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The Tiny Wife
A robber charges into a bank with a loaded gun, but instead of taking any money he steals an item of sentimental value from each person. Strange things start to happen to the victims after he escapes: A tattoo comes to life; a husband turns into a snowman; a baby starts to defecate money. And Stacey Hinterland discovers she's shrinking a little every day. Nothing she or her husband can do will reverse the process. Can Stacey and the other victims find a solution before it is too late?
99 pages, Paperback
First published December 20, 2010
37 people are currently reading
3,197 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Kaufman
21Ìýbooks469ÌýfollowersANDREW KAUFMAN's critically acclaimed first book, All My Friends Are Superheroes, was a cult hit and has been translated into six languages. Kaufman is also an accomplished screenwriter, film-maker and radio producer and has completed a Director's Residency at the Canadian Film Centre. He lives in Toronto with his wife and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews
February 19, 2014
You know how in dreams it doesn’t matter that nothing makes any sense? All you know is you're in survival mode and WHY things happen isn’t even on your radar! This has that same surreal quality - if you’re looking for creepy & imaginative give it a try.
One woman is shrinking daily, about to disappear completely if she can’t stop it somehow. Another is fleeing from a lion that used to be tattooed on her leg now come to life and hell-bent on hunting her down. There’s no time for lamenting or gnashing of teeth, the bizarreness dealt with in a very lets get down to business manner.
Magical-realism peppered with absurd humour, likely steeped in metaphor’s that went over my head. An adult fairytale I looked for the moral. Pretty sure it’s "Figure out what’s REALLY important - then cherish it - or lose it." Maybe� anyway, it was fun so I didn’t really care. Despite its tone of unease it was a strangely soothing read, nice choice on the heels of .
Cons: Tiny's about right, preferring novels at 88 pages I wanted more. There's a few passages that are just lame. Finally, Kaufman doesn’t bother explaining 'how' or 'why' which can be annoying if you get all analytical about it. I just let it go:)
Humour bites
“The tiny mothers got all over the house. They would wander away and become unable to find their way back. David was constantly finding tiny mothers hanging from the heating vents or stuck knee-deep in the soil of potted plants.�
“Jennifer Layone was searching underneath the couch for the remote control when she found God.�
One woman is shrinking daily, about to disappear completely if she can’t stop it somehow. Another is fleeing from a lion that used to be tattooed on her leg now come to life and hell-bent on hunting her down. There’s no time for lamenting or gnashing of teeth, the bizarreness dealt with in a very lets get down to business manner.
Magical-realism peppered with absurd humour, likely steeped in metaphor’s that went over my head. An adult fairytale I looked for the moral. Pretty sure it’s "Figure out what’s REALLY important - then cherish it - or lose it." Maybe� anyway, it was fun so I didn’t really care. Despite its tone of unease it was a strangely soothing read, nice choice on the heels of .
Cons: Tiny's about right, preferring novels at 88 pages I wanted more. There's a few passages that are just lame. Finally, Kaufman doesn’t bother explaining 'how' or 'why' which can be annoying if you get all analytical about it. I just let it go:)
Humour bites
“The tiny mothers got all over the house. They would wander away and become unable to find their way back. David was constantly finding tiny mothers hanging from the heating vents or stuck knee-deep in the soil of potted plants.�
“Jennifer Layone was searching underneath the couch for the remote control when she found God.�
December 10, 2018
It was a strange bank robbery. The thief took no money from the bank, nor any cash from the bank's customers and personnel. Instead . . .
'While this is a robbery . . .' the thief said, 'I demand only one thing from each of you and it is this: the item currently in your possession which holds the most sentimental value.'
Even stranger things happened after that.
One woman found God . . . under her couch. Another found herself made of candy. (Spoiler alert - she was DELICIOUS!) Another woman's tattoos came to life, and still another woke to find that her husband had turned into a snowman.
And poor Stacey, the title character, began shrinking.
This is the second book I've read by this author, and like , there's a sweet, almost romantic feel to this that pairs nicely with the things-are-out-of-my-control vibe. There's no character development, if you're looking for that - just people reacting to the quirky circumstances that are thrown their way.
I must also mention the artwork - the charming little silhouettes by really compliment the story.
This is most highly recommended to anyone looking for an unconventional modern-day fairy tale.
'While this is a robbery . . .' the thief said, 'I demand only one thing from each of you and it is this: the item currently in your possession which holds the most sentimental value.'
Even stranger things happened after that.
One woman found God . . . under her couch. Another found herself made of candy. (Spoiler alert - she was DELICIOUS!) Another woman's tattoos came to life, and still another woke to find that her husband had turned into a snowman.
And poor Stacey, the title character, began shrinking.
This is the second book I've read by this author, and like , there's a sweet, almost romantic feel to this that pairs nicely with the things-are-out-of-my-control vibe. There's no character development, if you're looking for that - just people reacting to the quirky circumstances that are thrown their way.
I must also mention the artwork - the charming little silhouettes by really compliment the story.
This is most highly recommended to anyone looking for an unconventional modern-day fairy tale.
November 18, 2013
The robbery was not without consequences. The consequences were the point of the robbery. It was never about money. The thief didn't even ask for any. That it happened in a bank was incidental.
Part modern fairy tale, part fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed this little fable and lost myself in the quirky tales of how the different characters were affected by the robbery. It is immensely creative, imaginative, charming and endearing. It is most definitely about the things we value most, the fears that can stop us from achieving our goals and the path of relationships over time; of souls diminished and love replenished.
