Little, BigLittle, Big
Score Classic
What it's about
Smoky Barnable walks from the city to a strange, sprawling country house called Edgewood to marry Daily Alice Drinkwater, whose family has long had dealings with the fairies of the world next door. The novel follows the family across several generations, as they live at the edge of a hidden, enchanted world that is somehow bigger inside than out.
Why it's worth reading
It won the World Fantasy Award and was a finalist for the Hugo and the Nebula. It's a cult masterpiece of literary fantasy.
You'll love it if you liked
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
The Golem and the JinniGood to know
It's long, slow and dreamlike, with many characters. Patience is rewarded.
By the numbers
- Readers11 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #387 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #716 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2516 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving, Epic
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Foundation
Ficciones
Rendezvous with Rama
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Gods ThemselvesExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Little, Big worth reading?
Yes. It won the World Fantasy Award and was a finalist for the Hugo and the Nebula. It ranks #2,516 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 58.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Little, Big about?
Smoky Barnable walks from the city to a strange, sprawling country house called Edgewood to marry Daily Alice Drinkwater, whose family has long had dealings with the fairies of the world next door. The novel follows the family across several generations, as they live at the edge of a hidden, enchanted world that is somehow bigger inside than out.
How long does it take to read Little, Big?
About 15 hours (612 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Little, Big?
If you liked it, try Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman or The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker.