On "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions": A Book Review

Title: Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions

Author: Daniel Wallace

Genre: Fiction

About the Book...

William Bloom is trying to come to terms with the impending death of his father, Edward, a figure known to him more in terms of legend than in actuality. In reflection, William begins to put together the many tall tales he's heard over the years in a series of vignettes capturing the life of his father concluding with an understanding of mythic proportions.

This novella was made into a movie in 2003 staring Albert Finney and directed by Tim Burton.

What I Think...

This is actually a pretty subtle book, which I think lent itself really well to making the much more whimsical movie adaption. Wallace does a spectacular job of providing just enough detail to paint a clear picture, but that allows the imagination to still take off with it and, in some cases, speculate what qualities about Edward the particular story is trying to exemplify. It is charming and witty at parts, while still capturing the poignancy of what Edwards death means to his son.  

It's broken down into three sections that both show how Edward's life progresses, but which also effectively shows how William's understanding of him continues to grow through his acknowledgement of the stories and that alter the way he imagines his father's death (shared in four "takes" throughout the book). Most of the vignettes are no longer than five pages, so if you have very little focus (which is me right now) it makes this book really easy to pick up and read just a little of it without loosing track of what's going on overall. 

To Sum it All Up...

A sweet novella with an amusing and poignant message about the way we view others and the many stories that make up a life. ♥️