Life is Big

I liked this. It's a little complex and a "thinking" story. I was a bit intimidated by the description, but follow along nicely even though there are a lot of players and a lot going on. This is a talented author with a good imagination. I look forward to her next book.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

Kiki Denis gives the reader a unique, winding, often surreal experience. At the heart of this book is a profound sense of character that allows the author (and, consequently, the audience) to ask the big questions that the title suggests. A lovely literary read.

Underneath Kiki's writings you always find meanings and at some point if not happiness, peace of mind, despite pain and sadness. She writes about feelings and ideas that seem contradictory but running deep into them she'll bring you to the core of life where complexity, sensitivity and intelligence bring you to your humanity.

Release Date: 6th April 2020
Genre: Young Adult / Fiction


I'm not really sure what I just read - and I mean that in a wonderful way. 

'Life is Big' follows an 11-year old girl named Alma-Jane, the happiest girl in the world who is very close to dying dur to a terminal condition and her brother Ayrton a mathematical genius with a cyber alter-ego  and very good big brother. Together, the two of them decide to declare war against Death and run away to Oxford to examine the brain of Albert Einstein himself (who apparently, spends his afterlife baking and playing scrabble) At the same time, Death and his own little brother Obituary Man, or O.M. for short, are getting a little bit sick of their jobs and the constant stream of souls needing ferrying off.

This entire book was one giant puzzle that I wasn't sure I'd solved - it read like some type of dreamscape sequence where nothing quite fit together until you figured out one more thing. This was odd, it was unique, and it was most definitely different to many other things I've read. 

The blurb itself felt overwhelming, and I was sure I was going to get lost in the noise of this story but it was surprisingly easy to follow, even with the erratic jumping of places and peoples constantly. One of my favourite characters being an immortal jellyfish who jumps in and out of the story to remind people that time is short, love is amazing and life is very big indeed.

Life is hard to describe; and that's also very true of this book. It was full of meaningful reflections on mortality and death, on love, on kindness. It dealt with technology and science and knowlege. But it was also full of what felt like wonderfully absurd nonsense. 

If you're happy to have your brain ache for a little while and be patiently waiting for the last few peices of a puzzle, this book is definitely something you should read.



RATING; ⭐⭐⭐⭐



Thank you to NetGalley and Kiki Denis for providing with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please note that all opinions contained within are my own.