I remember enjoying Autumn, and Smith’s other novels (such as How to be Both) have had enormous impact on me as a reader and as a writer, but I somehow found this less gripping. There is a bit of a plot and she has plenty to say about the state of the world, but I’m not sure it quite coheres into a beautiful whole. The characters never seem to quite come to life, although we find out quite a bit about them in dribs and drabs. That said, I have already got Spring on my ‘to read’ pile and will doubtless invest in Summer when it comes out in paperback...

Ali Smith has written some wonderful novels - 'There but for the', 'How to be Both', and the absolutely joyful 'Girl Meets Boy' - which put her among the top ranks of latter-day Scottish and British authors. 'Winter' contains many of the same tropes, linguistic playfulness, and shifts in time as her earlier books, including its immediate predecessor 'Autumn' And yet, with 'Winter' and 'Autumn' (of which latter this is also a review) it feels as though Smith is turning to self-pastiche, self-parody even, in the way she repeats and revisits what seems increasingly to be a rigid checklist. Precocious punning female? An interest in artists, especially female ones? Exceptional relationships across supposed divides of age/gender/sexuality/nationality? Liberal politics and a disdain for any other kind? Yes, they're all there, along with plenty of others, but too often I found myself thinking 'so what?'. Although there's nothing new in or wrong with an author focusing on favourite themes or ideas per se, it works only if they bring something new to each iteration, in terms of literary exposition, emotional or intellectual meaning etc.. Instead, with 'Winter' and 'Autumn', it feels like the same old ideas being trotted out to diminishing returns Similarly, although I admire Smith's intent in embarking at speed on a quartet that reflects and examines contemporary issues, the execution is too often clunky. Her satire, which has in the past occasionally veered close to lazy stereotyping (as with the female hostess of the dinner party in 'There but for the'), too often feels dull and obvious in 'Winter' and 'Autumn', and the lack of nuance in her approach to political issues is off-putting even, or perhaps especially, though one may agree with her views. Perhaps more haste and less speed would have served her better I bought 'Autumn' hoping for something as good as 'How to be Both'. Being disappointed, I bought 'Winter' with a similar hope and end result. I suspect I'll buy 'Spring' and 'Summer', less out of hope than out of duty to seeing this quartet through. However, after 'Winter', I'm increasing reminded of an interview by Jonathan Romney with Krzysztof Kieslowski about the latter's 'Trois Couleurs/Three Colours' trilogy: when Romney asked the director whether viewers dissatisfied with the first film should wait to see how the other two develop, Kieslowski replied 'Absolutely no. I'd say, don't buy any more tickets'...