The Tiny Wife is a pure gem of a story. It is heart-wrenchingly, soul-clenchingly good; so much so that I immediately purchased all of Andrew Kaufman’s books.
[Branch 117]A robber holds up Branch 117 of the British Bank of North America in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There were 13 people inside when the thief entered. The thief wore a flamboyant purple hat and brandished a handgun.
I demand only one thing from each of you and it is this: the item currently in your possession which holds the most sentimental value.
Each of the 13 handed over their most significant, memory-laden, sentimental object; watches, diamond earrings, a calculator, photographs, a dog-eared copy of , a paystub, an ornate door key and so on. When he'd collected an item from everyone in the room, the thief declared:
It has come to my attention that the vast majority of you, if you even believe you have a soul, believe it sits inside you like a brick of gold.After the robbery strange things start to happen to the victims. A lion tattoo leaps off the owner's leg and proceeds to chase her across the city, another’s husband turns into a snowman, yet another wakes up to find herself made of candy and a little baby begins to fill its nappy with cash. The wife referred to in the title wakes each morning to discover she is shrinking by ever-increasing increments. If she doesn’t figure out a way to repair her soul she will completely disappear before the month is through.
But I'm here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. Your soul is a living, breathing, organic thing. No different than your heart or your legs. And just like your heart keeps your blood oxygenated and your legs keep you moving around, your soul gives you the ability to do amazing, beautiful things. But it is a strange machine, needing to be rejuvenated. Normally, this happens simply by the doing of these things, like a car battery recharging by driving.
When I leave here, I will be taking 51 percent of your souls with me. This will have strange and bizarre consequences in your lives. But more importantly, and I mean this quite literally, learn how to grow them back, or you will die.
Part modern fairy tale, part fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed this little fable and lost myself in the quirky tales of how the different characters were affected by the robbery. It is immensely creative, imaginative, charming and endearing. It is most definitely about the things we value most, the fears that can stop us from achieving our goals and the path of relationships over time; of souls diminished and love replenished.
The Tiny Wife is a pure gem of a story. It is heart-wrenchingly, soul-clenchingly good; so much so that I immediately purchased all of Andrew Kaufman’s books.
May 8, 2019
My second Kaufman and he already feels awfully formulaic. This one contains (much as “Superheroes�, the first one I read) an awful lot of surreal scenes, some of them ‘on your nose�-metaphors, others are either just random, quirky ideas or really clever metaphors that I’m either to thick to get - or not engaged enough to be bothered. And then there’s a clever tear-jerker ending sentence. All wrapped up in a very low page count. This made me want to go back and lower my rating of the other one...
August 15, 2011
A man robs a bank. But instead of making off with bags of cash he takes one thing from each of the customers there: one thing which holds the most sentimental value.
The bugger gets away with it and disappears with his swag.
And then odd things start to happen to the folks he's stolen from. A woman's lion tattoo becomes an actual lion and chases her all over town. Another lady wakes up to find that she's made of candy. And, amongst others, a man's wife discovers she's shrinking. Those who've read Not So Perfect, or are fans of Aimee Bender or Etgar Keret or Michael Czyzniejewski, will not be surprised that I like it. But I don't just like it - or to be more accurate, LOVE it - for its imagination. It's, in my humble opinion, the perfect modern fable. It's about love, it's about life, it's about problems and it's about seeing the bigger picture. It's about people. It's brilliant. It's told with delightful imagination and it's exactly the right size.
A lot's made of word count these days (your book HAS to be this length or that length, blah blah blah) and, again in my humble, word count doesn't really matter all that much - what matters is that the words count. Stories are as long as they are. And as I say, this story's wonderful. As are the illustrations that accompany it. AND, it's going to be released as a gorgeous hardback. Seriously, what's not to love?
The bugger gets away with it and disappears with his swag.
And then odd things start to happen to the folks he's stolen from. A woman's lion tattoo becomes an actual lion and chases her all over town. Another lady wakes up to find that she's made of candy. And, amongst others, a man's wife discovers she's shrinking. Those who've read Not So Perfect, or are fans of Aimee Bender or Etgar Keret or Michael Czyzniejewski, will not be surprised that I like it. But I don't just like it - or to be more accurate, LOVE it - for its imagination. It's, in my humble opinion, the perfect modern fable. It's about love, it's about life, it's about problems and it's about seeing the bigger picture. It's about people. It's brilliant. It's told with delightful imagination and it's exactly the right size.
A lot's made of word count these days (your book HAS to be this length or that length, blah blah blah) and, again in my humble, word count doesn't really matter all that much - what matters is that the words count. Stories are as long as they are. And as I say, this story's wonderful. As are the illustrations that accompany it. AND, it's going to be released as a gorgeous hardback. Seriously, what's not to love?
August 9, 2015
Warning : Review contains spoilers!
First of all, never ever judge a book by its cover, especially this book. I mean look at cover, red and black with blown dandelion. Perfect for romantic books, but see, it's not romance, it's fantasy! :D
In a bank robbery, the thief asks for no money (yes, no money!!!) but an item currently in their possession which holds the most sentimental value. People give wedding rongs, watches and books. Soon weird things start happening in their lives. At this point, I was like, c'mon, I know it fiction, but that doesn't mean you'll write anything, Mr. Kaufman.
