The Gravedigger

by Peter Grandbois

"Reminiscent of the work of Luis Alberto Urrea and Gabriel Garcia Marquez" (Booklist), this enchanting first novel, now in paperback, was an Original Voices feature at Borders and a Discover Great New Writers selection at Barnes & Noble. Juan Rodrigo, a gravedigger in a small Andalusian village, hears the voices of the dead and tells their stories to the living, a job that turns out to have both rewards and dangers in a magical place where spirits and people coexist harmoniously, and where readers will linger with delight.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Spain, Magical Realism, Book Club, Family, Ghosts

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Peter Grandbois is the author of fifteen books, including: The Gravedigger, selected by Barnes and Noble for its “Discover Great New Writers” program, The Arsenic Lobster: A Hybrid Memoir, chosen as one of the top five memoirs of 2009 by the Sacramento News and Review, Nahoonkara, winner of the gold medal in literary fiction in Foreword magazine's Book of the Year Awards for 2011, a collection of surreal flash fictions, Domestic Disturbances, a finalist for Book of the Year in Foreword magazine’s 2013 awards, three novella collections or “monster double features,” Wait Your Turn, The Glob Who Girdled Granville (Honorable Mention for Best Fantasy of 2014 in the IndieFab Awards), The Girl on the Swing (Silver Medalist for Best Fantasy of 2015 in the IndieFab Awards), the poetry collection, This House That (Honorable Mention for Best Poetry Collection in the INDIES Awards 2017), the memoir in essays, Kissing the Lobster, the novel, half-burnt (Finalist for Best Multicultural Fiction in the INDIES Awards, 2019), the poetry collections The Three-Legged World, Everything Has Become Birds, and the Snyder Prize winning poetry collection, Last Night I Aged a Hundred Years, a collection of fictions entitled Domestic Bestiary, and a novel/novella monster double feature, Cat People and Dream Memories of the Fifty Foot Woman. His poems, essays, and short stories have appeared in over one hundred magazines and been shortlisted for both the Pushcart Prize and Best American Essays. His plays have been performed in St. Louis, Columbus, Los Angeles, and New York. He is the Poetry Editor at Boulevard magazine and teaches at Denison University in Ohio.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story set in a small village, in Andalucia, Spain. It shows how close life and death exist, through story telling. The stories often existing within other stories and connecting plots, as the dead are given a voice by the grave digger. The tale revolves around the gravedigger and his daughter. However, I found the use of Spanish within the text, with no translation frustrating.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, but had much more potential. In the end, I think the things that I like are outnumbered by things that annoy me.

The good:
-The titular gravedigger, Juan Carlo, is a likeable protagonist. Although he is something of an outcast because of his profession, he's humble, cunning, funny, hardworking, and kind. He's a tragic hero who has suffered a lot of misfortune...and perhaps the greatest of his misfortunes is of his own doing.
-A light touch of magic realism. Juan Carlo can talk to ghosts. Other characters can talk to animals, though this isn't as important to the plot. The scene with Fulgencio and the birds is amusing, however...
-The pastoral setting. The quaint Andalusian village, c. 1950's, makes the story feel more magical. The characters talk of TVs, cinema, and cars in the city, but their lives are uncomplicated. The novel is also fairly "gossipy" which only makes sense in tight-knit community.
-Some of the things the ghosts talk about, especially near the end (don't want to spoil it).

The bad:
-Gratuitous use of Spanish. Mostly terms of endearment and curses, but a few other things too. Yeah, the setting is in Spain, but the book is in English! Even though I had no problem understanding what the author meant, this is a pet peeve of mine.
-The style is bland. Juan Carlo is a storyteller who retells the stories of ghosts, and as a narrator his style is simplistic. Feels more like a fairy tale for kids than an adult novel. Especially since it gets too moralistic at the end, and the entire book basically boils down to: kids should listen to their parents, but parents should listen to their kids.
-Weird pacing. The first half of the book serves to establish the cast of characters despite this really being the story of Juan Carlo and his daughter Esperanza. I guess some of the backstory was interesting (especially the part about Esperanza's late mother and her previous suitors), but a lot of it is too drawn out. The climax is very abrupt and the denoument is too long and not very satisfying. The parts with Esperanza are wonderful, but then other characters are added in a way that seems both unexpected and cliche, almost like a soap opera.
-Gypsies (!?) Had the potential to be interesting, but treated in a very shallow and stereotypical way.

Despite its many flaws, I enjoyed reading this novel. It's just disappointing to know that it could've been so much better.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite three stars, but not really two either.
I think the writing was ok, although I got a little lost in places with present verses past narratives and it was overall a little inconsistent. Some sentences stood out as beautiful, some as really clumsy.
At first I didn't like it because the ending was given away at the very beginning, so I spent more time trying to get to the "when" and "how" instead of examining the "who" and "why." (This was my problem with "The Book Thief" too, I didn't see any point in finishing when the author spoiled the ending right in the middle). However, I think the author wrapped things up nicely here and gave me some things to think about. By the end of the book I forgave the early spoiler and decided I liked it.

