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cathannahs's review
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Death, and Domestic abuse
emilyexley's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Domestic abuse
balfies's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
4.75
This was an utterly beautiful sweeping novel celebrating people and art and hope and time.
In conversation with the art of Florence and my favourite piece of art about Florence - E. M. Forster's A Room With A View - and featuring a multitude of queer relationships and steady friendships and a formidable woman in the Monuments Men (which I hasten to remind you, dear reader, my great uncle was also in) and artists and musicians...
It was just a sumptuous, delicious read.
In conversation with the art of Florence and my favourite piece of art about Florence - E. M. Forster's A Room With A View - and featuring a multitude of queer relationships and steady friendships and a formidable woman in the Monuments Men (which I hasten to remind you, dear reader, my great uncle was also in) and artists and musicians...
It was just a sumptuous, delicious read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, War, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Murder, Infidelity, Grief, Excrement, Death, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
I’m feeling quietly pleased than my 1000th post is for a 5 star read. Not planned but wonderful serendipity.
Still Life is a fabulous novel with so much depth and complexity. It has a large cast of characters with intertwined story lines which meant it did take me a while to settle into and paying attention wad a must. But the rewards were well worth it, since this book felt like an epic in the best possible way.
The novel begins in Tuscany during World War Two with a meeting between Ulysses, a young British soldier, and Evelyn, an older art historian. From there the story slowly unfolds into the 1970s and then back to the beginning of the century, travelling to England and Florence. It’s my favourite type historical fiction since actual events and real people feature prominently in the plot. The standout event was the 1966 flood of the Arno but references to the Olympics and the football World Cup all helped give an authentic sense of time and place.
I loved the writing and the way it appealed to the senses. So many sentences were superb. The characters were well-drawn and complex; so vivid that they soon felt like old friends, who won’t be forgotten any time soon. I really admire the way Winman pulled off both the highbrow (philosophical discussions about art and its importance) and the lowbrow (an East End pub) and managed to combine them seamlessly. There’s a real depth and richness to this novel. It’s about the importance of art, and about the struggles faced by female artists. It’s about the value and meaning of true friendship and unconditional love. It’s an evocative rendering of Florence, clearly a love letter to that city. It has some LGBT+ storylines woven in and E.M Forster makes an appearance. And it all comes with a side of Shakespeare quoting parrot.
It was a joy to read, a delightfully human story and I loved it. I’m looking forward to discussing it further with @readwithtoni and the rest of the buddy read group later this week.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Domestic abuse
afion's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and War
Minor: Rape and Domestic abuse
There’s a lot of drinking and smoking in this book, so if you’re trying to quit either it might not be the best thing to readhannahmayreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Being a Forster fan, I was very happy to dive right into this novel, and I wasn't left disappointed. Winman has captured the same sense of Italy that Forster also managed to capture on the page - the most comparable being A Room With A View, but Still Life also has much of the chaotic, bohemian energy of Howard's End. Evelyn definitely reminds me of the Schlegel sisters, and there seems to be a little of all of Forster's men about Ulysses. And, of course, there's a little lucy Honeychurch in everyone. It is an odd cast of characters but they're probably one of my favourite ensembles ever.
A philosophical romp through post-war Britain and Europe, it is an expansive story despite the narrow cast of characters. Terracotta-toned visions of Tuscan hillsides and Florentine streets will have you seriously contemplating moving to Italy - what is there to lose you'll ask yourself. You will be consumed by wanderlust.
"Art versus humanity is not the question, Ulysses. One doesn't exist without the other. Art is the antidote. Is that enough to make it important? Well yes, I think it is."
It delights from start to finish. It expands across time and place, yet it remains delectably intimate. Despite being a historical novel it does not cling to the past, and there is no heady nostalgia. It moves steadily forward, seeing change as good. This book has so much heart and soul; it is all joy and heartache, sadness and beauty - what a wonderful, wonderful read. I feel replenished by it - a restorative balm for our bruised souls.
"Beauty gushed out to water the earth." (from A Room With A View)
A philosophical romp through post-war Britain and Europe, it is an expansive story despite the narrow cast of characters. Terracotta-toned visions of Tuscan hillsides and Florentine streets will have you seriously contemplating moving to Italy - what is there to lose you'll ask yourself. You will be consumed by wanderlust.
"Art versus humanity is not the question, Ulysses. One doesn't exist without the other. Art is the antidote. Is that enough to make it important? Well yes, I think it is."
It delights from start to finish. It expands across time and place, yet it remains delectably intimate. Despite being a historical novel it does not cling to the past, and there is no heady nostalgia. It moves steadily forward, seeing change as good. This book has so much heart and soul; it is all joy and heartache, sadness and beauty - what a wonderful, wonderful read. I feel replenished by it - a restorative balm for our bruised souls.
"Beauty gushed out to water the earth." (from A Room With A View)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Domestic abuse and Homophobia
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