Little Gods
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Product Description
Review
'Size is everything in this magnificent first novel. This is a great, delicious epic that hovers enticingly on the edge of the surreal. Richards is a natural storyteller with a dazzling imagination and effortless comic talent. What rare bliss, at a time when too many novels are depressingly alike, to come across a new voice of such originality and charm.' -- The Times
`This wonderful book won me over immediately with its beautiful imagery, powerful lyricism and black humour.' --Clapham Bookshop's Top Ten, Independent on Sunday
`This wonderful book won me over immediately with its beautiful imagery, powerful lyricism and black humour.' --Clapham Bookshop's Top Ten, Independent on Sunday
Product Description
A glorious, towering triumph of a novel from the author Ali Smith called 'a huge new talent'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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What a brilliant book 'Little Gods' is! I absolutely devoured it in a day, it was such a page-turner. It is basically the story of Eugenia (Jean) Clocker, who is born into a loveless marriage made in wartime. Her mother, Wisteria, is an absolute nightmare, subjecting Jean to a lifetime of abuse, both physical and mental. Jean is different. She is a very big, very well-built girl, who is friendless until she meets Gloria, who is like a fairy-tale princess, with the requisite golden hair, and also lives in the local sweetshop! Wisteria thinks that she controls every aspect of Jean's life, and so she does - as far as she knows! However, as they grow up, Jean and Gloria begin to go to dances, in the hope of finding 'true love'. Jean has no confidence in herself, as she has been steadily undermined by Wisteria since her birth. Gloria relies on her looks to get her what she wants. Eventually, they meet 2 G.I's, and Gloria finds her true love. Jean is caught up in a strangely satisfying sexual relationship with Denny, the G.I. that she becomes involved with. The girls eventually move out to America with their men, and both their lives change forever. Jean is for me, an immensely likeable girl, who tries her very best to do the right thing. She is loyal, and undemanding, and deserves so much more than she gets.
This book is about love, sex, friendship, acceptance, and finally, human nature - both good and bad. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it IS disturbing I feel, but also extremely brilliant!! Totally recommended.
This book is about love, sex, friendship, acceptance, and finally, human nature - both good and bad. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it IS disturbing I feel, but also extremely brilliant!! Totally recommended.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This was an awesome read and one that had me laughing and crying. It's written eloquently and the storyline is unique. The author is so very talented that I was hooked from the opening pages. Definitely one to look out for - make sure you grab a copy!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
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First of all I would comment that this is the work of a clearly very talented new author. The beautiful imagery and original descriptions immediately won me over and the first half of the book was enjoyable. The tales of the main two characters growing up, the forming of an unlikely friendship and the wonderfully bleak overtones (I like a bit of bleakness in my literature!) really got me hooked.
However, around about midway through I found the plot really dragging, suffering from a severe lack of direction. The two main characters find themselves embarking on a life changing journey to the states and I can't help feeling that the plot got lost somewhere half way across the Atlantic.
It is a telling indication of how much you're enjoying a book when you find yourself looking ahead to see just how many pages you've got left to read - it was very "put downable" and a was relieved when I finally got to the end. I'm not sure if it actually is an overly long book or whether it just felt that way as I began to lose interest.
I'm no expert but I would have thought to write a good novel you need to have at least a vague idea as to how the things are going to end. I felt this was lacking here, many new characters popping up in the later chapters and making a huge impact on the plot without giving the reader the opportunity to feel comfortable with who they were and what purpose they were serving. Strange when earlier sections of the book seemed to drag on yet all of a sudden parts of the story just seem to be racing ahead with little thought or direction.
So overall - great writing in places, particularly setting and describing a scene - I just think more clinical direction and momentum is needed with regards plot.
However, around about midway through I found the plot really dragging, suffering from a severe lack of direction. The two main characters find themselves embarking on a life changing journey to the states and I can't help feeling that the plot got lost somewhere half way across the Atlantic.
It is a telling indication of how much you're enjoying a book when you find yourself looking ahead to see just how many pages you've got left to read - it was very "put downable" and a was relieved when I finally got to the end. I'm not sure if it actually is an overly long book or whether it just felt that way as I began to lose interest.
I'm no expert but I would have thought to write a good novel you need to have at least a vague idea as to how the things are going to end. I felt this was lacking here, many new characters popping up in the later chapters and making a huge impact on the plot without giving the reader the opportunity to feel comfortable with who they were and what purpose they were serving. Strange when earlier sections of the book seemed to drag on yet all of a sudden parts of the story just seem to be racing ahead with little thought or direction.
So overall - great writing in places, particularly setting and describing a scene - I just think more clinical direction and momentum is needed with regards plot.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beatifully written - review contains no plot spoilers.
First off, let's clarify that five star review I just gave the book - let's call it 4.5 out of 5, and I was on the fence whether it should be 4 out of 5. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Clever Spud
Brilliant bildungsroman
The Germans might well tag Little Gods a bildungsroman, a novel which charts the development of the main character through his/her early life to show how s/he is formed. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Terry Bond, author
Disappointing
What on earth was the point of this book?? I cannot understand the reviews that say this was good. It focussed on a freakishly tall girl finding her way in life during and after... Read more
Published 8 months ago by happy haggis
Little good
I read this book after it was featured in the BBC's '12 Best new authors' show on World Book Night earlier this year, but out of the 10 or so books that I have read from the BBC... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Emma McCormack
Almost 5 stars but loses its way in parts
Little Gods is the story of anything-but-average Jean Clocker and her struggle to find her place in a world, growing up in an ordinary seaside town with a hellish mother,... Read more
Published 11 months ago by LouBee79
compelling and eloquently self affirming
From the gut wrenchingly gruesome delivery of the enormous heroine through her heartbreaking discovery of what it means to love and be loved against all odds, this book had me... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Tessa Lawrence
compelling at first but fades away
The book tells the story of Jean Clocker who is born to a cruel and bitter women named Wisteria.The Mother does little to show love and compassion to the girl who is different to... Read more
Published 13 months ago by s
Little Gods
This is a fabulous read! A really unusual book and a first novel for its author. A dark fairy tale! Read more
Published 14 months ago by Heather
Little Gods: Big Woman.
Larger than life in more ways than one. Comparisons have been made with Angels Carter but the book isn't in that league. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Tamara L
Blame the Bermuda triangle
Reading the other reviews posted for Little Gods, A Buncall's assertion that the plot gets lost over the Atlantic seems rather apt. Read more
Published 22 months ago by ConnieP
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