[Janna Maron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Grandbois was my mentor this year as I finished my masters in English with an emphasis in creative writing. It's almost on the fanciful side of storytelling/fairy tale, but what I loved is how he plays with the idea of truth in stories and how there are different versions of the same story. Storytelling is definitely a pervading theme -- how stories affect individuals and a larger community. One criticism, however, is that the father-daughter relationship of Juan and Esperanza seems rather predictable to me, and takes away somewhat from the main character -- the gravedigger himself.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

[2019] Finally, I have my own (digital) copy, and I loved it as much as ever.

[2008] I got this from the library, but I loved it so much, I want a copy of my own to read and read and read again.

This book dances in both the real and spiritual realm with ease. It's unlike anything I've ever read, and though sad, it's still uplifting and hopeful. My review sucks anyway, and I cant find words to do any justice to the book or it's enchanting story, so I'll just stop here and say.. read it.

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly charming gem of a book! Refreshing story of simple lives in a small village in Andalucia, Spain. But profound in the understanding of how close life and death exist. The reader must appreciate and trust the existance of Life in a different realm. I love the Latin/Spanish language and thinking as well the willings to allow the spiritual life to flourish. A wonderful read!

[Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this little book and after having seen The Shape of Water I am now convinced that Guillermo Del Toro could do a good job with this story. The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth, The Orphanage-they're all a little similar in that it's a creepy fairy tale with a happy ending...that's not all that happy?? That make sense?

[michael reid rubenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated sentimentality, not something I normally would choose, but I liked the character of Esperanza, and the novel ended strong.

[Emilie DeFazio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely sobbing rn

[Robin Hersh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super sad

[Ewa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Mildred S Brock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sensitive novel

Not great art, but a book filled with love, despair, hope and pathos. Recommend it for your eadingenjoment. Get it soon.

[Robin Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gravedigger, a first novel by Peter Grandbois, will leave you thinking long after you turn the last page. If you are a person who values thinking, then you will enjoy absorbing the story of Juan Rodrigo, a widower gravedigger in a small village in Spain, as he digs the last grave he will ever dig – for his young daughter. Juan Rodrigo is not like you and me, for Juan hears the voices of the dead. His service to the people of his village is not only to dig their graves, but also to tell the stories of their lives. Over the years, the ghost of a young girl often joined Juan to talk while he worked. This time, the ghost of his daughter joins him as well. Together, they tell her story, his story, and the story of other interesting village characters. In so doing, they also tell a story of the human experience that transcends a single person, a single village, or even a single century.

Although a tale of tragedy and loss, The Gravedigger is also a tale of love and joy. Grandbois blends laughter and pain with an artistry that makes us think, and leaves us feeling good rather than sad as the final chapter comes to an end.

[Sherry (sethurner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"High in the Sierra De La Contraviesa, southeast of the gypsy caves of Granada, a small, whitewashed village, indistinguishable from any other in Andalucia, hangs precipitously fromo a cliff, overlooking on one side of the valley below and the Rio Yator that waters the valley, and on the other the wild olive and poplars, which cover the hills, rolling gently down to the sea."

The opening sentence of Peter Grandbois' debut novel sets the stage for a sweet and sad little story of a gravedigger who must dig his last grave before he retires. The gravedigger, Juan Rodrigo, reluctantly "sees dead people" in their ghostly forms, and not only has the responsibility of laying each to rest in the earth, but also the task of telling each departed soul's story to his or her family and friends. The novel tells intertwined stories of Rodrigo, his beloved daughter, his late wife, his former lover, and other souls from the village. Love, loneliness, forgiveness and the power of stories to heal are some of the themes. This is a slender and charming book, well worth your time to read.

[Beregond 3019 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read this book for class- it was written by a Creative writing teacher at my school! He lived in Spain for part of his life, and the book's setting is beautifully realized. This is a work of Magical Realism in the Latin American tradition; think Gabriel Garcia Marquez. What I found so compelling was its ability to enthrall by connecting the plots and slowly developing characters in that page-turning way that is usually only seen in more mainstream writing. The stories within stories are very functional, and universal, but the language is beautiful, and the practices are decidedly literary. Prof. Grandbois has mustered up a good piece of writing on both plains, which is no mean feat. Bravo, I say!

[Alex Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought this book was about the daughter, but it's not. Her inquisition and her actions really highlight the gravedigger's role. Although he tries to be a good father, and a good man, privy to the secrets of the dead, at the end, this role of father is methodically deconstructed by the plot to show how he needed to step beyond the role of father to be a man among other humans.

