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Who Are The Main Characters In 'How To Be Both'?

2026-03-10 14:06:45

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5 Answers

Nolan

Favorite read: The Other Half

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George and Francesco anchor 'How to Be Both,' but the real star is how Smith dances between their worlds. George’s grief is so specific—her mom’s coat still hanging by the door—while Francesco’s Italy is all pigment and politics. Their voices couldn’t be more different: Francesco jokes about the afterlife, George scribbles furious notes in margins. Yet somehow, their stories feel like two halves of the same painting. I kept thinking about it for weeks.

2026-03-12 12:08:24

Victor

Favorite read: Two Loves, One Destiny

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The novel 'How to Be Both' by Ali Smith is this mesmerizing, two-part labyrinth where the main characters feel like they're breathing right off the page. First, there's George (short for Georgia), a contemporary British teenager grieving her mother’s death. Her sections are raw—full of YouTube binges, art obsession, and this aching loneliness that sticks with you. Then, there’s Francesco del Cossa, a Renaissance painter in 15th-century Italy (though some argue they might be a woman in disguise). Their storyline is lush with color, rebellion, and the grind of creating art under patronage. The magic is how these two lives echo across centuries, tied by themes of gender, loss, and the act of seeing deeply. George’s modern angst and Francesco’s historical struggles make the book feel like a conversation across time.

What’s wild is how Ali Smith plays with structure—some editions put Francesco’s part first, others George’s, so your reading experience shifts. Francesco’s voice is witty and irreverent ('I’m dead but not gone'), while George’s grief is so visceral, you’ll find yourself staring at walls after her chapters. And the way their stories overlap isn’t just clever; it makes you question how stories are built, who gets remembered, and how art outlives us. Honestly, I finished it and immediately flipped back to page one.

2026-03-12 15:53:52

Kevin

Favorite read: Two Faces of Love

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Two words: George and Francesco. One’s a modern kid with a broken heart, the other’s a Renaissance artist who might be a woman in drag. Their stories don’t connect in a neat way—it’s more like shared echoes. George’s mom loved Francesco’s paintings, and Francesco’s ghost (maybe?) watches George. The book’s structure is a puzzle; some copies start with George, others with Francesco. It’s about how art and grief blur time. Francesco’s voice is playful ('I died mid-sentence'), while George’s is all quiet rage. The ending left me staring at my ceiling.

2026-03-14 07:51:43

Victoria

Favorite read: Between Two Loves

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Ali Smith’s 'How to Be Both' orbits around George and Francesco, two figures separated by centuries but linked by art’s slippery magic. George, a prickly, grieving teen, spends her days analyzing old paintings and avoiding school. Francesco, a gender-bending painter from the 1400s, narrates their life (and afterlife) with bawdy humor and sharp takes on patronage. Their stories aren’t directly intertwined, but they resonate—like when George obsesses over a fresco Francesco might’ve painted, or Francesco’s musings on visibility mirror George’s mom’s photography. Smith’s trick is the book’s reversible structure; depending on your edition, you’ll either start in the past or present, which reshapes how you read their connections. Francesco’s sections are joyfully anachronistic (calling angels 'boring'), while George’s grief is so tactile, you can almost smell the rain in her scenes. It’s less a traditional novel and more a kaleidoscope—turn it, and the patterns shift.

2026-03-15 19:37:40

Una

Favorite read: A Love Between Conflict

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George and Francesco are the heart of 'How to Be Both,' but they couldn’t be more different. George is all sharp edges—a girl wrapped in hoodies, drowning in music playlists, trying to make sense of her mom’s sudden absence. Her chapters read like diary entries smashed together with art theory rants. Francesco, on the other hand, is this flamboyant, cheeky spirit (literally, since they’re ghostly narrating post-mortem), painting frescoes and dodging gender norms in a way that feels weirdly modern. Smith doesn’t just tell their stories; she lets them bleed into each other. Like when George fixates on a fresco Francesco might’ve painted, or Francesco’s musings on artistry mirror George’s mom’s photography. It’s less about plot and more about vibes—how grief and creativity warp time. The book’s structure is a flex, too; depending on your copy, you’ll start in the 1460s or the 2010s, which changes how you interpret everything. Francesco’s sly humor ('Death’s a bore') and George’s quiet fury make them unforgettable.

2026-03-16 22:53:35

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