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A review by imdillionen
How to Be Both by Ali Smith
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
OK, this was my first Ali Smith and, sadly, it did not blow my mind. I tried reading this years ago, but gave up after a hundred pages. And my copy’s the easy way round (George first, can’t imagine how difficult Francescho would be to get into without George first). I’ve always assumed I would love Smith, as all the good boys in my life do.
What is it then? It’s quite difficult. Maybe the level of impenetrability if just too much for me (says a PhD in Virginia Woolf). Maybe the sentence rhythm just isn’t my fit. Don’t know.
Sure, there was that one bit about siblings that would have made any amount of reading worthwhile, but somehow I just generally speaking wasn’t gripped. It’s beautiful writing, witty, funny, clever. Especially Francescho had me lose focus quite a few times. I wonder what I will remember in a year: that they liked their horse and painted whores?
I’ll probably read more Smith, but this didn’t smash me like say Cusk or Nelson.
What is it then? It’s quite difficult. Maybe the level of impenetrability if just too much for me (says a PhD in Virginia Woolf). Maybe the sentence rhythm just isn’t my fit. Don’t know.
Sure, there was that one bit about siblings that would have made any amount of reading worthwhile, but somehow I just generally speaking wasn’t gripped. It’s beautiful writing, witty, funny, clever. Especially Francescho had me lose focus quite a few times. I wonder what I will remember in a year: that they liked their horse and painted whores?
I’ll probably read more Smith, but this didn’t smash me like say Cusk or Nelson.