I first heard about Michael Crummey’s Galore last December when Other Press hosted a happy hour for bloggers and publishing industry professionals showcasing their current and upcoming catalog. The folks there were very excited about Galore and I was very intrigued by the premise, a man being cut from the belly of a whale and his life impacting the inhabitants of a tiny fishing village in Newfoundland. The idea for BOOK CLUB had already been gathering steam in my head and after I roped Jen into the project we, as big fans of re-tellings of classic works, folktales and myth, chose Galore as one of the titles for BOOK CLUB.
As excited as I was to read Galore, I was nervous reading the first few pages, solely due to my own reading biases. Judah, formerly of the whale’s belly reeked of rotten fish, as in:
“An astonishing stink of dead fish rose from the man’s skin like smoke off a green fire, insinuating itself in every nook. Even with the windows left open to the freezing cold the smell kept the household awake.”
I have my quirks about things I will watch and read, dark places with ragged and stinky people and humanoid creatures are hard on me for some reason, and hard for me to ignore. I think that’s why I don’t read much medieval fiction. Anyway, Judah’s stench, apparently, does not go away (eww!), but I was so involved in the excellent writing and complex, well-drawn characters that I got over Judah’s funk, and only occasionally wondered why they didn’t make him bathe in tomato juice.
More than anything Galore is a big story about families and family. It’s the saga of the Devines and the Sellers, with their intricately intertwined histories, living in the adjacent towns of Paradise Deep and Gut. They hurt each other, curse each other, they feud and make tentative bargains with one another, and they love each other. For a book that only vaguely has a plot, I found Galore riveting. As I sat and read it, I felt as if I were in the town and running around with these people – suffering with them in their lean times and hardships, and thrilled when they build up in time of prosperity. Crummey has a wonderful way of imbuing the narrative with mystery when he introduces nameless characters to the reader. Characters whom you have met before, and think you know what’s going on with them, are introduced under a different guise and the story you thought you knew becomes something different and startlingly clear.
The plot is slow moving and broad, it’s mainly about…life, so this might not work for readers looking for more action based reading. If you love sweeping novels, spanning several years with characterizations not only deep, but fascinating, then I think you will very much enjoy Galore. Highly Recommended.
Read More Reviews At: Devourer of Books | Picky Girl | House of the Seven Tails
Review Copy.
For more on Galore, by Michael Crummey check out the discussion going on at Devourer of Books for BOOK CLUB.
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The reviews I’ve read of this have all been positive, but I do like some action in my stories, so I think I’d have to be in the right mood to read it.
I get like that too, and I did wonder how I would feel as I began to read it, but the characters and their lives were very compelling. I was surprised at how into it I was.
Eww! Funk! Tomato juice or lemon juice should have done the trick though! Or Febreeze! Still, I like the premise. As long as the writing is good, I don’t necessarily need it to read like a Hollywood action movie.
Sandy´s last [type] ..XVI – Julia Karr
You would think he would be a little more anxious to investigate a remedy. He does manage to marry but I think his wife would have slept with him more than twice a year had he not stunk the way that he did. I think you would probably enjoy this one Sandy. The characters an their lives are really interesting, but you can’t say that they are really going anywhere.
Oh, I am so excited that you liked this one, because I am going to be reviewing it soon. It does sound like it’s really easy to get invested in, and I love that it has unusual characters. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it with us. I am even more anxious to read it now!
zibilee´s last [type] ..The Dark Divine by Bree Despain — 400 pgs
Sounds really good but I am not sure it this one would be right for me. I love the cover and excellent post. Thanks for sharing.
Lizzy J´s last [type] ..Summer Release- The Borgias by Jean Plaidy
I’ve seen Galore around but thought that it probably wasn’t a novel for me. After reading your review, I know I am so wrong! I’m definitely adding this to my tbr list!
Vasilly´s last [type] ..Thoughts- Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin
I am a bit over halfway through, and I must admit that while I find the story really atmospheric, I do have to put it down and pick up something with bit more action now and then.
Trisha´s last [type] ..Book Review- Pox
Galore has been out in Canada for awhile now yet I still haven’t read it. But the more I see it lately, the more I think I shouild.
Chrisbookarama´s last [type] ..Princess Academy by Shannon Hale- Review
I was skeptical about this book but I am really enjoying it. I’m glad to hear you did as well.