This is my first Kaufman book, and it is rather weird. But really, normal is boring! :D It is very intriguing and I wasn't able to put it down. It is a short and pleasant read with a nice message in the end. Loved it a lot! ^_^
First of all, never ever judge a book by its cover, especially this book. I mean look at cover, red and black with blown dandelion. Perfect for romantic books, but see, it's not romance, it's fantasy! :D
In a bank robbery, the thief asks for no money (yes, no money!!!) but an item currently in their possession which holds the most sentimental value. People give wedding rongs, watches and books. Soon weird things start happening in their lives. At this point, I was like, c'mon, I know it fiction, but that doesn't mean you'll write anything, Mr. Kaufman.
This is my first Kaufman book, and it is rather weird. But really, normal is boring! :D It is very intriguing and I wasn't able to put it down. It is a short and pleasant read with a nice message in the end. Loved it a lot! ^_^
December 19, 2021
What a strange story! There was provably lots of layers to the unusual incidents, and I probably didn’t understand half of it, but I enjoyed the surrealistic feeling I had while reading it.
March 17, 2015
Another wonderful little fable of the fantastic from Andrew Kaufman as he once more tackles the contemporary fears of growing up, failing relationships, and parenthood, the agony of love and the joy of despair. Simply and beautifully Kaufman tells us that we might be lost but then again so is everybody else and only through self acceptance and honesty can our souls survive the realities of existence and only through work can love thrive.
All of which makes this seem like one of those hokey self help spirituality books that hippies cling to, except that this is a story about a tattoo of a lion that comes to life and chases its owner around the city for three weeks, about a husband who is turned in to a snowman, somebody's old mother who divides and shrinks repeatedly, sleeping on popsicle sticks and cotton wool balls until eventually she is so small that she is nothing but dust in the wind, and it's about a wife who shrinks by a few millimetres each day with a calculated end date of next Tuesday. That is to say it's funny and weird and insightful without being cloyingly false and didactic.
All of which makes this seem like one of those hokey self help spirituality books that hippies cling to, except that this is a story about a tattoo of a lion that comes to life and chases its owner around the city for three weeks, about a husband who is turned in to a snowman, somebody's old mother who divides and shrinks repeatedly, sleeping on popsicle sticks and cotton wool balls until eventually she is so small that she is nothing but dust in the wind, and it's about a wife who shrinks by a few millimetres each day with a calculated end date of next Tuesday. That is to say it's funny and weird and insightful without being cloyingly false and didactic.
July 30, 2018
What a surreal read! The story that this tiny book contains is so creative that it gives the phrase "imagination has no limits" a whole new meaning. The blurb of the book is so bizzare that you'd want to pick it up. The entire story feels like a weird dream you could have on any day. While I liked a lot of elements in the story, it's quite difficult for me to rate it. Sometimes I feel like it could be a 4 because of the engaging plot but then it could easily be a 3 because it left many things unexplained. But hey, if you have this book, do give it a try and see what you can make out of it!
December 2, 2015
I just realized I must have forgotten to add this to my goodreads. I read it a while back and really liked it, like all of Kaufman's books. It is a short enjoyable read challenging your thoughts and it will keep you thinking for some time.
December 6, 2012
It all begins the day David's wife Stacey is queuing at the bank. A man comes in, armed with a gun, and makes everyone line up, customers and staff alike, and orders them to give him whatever is most precious to them. He doesn't want their wallets, but random objects of sentimental value - they are pieces of their souls.
Without these objects, strange things begin to happen to each of the people who were in the bank that day. For some, it is a small, passing moment that endangers no one. For others, life changes irrevocably. Dawn Metcalf's lion tattoo leaves her skin and turns into a life-sized beast that hunts her relentlessly through Toronto's streets. Gail's husband turns into a snowman and begins to melt. Jenna Jacob turns into candy, and in the heat of passion, her husband eats her. David Bishop's elderly mother splits and splits until there are hundreds of her, all tiny; she keeps splitting until she drifts away on a gust of wind. And George Walterby, who had given the robber his daughter's dummy, got home to discover his baby girl is shitting money. Stacey, meanwhile, begins to shrink, a small amount each day. When she figures out the pattern, she realises exactly how many days she has left before she shrinks away and disappears entirely.
This tiny little book - beautifully bound and illustrated, with soft paper that makes it feel much older than it is - hits a great many of my reading preferences: it's set in Toronto, and I love reading books set in places I'm familiar with; it's a modern-day fable, and quirky as hell; it's magical realism, which always tickles and delights me; and it's a moving story about a couple whose marriage is on the rocks - despite their two-year-old boy, Jasper - and who have to fix what's wrong with their relationship before Stacey's shrinking can be arrested. It's a story made up of little stories, each one fascinating and imaginative, poignant and pleasing, as well as, at times, sad and even tragic.
This is the first book by Kaufman I've read, though based on my enjoyment of it, I've since ordered a couple more of his books. In eight-eight pages, Kaufman's strength was in creating the weird and wonderful, spinning dark tales with clear prose that blur the lines between horror and whimsy. I did feel that there was something, something I personally sought, missing - I don't know what, but for as much as I loved this, it holds me back from really loving it. Yet it's so well brought together, nothing drags, and there's hope for Stacey at the end.
