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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
I got this book a couple years ago at Booksale for a cheap price. I have to be honest, I’ve been reading for almost two years. I read half of it right after I bought it and put it down and forgot about it and only recently started reading it again. Tall Story centers around a teenage boy Bernardo and his sister Andy. Bernardo lives in the Philippines in a fictional village of San Andres with his auntie and the people relies on him to keep earthquakes away while Andy lives in London with her parents.
The first half of the story revolves around Bernardo’s life in the Philippines and trying to cope with being eight feet tall. I like that the author knows what she’s talking about when it comes to the Filipino attitude and how tight knit some villages can be here. The other half is about Bernardo finally reuniting with his family and bearing the guilt of the responsibility that he feels he left behind in the Philippines. Some voodoo was revealed in Bernardo’s childhood and the wishing stone does its magic.
All in all, despite this being a Filipino story with a Filipino main character, the book did not grab me that much. Yes, it’s about family and how important it is for a person as well as being one with your community but there are some aspects of this book that has me confused. Is the wishing stone for real or is it all just coincidence? Why is it necessary to slip in some witch or enchantress character in this book? I felt like the tone of this book is confused. It tried to tell a heartfelt story about family and such but slipped in some dark themes that doesn’t agree with the flow of the story.
My final rating is 2/5 stars.
It’s not horrible, it’s actually an easy read but if I were back in the past and have the ability to ask my future self if this books is worth investing my time in, I would say find something more fun to read.
The first half of the story revolves around Bernardo’s life in the Philippines and trying to cope with being eight feet tall. I like that the author knows what she’s talking about when it comes to the Filipino attitude and how tight knit some villages can be here. The other half is about Bernardo finally reuniting with his family and bearing the guilt of the responsibility that he feels he left behind in the Philippines. Some voodoo was revealed in Bernardo’s childhood and the wishing stone does its magic.
All in all, despite this being a Filipino story with a Filipino main character, the book did not grab me that much. Yes, it’s about family and how important it is for a person as well as being one with your community but there are some aspects of this book that has me confused. Is the wishing stone for real or is it all just coincidence? Why is it necessary to slip in some witch or enchantress character in this book? I felt like the tone of this book is confused. It tried to tell a heartfelt story about family and such but slipped in some dark themes that doesn’t agree with the flow of the story.
My final rating is 2/5 stars.
It’s not horrible, it’s actually an easy read but if I were back in the past and have the ability to ask my future self if this books is worth investing my time in, I would say find something more fun to read.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The story was interesting and compelling, but the ending seemed too neat. While it's clear the characters were growing throughout the story, the story ends without showcasing it.
In all the years that I’ve been actively reading, this is the first time I’ve read a book where the characters are Filipino, where the majority of the story is set in the Philippines, where my culture is breathing and so alive.
Bonus: Tall Story is also written by a Filipino author.
It’s incredibly cruel. And it says so much about our publishing industry. We needmore diverse books. We need more marginalized authors with unique stories to partake. And we need you to champion them just as much as you do for your standard default books.
‘Why would a giant shudder?’
‘Regret, of course.’ Old Tibo would shake his head sadly. ‘All giants regret that they had to leave Heaven to be with their mortal mothers.’
I’ve been a voracious reader as long as I can remember. At a young age I started devouring classic Filipino short stories about folklore from Sari Manok, the different tales of how Makahiya and Mount Maria Makiling become, The Story of the Piña, Ibong Adarna, The Monkey and the Turtle and more.
These stories molded me. These characters are my people. They are my home.
And reading Tall Story feels like coming home.
Tall Story follows the life of Andi, a thirteen year old girl who is obsessed with basketball. She is persistent and wants to be her school’s new point guard. She is equally hoping her half-brother, Bernardo from the Philippines will be a fan as much as her.
Then he strutted off from the plane.
He is an eight foot tall, sixteen year old boy.
And from where he grew up, he is heralded as a “hero.”
Because of his unusually long limbs.
And the old legend about Bernardo Carpio, the giant who once saved their village from an earthquake.
Tall Story is consuming, delightful and incredibly sweet.
I could easily guess this would be one of my longest reviews in a while. I will try my best to highlight every bit of selling point. To help with that, here’s the short bullet list of what I’ll be discussing.
