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avie_j's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Medical content
Minor: Racism and Homophobia
erebus53's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Wow. Ok this book was not something I was expecting and I lost sleep because I didn't want to stop. Oops.
This was published in 2016, in a UK that was harrowed by the conflict of Brexit and the U.S.A. Presidential Election, so the ending of an era is tied poetically into the autumnal season. This book is more poetry than prose, in some cases literally.
Telling the story of a young Art professor, who is likely to be laid off shortly due to budget cuts, we learn of her childhood and a deep loving friendship that she built with her elderly neighbour. As an old man when they met, he is now over 100 years old and in palliative care, so she makes regular trips to his bedside to read him books.
Thematically, this is a really complex interplay. Through a platonic love affair, with a man who idolises the pop-art created by a woman known for being a wild and affronting naked artist, we see the separation of sex and love. Through the graffiti on walls we see conversations unfold, of protest and the demand for change. "GO HOME!" "I'm already here thanks" speaks volumes about conflict and the attitudes of the British people. Through games shared by an old man and a little girl, we learn to play with words, play with images, and play with the words we use to describe images, and the images we use to describe ideas... and interpret and re-interpret the things in front of us. *breeath!*
Yes this could all be quite navel-gazey, but it is emotionally resonant. A fatherless child, a lonely mother, a wish to meet celebrity, a desire to be recognised as an expert, the want to be taken seriously, the low expectations that have been held of women over the years, expectations, presumptions and interpretations, and misunderstandings, and dreams, and unpredictable nature... life protracted, and life cut short.
Oh hang it.. if reading literature makes me speak in big impenetrable words, then reading symbolic poetical stuff that's grounded in everyday humdrum, makes me sound waffley and artistical. This is not an artistical book.. it's a good quick read, and probably worth re-reading. The dry and quick wit makes it utterly hilarious in places, and the people feel real, flawed, and loveable. I am not quite moved to paint, or throw barometers at electric fences.
This was published in 2016, in a UK that was harrowed by the conflict of Brexit and the U.S.A. Presidential Election, so the ending of an era is tied poetically into the autumnal season. This book is more poetry than prose, in some cases literally.
Telling the story of a young Art professor, who is likely to be laid off shortly due to budget cuts, we learn of her childhood and a deep loving friendship that she built with her elderly neighbour. As an old man when they met, he is now over 100 years old and in palliative care, so she makes regular trips to his bedside to read him books.
Thematically, this is a really complex interplay. Through a platonic love affair, with a man who idolises the pop-art created by a woman known for being a wild and affronting naked artist, we see the separation of sex and love. Through the graffiti on walls we see conversations unfold, of protest and the demand for change. "GO HOME!" "I'm already here thanks" speaks volumes about conflict and the attitudes of the British people. Through games shared by an old man and a little girl, we learn to play with words, play with images, and play with the words we use to describe images, and the images we use to describe ideas... and interpret and re-interpret the things in front of us. *breeath!*
Yes this could all be quite navel-gazey, but it is emotionally resonant. A fatherless child, a lonely mother, a wish to meet celebrity, a desire to be recognised as an expert, the want to be taken seriously, the low expectations that have been held of women over the years, expectations, presumptions and interpretations, and misunderstandings, and dreams, and unpredictable nature... life protracted, and life cut short.
Oh hang it.. if reading literature makes me speak in big impenetrable words, then reading symbolic poetical stuff that's grounded in everyday humdrum, makes me sound waffley and artistical. This is not an artistical book.. it's a good quick read, and probably worth re-reading. The dry and quick wit makes it utterly hilarious in places, and the people feel real, flawed, and loveable. I am not quite moved to paint, or throw barometers at electric fences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Death, Cancer, Grief, Sexism, Cursing, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Hate crime, and Terminal illness
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Adult/minor relationship
farenmaddox's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There is something about marking down, 'no the cast is not particularly diverse and there was little character development,' that makes it feel like I should not be able to rate the book so highly, and yet here we are. This book is a snapshot of people at a particular moment and was simply not about developing them but rather about showing them at an interesting time in their lives. There are reflective flashbacks that provide some context, but never more than the bare minimum you need to understand them. There is much that is left up to interpretation, which fueled a joyfully-shouted discussion with my book club about why, exactly, Elisabeth focuses her work where she does, and how to think about her mother (both as a mother and as a woman).
Ali Smith's writing style is incredible, lyrical and bold and restrained all at once. I was immediately consumed with a desire to read more of her work (this is my first Ali Smith) and just bask in her command of language. The themes of transition and death were handled so poetically and with such deftness, I was truly impressed. The previously-mentioned book club already agreed to read Winter next and perhaps the entire quartet as the seasons turn. I haven't seen our group this excited about a book since we read Piranesi (Susannah Clarke).
Why is not 5 stars? Because I rarely enjoy visual art being described in words, and found those passages which described Pauline Boty's work very frustrating. The scenes in which Daniel is describing them aloud are different, as it's more about Daniel than about trying to visualize the art piece, but there were a few places where her work was described in the narrative rather than by Daniel and that was the bit I disliked.
Ali Smith's writing style is incredible, lyrical and bold and restrained all at once. I was immediately consumed with a desire to read more of her work (this is my first Ali Smith) and just bask in her command of language. The themes of transition and death were handled so poetically and with such deftness, I was truly impressed. The previously-mentioned book club already agreed to read Winter next and perhaps the entire quartet as the seasons turn. I haven't seen our group this excited about a book since we read Piranesi (Susannah Clarke).
Why is not 5 stars? Because I rarely enjoy visual art being described in words, and found those passages which described Pauline Boty's work very frustrating. The scenes in which Daniel is describing them aloud are different, as it's more about Daniel than about trying to visualize the art piece, but there were a few places where her work was described in the narrative rather than by Daniel and that was the bit I disliked.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Death, Grief, Homophobia, and Medical content
rosalind's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Xenophobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Homophobia
amelreads's review
funny
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Homophobia
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Not really a plot-book just follows the characters with some flashes to the past. I did like Elisabeth’s POV much better than Daniel’s, as his seemed to be all over the place, confusing, and made no sense to me (the writing in his chapters seemed to be overly metaphorical/artistic…not entirely sure how to describe it)
Loved the relationship between Elisabeth and Daniel, especially seeing how it affected Elisabeth as she grew up!
It was a decent read; nothing great that would leave me thinking for days after having finished, but it wasn’t a bad read either. Fairly quick and easy to get through if you’re looking for a shorter book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, War, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Xenophobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Racism, Cancer, and Suicide
thecolourblue's review
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A difficult, dreamlike, but beautiful book capturing a moment (or season I suppose) in time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness
Moderate: Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual content and Homophobia
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