Little, Big cover art

Little, Big

or, The Fairies' Parliament

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About this listen

Edgewood - which is not found on any map - is many houses, all put inside each other or across each other. It’s filled with and surrounded by mystery and enchantment; the further in you go, the bigger it gets.

Smoky Barnable, who has fallen in love with Daily Alice Drinkwater, travels from the City on foot to Edgewood, her family home. There he finds himself on the magical border of an otherworld.

Crowley’s work has a special alchemy - mixing the world we know with an imagined world that seems more true and real. Winner of the World Fantasy Award, Little, Big is elegant, sensual, funny, and unforgettable. It is a story of fantastic love and heartrending loss, of impossible things and unshakable destinies, and of the great Tale that envelops us all. It is a wonder.

John Crowley is an American writer who has also worked in television and documentary films. His fantasy and science fiction have established him as a major voice in imaginative writing. His other novels include The Deep, Engine Summer, and Ægypt.

©1981 2010 by John Crowley; Edition 2010 by Ron Drummond (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Fantasy Fiction Romance Heartfelt Funny

Critic reviews

“A book that all by itself calls for a redefinition of fantasy.” (Ursula K. Le Guin)
All stars
Most relevant
very easy to listen to, and Crowley's tone and metre is itself dream like, that aptly fits with the overall strangeness of the text. highly enjoyable.

Good, strange, conversational;

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This is a hidden gem and it's a shame it's leaving the library soon. I heard about it via T Mckenna and I'm only part way through but it is very intriguing and has a wonderful way with words... "a peculiar geometry that I can only describe as infundibular" haha.

The way characters are revealed. The poetic and imaginative prose.

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I first read this in the early nineties and re-read it regularly; I love this book so much my print copy is falling apart. It takes me about two weeks to read it and revel in the otherworldliness of Edgewood and its inhabitants both real and maybe imagined.
The Audible version is read by the author, John Crowley. He has a wonderful voice and really brings the book to life, though I think he could bring a sense of delight in the reading of a telephone directory.

It's a long story...

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

jumped from character and events without enough detail to follow what part each playedI had to keep replaying to clarify who was who

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

ending was there one again lack of storyline

Which scene did you most enjoy?

nothing jumps out

Could you see Little, Big being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

yes this would improve and clarify the story probably by identifying or eliminating some unnecessary characters
Special effects could be incredible

Any additional comments?

I usually love fantasy books but struggled with this one

probably better as a film

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An absolute fever dream but incredible literally starting again right away. a little difficult to follow but you get the hang of it.

beautiful

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