Life is Big
by Kiki Denis
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Pub Date 6 Apr 2020 | Archive Date 8 Jan 2021
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Description
Alma-Jane, an impossibly curious 11-year-old girl who lives in NYC and the most genetically happy person alive, is about to die due to a rare mutation. Ayrton, Alma-Jane’s older brother and a math prodigy, declares war against Death, “the destroyer of Life,” and then suddenly takes off to Oxford, UK, to examine Albert Einstein’s brain. Meanwhile, Death and his younger brother, O.M. (Obituary Man), are overworked and in desperate need of a short vacation.
At the heart of all this, a motley crew of “Minor & Major Immortals” mingle: Socrates, Alma-Jane’s dead grandfather. Dr. Harvey, a neuroscientist who conducts research on “Pure Mighties,” lab engineered mice that lack a fear gene. Sabina, Einstein’s Kunderian mistress. Alfred Butts, Sabina’s best friend and the inventor of the Scrabble board game. Pablo Neruda, who builds bridges for a living and loves kite flying. And, finally, ΩNING, a 7-year-old humanoid who loves playing the piano.
What connects all these characters is the belief that “wise-thinking” leads to a longer and happier future, and that it’s the only way to guarantee a “Life bigger than Death.”
Advance Praise
"LIFE IS BIG is a thoughtful and imaginative modern story that connects living, dead, fictional and historical characters. For instance, Alma-Jane is a clever, perfectly happy, curious, and funny 11-year-old who possesses none survival mechanisms whatsoever. Then there is Death, the destroyer of life, who is very tired of “collecting” people and fantasizes of taking a long vacation while he bakes cakes and argues with his youngest brother OM. While in underworld, Albert Einstein (who lives with his Kunderian heroine, Sabina) spends his days playing Scrabble with Alfred Butts, the real inventor of Scrabble. Add to it Turritopsis dohrnii, the immortal jellyfish, that floats through the novel reminding the characters that they are stressing out about mundane egocentric trivialities and forgetting that life is filled with love, joy and kindness, and bigger than anything! All of this makes for a fascinating, whirlwind read for all ages, loaded with fun facts, amusing conversations and precious moments." Alex, NYC
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781913545307 |
| PRICE | US$4.99 (USD) |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Paul V, Reviewer
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!!
Words, Images, & Worlds (, Reviewer
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.
Erica G, Reviewer
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.
Bethany C, Reviewer
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.
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