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How to Be Both by Ali Smith - 4* - My Review

This book contains two separate but related novellas. One involves a twenty-first century teenage girl named George whose mother has died unexpectedly. The other entails the life of a fifteenth century Italian fresco artist named Francesco del Cossa whose painting had been viewed centuries later by George and her mother. In my version, George’s story came first followed by Francesco’s, but it can be read in either order.

This book explores duality. This idea is explored via gender, life and death, the present and the past, and the appearance versus the true nature of a person or object. For example, when George and her mother are in Italy, George says she is “appalled by history, its only redeeming feature being that it tends to be well and truly over.” Her mother then questions her, “Do things that happened not exist or stop existing, just because we can’t see them happening in front of us?”

Each main character recalls memories, tells them in a stream-of-consciousness style, and these form the narrative arc. Each novella stands alone but taken together also forms a whole novel – another take on duality. I enjoyed George’s story more since it is told in a more straight-forward manner and is easier to follow. Francesco’s story is fragmented and non-linear. This is likely intentional on the author’s part due to the fact that the painter is in a liminal state between life and death. The writing is playful, philosophical, and clever.

Thanks for this review. I had a very hard time defining this one, but you nailed it.

This is my favorite Ali Smith book so far. Which reminds me, I need to read more of her books. I have the newest checked out from the library.

Jgrace wrote: "Thanks for this review. I had a very hard time defining this one, but you nailed it.

This is my favorite Ali Smith book so far. Which reminds me, I need to read more of her books. I have the newe..."

Glad to see you enjoyed it too! I am making my way through Ali Smith's back catalogue. I really enjoy her writing. I haven't finished the seasonal quartet yet - still have Summer to go.