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thewintersings's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
bohoautumn's review against another edition
3.0
This is a generous 3 stars. It was really only a 2-star 'I liked it', but the 3rd was for the form, which I did appreciate.
This one felt like one of those books we're supposed to like if we have anything literary about us. Fortunately, while I consider myself to have a literary eye, I don't give a hoot either.
What Smith had to say was well said, but not brilliantly said, or even profoundly said. I read the blogs of ordinary women on a daily basis that have more insight, wit, or artful use of language (see what I did there?).
However, it's hardly mediocre, certainly contains interesting thoughts dotted through, and I enjoyed the uncommon form (part fiction, part essay) that managed to not become gimmicky.
Overall though, it just didn't leave an impression on me. I'll forget it.
No, I've already forgotten it.
This one felt like one of those books we're supposed to like if we have anything literary about us. Fortunately, while I consider myself to have a literary eye, I don't give a hoot either.
What Smith had to say was well said, but not brilliantly said, or even profoundly said. I read the blogs of ordinary women on a daily basis that have more insight, wit, or artful use of language (see what I did there?).
However, it's hardly mediocre, certainly contains interesting thoughts dotted through, and I enjoyed the uncommon form (part fiction, part essay) that managed to not become gimmicky.
Overall though, it just didn't leave an impression on me. I'll forget it.
No, I've already forgotten it.
notartgarfunkel's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
mindthebook's review against another edition
3.0
"Books need time to dawn on us, it takes time to understand what makes them, structurally, in thematic resonance, in afterthought, and always in correspondence with the books which came before them...
Visste att det var en essässamling jag hade framför mig. Var inte beredd på att det skulle handla så mycket om sorgebearbetning efter en älskad anhörig. Noterade en del diktrader och romantitlar under läsningen.
Visste att det var en essässamling jag hade framför mig. Var inte beredd på att det skulle handla så mycket om sorgebearbetning efter en älskad anhörig. Noterade en del diktrader och romantitlar under läsningen.
georgejones2401's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
baileyra's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
jenmkin's review against another edition
4.0
Smith’s story is well-crafted, and the essays within it are intriguing, but no matter how nicely they were united in the end, I wanted more of just the story or just the essays. That said, this was a clearly well-thought-out premise and Smith’s style was perfect for its execution
askatknits's review against another edition
2.0
This book is based on material from several lectures that Ali Smith gave, but I think that the actual lectures delivered in person were probably much better than Artful. I felt much of the writing disjointed and I struggled to make sense of it. Having read some of Ali's latest works and been blown away by the writing - this was a tremendous disappointment. I do not recommend.
womanvthevoid's review against another edition
5.0
i do love ali smith. in her signature style, a very simple concept is infinitely complicated and convoluted, mixing criticism with memoir, with quasi-fantastical autofiction. the result is a disorienting but endlessly rich and complex meditation on art in general, or maybe just a long wringing-out of a ramble. i want to reread in the physical book form. fabulous. terse. wonderful. beautiful. heartbreaking. simple. impenetrable.