📘Small Rain by Garth Greenwell

BOOK DETAILS : 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador (19 September 2024); The Smithson, 6 Briset Street, London EC1M 5NR
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1509874704
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1509874705

ABOUT THE AUTHOR : 

BOOK REVIEW : 

"I had been in a cage, I thought, an animal in a cage; there was joy in movement, in being out of doors, detached from machines. Try to remember this, I admonished myself, since I knew it would fade."

What does it mean to be truly vulnerable?
“Small Rain” by Garth Greenwell is a deeply moving novel that explores this question through the eyes of a poet whose life changes overnight due to a medical crisis. One moment, he is living in his mind, immersed in art and poetry. The next, he is confined to a hospital bed, forced to confront his own fragility, the unpredictability of life, and the complexities of human connection.

😷This is not just a story about illness. It’s about what happens when everything we take for granted—our independence, our relationships, even our own body—suddenly feels out of control. As the protagonist navigates a failing healthcare system and the lingering shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, he reflects on love, memory, and the meaning of time. His relationship with his partner, L, is the novel’s beating heart, showing us how care and devotion can be both a lifeline and a test of endurance.

✨✨Greenwell’s writing is raw, poetic, and deeply introspective. He captures the suffocating helplessness of being at the mercy of doctors, the quiet heroism of healthcare workers, and the small, tender moments that remind us why life is worth holding on to. The novel moves fluidly between past and present, weaving in themes of art, literature, and politics, making the reading experience immersive and thought-provoking.

💫💫One of the book’s strengths is how real it feels. The medical details are unsettlingly accurate, and the protagonist’s emotional turmoil resonates deeply, especially for readers who have experienced illness or loss. At times, the writing leans into stream-of-consciousness, especially during the protagonist’s reflections on poetry, which may not be for everyone. But even in these moments, Greenwell’s love for language shines through.

🍃🍃Small Rain is a novel that doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it asks the hard questions—about life, death, love, and what it means to truly see and be seen. It’s a book that lingers in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page. If you appreciate literature that delves into the complexities of human existence with honesty and grace, this is a novel worth reading.

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Overall Ratings: 4.8/5⭐