Reviews with content warning for Racism - After Sappho

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

4 reviews

withlivjones's review against another edition

challenging hopeful reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Oh to be a lesbian artist in a messy polycule with other lesbian artists in 1920s Paris

I really enjoyed the interconnectedness of all the lives in this book, although at times it was quite hard to follow. I have a feeling this book is one that needs a couple of rereads before one fully “gets it”.

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emily_schlegel's review

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challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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gvstyris's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

We dreamed of islands where we could write poems that kept our lovers up all night. In our letters, we murmured the fragments of our desires to each other, breaking the lines in our impatience. We were going to be Sappho, but how did Sappho begin to become herself?

After Sappho centers a cast of white sapphic historical figures as they grapple with their position in 19th/20th century Europe. My primary takeaway from this novel - or perhaps more accurately, series of vignettes - was its appreciation for different mediums of art, particularly as a form of escapism and political/emotional expression. Schwartz's usage of first person plural pronouns to position the narrator as a Greek chorus also highlighted the communal aspect of the search for queer liberation and joy, which was another standout for me. I understand why this book is validating for so many people.

Despite that, I struggled in the reading process quite a lot. The non-linear storytelling is difficult to follow, especially as each woman's story is interconnected and their trajectories are relatively similar. I repeatedly lost interest and came close to DNFing, but persevered because the novel picked up quite significantly once we reached the First World War. I also imagine that the focus on white women was deliberate given Schwartz's academic background, but it definitely felt like a missed opportunity to me.

As someone who usually adores non-linear novels (especially if they're all vibes and no plot!), I'm a bit surprised this missed the mark for me as much as it did. Unfortunately, I've just read better, and am now craving a re-read of Girl, Woman, Other.

That being said, Schwartz's prose is gorgeous. A couple other highlights:

But some of us have always seen the modern world as a sea meant to drown us.

The only thing she feared was compromise, the soothing voice that licks down rage until it is nothing but a small smooth lump in your hand.

There is always this risk, in life, that we have our parts in a tragedy and we do not know it.

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conspystery's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher of After Sappho for allowing me to access this audiobook early in exchange for an honest review! After Sappho is a daringly powerful book, wrought in intricate detail to tell a story that spans centuries. I sincerely enjoyed it.

After Sappho is written in a combination of artful, evocative poeticism and knowing, omniscient prose; the result of this effort is a sense of grandiosity that radiates from every word. This large-scale atmospheric power as afforded by the writing complements the themes of the narrative to tie the whole book together in a way that feels completely genuine. The more poetic sections of the novel fit perfectly with the inclusion of Sappho’s fragments; when phrases are repeated across the book, they lend poetic emphasis to the prose itself, echoing Sappho’s timeless presence in the story. I particularly enjoyed how such repeated poeticisms were recontextualized between the characters and by time, developing new meanings and depth as the book continued. Not only were the various interpretations of the phrases clever and engaging to read, but they also served as contrasting glances into the minds of the characters, shining a light on the variance in life experiences that the narrative’s themes emphasize.

The interconnected lives of the characters in the novel are its main draw; the scope of this novel is quite an ambitious one. We see dozens of characters in painstaking detail, the intricacies of their lives and the forces that shape their work all given time in the spotlight to establish the influence each character has on one another. After Sappho’s historically-bouncing vignettes give the grandiosity of the narrative footing in its very structure, emphasizing its scale just as the writing does. Characters are portrayed in various contexts: their early lives, their mythologized statuses as historical figures, their self-perceptions, the view others hold of them… This commitment to multifaceted character examination is the driving force of the novel, evoking irony and endearment and poignance and authenticity all at different times. Personally, my favorite chapters are the Virginia Woolf-centered ones, possibly because the interwovenness of After Sappho’s characters is similar to that of the characters in Woolf’s own writing; I found that reflection fascinating. This book’s characters are authentically detailed and complex, all with similarly detailed and complex relationships to each other. It’s invigorating to be immersed in the web of connections it weaves.

I did have a few minor issues with this novel; most notably, I found some of the book a bit difficult to follow. The leaps in time and space, for the most part, connect the characters further to each other, but sometimes-- especially if one is reading casually or quickly-- the rapid introduction of so many new settings and names and the leaping between them can become confusing. The interwovenness that After Sappho commits itself to thus reads more of a tangle than a fabric, and takes time to tease apart. This problem is relatively easily remedied, though, by slowing down the pace at which one is reading or listening to the book, and it smooths itself out somewhat as one eases into the novel.

Other than that, I have one audiobook-specific concern: I felt that while a vast majority of the audiobook was narrated with exceptional skill and was greatly pleasant to listen to, there were a few moments-- namely, the occasional French phrases-- that were somewhat difficult to understand on a pronunciation level. Mostly these are not entirely crucial to understanding the plot and can be interpreted with some effort, so this issue is very slight.

Ultimately, After Sappho is a powerful read, with intricate attention to detail in character and writing that lends a unique feeling of historical salience to its plot. It shines most brightly in its characters’ relationships to one another and its occasional poeticisms; the book’s themes about writing’s influence in shaping history are a natural complement to its own evocative writing. After Sappho is a bold, intelligent exploration of historical sapphic identity-- and the diversity of the lives Sappho has impacted and continues to impact today.

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