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flawed_ghost's review against another edition
4.25
It's 2016, Brexit has just gone through the vote, and Elisabeth is reading for her older neighbour Daniel at a care home. The story explores the relationship between Elisabeth and Daniel, as he was a grandfather figure to her, and inspired her interest in art and reading. Especially her interest in Pauline Boty,aan artist who died very young and became overlooked. The ongoing politics forms a sort of backdrop.
The book is well-written, and witty, and I like the characters and themes. Sometimes there are shorter tangents that are harder to place in the context of the story, and it makes the message a bit muddier.
The book is well-written, and witty, and I like the characters and themes. Sometimes there are shorter tangents that are harder to place in the context of the story, and it makes the message a bit muddier.
shimmery's review against another edition
4.0
In the summer of 2016, Elisabeth Demand finds out her old neighbour, Daniel Gluck, has been moved to a care home. Sitting at his bedside while he sleeps, she remembers the time she spent with him as a child. Now in her 30s and a history of art lecturer, Elisabeth owes much of her love for paintings to Daniel, who would spend time with her whilst her mother was absent, describing pictures and encouraging her to make up stories.
Autumn is a collage of the events of a historic year along with the story of Pauline Boty, a British pop artist who died young and whose work has been forgotten about and rediscovered repeatedly. Boty's art is often a representation of representation; it is this Elisabeth writes her dissertation on and this the novel asks us to think about. How can the same thing look different when presented by someone else? 'An image of an image means the image can be seen with new objectivity, with liberation from the original,' Elisabeth writes. With this novel, Smith allows us to take a step back and view the events of the year 2016 whilst also being freed from them.
Daniel tells Elisabeth that he has never loved a person but a way of seeing things the person had. Elisabeth loves Daniel because of the way the world looks when he shows it to her. The power and beauty of individual perspective and imagination is celebrated and separated from the individuals themselves. Boty is not just a female body, she is the way she sees the world and reproduces it in her art.
This is exactly the charm of Ali Smith. She has such a playful perspective, such a clear eye that sees things not in the cliches we have been taught to but in her own fresh way, which is why her writing is always such a delight to read. The world always seems completely new through her gaze. It is not translated at all. Daniel asks Elisabeth to close her eyes while he describes her a picture piece by piece and it seems a representation of what Ali Smith is always doing: representation - conjuring up pictures in our heads.
This is my second time reading this book, I adore Ali Smith and bought this as soon as it came out and am just rereading it now as part of the man booker longlist. I very rarely reread books but maybe should as I feel I understood this a lot more the second time.
I'm only not giving it 5 stars because I'm not sure Brexit was quite as negative as it is portrayed here. Did it cause British people to tell non British people to go home in taxi queues and by painting the words on their houses? I wasn't convinced but that's probably naivety on my part. I just feel even as a remain voter like Brexit was about more than that.
Autumn is a collage of the events of a historic year along with the story of Pauline Boty, a British pop artist who died young and whose work has been forgotten about and rediscovered repeatedly. Boty's art is often a representation of representation; it is this Elisabeth writes her dissertation on and this the novel asks us to think about. How can the same thing look different when presented by someone else? 'An image of an image means the image can be seen with new objectivity, with liberation from the original,' Elisabeth writes. With this novel, Smith allows us to take a step back and view the events of the year 2016 whilst also being freed from them.
Daniel tells Elisabeth that he has never loved a person but a way of seeing things the person had. Elisabeth loves Daniel because of the way the world looks when he shows it to her. The power and beauty of individual perspective and imagination is celebrated and separated from the individuals themselves. Boty is not just a female body, she is the way she sees the world and reproduces it in her art.
This is exactly the charm of Ali Smith. She has such a playful perspective, such a clear eye that sees things not in the cliches we have been taught to but in her own fresh way, which is why her writing is always such a delight to read. The world always seems completely new through her gaze. It is not translated at all. Daniel asks Elisabeth to close her eyes while he describes her a picture piece by piece and it seems a representation of what Ali Smith is always doing: representation - conjuring up pictures in our heads.
This is my second time reading this book, I adore Ali Smith and bought this as soon as it came out and am just rereading it now as part of the man booker longlist. I very rarely reread books but maybe should as I feel I understood this a lot more the second time.
