A review by bobshmob
Winter by Ali Smith

4.0

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. At first glance, it’s one of those “dysfunctional family that eventually manages to reconcile and find love” kinds of stories, but there are  enough layers and stylistic flair to keep it interesting and funny. Although I don’t feel like any of the writing styles Smith uses are super original, she switches it up so often and so well within one novel. It’s really great to read. Thematically, the book is largely about how we can reconcile fundamentally different worldviews and find community despite it. I sometimes felt that it was too on the nose, especially when it came to dialogue between the characters. I also didn’t love how neatly it seemed to end. But even if it wasn’t thematically the most subtle, Smith has so many references and allusions that you still feel like you have to think throughout the book to catch and understand each one of them, which was another aspect that I really enjoyed.