Perhaps it's that we never find out the truth about the robber, who may or may not have met his end at the paws and jaws of Dawn's lion. Why did he do it? Why did he later make phone calls to them, as if he wanted to help them solve their dilemmas? This, I guess, is what makes it a fable. The questions, the hints of possibility. That, and what happens to the individuals themselves. Some of them escape with what seem like safe, if still bizarre, events - like what happens to Jennifer Layone:
I just love that one, it's so neat and perfect and weird and I can just picture it, it reminds me of British sketch comedy. From the fun and chuckle of that story, to the awful tragedy of Grace Gainsfield which near brought me to tears, this little book - novella - packs quite the punch. There's also a great sense of atmosphere in the scenes, rendering them vivid in my imagination - balancing the surreal with the tangible to create a story that's almost plausible.
The black-and-white illustrations, done in silhouette style, beautifully complement the stories and add to the fairy-tale quality of the whole novella. If you want to see them, .
This is an utterly delightful novella, the best kind of fable with its balance of dark and light, tragedy and hope. Skilfully told, beautifully paced with a throbbing sense of tension and suspense, I whole-heartedly recommend this to readers who delight in the strange and unexpected.
Without these objects, strange things begin to happen to each of the people who were in the bank that day. For some, it is a small, passing moment that endangers no one. For others, life changes irrevocably. Dawn Metcalf's lion tattoo leaves her skin and turns into a life-sized beast that hunts her relentlessly through Toronto's streets. Gail's husband turns into a snowman and begins to melt. Jenna Jacob turns into candy, and in the heat of passion, her husband eats her. David Bishop's elderly mother splits and splits until there are hundreds of her, all tiny; she keeps splitting until she drifts away on a gust of wind. And George Walterby, who had given the robber his daughter's dummy, got home to discover his baby girl is shitting money. Stacey, meanwhile, begins to shrink, a small amount each day. When she figures out the pattern, she realises exactly how many days she has left before she shrinks away and disappears entirely.
This tiny little book - beautifully bound and illustrated, with soft paper that makes it feel much older than it is - hits a great many of my reading preferences: it's set in Toronto, and I love reading books set in places I'm familiar with; it's a modern-day fable, and quirky as hell; it's magical realism, which always tickles and delights me; and it's a moving story about a couple whose marriage is on the rocks - despite their two-year-old boy, Jasper - and who have to fix what's wrong with their relationship before Stacey's shrinking can be arrested. It's a story made up of little stories, each one fascinating and imaginative, poignant and pleasing, as well as, at times, sad and even tragic.
This is the first book by Kaufman I've read, though based on my enjoyment of it, I've since ordered a couple more of his books. In eight-eight pages, Kaufman's strength was in creating the weird and wonderful, spinning dark tales with clear prose that blur the lines between horror and whimsy. I did feel that there was something, something I personally sought, missing - I don't know what, but for as much as I loved this, it holds me back from really loving it. Yet it's so well brought together, nothing drags, and there's hope for Stacey at the end.
Perhaps it's that we never find out the truth about the robber, who may or may not have met his end at the paws and jaws of Dawn's lion. Why did he do it? Why did he later make phone calls to them, as if he wanted to help them solve their dilemmas? This, I guess, is what makes it a fable. The questions, the hints of possibility. That, and what happens to the individuals themselves. Some of them escape with what seem like safe, if still bizarre, events - like what happens to Jennifer Layone:
On Thursday 22nd February, one day after the robbery, Jennifer Layone was searching underneath the couch for the remote control when she found God. He looked almost exactly like she'd expected him to look - long white beard, robe, sandals, the whole thing. But he was very dirty. It was dusty underneath the couch, and since she was doing laundry anyway, she took him with her to the laundromat.
Jennifer put him in a washing machine. She was running low on quarters, so she washed him with a load of jeans. She must have forgotten to check the pockets because when she took God out of the washing machine, he was covered in little bits of Kleenex. This disappointed God. He wouldn't look Jennifer in the eyes and he left the laundromat without saying goodbye. Now she was no closer to God than she'd been before the robbery. [pp.22-23]
I just love that one, it's so neat and perfect and weird and I can just picture it, it reminds me of British sketch comedy. From the fun and chuckle of that story, to the awful tragedy of Grace Gainsfield which near brought me to tears, this little book - novella - packs quite the punch. There's also a great sense of atmosphere in the scenes, rendering them vivid in my imagination - balancing the surreal with the tangible to create a story that's almost plausible.
The black-and-white illustrations, done in silhouette style, beautifully complement the stories and add to the fairy-tale quality of the whole novella. If you want to see them, .
This is an utterly delightful novella, the best kind of fable with its balance of dark and light, tragedy and hope. Skilfully told, beautifully paced with a throbbing sense of tension and suspense, I whole-heartedly recommend this to readers who delight in the strange and unexpected.
May 8, 2012
This book is pretty. A pretty little hardback with a pretty cover and full of pretty illustrations. Pretty pretty pretty and I am a sucker for a pretty book.
