Still Life in Around the World

Oct 03, 2021 Kim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: re-read, fiction, historical-fiction, own, 2021-int-release, hardcover-want, 2021-purchase, booktopia, italy, 2021-anticipated

This was delightful. The characters just jumped off the page. Fabulous characters and their little corner of The East End of London and their little corner of Florence come alive.
Not sure that I got all the nods to Italian art and to E.M. Forester but I feel like I now need to read A Room with a View and then this one again.
It also brought to light a 1966 flood that I knew nothing about, nor the Mud Angels who helped in the aftermath. Fascinating.
It's my first Winman novel but it won't be my l ...more

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Sep 24, 2023 Claire rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-literature, fiction, historical-fiction

I was certain I was going to revel in this, I have been anticipating reading a Sarah Winman novel for so long. Sadly, this did not wow me, but it did make me think quite hard about what I have become used to in a novel and what I tend to seek,this being another that was recommended by another, and not one that would have otherwise been on my TBR.

Basically, it was a story that centres around the character of Ulysses, or Ulisse as he is often referred to. His closest friends all belong to a local I was certain I was going to revel in this, I have been anticipating reading a Sarah Winman novel for so long. Sadly, this did not wow me, but it did make me think quite hard about what I have become used to in a novel and what I tend to seek,this being another that was recommended by another, and not one that would have otherwise been on my TBR.

Basically, it was a story that centres around the character of Ulysses, or Ulisse as he is often referred to. His closest friends all belong to a local pub, who are one set of the main characters, Col, the pub owner, his daughter Ginny, a parrot named Claude, Cressy, an older man. Ulysses marries Peg before heading off to WWII, for practical reasons, though they expect nothing from each other. Is that really the case, or is this an unrequited love? She will have a child.

While in Italy, Ulysses performs a rescue that will be a turning not only in his life, but in everyone he encounters. Thus the narrative moves from the pub in England, to the town of Florence in Italy, covering a period from 1944 to 1979.

The narrative is written in the third person, apart from the final chapter, which is a flashback to 1901, to when the character of Evelyn (who Ulysses meets briefly in 1944) first visits Florence in 1901. This is the only chapter written in the first person, and this is partly what stopped the rest of the novel from being really engaging for me.

The 3rd person narrative kept all the characters at a distance and was often written in short static sentences, describing aspects of the scene, almost like instructions to the director of a film, along with snippets of historical information such as the American civil rights assassinations, the moon landing, mentions of prominent Italian films opening. It felt too much, sure, in a film version, you might see those things on a billboard or a television screen, but they were a distraction from the narrative for me.

I didn't realise until near the end that it was a loose retelling of E.M. Forster's, Room With a View, he makes an appearance in the final chapter, that shouldn't have mattered since I haven't read it, but it made me wonder if the storytelling had been compromised by having to keep to that narrative outline.

It is a very visual novel and I did enjoy that aspect, it was very easy to imagine the Florentine neighbourhood, the largesse of most of the characters, most of whom were British expats, so apart from the child Alys, they are not exactly integrated into the local community. I do love a good immersion into historical Italy, and recently watched Enrico Piaggio - Un Sogno Italiano, a 2019 film for the second time - also set largely post WWII, with the easy availability now to see or read in translation, I find I prefer the more authentic storytelling, rather than the ex-pat experience.

I did enjoy looking up some of the references to the artworks that are mentioned, like Botticelli's Primavera and others.
...more

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Nov 13, 2024 Rosana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio-books, 2024

I loved this book. When I finished it, I almost went back to the start to listen to it again. I think actually that I am buying a printed copy (I listened to it on audio) because I want to browse and reread some passages. For certain to highlight some passages and dog-ear some pages.

It is a story of love and friendship; of chosen families; of Florence and art... I could go on. Sarah Winman's writing is poetic and literary without sounding smug. The narrator has a deepness of human understanding ...more

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Jun 22, 2023 Shahar rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

4.3 In the beginning of the series "nine perfect strangers " a writer is introduced, and she say that she loves her characters so much she does even let them get hurt ( or something along that line). For me as a reader that is one of writer’s biggest sins. although i seek escapism in books , i do require the authors ( except the one wring my life - please ignore this ) to be cruel. I hope they won’t but in the end i thank them for that. Sarah Winman in this book is a big sinner.
I guess this is p ...more

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Jan 04, 2023 Astrid Lim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, family, historical-fiction, world-war, europe, art

Beautiful story about friendship and found family. With the vivid setting of Florence, from the 40s until late 70s- you can’t help but falling in love with all the characters, including the city!

My only complain is: why didn’t you use punctuation marks in the dialogues, Sarah Winman? huhu!

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