Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
Jan 2009, 352 pages
Paperback:
Jan 2010, 320 pages
Book Reviewed by:
Kim Kovacs
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Tiffany Baker's first novel, The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, strikes the reader as both familiar and unique. Its small-town setting and quirky characters conjure up the writings of Fanny Flagg and John Irving. Baker's voice is distinctive, however, and the book contains more than a few surprises that will keep readers entertained from start to finish. The first-person narrative style strikes the perfect tone for the novel, and Baker's prose is insightful and descriptive.
"Sometimes I think I collect souls to make up for the ones I've lost over the course of my life – the string of disappearances that started with my mother are spread outward like a crow's wing, darkening everything beneath it. Sometimes it's possible to see misfortune coming and prepare for it, I guess, but most of the time, when a person disappears, it's as unexpected and shocking as hail in the middle of June."
The book is populated almost exclusively with incredibly damaged individuals;
dysfunctional relationships abound. The residents of Aberdeen County heap so
much hurt and resentment upon each other that the reader may wonder if either
redemption or forgiveness is possible. The reader may also experience a bit of
frustration with the characters from time to time, as they seem unwilling to act
in their own best interests, content to remain mired in misery instead of
seeking to improve their situations. The author deftly manages the difficult
task of keeping this large cast of characters three-dimensional. She also does a
remarkable job of maintaining narrative balance, avoiding the temptation of
sinking into melodrama or sentimentality on the one hand, or slapstick humor on
the other.
Surprisingly, the author spends very little time on Truly's medical condition.
While it's mentioned, and it's obvious that the disease influences how others
react to her, many of the problems Truly experiences could just as easily have
been the result of any number of common conditions. The character primarily
comes across as a generic "ugly duckling." This makes her very easy to relate
to, as readers will sympathize with the ostracism she experiences, if not with
her specific ailment.
Many reviews mention "magic" as a plot element in The Little Giant of Aberdeen County. This is a bit deceiving. Truly is inspired by a woman who was rumored to be a witch because she was so adept at healing with herbs, and this is where the supposed magic comes into the story; but there's
no element of the fantastic, hence readers looking for a book with magical elements may be disappointed.
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County is compulsively readable and likely
to garner a lot of popular attention. It's sure to find its way onto book club agendas, as its themes provide ample opportunities for discussion and its fast-moving plot will appeal to a wide variety of readers.
This review was originally published in January 2009, and has been updated for the
January 2010 paperback release.
Click here to go to this issue.
Truly Plaice, the protagonist of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, is
referred to as a "giant" even as a child. It is not until mid-way through the
book that a physician provides the name of the disease that afflicts her:
Acromegaly.
Acromegaly comes from the Latin acron, for extremity, and megas,
meaning large. It was originally known as "Pierre Marie Disease" after the
French neurologist who first correlated the clinical and pathological findings
in 1886. The disease is rare, affecting about one in every 20,000 Americans.
The underlying cause is an over-secretion of growth hormone by the
pituitary gland. In 90% of acromegaly cases, this is due to a benign tumor on
the pituitary gland called a pituitary adenoma.
Symptoms progress very slowly (photographs of an untreated
patient over time), making the disease difficult to diagnose. Some of
its effects include:
The disease is most frequently diagnosed in middle-age patients. Very rarely,
acromegaly can appear in young children. Referred to as "giantism" or
"gigantism," the ailment causes abnormal growth in children who typically grow to over seven feet tall by
adulthood.
Acromegaly is not fatal in itself, but it can lead to serious complications if
left untreated. The most frequent cause of premature death is congestive heart failure due to an enlarged heart. Diabetes is also relatively common. Other afflictions include
spinal compression and pain, osteoarthritis, muscular weakness, neuropathy, and
severe eye problems which can lead to permanent blindness.
The standard treatment for acromegaly is the surgical removal of the adenoma, or
a partial or total removal of the pituitary gland itself. This procedure is
supplemented by the use of growth hormone suppressors such as estrogen,
medroxyprogesterone, chlorpromazine & Sandostatin. Without treatment, it is rare
for the individual to live past 40.
Famous individuals with acromegaly include:
Photo: Richard Kiel
This review was originally published in January 2009, and has been updated for the
January 2010 paperback release.
Click here to go to this issue.
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