Book of The Week #20- Big Fish

Big Fish*

by Daniel Wallace

Edward Bloom is a man that has lived a life full of incredible adventures. Or so he says. His entire life, Edward's son William has heard fantastic tales of his father's life, from humble beginnings, to great success. Edward has done everything. When he was born, Alabama got its first rain in forty years. As a teen, he was the strongest boy for miles around. He was a great war hero. As an adult, he became a successful businessman, later buying his own town. Yet the only proof anyone has of these things are the stories Edward has told time and time again. As his father's life is drawing near its end, William feels as though he knows nothing of him because he has heard no facts about Edward. William becomes frustrated with his dad, whom continues to tell jokes and stories even as William begs him for the truth.

I first watched the movie Big Fish before I even knew that it was a book. I really enjoyed the film, so I of course was interested in reading the book. I enjoyed this book, though I didn't love it quite so much as I was expecting to. The movie was wonderful and really resonated with me on an emotional level. The book has plenty of depth; it just misses some of the tones that are in the movie. One factor is that the closing song is "Man of the Hour" by Eddie Vedder, which was the perfect song for this film (and in my opinion, Eddie Vedder was the perfect person to write a song for this movie). Also, this type of film, which is full of fantasy and larger than life stories, is a movie that is right up Tim Burton's alley. He really did a good job on the film.

There are some differences between the movie and the book and in these instances I feel that the movie portrays Edward in a better light than the book does. I won't give away any spoilers; just suffice it to say that Edward comes out as more of a hero in the movie, whereas he makes some bad choices in the book. Perhaps this is another reason why I like the movie better.

Though it may sound like I didn't like the book Big Fish, I really did. It's full of humor, warmth, fantasy and depth. I just really enjoy the atmosphere of the movie and felt that it was a little lacking in the book.

I give this book a 3 out of 5.

*Since I write young adult novels, I've decided to add a mark to specify a more mature novel. Most books I feature are Christian (though some are not), but some are intended for an older audience. So if you're under 18, consult your parents before reading these picks.