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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
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
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
beautiful, heartwarming and full of life, love and the people found throughout life who become family
what i imagine a still life painting would be like if it came to life :)
what i imagine a still life painting would be like if it came to life :)
One of the top ten best books I’ve ever read. Stunning and beautiful writing, charm and wit in every character and an overall vibe of class. I recommend this to everyone.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
The name, Still Life, can pertain to paintings or photographs, but most of all the snippets of life beautifully portrayed within its pages. The story follows Ulysses Temper and his family and friends, from England to Italy, spanning nearly four decades during and after WWII. It reminds me a lot of Hello, Beautiful where the plot is all broad strokes while characters receive the fine details. Beautifully written and engaging. It's the best book I've read this year.
4.75 Love is love. This book covers all the different loves so thoroughly, so beautifully. Familial love, romantic love, "chosen family" love that is the deepest form of friendship - it's all here and I'm here for it.
Beautiful story and the audiobook version narrated by the author is such a treat. The only comment I have is that Evelyn's story at the end felt like bonus material rather than part of the story. As if the author was already writing a prequel while the novel hadn't been published yet and thought, what the heck, I'll just include it. Nonetheless, I loved every minute of Still Life.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
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
We should all be still...
A wonderful escapism that reminds us to breathe and be grateful for the beauty in and around us
I laughed..I cried...I sucum
Sublime
A wonderful escapism that reminds us to breathe and be grateful for the beauty in and around us
I laughed..I cried...I sucum
Sublime