Still Life

Any book set in Florence is likely to be a hit with me though, come to think of it, there have been some stinkers. What I liked most about the book was the creation of a family for the main character, Ulysses Temper, from a group of people not one of whom is any blood relation of his.

Winman references (and even includes) EM Forster and his classic "Room With A View," but skips Forster's poking fun at upper-class propriety in favor of expanding on his themes of the beauty of human character, the power of the independent woman, and love. Winman dives much deeper into that last theme by exploring many different kinds of love including passionate hetero love, same-sex love, parental love, love between friends, love of the arts, and even human-animal love.

Dickensian scenes of chance and fate decorate the story and a talking parrot adds the barest hints of mystical realism. Winman scoffs at… show more.

It left me feeling positive and hopeful about humanity.

I read this book while in Florence, at the suggestion of a friend, and it was a marvelous immersion. The more recent history of this wonderful city is just as enchanting as its Renaissance times.

I loved this book because although I write children’s books, this is the sort of adult novel which feeds my imagination.

It begins in Florence at the end of WW2, where we first meet the British soldier Ulysses Temper, his commanding officer Darnley, and Evelyn Skinner, an elderly art historian. We then follow Ulysses back to the East end of London at the end of the war, where he resumes his old life – but changed by the experiences of war, Italy, and art.

We get to know his wonderfully varied group of friends who are bound together, and sometimes… show more.

I was swept into the mind of the protagonist, Ulysses, from the start, a young man who carried a wry sense of optimism, who accepted all for who they were, and who had a deep sense of caring. (He took a child to raise on his own!)

The author avoided being sentimental, but at the same time, her book is imbued with love, albeit among a group of outliers who fail at traditional love relationships yet who discover over time their loyalty to each other. I liked the “era” when it was set, after the Great War. I loved being… show more.

I have a fondness for what I call ‘salvaged families,’ something I explore time and time again in my own work, and this is a delicious story of remarkable individuals brought together by love, war, and art to create their own, delightful, salvaged family.

When Ulysses, a young British soldier, meets middle-aged art historian Evelyn in the wine cellar of an abandoned Tuscan villa in 1944, he has no idea how far both their lives will be affected by one small act of kindness.

Sarah Winman imbues her characters with warmth and hope, making you laugh and cry. I had… show more.

The novel is a love letter to Florence, Italy, but also a love letter to friendship.

It’s the type of feel-good story that, even though bad things happen—reminds you of the power of friendship, the beauty of a setting, and the power of an unforeseen adventure to bring people together.

It brought to the surface my love of cozy books, when, no matter how difficult things get, they all work out in the end. I laughed; I cried; I wanted to revisit Florence and give complete strangers a big hug.

A sprawling delight of a novel. I was due to visit Florence for the first time in the summer and was recommended this book as a warm-up: what a wonderful idea.

I’m basically a softie with a thin veneer of sophisticated cynicism, so I am always going to be a sucker for a book like this – that starts with tragedy and grimness and then slowly morphs into joy. But the characters are sufficiently compelling that they become friends in your mind, and some of the set pieces and images are unshakeably vivid.

Admittedly, the people all seem more alive,… show more.

Still Life is a glorious book set in London and Florence, giving a fascinating insight into the worlds of History of Art and globe making. Reading it is like eating wonderful food, you will want to savour every mouthful. The characters are extraordinary and yet believable – I fell in love with every one of them.