I really loved this book. I enjoy reading about the simple, rewarding lives of the Amish. Gabriel was a loveable, gentle giant whose spirit was one with all creatures. I loved the sense of community in Lakota and the way both Amish and English came together to care for Gabriel. All of the characters were well developed and likeable with the exception of Absalom. Birth, death, love, heartbreak, incest, betrayal. This book has it all and will stay with me for a long time.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC of 'Life, and Death, and Giants' by Ron Rindo.

The description of this book made it sound so unusual and I'm so grateful to have been approved to read it. It's really wonderful.

We're introduced in double-quick time to several generations of Wisconsin Amish people and to key characters in the tiny Wisconsin town of Lakota. We arrive pretty soon at the remarkable personage of Gabriel Fisher, a very big baby at birth who just continues to grow. And grow. And grow.

Blessed with athletic skills and strength that are only matched in scope by the twists and turns his life in Lakota and beyond takes Gabriel is the glue that holds this book and its characters together. Through the lens of Gabriel's life and experiences we're given a view into the lives of his Amish family and community, his sports coaches and their families, the local bar owner and baseball football booster, the central character of the blow-in vet who becomes a key figure in Gabriel's life.

For me there were shades of John Irving and Howard Frank Mosher in this novel, especially in the way the people of this small community are treated so lovingly and caringly and small-town, rural American life is portrayed.

Although it's full of tragedy of various hues, this is a really life affirming and heartwarming story where divisions are closed and barriers are crossed to the betterment of everyone. We could do with more of it in the real world.

This is a story that will make you think about your life and the lives of those around you. It is unlike anything I've read in recent years. Rindo is an expert storyteller and has crafted a very unique tale. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book. The story of Gabriel, the giant, is told by various points of view, including his grandmother, the local vet, the football coach, and owner of the local bar. Gabriel came into the world in an unusual way. His mother died in childbirth and so he was raised by his brother for a time. He was then taken in by his Amish grandparents. His size allows him to become an athletic prodigy. I saw the “deaths” of the title to be more than just of the human body. There is also the death of dreams and lifestyles. Life as well is more than births, but also of new experiences and of new relationships. Gabriel brings an entire town together. This is a poignant story that will make you smile, cheer and cry. This will be one of my favorite books of all time.

I think this book every bit as powerful as Where the Crawdad Sings and Lessons in Chemistry and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do. Gabriel Fisher was 18 lbs at birth, walked at 8 mos, and was a giant by the time he was in little league.. An extraordinary human being with unique abilities, loved by all who knew him. He had a special communication with animals and a gift for athletics. Gabriel’s story is told not by him but through the eyes of 5 important people who helped him become the person he was.. The veterinarian who delivered him and became his defacto father, his devout grandmother, his coach, and others who were impacted by this young man. A heartfelt story of resilience, hope, love and embracing life.

5 stars is not enough.

The first two paragraphs were slow, then remainder of the book was very intriguing. I couldn't stop reading it. I was hoping to get answers for the questions brought up in the prologue. The plot didn't disappoint. The characters were very believable. I identified with them, and appreciated their reflection. There were many plot twists to keep you guessing, and interested. I highly recommend reading this book.

I really enjoyed this book. A gentle but captivating read, with wonderful character development; it was another one of those books where the plot, while important, didn't feel like the main purpose of the book. To me, it felt like the purpose was to allow us to drop in on Lakota, Wisconsin, for a few years, and learn more about some of the characters in the town.

We're introduced to a whole host of characters - Gabriel Fisher of course, but also Hannah Fisher, Dr. Kennedy, Billy Walton, and Trey Beathard. Interestingly, the book is told in alternating viewpoints, but never from Gabriel's point of view. We only hear about him through his grandmother, who tries to reconcile her Amish lifestyle with her grandson's English one and through his mentors - Kennedy and Beathard - both of whom try to give him guidance on how to navigate a world that frankly, wasn't prepared for him.

As all four narrators narrate Gabriel's stories, we also get a chance to learn more about them. All four struggle with aspects of their past (and, in some cases, present), and we see each of them struggle through it and try to move past them in their own ways. Of the four narrators, Hannah's was the one that resonated with me the most, because in her story, we saw the struggle of trying to reconcile two very different worlds. It was fasincating watching her question the world that she had grown up in.

The abstract of the book states - "Threaded with the poems of Emily Dickinson, Life, and Death, and Giants weaves together an unforgettable story of faith, family, buried secrets, and everyday miracles." I couldn't agree more.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It's a complex story about a boy who is born a giant - so big that his birth killed his mother despite, despite the local veterinarian's best efforts as he attended the birth in the bed of a pickup truck. The characters in this mixed Amish and English small town are all quirky, interesting and well fleshed out. There is a lot of backstory, but the plot moves right along, taking a little bit of your heart along for the ride. It's about family, faith, friends and acceptance, while simultaneously showing us a bit of the dark side of human nature. I shed a few tears reading this one.

Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.

