Spring is a 2019 novel by Scottish author Ali Smith, first published by Hamish Hamilton.[1] It was long-listed for the Orwell Prize (2020).[2]
 First edition UK hardcover | |
| Author | Ali Smith |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Juliette Burton |
| Cover artist | David Hockney Late Spring Tunnel (2016) |
| Language | English |
| Series | Seasonal Quartet |
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton (UK), Pantheon Books (US) |
Publication date | March 28, 2019 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print, ebook, audiobook |
| Pages | 352 |
| ISBN | 978-0241207048 (1st ed UK hardcover) |
| OCLC | 1039630979 |
| 823/.914 | |
| LC Class | PR6069.M4213 S67 2019 |
| Preceded by | Winter |
| Followed by | Summer |
Plot
editEach novel in Smith’s seasonal series is juxtaposed with a work of Shakespeare – in this one, it is Pericles. All of the books also examine everyday life in Britain. Spring follows a string of characters and explores themes like immigration and human nature in general, as well as the aftermath of the EU referendum and growing tensions in the UK.
The novel has two central narratives, the first is the story of Richard, an older man who is dealing with the loss of someone close to him. He boards a train to Scotland, with no particular destination in mind, to try and escape or solve his emotional turmoil. The second narrative is that of Brittany, or Brit as she is named in the book. Brit works at a detention centre for migrants where she unexpectedly meets a young girl named Florence. Like Richard, Brit and Florence also happen to board a train up north to Scotland. All of the characters in the novel eventually meet at Kingussie station.
Release
editSpring was first released in hardback and e-book format in the United Kingdom on 28 March 2019 through Hamish Hamilton, an imprint of Penguin Books.[3] It was given a release in the United States via Pantheon Books on 28 March 2019, also in hardback and e-book format.[4] The novel received a paperback release in the United Kingdom on 12 March 2020 via Penguin and in the United States on 7 April 2020, through Anchor Press.[5][6]
Spring also received an audiobook adaptation narrated by Juliette Burton that was published by Recorded Books.[7]
Reception
editSpring received reviews from multiple outlets. According to Book Marks, the book received "positive" reviews based on twenty-one critic reviews with eleven being "rave" and seven being "positive" and three being "mixed".[8] In Books in the Media, a site that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a 
(3.84 out of 5) from the site which was based on twelve critic reviews.[9] On Bookmarks July/August 2019 issue, a magazine that aggregates critic reviews of books, the book received a (4.0 out of 5) based on critic reviews.[10][11]
Rebecca Makkai of The New York Times compared the novel favorably to Ulysses while Justine Jordan of The Guardian called it "a powerful vision of lost souls in a divided Britain".[12][13] The Independent also reviewed Spring, writing that it was "a bold and brilliant experiment".[14]
References
edit- ^ Smith, Ali (12 March 2020). "Spring". Penguin Books. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ "Spring". The Orwell Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ Smith, Ali, 1962- (2019). Spring. [London]. ISBN 978-0-241-20705-5. OCLC 1039630979.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Smith, Ali, 1962- (30 April 2019). Spring (First United States ed.). New York. ISBN 978-1-101-87077-8. OCLC 1041762461.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Smith, Ali, 1962- (2020). Spring. U.K. ISBN 978-0-241-97335-6. OCLC 1108165985.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Smith, Ali, 1962- (7 April 2020). Spring (First Anchor Books ed.). New York. ISBN 978-1-101-96996-0. OCLC 1184686179.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Smith, Ali, 1962-, Spring, Burton, Juliette,, Recorded Books, Inc., Prince Frederick, Md., ISBN 978-1-5019-4232-7, OCLC 1101397039, retrieved 2020-11-14
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Spring". Book Marks. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Spring Reviews". Books in the Media. Archived from the original on 20 Oct 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Spring". Bookmarks. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ "Spring". Bibliosurf (in French). 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
- ^ Makkai, Rebecca (2019-05-06). "Spring Cleaning, Ali Smith Style (Published 2019)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ Jordan, Justine (2019-03-30). "Spring by Ali Smith review – a beautiful piece of synchronicity". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-11-13.
- ^ "Spring by Ali Smith, review: A timeless novel that burns with moral urgency". The Independent. 2019-03-29. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2020-11-13.