Characters + plot (family and friendship dynamics)
Filipino culture + superstition
Sexism + feminism
An immigrant character
The characters are well-crafted. They speak to me. I love Bernardo’s intimate relationship with his Aunt and Uncle, with his friend Jabbar and the way he interacts with his fellow countrymen. Bernardo’s relationship with his mother and half-sister, Andie is fascinating. I adore that Bernardo and his mother converse in Tagalog, their fierce love and regard for each other is heartwarming. And because Bernardo and Andie didn’t have plenty of time to get to know each other before, there is strangeness coming from Bernardo. He didn’t know how he would approach his younger sister who completely grew up with a different upbringing than him.
Andie, on the other hand has pent up resentment coming from her side which she will soon find a way to understand. Gourlay delivers this situation and difference very well.
The villager’s strong belief in superstition is extremely amusing to me because I know most Filipinos still follow the traditional ways. It is true and my whole clan is a firm devotee.There is indisputable intersection between Filipino culture and our strong belief in folklore and history. We are very protective of this. They’re as good as the gospel of the Gods.
Once again, Gourlay balances the firm culture of the story, the magical voice of the narrator and the scientific reason. This is what makes this a brilliant story. Everything is effortlessly woven together.
Andie, our thirteen year old female character isn’t exempt to sexism. At such a young age, she has a handful of people discouraging her from achieving her dream.
“It’s not the ideal career for women.” her mom says.
“We don’t have a basketball team for girls.” The captain of the boy’s team says.
But that didn’t stop her from persevering and showing everyone she can do it. This is a wonderful message to partake to everyone, especially younger kids.
Aside from the constant alienation Bernardo experiences because of his height, he starts thinking about how his classmates will perceive him, because of his “broken” and unusual English.
This left a mark on me.
How many people who don’t have English as their first language feel the need to change their accent because theirs isn’t the norm? Because it seems embarrassing and they are ashamed? Because it doesn’t conform to the standard of western culture?
Plenty. There are hundreds. Thousands. Millions.
That bullshit needs to stop.
I am tremendously happy Tall Story discusses this in such a manner.
At this point, if you’re not clamoring for this book I don’t know what to tell you anymore. Tall Story is a book I would heartily recommend to young readers and up.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
Bonus: Tall Story is also written by a Filipino author.
It’s incredibly cruel. And it says so much about our publishing industry. We needmore diverse books. We need more marginalized authors with unique stories to partake. And we need you to champion them just as much as you do for your standard default books.
‘Why would a giant shudder?’
‘Regret, of course.’ Old Tibo would shake his head sadly. ‘All giants regret that they had to leave Heaven to be with their mortal mothers.’
I’ve been a voracious reader as long as I can remember. At a young age I started devouring classic Filipino short stories about folklore from Sari Manok, the different tales of how Makahiya and Mount Maria Makiling become, The Story of the Piña, Ibong Adarna, The Monkey and the Turtle and more.
These stories molded me. These characters are my people. They are my home.
And reading Tall Story feels like coming home.
“Don’t be surprised now, Andi, your brother is tall. Tall, you hear me?”
Tall Story follows the life of Andi, a thirteen year old girl who is obsessed with basketball. She is persistent and wants to be her school’s new point guard. She is equally hoping her half-brother, Bernardo from the Philippines will be a fan as much as her.
Then he strutted off from the plane.
And yep. He was tall.
He is an eight foot tall, sixteen year old boy.
And from where he grew up, he is heralded as a “hero.”
Because of his unusually long limbs.
And the old legend about Bernardo Carpio, the giant who once saved their village from an earthquake.
Tall Story is consuming, delightful and incredibly sweet.
I could easily guess this would be one of my longest reviews in a while. I will try my best to highlight every bit of selling point. To help with that, here’s the short bullet list of what I’ll be discussing.
Characters + plot (family and friendship dynamics)
Filipino culture + superstition
Sexism + feminism
An immigrant character
The characters are well-crafted. They speak to me. I love Bernardo’s intimate relationship with his Aunt and Uncle, with his friend Jabbar and the way he interacts with his fellow countrymen. Bernardo’s relationship with his mother and half-sister, Andie is fascinating. I adore that Bernardo and his mother converse in Tagalog, their fierce love and regard for each other is heartwarming. And because Bernardo and Andie didn’t have plenty of time to get to know each other before, there is strangeness coming from Bernardo. He didn’t know how he would approach his younger sister who completely grew up with a different upbringing than him.
