Nine To Noon Book review: Glyph by Ali Smith
Mar 24, 2026
Lucy Black, a sharp book reviewer and commentator, talks about Ali Smith's Glyph (with a Y). She distinguishes two companion novels both called Glyph. She traces sisters Petra and Patch through childhood and adulthood. She highlights Smith's playful, experimental prose, an invented ghost that takes on a life of its own, and themes of war, AI and media overload. Moments of warmth and vivid, cinematic scenes shine through.
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Companion Novels That Mirror Each Other
- Ali Smith wrote two companion novels both titled Glyph that are not sequels but share themes and metatextual links.
- Glyph with a Y mirrors Glyph with an I by referencing the other book and echoing similar thematic concerns about language and characters.
Sisters Across Time And Estrangement
- Glyph with a Y follows sisters Petra and Patch across childhood and middle-aged estrangement after their father's death.
- The novel shifts between times to explore family memory, wartime stories, and the sisters' reconnection in present-day settings.
Language As The Novel's Central Engine
- Ali Smith foregrounds language play and the weight of each sentence, with one sister loving puns and the other recoiling.
- Smith's experimental style makes words feel important and every line deliberate, producing both warmth and intellectual playfulness.