Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions

My father is a fish

My best friend is a little obsessive about reading the novel before seeing the film. Not so, me. I’m a bit more laissez faire in these matters. I saw and thoroughly enjoyed Tim Burton’s 2003 adaptation of Big Fish, and didn’t think too much more about it. Fast forward a decade, and I hear that a major, Broadway-bound musical is on the way. Now I know it’s time to return to the source material.

In the past, it has occurred to me that I have an overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I’m a middle-aged woman, for God’s sake. But I love this sort of light, heart-warming, and above all whimsical tale. Daniel Wallace’s debut novel charmed my socks right off! It is, first and foremost, a tale of paternal and filial love. show more The brief novel is told through the eyes of son William as he watches—four separate times—his father Edward dying. It doesn’t sound like an upper, I know, but Edward Bloom is a larger-than-life character.

All his life, Edward was a teller of jokes and tall tales. He’s the sort of character who charms everyone around him. And yet, as much as his father has always made him laugh, William feels that all the jokes and stories have kept him at arm’s length, and that he’s never really gotten to know his father. Now in these final hours, he seeks a deeper connection—all while a greatest hits montage of tall tales recounts Edward’s extraordinary, eventful, and one might even say mythic, life. Edward confesses to his son, “I wanted to be a great man… Can you believe it? I thought it was my destiny. A big fish in a big pond.” Later William acknowledges, “He’s just being him, something he can’t not be. Beneath one façade there’s another façade, and another. And beneath that, the aching dark place, his life.” By the end, however, each man gets what it is he needs:

“His illness was his ticket to a better place. I know this now. Still, it was the best thing that could have happened to us, this final journey. Well, maybe not the best thing, but a good thing, all things considered. “

In Wallace’s novel, it’s the journey, not the destination. The folksy fables that make up Edward’s life are as colorful and imaginative as anything you could wish for, and full of humor. And Daniel Wallace’s narrative voice is distinctive, as well as distinctly Southern. He has a wonderful, playful way with language, as with this passage: “This is what is meant by last words. They are keys to unlock the afterlife. They’re not last words, but passwords, and as soon as they are spoken you can go.” While Edward is more legend than man, it is William who is the emotional core of the novel. He’s what keeps the story grounded and creates resonance with readers. Everyone knows what it is to love (and feel frustrated by) a parent, and so the emotion William experiences is universal.

This was a fantastic introduction (15 years late) to a new novelist. I can’t wait for a chance to see the musical! It will be magical on the stage. It’s been years since I’ve seen the film, but Burton did a lovely adaptation. Many of the stories from the novel are recreated faithfully. Others are altered or created from scratch in the same voice. I was delighted to discover in the book passages that never made it into the film as well. Commenting on adaptation on his blog, Wallace noted that Big Fish was now a book, a movie, and a musical. He offered one final adaptation. Big Fish, the haiku:

He hides behind lies
and charm. I do not know him.
My father is a fish. show less

A lyrical book about a complicated father/son relationship. Edward Bloom has lived his whole life as a near mythological figure to his family. His ambition combined with his storytelling ability has resulted in a broad spectrum of stories about his exploits. He is a master of tall tales and universally admired and adored by all who know him.

His son, however, struggles to feel connected to this man who seems to use his legend as a way to keep people at a distance. He knows all the stories by heart, but can't believe any of them or understand their hidden message. All these issues come to a head when his father is diagnosed with a terminal disease. The slow decline of this great man brings them together in many intimate and painful show more moments. As time grows short, the son seeks to have even a brief moment of connection but keeps being stymied by his father's constant jokes.

