Sarah Winman
Still Life by Sarah Winman covers a period of nearly four decades. It opens in Tuscany in 1944 during the final stages of World War II. Evelyn Skinner, an English sixty-something art historian, meets Ulysses Temper, a private in the British army. The two have an immediate connection and chat as if they have known each other for years. Their brief encounter leaves a lasting impression on both.
Ulysses returns to England after the war. In a surprising turn of events, a man whose life he saved in Italy dies and bequeaths Ulysses his home in Florence. Ulysses decides to relocate to Florence. He takes with him his ex-wife’s daughter and an elderly friend. The three form an inseparable bond. At various points, they are joined by Ulysses’ ex-wife and other close friends. Together this motley crew forms a rambunctious, loving family.
The novel shifts to Evelyn Skinner who is now a professor of art. She is adored by her students and carries a wealth of knowledge about Italian art. She returns to Florence on a couple of occasions. Although she is in the same city as Ulysses, and although she and Ulysses remember each other with great fondness, their paths don’t cross for several years. They just miss each other. At one point, they are even standing at opposite ends of the same bridge. Eventually, they do re-connect and Evelyn, now in her eighties, moves to Florence to join Ulysses and his makeshift family.
The novel is strong in many areas, beginning with a narrative voice that is bright, engaging, funny, irreverent, and delightful. The characters are interesting, realistically portrayed, and each has a unique, authentic voice. Their interactions, subtle jabs at one another, jokes, and bickering are infused with a deep sense of love and friendship. The descriptions of Florence with its sights, sounds, and smells are immersive. One can almost smell the delicious food wafting off the page. The streets, the bridges, the buildings, and the Arno are depicted in all their majesty. The description of the 1966 flood that devastated the city is particularly effective. An impressive wealth of information about Italian masterpieces in painting and sculpture pepper the narrative.
There is so much to praise about the novel that it is easy to overlook some of the not-so-successful features, including a talking parrot who spouts lines from Shakespeare; a talking tree; and a series of highly improbable coincidences that feel staged. There is also an extended section at the end of the novel called “All About Evelyn,” that feels like an add-on feature and sticks out like a sore thumb.
Aside from these problematic features, the novel is a highly entertaining and engaging. It celebrates friendship, community, and love in its many forms. It is an education in Florentine art and architecture. And it celebrates of the magic and charm that is Florence.