I'm only not giving it 5 stars because I'm not sure Brexit was quite as negative as it is portrayed here. Did it cause British people to tell non British people to go home in taxi queues and by painting the words on their houses? I wasn't convinced but that's probably naivety on my part. I just feel even as a remain voter like Brexit was about more than that.
joetatum24's review against another edition
4.0
This book had some truly beautiful prose and was easy to read. It had a couple of sections that did not necessarily make sense in connection with the plot but I’m guessing those sections will make sense in light of the other seasonal books she is releasing. I loved that this book was comical and was a love story of sorts between a young woman and her much older neighbor, with a context of Brexit and art history. It’s definitely worth a read if you’re not too attached to plot.
reydeam's review against another edition
4.0
Autumn engaged me from the first page to the last, the words within are beautiful; many thoughts and ideas were expressed in ways that made me pause with agreement, reflection and/or awe.
I was very much taken in by the relationship of Elizabeth and Daniel, it was beautifully written. Their relationship illustrated the wonder and beauty of respect, love, the young and old, and how the seasons change in our lives. The interweaving of their individual stories along with the relationship that is formed between them was the driving force behind Autumn.
The one word for this book that came to mind very early on is eccentric, and that it is. Eccentric. There are many layers of the story and some of which I did not understand due to my lack of awareness (such as the pop art storyline). These layers offer differing paths for various readers to anchor themselves into the trajectory of Autumn. There is brilliance in this style of writing.
The plot is not driven on a linear path, it does go back and forth from past and present. This may drive some readers nutty, but this type of storytelling works well for me. This structure of storytelling adds to the overall story as long as the reader lets go of the need to understand all that is happening--let the story unfold in its own way and pace, it will make things known. I admit, there were times when I did not quite know what was going on. It felt like a maze. And honestly, I did not get a handle on my confusion until the end which is part of the beauty of this story.
I was wishing for more by the end of the story, alas, no more was given. And yet, I am very satisfied. Clever is the last word that came to my mind regarding Autumn. Clever.
I was very much taken in by the relationship of Elizabeth and Daniel, it was beautifully written. Their relationship illustrated the wonder and beauty of respect, love, the young and old, and how the seasons change in our lives. The interweaving of their individual stories along with the relationship that is formed between them was the driving force behind Autumn.
The one word for this book that came to mind very early on is eccentric, and that it is. Eccentric. There are many layers of the story and some of which I did not understand due to my lack of awareness (such as the pop art storyline). These layers offer differing paths for various readers to anchor themselves into the trajectory of Autumn. There is brilliance in this style of writing.
The plot is not driven on a linear path, it does go back and forth from past and present. This may drive some readers nutty, but this type of storytelling works well for me. This structure of storytelling adds to the overall story as long as the reader lets go of the need to understand all that is happening--let the story unfold in its own way and pace, it will make things known. I admit, there were times when I did not quite know what was going on. It felt like a maze. And honestly, I did not get a handle on my confusion until the end which is part of the beauty of this story.
I was wishing for more by the end of the story, alas, no more was given. And yet, I am very satisfied. Clever is the last word that came to my mind regarding Autumn. Clever.
bexlrose's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting: Mostly.
Well written: Yes, but sometimes a little too flowery of language.
Main themes: Feminism and the EU.
Thoughts: Based on these themes, I would have thought I'd enjoy it more than I did, but then I did enjoy it SOME.
Probably didn't do it any good that it directly followed Dostoyevsky in my reading life.
Well written: Yes, but sometimes a little too flowery of language.
Main themes: Feminism and the EU.
Thoughts: Based on these themes, I would have thought I'd enjoy it more than I did, but then I did enjoy it SOME.
Probably didn't do it any good that it directly followed Dostoyevsky in my reading life.
dellaposta's review against another edition
5.0
Smith’s wonderful novel avoids traditional structure and plotting almost entirely, instead presenting something like a collage of themes and events loosely tied together. I normally find that kind of thing tedious, but not in this case, as Smith is such a funny, engaging, lyrical writer. It’s difficult to summarize the book or say “what it’s about,” really, except perhaps the importance of art and storytelling as both an escape and a tool of empathy in divisive times (the story is set directly after the Brexit vote). Yet, I enjoyed every minute of it and can’t wait to see where the author goes in the rest of her “Seasonal” novels.
maryvdb2024's review against another edition
4.0
Really enjoyed this book. So many layers and heartwarming. A beautiful analysis of tolerating difference and prejudices that have been reinforced by Brexit. Highly recoommend.
alons13's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
krsglenn7's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0