I listened to Sarah Winman read her novel on Audible. I chose it because I lived in Italy for a few years in my early twenties and fell in love with it. I thought Still Life was absolutely wonderful and have recommended it to countless friends. I'm in awe of Winman's talent for characterisation. This is a brilliant review Sarah, and captures the appeal of this novel far more eloquently than I could. I'm off to find A Room With A View (thanks for the audible recommendation) and having flashbacks to the film with a very young Helena Bonham Carter.
Well you sold me on reading this book. It hadn't really entered my attention. But I am a sucker for all Forster fan fiction and am curious. I love Juliet Stevenson reading anything and I love A Room With A View. Great movie as well, with Helena Bonham Carter.
A friend gave me Still Life when I was visiting my sister in Ann Arbor in January. I started it but didn't get very far. Thank you for kicking my butt. The friend, like you, couldn't say enough good things about it. I will take it on the plane with me this week. It sounds like a sweeping novel, the kind I love. I couldn't put down A Covenant of Water. But I also want to listen to it!! I've been a Juliet Stevenson fan for years. I think this is called a luxury problem!!!
I love this post. I read something recently that I've been avoiding too and loved it. And I've been picking up some old favorites also. I love being surprised, either the first time around or all over again.
Really enjoyed reading A Room with a View + loved watching the film when I was at uni. Strangely, one of my housemates looked like Helena Bonham Carter (she adored the film too btw!). Will have to read Still Life someday.
I didn't know about this novel's connection to A Room with a View, Sarah. Like everyone else, I adore Forster (and the thought of Juliet Stevenson reading this on Audible!) so that makes Winman's book all the more appealing. In an unrelated aside, I've just started Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, do you know it?
I haven’t read it, but discovered Room With a View in college (confession: the movie, not the book) and thought it the most romantic thing I’d ever seen!
I also recently reread Room with a View (which I'd last read in my early 20's) but found that it didn't hold up well, at least not to my tastes. I might have felt differently if I'd listened to it, of course. I do love the film, and of course, I'm a sucker for anything Italy- or Florence-related (my favorite parts of Room with a View).
I think Still Life will go on my reread list too! I actually watched the Merchant Ivory version a week ago, and wanted to include it in the post—all those actors, so young!—but the post was getting unwieldy.
Yes! I loved Still Life and I have read it twice (once for our reading group and again to check it really was that good!). It also took me back to Forster's A Room with a View and like you I was surprised by how modern Forster felt. Have you seen the 1985 film of A Room with a View starring Helena Bonham Carter? It's the perfect film for a rainy day. Loved your pics, too: we went to Florence for the first time last year and I was swept away by the beauty of it.
I listened to Sarah Winman read her novel on Audible. I chose it because I lived in Italy for a few years in my early twenties and fell in love with it. I thought Still Life was absolutely wonderful and have recommended it to countless friends. I'm in awe of Winman's talent for characterisation. This is a brilliant review Sarah, and captures the appeal of this novel far more eloquently than I could. I'm off to find A Room With A View (thanks for the audible recommendation) and having flashbacks to the film with a very young Helena Bonham Carter.
Well you sold me on reading this book. It hadn't really entered my attention. But I am a sucker for all Forster fan fiction and am curious. I love Juliet Stevenson reading anything and I love A Room With A View. Great movie as well, with Helena Bonham Carter.
A friend gave me Still Life when I was visiting my sister in Ann Arbor in January. I started it but didn't get very far. Thank you for kicking my butt. The friend, like you, couldn't say enough good things about it. I will take it on the plane with me this week. It sounds like a sweeping novel, the kind I love. I couldn't put down A Covenant of Water. But I also want to listen to it!! I've been a Juliet Stevenson fan for years. I think this is called a luxury problem!!!
I love this post. I read something recently that I've been avoiding too and loved it. And I've been picking up some old favorites also. I love being surprised, either the first time around or all over again.
I’ve avoided this book as well time to add to the list!
Really enjoyed reading A Room with a View + loved watching the film when I was at uni. Strangely, one of my housemates looked like Helena Bonham Carter (she adored the film too btw!). Will have to read Still Life someday.
And thank you for adding my Substack to your recommendations, Sarah! I am so honored and appreciative
Thank you for the recommendation. I love Florence! And I always love hearing about midlife authors.
I didn't know about this novel's connection to A Room with a View, Sarah. Like everyone else, I adore Forster (and the thought of Juliet Stevenson reading this on Audible!) so that makes Winman's book all the more appealing. In an unrelated aside, I've just started Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, do you know it?
Thanks for this. Still Life has been on my TBR pile for ages. You just bumped it to the top!
I haven’t read it, but discovered Room With a View in college (confession: the movie, not the book) and thought it the most romantic thing I’d ever seen!
She starred in a Val McDermid BBC movie, can’t remember the name. She was terrific
Yes! Still Life was one of my favorite books of 2022: https://jillwitty.com/2022/12/22/my-favorite-books-of-2022/. Winman breaks all the rules and gets away with it.
I also recently reread Room with a View (which I'd last read in my early 20's) but found that it didn't hold up well, at least not to my tastes. I might have felt differently if I'd listened to it, of course. I do love the film, and of course, I'm a sucker for anything Italy- or Florence-related (my favorite parts of Room with a View).
Promptly added to my TBR list! Thank you. 📚📚📚📚
I think Still Life will go on my reread list too! I actually watched the Merchant Ivory version a week ago, and wanted to include it in the post—all those actors, so young!—but the post was getting unwieldy.
Yes! I loved Still Life and I have read it twice (once for our reading group and again to check it really was that good!). It also took me back to Forster's A Room with a View and like you I was surprised by how modern Forster felt. Have you seen the 1985 film of A Room with a View starring Helena Bonham Carter? It's the perfect film for a rainy day. Loved your pics, too: we went to Florence for the first time last year and I was swept away by the beauty of it.