The writing is very straightforward and clear, ultimately engaging. The characters are likeable, and while the women characters seem strong they are ultimately foils to outline the gravedigger character... so that he must learn that sound boundaries are the things that matter least although they are the most treasured aspects of life for the living.

[sjams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty well written for a such a sad book. There were, unfortunately, a couple of times that the language seemed out of place, such as "who wears the pants in the family". I don't know the origin of the phrase, but I'm assuming that the book takes place in the 1920s or 30s, and that phrase seemed awkward for the book. I was disturbed that the jacket flap made it seem like the father is accepting a love story when in reality it's a tragedy. I don't know if I really should've read such a sad book, with the mood I've been in! But I really like the way it handled ghosts without making it seem too far-fetched for this world.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juan, the gravedigger, is a storyteller who gets his stories from the ghosts of the dead that he buries. While some of the stories he tells leave the family in peace others are not so comforting. Juan also struggles to raise his daughter alone after the death of his beloved wife. Esperanza, although a loving daughter, is also rebellious and tests the limits of her community by falling in love with a gypsy boy. This is an excellent example of magical realism and a novel infused with warmth. A lovely engaging story with humor to spare.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the stories, but I felt that the author missed a golden opportunity to have place and time be important characters in this book. So, in the end, I felt disappointed because the book could have been so much more than it was. Why was this story set where it was set? Why was this story set when it was set? To me, the answers to these questions are key to understanding the message behind the book, but I felt like I was left to make up that important undercurrent on my own. The author didn't write those elements into the story.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended by both my sister and my friend Annie and I'm glad they brought it to my attention. Its a unique book and a great attempt at a first novel for Grandbois. My criticism (as it was also brought up in book club---Kitty's criticism as well) is that the Grandbois may be trying to hard to attempt a literary genre and culture that he is not apart of. When comparing Grandbois to magical realism literary giants like Allende or Marquez, Grandbois falls short. However to compare him to a nobel prize winning author is probably really unfair.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must come clean; Grandbois is my mentor professor for creative writing, but I read this text before studying with him--and it was phenomenal. His lyrical prose, vibrant images, and manipulation of time and truth make this a story to be read over and over. You will laugh, cry, and fall in love with each character so vividly depicted and lovingly created by a writer who clearly knows his genre and the land and people about which he writes. One of my favorite novels.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read, this book had enough magic in it to make it more interesting without testing my ability to believe in the story. I enjoyed the author's style: simple but poetic, enjoyable characters (warts and all). I did feel as if something was missing, perhaps the themes and lessons fell a bit flat or felt slightly forced. Maybe this was because the characters who learned them seemed to do so quickly. Still, it was a very enjoyable story.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a novel, I found it a little uneven. The first third felt a little too episodic for my taste. (I'm fine with short stories as long as that's what I know what I'm getting in to, but having said that, these were a little more strung together than typical short stories, but they didn't have enough cohesion to make the first part of a larger story). It got better, though, and I was really caring about the characters by the time I reached the end.

[Emily D · Rating 3 out of 5]

As magical realism goes, this book does not have the depth of the true geniuses of the genre, but it approaches. It fizzles at the end with unnecessary tie-ups of loose ends at the point where the reader's imagination should take hold. Also, more gypsies! The gold flecks in their eyes, the birds, the dancing in the caves! I wanted all of this incorporated into every story. Sadly, the are just a sidebar to me.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories within a story are fun to read because of the different narrators. Many of the stories are told second hand, making the reader question them more.
My favorite theme from the book is how even after death of loved ones, life keeps going on, and who knows who will outlive whom?
This novel takes place in Spain, and I enjoyed reading about some of the old customs. I believe a lot of the Spanish was foul language, but I don't actually speak Spanish.

[Helen Southall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good story set in Spain about a gravedigger. The folklore of Spain believes that there is a thin veil between life and death. In this story, the gravedigger communicates with the ghost for whom he is digging the grave. The ghost relays his story and the gravedigger tells it at the wake. A beautiful but sad tale. Well worth reading.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the subject matter is different, this book really reminded me of the books of Isabel Allende. I love magic realism with it's dream-like quality. Grandbois' storytelling made it very easy to look into the hearts of the characters and feel their joy/pain. A very easy and rewarding read.

[Lisa Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Spanish Gravedigger inherits the family business; burying the dead, and telling the TRUE story of their life at the graveside. You can imagine the secrets that unfold. Wonderful writing, with a touch of magic.

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very surprised by the good reviews this book has received. It just wasn't anything special. Things were a little flat emotionally for me. I was more attached to the gypsy boy and Pepita (the town whore) than to any of the main characters.

[Julie Darling · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gravedigger is a whimsical, magical and at the same time a very human novel. It is both ethereal and down-to-earth. A very unique writing style.