21(Im)Possible New Beginnings in Ali Smith’s “Spring” : Book Review

Abstract

Ali Smith’s novel depicts the gloomy state of post-Brexit England by focusing on the lives of two main characters: Richard and Brittany. Smith intersects the paths of the two depressed and depressing characters to that of Florence, a pure and almost magical child, insisting on the idea that opportunities of new beginnings are constantly granted to people, as long as they are willing to change. Far from being a fairy tale, “Spring” is a serious novel about harsh realities, thus, not all the characters receive a happy ending. However, Ali Smith’s novel encourages us that as we take advantage of the chances given and we accept the constancy of change, we are the ones that actually become a fairy story.