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Customer Reviews of The Giant, O'Brien (Thorndike Large Print Basic Series)

A book strange and bleak, but fascinating and unique.
Hilary Mantel often includes the theme of exploitation in her novels, but nowhere is it as prominent as it is in The Giant, O'Brien. Set in the 18th century, it is the story of the naïve Irish giant Charles O'Brien, who, poverty-stricken, allows himself to be taken to London where he will be a "freak" for the amusement of the public. Everyone wants to profit from him, from his Irish friends who accompany him, to the agent who contracts with him and the people who house him. Amiably, he tells tales on his travels to amuse his companions, all paralleling in some way the freakishness of his own life and all ending badly: a proud woman's beautiful child is taken and a "yellow child, its skin flapping, its eyes running and its nose snuffling" is substituted; the seven dwarves are beaten to death, "each dwarf watching the pulping of his brother" while "Snow White" is punched in the face, spat at, and driven from the cottage by fire; a pig-faced girl, instead of being rescued by the love of a prince, lives a long life of loneliness. Sensitive and creative, the Giant is a marked contrast to Dr. John Hunter, a "scientist" who collects bones, does research on diseases, and even accidentally inoculates himself with syphilis, allowing him to study it more closely. Hunter's goal is to acquire the bones of the Giant. As both the Giant and Hunter become more ill with the progress of their diseases, the book reaches its climax, leaving the reader to ponder many of the conflicts Mantel has illustrated-creativity vs. scientific research, naivete vs. knowledge, hope vs. despair, charity vs. exploitation-and ultimately, the big question: in what ways, if any, have humans risen above the level of animals.

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small, wonderful book
I was completely entranced and delighted by this book, and disappointed by the reader reviews of it. Hilary Mantel's style is spare - nothing more than the strange essence of her story. There is no spoon-feeding here, and thus, is probably not for mainstream tastes. But it's great, quirky transportation to a truly other time and place. Oh yes, and fine good humor with the pathos! Was really sorry it ended so quickly.

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This book was pretty good, I enjoyed it
This book was pretty good. I like how the surgeon gets different body parts of people to study them. The surgeon then gets interested in the giant. Sometimes it gets confusing because sometimes I do not no who is speaking. If you were interested in a almost secretive book with cultures from England, and that takes place in London, then this book is for you!