Little, Big

Little, Big follows multiple generations of the eccentric Drinkwater family, centered around their mysterious home called Edgewood north of New York City. The sprawling house, designed by architect John Drinkwater in multiple overlapping styles, serves as a gateway between our world and the realm of faeries. The narrative spans decades and focuses on the marriage between Daily Alice Drinkwater and Smoky Barnable, an outsider who enters the family's unusual world. The Drinkwater family believes their lives are part of a greater "Tale" involving ancient bargains with the faerie realm. The story connects multiple timelines and family members across generations, exploring their varied relationships with both the mundane and magical aspects of their lives. Family members experience encounters with the supernatural while dealing with everyday matters of love, marriage, and belonging. This novel examines the boundaries between reality and fantasy, suggesting that what appears small from one perspective may contain entire worlds from another. Through its structure and themes, the book considers how stories and belief systems shape family histories and personal identities.

Readers frequently describe Little, Big as a complex, dream-like reading experience that requires patience and concentration. Many note having to restart the book multiple times before finishing it. Readers appreciate: - The intricate layering of stories within stories - Rich descriptions of the Drinkwater house and its inhabitants - The blending of fairy tales with reality - Poetic prose and metaphysical themes Common criticisms: - Slow pacing, especially in the first 100 pages - Confusing narrative structure - Too many characters to track - Meandering plot that lacks resolution Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (13,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (500+ ratings) Reader quotes: "Like trying to remember a dream while still dreaming it" - Goodreads reviewer "Beautiful but exhausting" - Amazon reviewer "Had to read it three times to finally get it" - LibraryThing reviewer "Worth the effort but definitely not for everyone" - Reddit commenter

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke The story of two rival magicians in 19th century England weaves historical fiction with faerie mythology and explores the intersection of magic with mundane society.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip A tale of a woman living in isolation with mythical creatures traces her integration into the human world while maintaining connections to ancient magic.

The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake The chronicles of Castle Gormenghast follow generations of the Groan family in their vast, decaying castle where ritual and tradition mesh with dark fantasy.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern A generational story set in a magical circus explores the boundaries between reality and illusion through interconnected family relationships and competing magical traditions.

The Drowning Girl by Caitlín R. Kiernan The narrative follows a woman's encounters with what might be a supernatural entity, blending family history with folklore and questioning the nature of reality and storytelling.

🌟 The book won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1982 and is considered one of the greatest fantasy novels of the 20th century. 🏰 Edgewood, the central house in the novel, was inspired by real architectural follies - elaborate buildings constructed primarily for decoration - popular among wealthy Americans in the 19th century. 📚 While writing Little, Big, John Crowley was heavily influenced by the works of Renaissance occultist Giordano Bruno and his theories about multiple worlds. 🎨 The novel's first edition cover art was created by Peter Milton, whose intricate black and white engravings perfectly captured the book's dreamlike atmosphere. 🌿 Many of the fairy elements in the story draw from authentic Victorian-era fairy lore and the works of 19th-century spiritualists who claimed to communicate with the fairy realm.