A painful and beautiful story about grief, love, and understanding. show less

This will go down as one of the best surprises of my reading year!
I love the movie made from this book, and finally got around to reading the book. I wish I hadn't waited so long.
William Bloom, recalls - and sometimes resents - the life of his father Edward Bloom, who is on his deathbed.
Edward led a bigger-than-life life. There are tall tales, legends, unbelievable events and plenty of jokes, both at home in Alabama and throughout the world on his travels. After all, the subtitle of the book is "a novel of mythic proportions." From the two-headed geisha, to an old woman's glass eye that shows a group of mischievous boys how and when they will die, to the taming of the giants - the adventure tales are fantastical and fun and full of life show more lessons.
William is at his father's deathbed to try and reconcile before it's too late. They do, in the most fantastical tale of all.
"Remembering a man's stories makes him immortal, did you know that?"
If you've seen the wonderful movie "Big Fish, read the book. If you've read the book, see the movie.
Outside of the story, Mr. Wallace begins the book with a nice acknowledgement of teachers. show less

If there were ever a book that could hook me in the first two pages, this is the one. Actually, the first two pages of this book are by far the best first two pages of any book that I've ever read and that's the truth. I read, re-read, read to my husband and read those two pages to myself (yes, again) so many times before I allowed myself to get much past the third chapter. If you don't know what I am talking about because you've not read this book, I urge you to read just those two first pages and see for yourself. I know it's not just me because my husband agreed - those two pages can really get to your core. Without giving it all away... perspective...

Ok, now that that's off my chest, how about the rest of this book? We are off to a show more grand start, right? It must be good, right?

I am happy to say that Big Fish does not disappoint. Perhaps my favorite part of the book will forever lie within those first two very meaningful pages but the story of Edward Bloom, told through his son William, is a magical, mythical, and special one. Edward has lived a life full of wild adventures that may or may not be exaggerated. And that's hardly the point... Edward is now at the end of his life and now William, struggling to understand his father must find a way to acceptance.

Was his father a great man? Was Edward Bloom a good father?

Edward Bloom is certainly larger than life, as are his fantastic tales. Reading them through the heart of William will take you through a series of emotions and even disbelief - I mean, he did claim to tame a giant, right? Some stories are wild, bright, fun and full of awe. Some are not. But every single tale is shared beautifully.

If you are a fan of this movie, read the book. If you haven't seen the movie, read the book AND see the movie. Both are truly fantastic.

I give this big fish tale, 4 heartfelt stars! show less

Great books are much like really good food. I tend to gorge myself, page after page, bite after bite, not able to stop until there's nothing left - no more pages, the plate's empty. Then, with my imagination stuffed to bursting, my little belly bulged just enough to notice, I sit back with a smile and let slip one of those sighs. You know what kind I'm talking about, right? That content yet wistful ahhhhh... completely satisfied but still a touch sad because it's finished, and I can't ever read it again for the first time.

Big Fish was that, for me.

5 stars

The son is relating tales of his dying father, trying to understand the man through them. But his father never discussed anything solid/real directly - he relayed everything into jokes, anecdotes, tall tales. I was hooked early and hard by this bit in the first "chapter":

---I looked at this old man, my old man with his old white feet in this clear-running stream, these moments among the very last of his life, and I thought of him suddenly, and simply, as a boy, a child, a youth, with his whole life ahead of him, much as mine was ahead of me. I'd never done that before. And these images - the now and then of my father - converged, and at that moment he turned into a weird creature, wild, concurrently young and old, dying and newborn. My show more father became a myth.---

Never seen the movie and likely won't as books are generally better; especially because I doubt how this would translate. It's written like vignettes or episodes, which - for me - made it so hard to put down. Each scenario was powerful, I laughed, cried, cringed...been awhile since a book really zinged me. Highly recommended. show less

I would have liked to see a little more meat and potatoes to this story. But I get it and I get why it is formulated the way it is. It is meant to be ambiguous and to the point while still allowing the heart of the reader to not only understand where William's feelings are but how his father subliminally caters to his latent curiosity. How can such a small book be so large? In this case the movie captures way more of the heart in the center of the story. For those who have watched their parents pass, especially their fathers, it is heartbreaking but ultimately invigorates the spirit later down the road, after they have passed and the memories flood in. Big fish dares us and challenges us to be bigger fish and milk our imagination for show more all it is worth. The moral to the story.... NEVER loose your sense of wonder. When you do...then that is when you truly grow old. show less