A review by conspystery
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz

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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