Life and Desth and Giants by Ron Rindo
Received as an arc.
Gabriel when born was 18lbs and 27 inches long. Delivered by the local veterinarian Thomas his mother passed giving birth to him. This when the legends started.
Since he was big he was good hitting a baseball but had a gentle way with animals. Thomas cared for him like a grandson. Helping with school, baseball, and caring for animals.
When Gabriel’s brother decides to leave this life Thomas is forced to try to have his grandparents who excommunicated his mother care for him. They would not allow his natural skill of baseball.
An out of state football coach convinces Gabriel’s grandparents to allow him to play football. A natural and tough to stop due to his extreme size.
Becoming a football hero and finally in love while in college yet another tragedy to our gentle giant.
Overcoming a new obstacle in life Gabriel thrived yet again.
We visit Lakota and its residents as well.
I’ll stop here not wanting spoilers. But this book was many various stories and characters narrating them. A beautiful life story that made me happy and sad.
5⭐️

An interesting novel with a number of themes running through the story: Amish life, love, football, wrestling, poetry, dementia, incest, and more. The story is told from constantly-revolving viewpoints, which were often indistinguishable, yet distracting. The protagonist, Gabriel, was often relegated to an afterthought as the narrators had their own stories to tell.

This was a well written book that felt a bit like a magical fairytale. Three people tell the story of Gabriel, a giant who's mother died at birth. We learn all the wonders of Gabriel as he grows through the eyes of his grandmother, coach and the veterinarian father figure who helped deliver and raise him. All three characters are very different people and the author does a great job of writing in a way that used language and style that suited their distinct qualities. The book is full of tragedy and sorrow and the joy that is found between, and because of, such life events. The characters all deal with the impact of Gabriel and his actions/decisions. Hannah's struggle with her faith, that had provided her such safety and structure and now has betrayed her, is beautifully resolved.

Gabriel 's character is based on the real life of the world's tallest man: Robert Pershing Wadlow who died in 1940.

'If love was all the same water, perhaps it lapped a bit differently on each shore that it touched?'

'That is as peaceful as it sounds, but such peace allowed no distraction from my shame.'

'The loss also opened a cleft in the rock of their marriage that years of patient waiting would not heal.'


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

thanks to netgalley and st martins press for the advanced readers copy of this book. opinions below are my own. i would have given this book 5 stars, well deserved, but.....i really hate football and professional wrestling. and there was a lot of it in this book. the rest of the book was so so good.
the story of gabriel the giant is a bit outlandish but it works. nestled in the world of his amish family and his "english" friends, we get a really beautiful view of what it might be like to be of both worlds. hannah and thomas are amazing strong characters whose lives and love intertwine with gabriel's and each others. gabriel's relationship with wildlife is precious and breath taking. poetry by emily dickinson threads the book as well and it's a magnificent piece of the fabric. SPOILER ALERT: i am caretaking my 100 year old mum and when i read how community and loved ones cared for gabriel on his death bed, i was so deeply moved. we all deserve that kind of care. this book is real and raw with real and raw people in it. read it!

The kind of book that stays with you long after you turn the final page. I'll thinking about this one for a long time..

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

An unexceptional big baby is born as his Amish mother dies at childbirth. Hr ends up being raised by her much olde brother becoming a giant growing up physically. But when his brother passes by, he ends up living wth hs strick Amish background. They had shunned his mother who had him out of wedlock and refuse to name the father as well as his brother. The secrets of the past that tainted his upbringing despite that he turned out to be gifted as he ended up plying football. An interesting read.

Gabriel is brought into this world as his mother is leaving it. Gabriel arrives at eighteen pounds and twenty-seven inches long. No one has seen a human this big. As time passes and he grows, Gabriel's size continues to shock everyone. He dominates the little league team as a young boy and is unstoppable as a high school football player. Born to an exiled Amish mother, Gabriel only beings to know his Amish roots after his brother passes away. He goes to live with grandparents he barely knows. They try to accept some of his English ways, but try to instil Amish values as he continues to grow up. Gabriel becomes a world-wide sensation as a young adult. This hasn't come without tragedy and set-backs. Gabriel always keeps his Amish roots in his mind but also takes his English ways into consideration. Gabriel touches so many lives.
Without giving anything away in this beautiful story, I will stop there with my description. Life, Death, and Giants by Ron Rindo is a first for me by this author. It will not be the last. This story will haunt you. I couldn't stop thinking about Gabriel and the other characters. The writing is beautiful, the storyline is captivating. You won't be able to put this book down. You will feel all the emotions with this one. You will laugh, be angry, and cry. Its everything all rolled into one book. I will be telling all of my book friends about this book and will be looking for Rindo's other work. Special thanks to NetGalley, Ron Rindo, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 BIG stars for me. This could be my favorite book of the year.

The main character of this book is Gabriel, a young man who grew to be a giant, both spiritually and physically. Gabriel was born to a young Amish woman, and at birth, weighed 18 pounds and was 27 inches long. He was raised by his much older brother as his mother died in childbirth.

When his brother died, Gabriel went to live with his grandparents. They were devout Amish, and kept him hidden for a while, as they were not supposed to bring him into their household. Gabriel's mother and her brother had both been shunned by their Amish community because Gabriel was born out of wedlock and his mother would not name the father.

Gabriel was precocious in many ways. He walked when he was 8 months old, and was athletically gifted from a very young age. He could converse with animals, and they seemed to have a mutual understanding. His athletic ability was spotted by a high school coach, who saw to it that he went on to high school, something that few Amish youngsters did. Gabriel at the time was nearly 8 feet tall. He played college football and eventually played pro-football. This book is both sad and uplifting.

I received an e-arc from the publisher St. Martin's Press via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.