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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
It's lovely to visit a good friend, and even better when she has a book (or two, in this case) on the bedside table for me to read! Still Life absorbed all my downtime and kept me up far longer than I intended--it is, as one of my students once said, "a people-y book" that is still populating my mind two busy weeks after I read it.
Still Life is historical fiction, but not in a tedious way, and it's got the infamous switching voices that I complain about so much, but Winman makes each voice individually fascinating. It is full of references to EM Forster's A Room With a View (which I loooooove) and a hefty dose of Shakespeare; much of it takes place in Florence (my favorite city), and it creates a community of memorable people who are human, flawed, lovable, and so multi-faceted that they truly seem real. It's long, and Julie found that the first part dragged, but I didn't (context, of course!).
I gobbled the book down (we had a lot to do! And I had been given homework! AND there was another book on my bedside table!) but would / will definitely re-read it. It would, I bet, be a memorable audiobook (maybe if I DO start a king-sized quilt. . . ). Regardless, if you want or need a book to transport you into a different(ish) world filled with people who will inspire, frustrate, delight, and interest you----Still Life is the one. Wow. Hugely recommended. Thanks, Julie!
Still Life is historical fiction, but not in a tedious way, and it's got the infamous switching voices that I complain about so much, but Winman makes each voice individually fascinating. It is full of references to EM Forster's A Room With a View (which I loooooove) and a hefty dose of Shakespeare; much of it takes place in Florence (my favorite city), and it creates a community of memorable people who are human, flawed, lovable, and so multi-faceted that they truly seem real. It's long, and Julie found that the first part dragged, but I didn't (context, of course!).
I gobbled the book down (we had a lot to do! And I had been given homework! AND there was another book on my bedside table!) but would / will definitely re-read it. It would, I bet, be a memorable audiobook (maybe if I DO start a king-sized quilt. . . ). Regardless, if you want or need a book to transport you into a different(ish) world filled with people who will inspire, frustrate, delight, and interest you----Still Life is the one. Wow. Hugely recommended. Thanks, Julie!
This book will fill you with so much love that it will solve all your problems!
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful story of intertwining friendships that weave in and out of life at different times. I just found the story very slow and drawn out. The last 1/3 of the book was wonderful but I could have easily never continued reading to experience it.
[b:Still Life|57001545|Still Life|Sarah Winman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618151291l/57001545._SY75_.jpg|87853238] A very well crafted story that involves everything good in life. Art, Food, Friendship, History, Nature, Light and Shadows. I loved reading this story and will re-read it again as I will miss these characters.
Oddly, this took me ages to read - possibly because I'd just read a lot of books very quickly and needed a bit of a break but I did also find it a book that I really loved but did find hard to settle into.
I loved the characters, loved the relationships, loved the sense of family, loved the depiction of Florence. I found the later years were skimmed over a bit and would have liked to have known more about what was happening then. I'd also love a Pete and his performance tales spin-off!
I loved the characters, loved the relationships, loved the sense of family, loved the depiction of Florence. I found the later years were skimmed over a bit and would have liked to have known more about what was happening then. I'd also love a Pete and his performance tales spin-off!
Gorgeous love story - love of life, adventure, the families you make, Italy, art. There’s nothing missing here.
Definitely a character-driven novel set in Post WWII Florence and London. And what characters! I loved them and wanted to be loved by them. Such tenderness and beauty!
Not my usual cup of tea. I like a good twisty plot. This was simply the passage of time weathered by people who chose to be a family to one another in the aftermath of turmoil and destruction.
There are some oddities that drew me in after a bit — no quotation marks to designate the dialogue (no skimming here!) and trees that talk, a parrot that quotes Shakespeare… all utterly charming.
Not my usual cup of tea. I like a good twisty plot. This was simply the passage of time weathered by people who chose to be a family to one another in the aftermath of turmoil and destruction.
There are some oddities that drew me in after a bit — no quotation marks to designate the dialogue (no skimming here!) and trees that talk, a parrot that quotes Shakespeare… all utterly charming.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After countless recommendations, I finally picked up "Still Life" as my main read for my trip to Florence - hoping to experience the city not only through my own eyes but through the eyes of the characters as well. And while the beginning felt slow, and I found myself a bit frustrated that Florence wasn’t as prominent in the first third, I quickly became utterly immersed in the story.
At its core, this is a book about connection, art, and love in all its forms. Spanning decades, it follows Ulysses, his makeshift family of friends, and Evelyn, an art historian whose life intersects with theirs in subtle yet profound ways. The narrative unfolds like a series of brushstrokes - glimpses into these characters' lives, sometimes fleeting, but always rich with feeling. I grew to care for them so deeply, even the parrot (Claude🦜).
I once read a review that said reading this book felt like looking at paintings, and I can’t think of a better description. The writing style didn’t always click with me, but it didn’t matter because the emotional impact was so strong. This is one of those rare books where the substance outshines the form for me - the author is clearly very talented - and what lingered with me wasn’t how the words were written but how they made me feel.
And Florence - the city itself is almost a character. Experiencing its beauty, art, and even tragedy (the devastating 1966 flood) through the characters’ perspectives added such depth to my own travels. I’d heard the flood mentioned during my visit, but the book brought it to life in a way that made me feel the weight of that history.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves Florence, slow-burning character-driven stories, or narratives that quietly span a lifetime. It’s a tender, sprawling portrait of love, found family, and the enduring magic of human connection - and I’m so glad I read it.
4.25/5 ⭐
At its core, this is a book about connection, art, and love in all its forms. Spanning decades, it follows Ulysses, his makeshift family of friends, and Evelyn, an art historian whose life intersects with theirs in subtle yet profound ways. The narrative unfolds like a series of brushstrokes - glimpses into these characters' lives, sometimes fleeting, but always rich with feeling. I grew to care for them so deeply, even the parrot (Claude🦜).
I once read a review that said reading this book felt like looking at paintings, and I can’t think of a better description. The writing style didn’t always click with me, but it didn’t matter because the emotional impact was so strong. This is one of those rare books where the substance outshines the form for me - the author is clearly very talented - and what lingered with me wasn’t how the words were written but how they made me feel.
And Florence - the city itself is almost a character. Experiencing its beauty, art, and even tragedy (the devastating 1966 flood) through the characters’ perspectives added such depth to my own travels. I’d heard the flood mentioned during my visit, but the book brought it to life in a way that made me feel the weight of that history.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves Florence, slow-burning character-driven stories, or narratives that quietly span a lifetime. It’s a tender, sprawling portrait of love, found family, and the enduring magic of human connection - and I’m so glad I read it.
4.25/5 ⭐
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced