Ali Smith's latest novel, Glyph, is a searing indictment of the Israeli government's apartheid regime in Palestine, one that demands to be read and reckoned with on its own terms. Smith's commitment to excavating the sediments of language is as potent as ever, but here she tackles a subject that makes her previous work look almost gentle by comparison.
The novel follows sisters Petra and Patch, whose names – Petra, meaning stone, and Patch, meaning to repair – are etched into our minds long after we finish reading. These twin anchors of the narrative serve as a constant reminder of the brutal scale of the conflict in Palestine, which has claimed thousands of lives while the world looks on. Smith's refusal to shy away from these atrocities is both striking and necessary.
Through her use of language, Smith raises profound questions about representation and silence. The character of Patch's teenage daughter, who watches a distressing video of a horse trapped under rubble, is a particularly effective example of this. Her wry observation that "it was probably Gaza" – the context that makes all too clear the true horror of what she's seeing – leaves us in no doubt about the gravity of Smith's subject.
One of the most striking aspects of Glyph is its unflinching portrayal of bureaucratic absurdity, where the line between outrage and oppression becomes blurred. When Patch's daughter is arrested for waving a scarf "aggressively", we're confronted with the Orwellian nightmare that underpins Israel's response to criticism: language that manipulates and distorts truth.
In this, Smith is unafraid to challenge the aesthetic orthodoxy that often privileges distance and irony when it comes to addressing such serious issues. Instead, she takes a deeply personal and emotional approach, one that prioritizes witness over detachment. As we follow Petra and Patch's journey, we're forced to confront our own complicity in the erasure of Palestinian lives.
Throughout Glyph, Smith's skill as a writer is on full display, as she masterfully excavates the depths of language to uncover the complexities of this human crisis. It's a bold move, indeed, but one that's all too necessary given the current state of our world. As we're reminded by Orwell, "political language ... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable", and it's Smith's fierce resistance to this kind of linguistic chicanery that makes Glyph such a vital and urgent work.
The novel follows sisters Petra and Patch, whose names – Petra, meaning stone, and Patch, meaning to repair – are etched into our minds long after we finish reading. These twin anchors of the narrative serve as a constant reminder of the brutal scale of the conflict in Palestine, which has claimed thousands of lives while the world looks on. Smith's refusal to shy away from these atrocities is both striking and necessary.
Through her use of language, Smith raises profound questions about representation and silence. The character of Patch's teenage daughter, who watches a distressing video of a horse trapped under rubble, is a particularly effective example of this. Her wry observation that "it was probably Gaza" – the context that makes all too clear the true horror of what she's seeing – leaves us in no doubt about the gravity of Smith's subject.
One of the most striking aspects of Glyph is its unflinching portrayal of bureaucratic absurdity, where the line between outrage and oppression becomes blurred. When Patch's daughter is arrested for waving a scarf "aggressively", we're confronted with the Orwellian nightmare that underpins Israel's response to criticism: language that manipulates and distorts truth.
In this, Smith is unafraid to challenge the aesthetic orthodoxy that often privileges distance and irony when it comes to addressing such serious issues. Instead, she takes a deeply personal and emotional approach, one that prioritizes witness over detachment. As we follow Petra and Patch's journey, we're forced to confront our own complicity in the erasure of Palestinian lives.
Throughout Glyph, Smith's skill as a writer is on full display, as she masterfully excavates the depths of language to uncover the complexities of this human crisis. It's a bold move, indeed, but one that's all too necessary given the current state of our world. As we're reminded by Orwell, "political language ... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable", and it's Smith's fierce resistance to this kind of linguistic chicanery that makes Glyph such a vital and urgent work.
I just read about this new novel by Ali Smith called Glyph and OMG I'm still reeling from the experience! The way she tackles the Israeli government's apartheid regime is like, totally brutal but in the best possible way? It's so refreshing to see a writer who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty and call out the BS. I mean, I know some of us are guilty of turning a blind eye to what's going on in Palestine, but Smith's writing makes me want to confront that complicity head-on. Her prose is like a punch in the gut, but it's the good kind, you know? It forces you to look at yourself and your own privilege, and I think that's exactly what we need more of right now. Can't wait to dive into this book and see how it all plays out!
i love how she uses language to expose all these injustices & make us question our complicity in erasing ppl's lives 
also omg the part where that girl watches a video of a horse trapped under rubble and says "it was probably Gaza" is just WOW 
it's like smith is speaking truth to power & refusing to back down from the aesthetic orthodoxy that tries to silence her 
i need more authors like her who aren't afraid to get real about these tough issues 
. The way she weaves together the personal stories of Petra and Patch with the brutal reality of what's happening in Palestine is just devastating 
. And that line from Patch's daughter about "it was probably Gaza" still haunts me, you know? It's like Smith's not afraid to stare ugly truth straight in the face 
. I love how she refuses to shy away from the bureaucratic absurdity and Orwellian nightmares that come with it – it's a necessary reckoning, imo 
. We need more writers like her who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty 
.
. it's not easy reading about the brutal scale of violence & oppression, especially when it's happening right under our noses 
. but at the same time, i think smith's commitment to using language to excavate these issues is really powerful 
- she's not afraid to get messy & confront us with the complexities of this human crisis 
. gotta admit, though, it's a bit jarring when the government's got you feeling like orwell in real life 
. overall, i think glyph is a vital work that demands our attention - we need more authors willing to take on these kinds of difficult subjects & challenge us to see the world from different perspectives 
.
. I love how she takes a personal and emotional approach, it makes you feel all the feels 
. This novel needs to be read and discussed ASAP, we can't just sit back and ignore the truth 
.
This new novel by Ali Smith is seriously intense 
. It's like she's saying, "Hey, we need to talk about this" and "we need to listen". And you know what? I think it's exactly what we need right now. We've been living in this bubble where we don't really want to face the truth, but Smith is like a wake-up call 
... I mean, we're talking about a novel that's like a punch in the gut, but also somehow makes you feel seen and heard? It's like she's saying, what if our words can be just as hurtful as our actions? We've been conditioned to think of language as something neutral or even positive, but Smith is like, nope, it can be a tool of oppression too 
. It feels like we're being forced to confront our own complicity in all this, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing?
i mean don't even get me started on how masterful she is with words - it's like she's pulling you into this world of trauma and resistance and just refusing to let go 
. Smith's writing is both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time – it's a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in advocating for human rights and dignity 
.
. It's just another book telling us what we already know – the Israeli government's apartheid regime is messed up 
. I mean, it's about time someone wrote a searing indictment of it, but does that really make it any more impactful? Smith's use of language is all well and good, but let's be real, it's not like it's going to change the world 
. Meanwhile, I'm over here waiting for someone with actual solutions to come forward 
.
This novel is gonna be HUGE! 4.2 billion people read books last year, but only 13% are fiction 
, and we're talking about a novel that's gonna make you feel like your world is turned upside down 
.
. Ali Smith's latest novel Glyph is like, super necessary because it tackles this issue head-on and refuses to sugarcoat it. The way she uses language to expose the truth is really powerful, but it also makes me think – what's the point of writing about these issues if we're not gonna take action? I mean, I get that some people might be sensitive to certain topics, but come on, this is a matter of human rights and basic decency 
. Smith's characters are so well-developed and relatable, it feels like you're right there with them experiencing the horrors of war. The way she portrays the bureaucratic absurdity and language manipulation in Israel's response to criticism is just... wow 
.