Still Life: The instant Sunday Times bestseller and BBC Between the Covers Book Club pick

Every so often a novel comes along which impresses one so much with its wonder and beauty that one is moved and, in my case at least, one finds it difficult to discover suitable words of praise as to do it justice. This is a truly wonderful book. The writing is magnificent and beyond compare of anything I have read in many a year let alone month. The story is wonderfully tender and heart warming and free of the conflicts and tension that seem to be de rigueur these days, even in so called “feel-good” stories. Trust me when I say this is a feel-good story beyond compare and it was an absolute joy to read.I am not going to try to analyse the book; this leads to spoilers, and I feel it would be crass. I do not look for meaning. I take from it what I do and, from this, I took a great deal and shall remember it for a long time.My only negative comment is that I was slightly disappointed with the last phase of the book covering Evelyn’s early trip to Florence and the last act, as it were, back in the present. Somehow the writing did not flow the same in this part and, though it was lovely and poignant, the very final segment felt too short and unfinished.It also helps, I feel, if you knew a little Italian and something about art. I know neither and so the “in-jokes” were lost on me. I am sure you’d get even more, possibly a lot more, from the book if you knew about these things. Even then it should not put off those like me who are ignorant.The lack of quotation marks for the speech is a modern technique I do not like, but I did not find it affected the flow or my understanding of who said what to whom. I admit that the parrot was somewhat fantastical, but the beautiful writing and the story and characters were too good and too wonderful to make that matter.This is the type of book I love and, unless you are cold, unsentimental and lacking any emotion whatever, you too will love it too.

I’ve just caught up with Still Life and what a worthwhile destination!I know little about art and art history, but, like so many people I suppose, I ‘know what I like.’ That sounds a bit limp doesn’t it? Well, there is nothing limp about the characters and their journeys in this quite wonderful book which takes us from a war-torn Italy to contrasting experiences in different parts of London and then back to the vivid light and shade of Florence once more.I did get a little bogged down with some of the artistic/Firenze references, especially later in the book, but it didn’t detract to the extent that I no longer wished to visit Florence. I do. More so having read this book.The characters are extremely well-drawn - even (especially) when taken out of their usual geographical contexts. We follow each one as they make their own journeys forward, sometimes after much reflection on experiences that were or might have been.It felt very much as though we were looking at a still life painting with the author’s warm and beautiful words bringing each of the components to life and telling their stories. And what stories they are – funny and engaging and often poignant – as real life is, still or otherwise.Strong women with attitude and ambition are given the chance to fight back against the seemingly pre-ordained control of men. I loved that this ran across societal lines in the way that it did. Peg is someone I won’t forget for a very long time.My favourite character, though, was the quiet and contemplative Pete, who I really identified with (apart from the fact I cannot play the piano). I found myself willing him along that unknown path to happiness that only arrives with real meaning.The writing style of the book is a little unnerving at first and needs to be persevered with. However, I quickly found myself wishing I could be as bold and adventurous with language as she is and removed from the little island of security I’ve created for myself.Perhaps the central message of the book is one of hope. Against all the natural and unnatural preferences this little band of brothers and sisters come up against, still they move forward, encouraged to do so by all of us mere readers, heartily wishing that life was really like that.

In 1944 in Italy, a chance encounter is set to change lives forever. Ulysses Temper is a young British Soldier who comes across Evelyn Skinner, a 64 year old Art Historian who is in the Country to help salvage artwork from the wreckage left behind by the War whilst reliving memories from a youth spent with an Italian maid. As they go their separate ways will their lives ever be the same again and will their paths cross in the future?“Still Life” came highly recommended by one of my work friends and was picked as our next read for our work book club. I’m not normally a fan of historical fiction but I do love character driven books and I am always open to trying new things.I absolutely loved this. The characterisation is excellent and the way the characters’ lives weave together is so beautifully written.I loved Ulysses so much and the relationship between him and Alys is so well written. Although I think my favourite character might be Cressy. I wish I had his luck!I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone so I won’t say too much but Winman has done such an incredible job at creating this cast of characters and some of the little sliding doors style moments are just perfect and made me wonder how many moments there have been like that in my own life.It’s such a wonderful story. We see the lives of these characters and how things change for them over the span of several decades following the end of the War and it is simply stunning. There is such a mix of emotions throughout the book and I particularly found it interesting to see the different reactions to some of the homosexual relationships.There is a bit right at the end that really made my brain work overtime and I’m still thinking about it now. For a second I thought the story was going to go one way but now I think it might have gone another.I could sing the praises of this all day, I have absolutely no complaints.

This book, it’s characters, will stay with me and be recommended to friends.The journey it took me on, I never wanted to end.Ciao Evelyn, Ulysses and Alys for now. Can’t wait to visit Italy again after reading this; walking the streets, stopping in cafes for an afternoon aperitif, and people watching as I absorb the culture in all its glory.

One to read again and again and again. A book about love. A book about Florence. I will always miss Claude.

Being half english, half italian, grown up in Italy and lived in Florence for 14 years, I simply adored this book, catching the nuances of both cultures. Funny, touching, emotional, interesting....a geat book!

This is a story of !ife, and love, mixed in with poetry, literature and art and a cast of characters that you fall in love with because they become a part of you. Sarah Winman's words craft a beautiful story of friendship and love, while you step into a different world, bubbling with life and colour . It is a majestic book that will make you cry more than once and is worth numerous reads to take in the magnificence of her writing.

enchanting. Wonderful characters, never loosing a positive approach to life. A book like a huge hug. Read it !einfach nur bezaubernd. Wundervolle Charaktere, die nie den Glauben daran verlieren, dass alles irgendwie gut wird. Hoffentlich geht die teils wundervoll schnoddrige Melancholie nicht bei der Übersetzung verloren.