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nreyno's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Racism, Torture, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Trafficking, War, and Deportation
racbuckallew's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
!!!! Cannot emphasize this enough. Smith is a firecracker and this book is so important (and special! the pacing is probably the best of the quartet. it’s quick. whiplash/back and forth like spring. beginnings/endings). holy shit
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Grief, and Deportation
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, and Violence
carlytenille's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Grief, Colonisation, and Deportation
maggiefae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Racism
Moderate: Suicide attempt
kglas's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I just finished reading the whole seasonal quartet, and here is my experience with some recommendations.
1) It's definitely best to read the seasonal quartet in the order im which the books were published: autumn - winter - spring - summer. Even though there are new characters at the heart of each novel, it is such a delight to re-encounter some loveable ones in more than one of them. Especially, half of the fun of reading Summer at the end is recognising the characters and stories from previous seasons.
2) I read Autumn twice. I finished it and realised that for understanding more deeply I needed to read it again , and that was fully worth it. I may also re-read some of the quartet at some point and I am sure I'll keep discovering connections and passages that I haven't realised so far.
3) I regularly checked out the references to artists and other writers, looking at their work online. That made the reading experience more complete and made me get to know some exciting works of art I'd had no idea about before reading these books.
To sum up, I adore Ali Smith's masterful writing style, her wordplay, the topics she picks up (female art, migration, the Brexit, climate change, COVID 19, activism, ...) and the loving, caring characters she has created.
A must-read for anyone who loves good and sometimes complex novels.
1) It's definitely best to read the seasonal quartet in the order im which the books were published: autumn - winter - spring - summer. Even though there are new characters at the heart of each novel, it is such a delight to re-encounter some loveable ones in more than one of them. Especially, half of the fun of reading Summer at the end is recognising the characters and stories from previous seasons.
2) I read Autumn twice. I finished it and realised that for understanding more deeply I needed to read it again , and that was fully worth it. I may also re-read some of the quartet at some point and I am sure I'll keep discovering connections and passages that I haven't realised so far.
3) I regularly checked out the references to artists and other writers, looking at their work online. That made the reading experience more complete and made me get to know some exciting works of art I'd had no idea about before reading these books.
To sum up, I adore Ali Smith's masterful writing style, her wordplay, the topics she picks up (female art, migration, the Brexit, climate change, COVID 19, activism, ...) and the loving, caring characters she has created.
A must-read for anyone who loves good and sometimes complex novels.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Xenophobia, Grief, and Suicide attempt
megsotto's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Deportation
Moderate: Cancer
deedireads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-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
4.75
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Spring is my favorite of Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet so far. It’s a deeply felt novel with smart, resonant social commentary.
For you if: You love characters that feel real enough to break your heart.
FULL REVIEW:
I’m currently reading Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet in order, season by season (with @caseys_chapters!). I’ve liked them all, but I think Spring is my favorite so far.
This one focuses on two main characters: Richard, an older man who was once a moderately successful film director, mourning the loss of his closest friend; and Brit, a corrections officer for the quartet’s fictional security company (which is also involved with border security). Richard has decided there’s nothing left for him, and Brit finds herself traveling with a remarkable young schoolgirl named Florence.
I think this one felt a little less abstract in terms of how it related to the season it’s named for, which helped. It sang with positioning of spring against the idea of borders and migration and the kind of impossible, barely-there hope that always exists despite the brokenness of the world. It might also be that the social commentary felt a little fresher (since the book is newer); I was particularly struck by Brit and the momentum that keeps her from opening her eyes, much less taking action.
But even considered on its own, the power of Ali Smith’s prose is (as always) somehow unnameable but also unmistakeable, and the characters broke my heart. This was deeply felt and effective, and I can’t wait to read Summer.
TL;DR REVIEW:
Spring is my favorite of Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet so far. It’s a deeply felt novel with smart, resonant social commentary.
For you if: You love characters that feel real enough to break your heart.
FULL REVIEW:
I’m currently reading Ali Smith’s Seasonal Quartet in order, season by season (with @caseys_chapters!). I’ve liked them all, but I think Spring is my favorite so far.
This one focuses on two main characters: Richard, an older man who was once a moderately successful film director, mourning the loss of his closest friend; and Brit, a corrections officer for the quartet’s fictional security company (which is also involved with border security). Richard has decided there’s nothing left for him, and Brit finds herself traveling with a remarkable young schoolgirl named Florence.
I think this one felt a little less abstract in terms of how it related to the season it’s named for, which helped. It sang with positioning of spring against the idea of borders and migration and the kind of impossible, barely-there hope that always exists despite the brokenness of the world. It might also be that the social commentary felt a little fresher (since the book is newer); I was particularly struck by Brit and the momentum that keeps her from opening her eyes, much less taking action.
But even considered on its own, the power of Ali Smith’s prose is (as always) somehow unnameable but also unmistakeable, and the characters broke my heart. This was deeply felt and effective, and I can’t wait to read Summer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Confinement
amelreads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, and Colonisation
Minor: Sexual assault and Torture
afion's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Terminal illness
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Ableism and Homophobia
amberinbookland's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Racism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Bullying and War