Contents wise? I didn't enjoy this as much as Kaufman's 'All My Friends Are Superheroes' which I absolutely adored but I did like it, in a weird, almost aching kind of a way. The thing about Kaufman, and this is true about Superheroes as well, is that he tells his fantastical stories in such a matter of fact way that you kind of focus less on the fantastical and more on the message behind the words. This book, this novella I guess, wouldn't be out of place next to Dahl's short stories, which I love; it has that same kind of twisted magic about it. So a thief steals the item of most sentimental value from a group of people, tells them that along with that he is taking part of their soul and that if they don't figure out how to get it back they'll die and in the days that follow we're introduced to (among others) a tattoo that comes to life, a mother that shrinks and multiplies, a husband that turns to ice, a man crushed by his own history and the tiny wife. Sounds weird? It is weird. It's also clever and funny and sweet and painful and so so thought provoking: if you lost a part of yourself, what part would it be, could you survive without it, would you ever be able to find a way to get it back? a great little modern day fairy tale for grown-ups. And did I mention it's pretty?
Contents wise? I didn't enjoy this as much as Kaufman's 'All My Friends Are Superheroes' which I absolutely adored but I did like it, in a weird, almost aching kind of a way. The thing about Kaufman, and this is true about Superheroes as well, is that he tells his fantastical stories in such a matter of fact way that you kind of focus less on the fantastical and more on the message behind the words. This book, this novella I guess, wouldn't be out of place next to Dahl's short stories, which I love; it has that same kind of twisted magic about it. So a thief steals the item of most sentimental value from a group of people, tells them that along with that he is taking part of their soul and that if they don't figure out how to get it back they'll die and in the days that follow we're introduced to (among others) a tattoo that comes to life, a mother that shrinks and multiplies, a husband that turns to ice, a man crushed by his own history and the tiny wife. Sounds weird? It is weird. It's also clever and funny and sweet and painful and so so thought provoking: if you lost a part of yourself, what part would it be, could you survive without it, would you ever be able to find a way to get it back? a great little modern day fairy tale for grown-ups. And did I mention it's pretty?
April 12, 2020
Vilken underbar novell!
Var tvungen att läsa den två ggr efter sig.
Magiskt realism, oförutsägbar, smart och kul. Metaforer för hela slanten. Fint budskap om att själen, relationer och kärlek är något som bör vårdas hela tiden.
Det räcker inte att vara modig ett ögonblick och tatuera in en tiger, det gäller att jobba med rädslan hela tiden för att vinna över den och få frid. På samma sätt är det med kärleken i en relation, man måste anstränga sig och aktivt välja att göra kärleksfulla handlingar. Och inte minst, visa din gamla mamma respekt och uppskattning, ta henne inte för given.
Var tvungen att läsa den två ggr efter sig.
Magiskt realism, oförutsägbar, smart och kul. Metaforer för hela slanten. Fint budskap om att själen, relationer och kärlek är något som bör vårdas hela tiden.
Det räcker inte att vara modig ett ögonblick och tatuera in en tiger, det gäller att jobba med rädslan hela tiden för att vinna över den och få frid. På samma sätt är det med kärleken i en relation, man måste anstränga sig och aktivt välja att göra kärleksfulla handlingar. Och inte minst, visa din gamla mamma respekt och uppskattning, ta henne inte för given.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2020
Så himla himla fin kortroman. Kaufman bygger sakligt och okonstlat upp situationer som egentligen är som feberdrömmar, och det hela blir då som en ovanligt klar sådan. Ett kalejdoskop av märkliga händelser som uppkommit ur människors livsöden, och främst får man följa en krympande partner. En kvinna blir jagat av sitt eget lejon, en man finner plötsligt att hans kontor ligger under vatten. Här anas djupare konnotationer och även om det låter flummigt så är det som att den här lilla boken innehåller så oerhört mycket mänsklighet! Kan inte låta bli att fundera på vad mitt öde hade blivit, om jag gett tjuven i bokens början något som sitter på stort affektionsvärde. tjusig, smart och rörande bok även om den bara är 100 sidor, med ett vackert avslut
June 30, 2020
This was so weird ...
I understood some events and metaphors, but I didn't understood most ...
Although I was unable to come to a conclusion about the meaning of all the events, I found the narrative very captivating and immersive.
I also liked the illustrations of the Portuguese version.
December 10, 2018
No Festival BANG! de 2018, era dado a todos os visitantes um saco onde estavam incluÃdas algumas ofertas, entre elas um exemplar deste pequeno livro, publicado entre nós há já alguns anos mas que, sinceramente, me tinha passado despercebido. Como é um livro curto e li algumas boas opiniões, decidi dar-lhe uma oportunidade.
A Esposa Minúscula inicia-se quando um banco é assaltado, mas em vez de estar interessado em roubar dinheiro, o ladrão pede a cada uma das pessoas presentes que lhe dêm o objeto com maior valor emocional que tenham consigo, tratando de lhes explicar que leva com ele 51% das almas dos donos dos objetos e que, se não conseguirem fazer com que elas voltem a crescer, coisas terrÃveis sucederão. Nos dias seguintes, começam a acontecer coisas estranhas aos envolvidos no “assaltoâ€�; o narrador do livro é marido de uma das pessoas presentes, uma mulher que começa a ficar cada vez mais pequena e que percebe que tem poucos dias de vida, se o seu encolhimento continuar ao ritmo previsto. Será que ela vai conseguir recuperar a sua alma e evitar que isto aconteça?
De uma forma geral, A Esposa Minúscula é um livro que pretende chamar a atenção para as coisas na vida que valem verdadeiramente a pena e para os medos que muitas vezes nos impedem de as alcançarmos; no fundo, é importante que percebamos o que nos “enche� a alma e o que nos dá alento para navegar por todas as marés. Andrew Kaufman fá-lo através de um texto que assume contornos de fábula, repleto de elementos bizarros e acontecimentos estranhos.
