This is a dazzlingly inventive novel that blends two stories - one of a grieving British teen, the other of a Renaissance artist - in a way that questions art, memory, gender, and time itself. The structure is unique: some editions start with one story, others with the second, encouraging you to experience the book as a layered palimpsest. Ali Smith’s writing is clever, lyrical, and playful, full of sharp observations and emotional depth. Fans of experimental fiction, art, and queer narratives will find so much to savour here - and if you enjoy books that make you think and aren’t afraid to break a few rules, this is a treat.

Who May Not Like This Book:

Some readers find the non-linear storytelling, stream-of-consciousness writing, and experimental structure difficult to follow or connect with - especially if they prefer straightforward plots. The narrative can feel disjointed or confusing at times, and the artistic and philosophical musings won't engage those looking for a conventional or purely plot-driven novel. If experimental prose isn’t your thing, or you need tidy answers, this might not be the book for you.

Ambitious, artful, and brilliantly odd - with equal potential to enchant or perplex, Ali Smith’s "How to Be Both" is a modern literary puzzle worth exploring if you like your fiction creative and challenging.

About:

'How to Be Both' by Ali Smith is a novel that intertwines two narratives, one following a teenage girl named Georgie who is grieving the loss of her mother in contemporary London, and the other focusing on a 15th-century Italian painter named Francesco de Cossa. The book plays with the concept of duality, exploring themes of memory, grief, friendship, and androgyny. The structure of the novel is unique, with different editions presenting the two stories in varying orders, creating a layered and complex reading experience. Smith's writing style is described as clever, compelling, and playful, with intricate connections between the two narratives and a focus on gender ambiguity.

Characters:

The characters include a grief-stricken teenager and a complex Renaissance painter, each embodying themes of gender fluidity and connection across time.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by fluid, experimental prose that seamlessly blends stream of consciousness with lyrical elements.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features two interconnected narratives that explore grief, art, and the complexities of identity, alternating between a contemporary girl and a Renaissance painter.

Setting:

The setting spans from contemporary urban landscapes to historical Renaissance Italy, with art serving as a crucial thematic connection.

Pacing:

The pacing is non-linear and layered, engaging readers in a thoughtful exploration of the themes while requiring active engagement.

Good : I like a good back : the best thing about a turned back is the face you can’t see stays a secret : hey : you : can’t hear me? Can’t hear? No? My chin on your shoulder right next to your ear and...

Notes:

The novel has two narratives: one about a contemporary teenage girl named Georgie and another about a 15th-century painter named Francesco.

Depending on the edition, the stories are presented in different orders: Georgie's story first or Francesco's story first.

Georgie, originally named George, struggles with her identity and the recent loss of her mother.

Francesco, whose historical identity is ambiguous, is depicted as a girl masquerading as a man to pursue art.

Grief and memory are central themes, with Georgie's experiences tied to Francesco's past.

The book explores concepts of time, gender fluidity, and the nature of art.

Ali Smith won the Costa Book Award for this novel and it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

The title 'How to Be Both' reflects themes of duality present in gender and experiences of life and death.

Smith uses a playful, experimental narrative style, including stream of consciousness and lyrical prose.

The book contains references to actual artworks and artists, intertwining historical and contemporary contexts.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Trigger warnings may include themes of grief, sexuality, and discussions of abuse, particularly through the eyes of the protagonist.

From The Publisher:

MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST

WINNER OF THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION

WINNER OF THE 2014 GOLDSMITHS PRIZE

WINNER OF THE 2014 COSTA NOVEL AWARD

WINNER OF THE SALTIRE LITERARY BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD

A Best Book of the Year: NPR, Financial Times

Passionate, compassionate, vitally inventive and scrupulously playful, Ali Smith's novels are like nothing else. Borrowing from painting's fresco technique to make an original literary double-take, How to be both is a novel all about art's versatility. It's a fast-moving genre-bending conversation between forms, times, truths and fictions. There's a Renaissance artist of the 1460s. There's the child of a child of the 1960s. Two tales of love and injustice twist into a singular yarn where time gets timeless, structural gets playful, knowing gets mysterious, fictional gets real-and all life's givens get given a second chance.

December 2014

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396 pages

Ratings (4)

Loved It (2)
Liked It (1)
It Was OK (1)

Reader Stats (13):

Read It (5)
Want To Read (7)
Not Interested (1)

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How to Be Both?

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About the Author:

ALI SMITH is the author of many works of fiction, including, most recently, Summer, Spring, Winter, Autumn, Public library and other stories, and How to be both, which won the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, the Goldsmiths Prize, and the Costa Novel of the Year…

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How to Be Both

Ali Smith

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