Andie, on the other hand has pent up resentment coming from her side which she will soon find a way to understand. Gourlay delivers this situation and difference very well.
The villager’s strong belief in superstition is extremely amusing to me because I know most Filipinos still follow the traditional ways. It is true and my whole clan is a firm devotee.There is indisputable intersection between Filipino culture and our strong belief in folklore and history. We are very protective of this. They’re as good as the gospel of the Gods.
Once again, Gourlay balances the firm culture of the story, the magical voice of the narrator and the scientific reason. This is what makes this a brilliant story. Everything is effortlessly woven together.
Andie, our thirteen year old female character isn’t exempt to sexism. At such a young age, she has a handful of people discouraging her from achieving her dream.
“It’s not the ideal career for women.” her mom says.
“We don’t have a basketball team for girls.” The captain of the boy’s team says.
But that didn’t stop her from persevering and showing everyone she can do it. This is a wonderful message to partake to everyone, especially younger kids.
How were my new classmates going to react when I stepped in through the door? Would my legs fit under those desks? Would they laugh at my broken English? I had not slept a wink the night before, worrying.
Aside from the constant alienation Bernardo experiences because of his height, he starts thinking about how his classmates will perceive him, because of his “broken” and unusual English.
This left a mark on me.
How many people who don’t have English as their first language feel the need to change their accent because theirs isn’t the norm? Because it seems embarrassing and they are ashamed? Because it doesn’t conform to the standard of western culture?
Plenty. There are hundreds. Thousands. Millions.
That bullshit needs to stop.
I am tremendously happy Tall Story discusses this in such a manner.
At this point, if you’re not clamoring for this book I don’t know what to tell you anymore. Tall Story is a book I would heartily recommend to young readers and up.
Review also posted at Hollywood News Source.
I stumbled across this when I was looking for audiobooks narrated by Jayne Entwistle and it was a pleasant surprise. Bernardo and Andi are half-siblings with Bernardo living in the Philippines with his aunt and uncle and Andi living in London with their Mother and Andi's dad. There's a little bit of superstition and magic, a little bit of growing up, and a little bit of basketball.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I loved the characters in this and found the storyline intriguing. But I don’t think this is a very memorable book. The family and their dynamic made great reading but I think this is probably a ‘quiet’ book.
A quick, sweet read. I'm surprised at the poor English of Bernardo, as the Filipinos I know speak English quite well.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
In search of great audio books, I started with one of my all-time fav narrators: Jayne Entwistle. Her distinct voice first caught my attention in Little by Edward Carey (highly recommend), so I got this. And I loved it. Lovely characters, a sweet story. I laughed out loud and smiled a lot as I listened. A nice change from the more serious books I’ve read recently.
As posted on Outside of a Dog:
There are big miracles, and there are small ones. Small miracles are things like getting to play in a really important game, when you shouldn’t be allowed. Big miracles, well, big miracles are big. They can be life or death big, for one person, or even a whole village. Candy Gourlay’s Tall Story deals with miracles, both big and small, and the ties that bind a family together, even from across the world.
Bernardo is tall. Andi is not. Bernardo lives in a small village in the Philippines. Andi lives in a small (postage stamp small) apartment in London with her parents. They may lead very different lives, but they have something in common: their mother. They also have something else in common: a love of basketball. Bernardo loves the game and famous players like Michael Jordan, but can’t play very much, because though he is very, very tall (eight feet!), his long limbs and big feet hinder his coordination and prevent him from running very fast. Andi is often told (occasionally by her mother) that she cannot play basketball because she is too short. This hardly stops her; in fact, she is very good. She never misses a shot. Never.Misses. She too is a fan of Michael Jordan. The first miracle hits their lives when Andi’s family finally gets the house they’ve been wanting for so long. Fast on its heels comes another miracle: Bernardo is finally allowed to come to the United Kingdom to live with his mother and step-father.
But miracles come with a cost. In return for a new house, Andi must give up her hard-earned place on her school’s basketball team, and finds that her new school doesn’t allow girls to play. And Bernardo leaves behind family and friends who love him, and a village myth that believes his presence is all that’s keeping the devastating earthquakes away. Even the strange miracle of Bernardo’s great height comes with an alarming medical price. As brother and sister get to know each other and how much they have in common, they learn about wishes and real miracles, and find that family might be the biggest miracle of them all.