Percebo o apelo que este livro tem nos leitores, mas comigo não funcionou muito bem. Admito que seja um livro imaginativo, original e com uma premissa promissora, mas o facto de nunca ter percebido as intenções do ladrão e de não ter compreendido muitas das coisas que foram acontecendo fez com que o livro perdesse boa parte do interesse para mim. Às tantas, pareceu-me demasiado aleatório, só porque sim. Mas não foi apenas a falta de explicações; também achei que um maior desenvolvimento das personagens teria sido benéfico para a história.
No final de contas, é um livro engraçado, que se leu bem, mas que não deixou grandes marcas.
A Esposa Minúscula inicia-se quando um banco é assaltado, mas em vez de estar interessado em roubar dinheiro, o ladrão pede a cada uma das pessoas presentes que lhe dêm o objeto com maior valor emocional que tenham consigo, tratando de lhes explicar que leva com ele 51% das almas dos donos dos objetos e que, se não conseguirem fazer com que elas voltem a crescer, coisas terrÃveis sucederão. Nos dias seguintes, começam a acontecer coisas estranhas aos envolvidos no “assaltoâ€�; o narrador do livro é marido de uma das pessoas presentes, uma mulher que começa a ficar cada vez mais pequena e que percebe que tem poucos dias de vida, se o seu encolhimento continuar ao ritmo previsto. Será que ela vai conseguir recuperar a sua alma e evitar que isto aconteça?
De uma forma geral, A Esposa Minúscula é um livro que pretende chamar a atenção para as coisas na vida que valem verdadeiramente a pena e para os medos que muitas vezes nos impedem de as alcançarmos; no fundo, é importante que percebamos o que nos “enche� a alma e o que nos dá alento para navegar por todas as marés. Andrew Kaufman fá-lo através de um texto que assume contornos de fábula, repleto de elementos bizarros e acontecimentos estranhos.
Percebo o apelo que este livro tem nos leitores, mas comigo não funcionou muito bem. Admito que seja um livro imaginativo, original e com uma premissa promissora, mas o facto de nunca ter percebido as intenções do ladrão e de não ter compreendido muitas das coisas que foram acontecendo fez com que o livro perdesse boa parte do interesse para mim. Às tantas, pareceu-me demasiado aleatório, só porque sim. Mas não foi apenas a falta de explicações; também achei que um maior desenvolvimento das personagens teria sido benéfico para a história.
No final de contas, é um livro engraçado, que se leu bem, mas que não deixou grandes marcas.
January 14, 2014
When a thief takes items of sentimental value from a group of strangers one afternoon he also walks away with fifty-one percent of each person's soul. The consequences of this theft are the strange happenings that occur to the victims and those around them.
Filled with whimsy, this quirky little modern fairy tale has little bit of everything to draw you in. A bit of darkness, some tragedy, moments of comedy and a touch of the macabre and bizarre wrapped up in a clever and thoughtful narrative.
At 88-pages this novella is a quick and satisfying read that is sure to linger with you once you have finished. It is clearly more than the sum of its small parts and will leaave you questioning for some time. An easy recommendation for anyone who doesn't mind giving the fanciful in the mundane a chance.
Filled with whimsy, this quirky little modern fairy tale has little bit of everything to draw you in. A bit of darkness, some tragedy, moments of comedy and a touch of the macabre and bizarre wrapped up in a clever and thoughtful narrative.
At 88-pages this novella is a quick and satisfying read that is sure to linger with you once you have finished. It is clearly more than the sum of its small parts and will leaave you questioning for some time. An easy recommendation for anyone who doesn't mind giving the fanciful in the mundane a chance.
December 28, 2018
This was okay. The story was nice, but it didn't do much for me. To be honest, I only read this because I wanted the end the year with a round number of books. I'll forget about this quite soon.
February 24, 2012
If you read this book, be ready for anything. It comes across as bizarre, though there is a strong point being made that is never explicitly stated but there to be pondered none-the-less. I love books that make you think.
Several people are in a bank when a robber appears and orders them to hand over the thing with most sentimental value to them. He explains that he has taken half their soul with him, and they will need to fight in the following days to grow it back, else they die. Each of them struggles to make sense of their battle: a woman's lion tattoo jumps from her leg and chases her around, a man's elderly mother divides into many smaller versions of herself so that he can't help but take notice of her, a woman's husband becomes a snowman and starts to melt... and the wife of the story's protagonist begins to shrink a little each day until she is no bigger than the size of his hand.
Over the course of the short book they learn to face and accept their struggles, which enables them to gradually work out how to deal with them. Their stories and how they end up are allegorical and complicated, but a book group could have a field day exploring what it is that each one really faces and if and how they can overcome it.
It reminded me of Markus Zusak's though it's much shorter and less involved. Some of the content is a little rough (including some language), but there is nothing explicit.
It is not really a book with solutions, yet its merit is that it helps you face the problems. That's positive.
Several people are in a bank when a robber appears and orders them to hand over the thing with most sentimental value to them. He explains that he has taken half their soul with him, and they will need to fight in the following days to grow it back, else they die. Each of them struggles to make sense of their battle: a woman's lion tattoo jumps from her leg and chases her around, a man's elderly mother divides into many smaller versions of herself so that he can't help but take notice of her, a woman's husband becomes a snowman and starts to melt... and the wife of the story's protagonist begins to shrink a little each day until she is no bigger than the size of his hand.
