2014 Booker Prize longlist: How to Be Both
KeskusteluBooker Prize
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2Deern
Here's what I just posted on my 75 thread (no review yet):
Well, I finished the How To Be both last night. Doubtlessly, many readers will hate it and call it artsy overblown blah or similar. I enjoyed it and for me personally, it was inspiring as it really tries to "bend the categories" in more than just one way (gender).
The fascinating element really is the order of reading. The book is just two parts, one focussing on Francesco's voice, the other on the girl's thoughts.* I see that reading George first, gives the whole thing a different meaning and a different rhythm. It would also be the more conventional story that way. Now my version did Francesco first which gives it an ethereal atmosphere, but is clearly less harmonic and the ending is no ending. It felt incomplete.
After the ending the book started again (camera version, with the identical George part first).
I guess the paper copy also has both versions and you can just open and read it in two ways?
Anyway, should someone want to read it, I don't know which way to recommend. I liked mine. Maybe best let the book chose for you.
* Francesco is Francesco del Cossa, an Italian renaissance painter who really existed. You'll find him and the works mentioned in the books on wikipedia.
George or Georgia is the second protagonist, living in today's London, 16 years old, mourning the death of her mother.
********
I should add that I enjoyed the book because it fits so well into my current life situation, thoughts, etc.
The stories were not flawless however, and I fully understand when people don't like this book. After having read two books by her, I now believe that creating genuine characters and spinning a fully coherent story around them, isn't Ali Smith's strong point. That's more in finding new concepts and so bending the rules of novel writing. So if that's not for you, better stay away from this book.
Should anyone here have the paper copy, I'd really be interested to know how that thing with the 2 parts was solved. I don't like the idea that maybe each copy is 2 books, i.e. has twice the pages necessary, that would be quite a waste of resources.
Well, I finished the How To Be both last night. Doubtlessly, many readers will hate it and call it artsy overblown blah or similar. I enjoyed it and for me personally, it was inspiring as it really tries to "bend the categories" in more than just one way (gender).
The fascinating element really is the order of reading. The book is just two parts, one focussing on Francesco's voice, the other on the girl's thoughts.* I see that reading George first, gives the whole thing a different meaning and a different rhythm. It would also be the more conventional story that way. Now my version did Francesco first which gives it an ethereal atmosphere, but is clearly less harmonic and the ending is no ending. It felt incomplete.
After the ending the book started again (camera version, with the identical George part first).
I guess the paper copy also has both versions and you can just open and read it in two ways?
Anyway, should someone want to read it, I don't know which way to recommend. I liked mine. Maybe best let the book chose for you.
* Francesco is Francesco del Cossa, an Italian renaissance painter who really existed. You'll find him and the works mentioned in the books on wikipedia.
George or Georgia is the second protagonist, living in today's London, 16 years old, mourning the death of her mother.
********
I should add that I enjoyed the book because it fits so well into my current life situation, thoughts, etc.
The stories were not flawless however, and I fully understand when people don't like this book. After having read two books by her, I now believe that creating genuine characters and spinning a fully coherent story around them, isn't Ali Smith's strong point. That's more in finding new concepts and so bending the rules of novel writing. So if that's not for you, better stay away from this book.
Should anyone here have the paper copy, I'd really be interested to know how that thing with the 2 parts was solved. I don't like the idea that maybe each copy is 2 books, i.e. has twice the pages necessary, that would be quite a waste of resources.