Gourlay’s title, Tall Story, obviously refers to Bernardo’s eight foot tall frame, but elements of the story have a fable-ish quality to them, so it functions as a tall tale as well. And what a tale she has told. Both the mundane and the magical work so well together, told in Andi’s and Bernardo’s alternating voices, that the book reads like a dream. I practically finished it in one sitting. I was just as taken with Andi’s fierce moxie as with Bernardo’s gentle humility. Gourlay has created very memorable characters, not only in our two narrative voices, but in their parents and caregivers, and especially Bernardo’s friend Jabby. I enjoyed spending time in their world. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Gourlay has coming for us next. If Tall Story is any indication, it will be a delight to read.
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
2011, David Fickling Books
Library copy
There are big miracles, and there are small ones. Small miracles are things like getting to play in a really important game, when you shouldn’t be allowed. Big miracles, well, big miracles are big. They can be life or death big, for one person, or even a whole village. Candy Gourlay’s Tall Story deals with miracles, both big and small, and the ties that bind a family together, even from across the world.
Bernardo is tall. Andi is not. Bernardo lives in a small village in the Philippines. Andi lives in a small (postage stamp small) apartment in London with her parents. They may lead very different lives, but they have something in common: their mother. They also have something else in common: a love of basketball. Bernardo loves the game and famous players like Michael Jordan, but can’t play very much, because though he is very, very tall (eight feet!), his long limbs and big feet hinder his coordination and prevent him from running very fast. Andi is often told (occasionally by her mother) that she cannot play basketball because she is too short. This hardly stops her; in fact, she is very good. She never misses a shot. Never.Misses. She too is a fan of Michael Jordan. The first miracle hits their lives when Andi’s family finally gets the house they’ve been wanting for so long. Fast on its heels comes another miracle: Bernardo is finally allowed to come to the United Kingdom to live with his mother and step-father.
But miracles come with a cost. In return for a new house, Andi must give up her hard-earned place on her school’s basketball team, and finds that her new school doesn’t allow girls to play. And Bernardo leaves behind family and friends who love him, and a village myth that believes his presence is all that’s keeping the devastating earthquakes away. Even the strange miracle of Bernardo’s great height comes with an alarming medical price. As brother and sister get to know each other and how much they have in common, they learn about wishes and real miracles, and find that family might be the biggest miracle of them all.
Gourlay’s title, Tall Story, obviously refers to Bernardo’s eight foot tall frame, but elements of the story have a fable-ish quality to them, so it functions as a tall tale as well. And what a tale she has told. Both the mundane and the magical work so well together, told in Andi’s and Bernardo’s alternating voices, that the book reads like a dream. I practically finished it in one sitting. I was just as taken with Andi’s fierce moxie as with Bernardo’s gentle humility. Gourlay has created very memorable characters, not only in our two narrative voices, but in their parents and caregivers, and especially Bernardo’s friend Jabby. I enjoyed spending time in their world. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Gourlay has coming for us next. If Tall Story is any indication, it will be a delight to read.
Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
2011, David Fickling Books
Library copy
A dual narrative, told by estranged siblings Andi and Bernardo.
Andi is a brilliant female lead character: she is spiky and an excellent basketball player, and it is her dream to play for her new school’s basketball team - the trouble is, it’s for boys only.
Bernardo is her older brother, left in the Philippines as his mum went to settle in the UK then denied entry by the Home Office. He is eight foot tall, and local legend links him to Bernardo Carpio, a giant who protected the community from earthquakes. When Bernardo finally receives the papers to enter the UK, he worries that he will leave his home vulnerable to natural disaster.
A story of fitting in, of love, of finding your feet and of a world that can be filled with miracles.
Andi is a brilliant female lead character: she is spiky and an excellent basketball player, and it is her dream to play for her new school’s basketball team - the trouble is, it’s for boys only.
Bernardo is her older brother, left in the Philippines as his mum went to settle in the UK then denied entry by the Home Office. He is eight foot tall, and local legend links him to Bernardo Carpio, a giant who protected the community from earthquakes. When Bernardo finally receives the papers to enter the UK, he worries that he will leave his home vulnerable to natural disaster.
A story of fitting in, of love, of finding your feet and of a world that can be filled with miracles.