Giantess is a story that seeps into your soul. Translated from the original French, Giantess centers on the life and adventures of Celeste, a giantess in a world of people who have never seen giants; in many ways, it is the ultimate fantasy bildungsroman. Giantess is lovely, gentle, and unapologetically feminist. More than anything, it is a graphic novel for those who have ever felt they do not belong, could never belong, or could never have what they really want.
| Title: Giantess: The Story of the Girl Who Traveled the World in Search of Freedom | Writer: JC Deveney Artist: Núria Tanarit |
| Page Count: 200 | Publisher: Magnetic Press |
| Release Date: October 4, 2022 | Genre: Fanstasy |
Synopsis:
Booklist Starred Review!
Publishers Weekly Starred Review!
A giant baby girl is found and adopted by a local family who bring her back to their village. She grows to become an even bigger giant, learning life’s lessons complicated even further by her enormous size and uniqueness.
Can she weather a society that faces her with frightened hostility and prejudice to find live and, ultimately, the freedom to be herself? A wonderous, fantastical tale of feminism, difference, love, freedom, and the quest to be oneself.
Review:
Giantess opens with a farmer finding a giant baby in a field. As the farmer and his wife only have sons, they happily accept the female baby into their home, despite her size, and name her Celeste. Celeste’s childhood is remarkably normal, but she soon longs for adventure, love, and to find others like herself.
Celeste is kind and only wants to find a place to belong. As you may expect, the world is not kind in return. Over her many adventures, Celeste encounters a witch, a prince, acrobats, traveling actors, and various lovers. She also meets many foes, some of which are unexpected. She rises further than she could ever imagine and is brought lower than she believed possible.
Giantess is a book for dreamers, lovers, and those who enjoy women’s literature. It is beautifully written and even more beautifully illustrated. While gorgeous, it is not without issues. I think there could have been fewer chapters, but that would have shortened Celeste’s journey. The ending was lovely but also very utopian and seemingly without conflict. Celeste’s journey was miraculous but also heart-wrenching, incredibly sad, and difficult to read at times.
Mild spoiler
The ending contains polyamory, which came a bit out of left field. That is typically not my cup of tea, but I think it was done well here. If you are averse to polyamory in your books, though, this probably isn’t the book for you.
Final Thoughts:
Giantess is a moving feminist story. It has beautiful art and a marvelous journey. If you are looking for a translated work to read this year, Giantess would be a lovely addition to your TBR.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy. All the above thoughts are my own.
#COYER
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