Over the course of the short book they learn to face and accept their struggles, which enables them to gradually work out how to deal with them. Their stories and how they end up are allegorical and complicated, but a book group could have a field day exploring what it is that each one really faces and if and how they can overcome it.
It reminded me of Markus Zusak's though it's much shorter and less involved. Some of the content is a little rough (including some language), but there is nothing explicit.
It is not really a book with solutions, yet its merit is that it helps you face the problems. That's positive.
January 5, 2012
(possible spoilers)
The Tiny Wife, the opening pages had me fascinated, what did I have on my person that had the most sentimental value? And what would it mean for my soul to lose it? Quite an intriguing question. It was my Wizard of Oz 'Are you a Good Witch or A Bad Witch' watch. I read on.
However I was soon frustrated, not knowing why all these strange things were happening to people. Were they punishments or rewards? Who was being pushed or rewarded and why? Why, why, why? And then what?
For example, was Stacey shrinking to punish her or punish her husband? And why didn't her husband do anything to 'save' her when he had clues from the phone call?
Was the Purple Hat thief a good guy or a bad guy!
Arrgghhh...
2 stars.
The Tiny Wife, the opening pages had me fascinated, what did I have on my person that had the most sentimental value? And what would it mean for my soul to lose it? Quite an intriguing question. It was my Wizard of Oz 'Are you a Good Witch or A Bad Witch' watch. I read on.
However I was soon frustrated, not knowing why all these strange things were happening to people. Were they punishments or rewards? Who was being pushed or rewarded and why? Why, why, why? And then what?
For example, was Stacey shrinking to punish her or punish her husband? And why didn't her husband do anything to 'save' her when he had clues from the phone call?
Was the Purple Hat thief a good guy or a bad guy!
Arrgghhh...
2 stars.
March 27, 2018
shook
October 25, 2020
Jag hade helt klart blivit galen om jag var en av de drabbade bankbesökarna i den här boken. Förvirrande och tankeväckande på en och samma gång
Här gäller det att helt enkelt bara hänga med och inte fastna i något varför eller hur.
De gånger jag stannade upp kände jag mig som Dawn som jagades av sin egen lejontatuering. Det var bara att springa vidare och komma till insikt med varför under tiden.
Helt fantastisk på sitt eget lilla vis men jag tror att jag kan ha missat andemeningen trots allt.
Betyg: 4 vattenfyllda frysboxar av 5
Här gäller det att helt enkelt bara hänga med och inte fastna i något varför eller hur.
De gånger jag stannade upp kände jag mig som Dawn som jagades av sin egen lejontatuering. Det var bara att springa vidare och komma till insikt med varför under tiden.
Helt fantastisk på sitt eget lilla vis men jag tror att jag kan ha missat andemeningen trots allt.
Betyg: 4 vattenfyllda frysboxar av 5
November 11, 2017
Wat een leuk kort verhaal is dit! Ik heb het boek via Storytel geluisterd. Het wordt heel leuk voorgelezen; het deed me denken aan een Wes Anderson film. Het verhaal is een mix van bizarre omstandigheden (een vrouw die krimpt en een leeuwentattoo die tot leven komt, bijvoorbeeld) en juist pijnlijk realistische uitspraken die je soms zelfs een beetje aan het denken zetten. Ik vond dat heel knap van de auteur.
Read
April 9, 2018Myslim, ze o nejake 2 a 3 mesiace si precitam dalsiu knihu od Kaufmana. Ponorit sa do jeho absurdnych svetov je z casu na cas super. Verim, ze precitat vsetky jeho knihy za sebou by bola nuda. Ale davkovat si ich priebezne pocas roka.. to znie ako dobry plan!
October 31, 2018
Uma história pequena, perturbadora, mas engraçada ao mesmo tempo.
Nunca tinha ouvido falar disto, mas valeu bem a pena.
Nunca tinha ouvido falar disto, mas valeu bem a pena.
July 22, 2017
Uma história peculiar muito divertida e com uma conclusão interessante. Um livro diferente de tudo aquilo que já li até hoje.
January 7, 2013
The Tiny Wife begins in a dramatic fashion as a thief in a purple hat bursts into a busy Toronto bank brandishing a loaded gun. But it soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary stick-up. The stranger demands that each of the bank's customers gives him the object in their possession that holds the most sentimental value. Confused, they comply with his demands and part with the trinkets that they hold dear; a cheap watch, a well-used calculator. But along with these knick-knacks each victim loses a part of their own soul, which triggers all manner of bizarre and surreal events across the city.
The consequences of this singular encounter affect the victims in a multitude of different ways, and I am loath to give too much away as after all, the book is only 88 pages long. Suffice it to say, some find their lives are changed for the better, such as the man who finds that his little baby begins to fill its nappy with cash. But others, like Stacey Hinterland, are thrown into a world of uncertainty. Stacey discovers that she is shrinking, imperceptibly at first, but later at an alarming rate. Her relationship with her husband becomes more strained than ever and her toddler son threatens to engulf her. How is she to find her soul again before she disappears for good?
