imagined it would be.
Synopsis: Andorra, an 8 foot tall woman, is discovered on the streets of Detroit by a talent scout who wants her to star in a movie about another giant woman named Anna Swan who lived in Nova Scotia and may have been related to his wife’s family.
The story jumps back and forth between the stories of Andorra and Anna, addressing the many issues both woman had growing up as giants in their very different families. Both women are desperate to be seen as more than just the “sum of their measurements”, to be loved for themselves, and to be forgiven their past mistakes. As their personalities begin to transcend their size, their stories grow closer and closer, beginning to overlap in amazing ways.
I absolutely flew through this book. Over a 24 hour period I read it every second I had free (break times, on the bus, in line to get coffee) finally staying up far past when I usually go to bed just to read the last few pages. This is one of those books that when you finish it you are devastated it’s over because real life just can’t compare.
LC rating: 
(great book)
The Literary Counsellor 