Part modern fairy tale, part magical realism, I enjoyed this little fable and lost myself in the quirky tales of how the different characters were affected by the robbery. It is immensely imaginative and thoroughly charming. However as I came to the end I had a niggling feeling that something of the moral of the story had passed me by. Who is this flamboyant stranger in the purple hat, and what are his motives? They say good things come in small packages, so feel free to call me a greedy so and so if you like, but I was left wanting just a few pages more. The Tiny Wife definitely comes highly recommended, and I am very tempted to pick up a copy of Kaufman's latest, 'Born Weird', which has been recently published.
The consequences of this singular encounter affect the victims in a multitude of different ways, and I am loath to give too much away as after all, the book is only 88 pages long. Suffice it to say, some find their lives are changed for the better, such as the man who finds that his little baby begins to fill its nappy with cash. But others, like Stacey Hinterland, are thrown into a world of uncertainty. Stacey discovers that she is shrinking, imperceptibly at first, but later at an alarming rate. Her relationship with her husband becomes more strained than ever and her toddler son threatens to engulf her. How is she to find her soul again before she disappears for good?
Part modern fairy tale, part magical realism, I enjoyed this little fable and lost myself in the quirky tales of how the different characters were affected by the robbery. It is immensely imaginative and thoroughly charming. However as I came to the end I had a niggling feeling that something of the moral of the story had passed me by. Who is this flamboyant stranger in the purple hat, and what are his motives? They say good things come in small packages, so feel free to call me a greedy so and so if you like, but I was left wanting just a few pages more. The Tiny Wife definitely comes highly recommended, and I am very tempted to pick up a copy of Kaufman's latest, 'Born Weird', which has been recently published.
March 18, 2012
Hmm...I knew from Day-1 that I'd be tome-travelling a LOT this year but what I didn't know was I'd also be witnessing crime while on this journey! Yes, crime was what Canada was all about for me (at least while I was visiting it with Andrew Kaufman!)
'The Tiny Wife' is a beautiful modern day fable about a thief who steals something of sentimental value from people. It's funny, crazy, quirky and extremely interesting. In fact I was almost battling with myself while reading it about whether or not it is a five-star scorer. Well, to be honest, it nearly was except for the end which makes one feel that the author really wanted to finish the book maybe because he had something more important to do. Had the end been elaborate and had the end explained anything about why the robbery occurred in the first place, it would have been one TERRIFIC helluva story. However, because it was abrupt and gave me the feel that perhaps the author was bored with the concept himself, I docked off two stars.
Do I recommend it?
Well, I do mostly because it is fun and because the story-line is unique but if you're looking for something like 'The Little Prince', well, I wouldn't call it your cup of tea. A light, casual read is what it is!
'The Tiny Wife' is a beautiful modern day fable about a thief who steals something of sentimental value from people. It's funny, crazy, quirky and extremely interesting. In fact I was almost battling with myself while reading it about whether or not it is a five-star scorer. Well, to be honest, it nearly was except for the end which makes one feel that the author really wanted to finish the book maybe because he had something more important to do. Had the end been elaborate and had the end explained anything about why the robbery occurred in the first place, it would have been one TERRIFIC helluva story. However, because it was abrupt and gave me the feel that perhaps the author was bored with the concept himself, I docked off two stars.
Do I recommend it?
Well, I do mostly because it is fun and because the story-line is unique but if you're looking for something like 'The Little Prince', well, I wouldn't call it your cup of tea. A light, casual read is what it is!
June 18, 2024
Absolutely loved this. Magical realism at its best.
Thank you to my dear friend Mahvush for getting me this book. Makes this book a little bit more special.
Kaufman is someone whose work I’d never read before. This book had all the Aimee Bender vibes but way more subtle and just so so good.
At first, I was highly amused by the levels of bizarre, then my heart strings were being pulled in all these different directions, making me think how relatable these characters were and how there were so many underlying themes � of marriage, family heritage (read: trauma), parenting, children, friendship, love, regret and heartache. Oh my goodness, such impeccable metaphors and such profound meaning behind all of them. The subplots were beautifully tied together, with sweet silhouetty illustrations sprinkled across every few chapters. I won’t lie, I cried and held my breath as I read the last few chapters. And the ending was everything a reader could have hope for.
If you like magical realism, and are looking for an easy quick read, this is definitely for you.
Thank you to my dear friend Mahvush for getting me this book. Makes this book a little bit more special.
Kaufman is someone whose work I’d never read before. This book had all the Aimee Bender vibes but way more subtle and just so so good.
At first, I was highly amused by the levels of bizarre, then my heart strings were being pulled in all these different directions, making me think how relatable these characters were and how there were so many underlying themes � of marriage, family heritage (read: trauma), parenting, children, friendship, love, regret and heartache. Oh my goodness, such impeccable metaphors and such profound meaning behind all of them. The subplots were beautifully tied together, with sweet silhouetty illustrations sprinkled across every few chapters. I won’t lie, I cried and held my breath as I read the last few chapters. And the ending was everything a reader could have hope for.
If you like magical realism, and are looking for an easy quick read, this is definitely for you.
May 9, 2012
Read this in one sitting, which is how it must be read. Lovely, sweet story that deserves your full attention. It would have gotten five stars had the ending not been so abrupt, and maybe over time I'll learn to appreciate that more, that the ending was perfect, but I guess I didn't want it to end. I wanted to know more about Stacy and David and how they re-built their realtionship, and the changes that took place as a result. I'm also annoyed at the fact I didn't write it. Wonderful stuff.
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