I'm DNFing this at 20%. I can't, for some reason, connect with the story. The premise, a ghost falling in love with a woman, is intriguing if not a little straight forward. The writing is good and the atmosphere is written well, I just can't connect to the characters. The emotional connection the main character had with George, the woman she falls in love with, felt too quick, too rushed.

The first word that came to mind while reading Briefly, A Delicious Life was “magical.” It wasn’t long into reading before Nell Stevens’ words really made me feel like I sank into her world – she truly captivates all of the senses with a refreshing lyrical tone. Bianca acts as a third party perspective to George’s life, which lends to the book being part fictionalized biography; but also has enough of an outspoken and tenacious personality to be a ghost story. At times, the plot interjects Bianca’s account with visitor’s experiences, and she has spectral powers that lets her gaze into other people’s minds and reads their futures. Her role as the omnipresent narrator casts a spotlight on the male gaze and reverses it, and it’s an interesting plot device to explore more deep themes on love, living fully, creativity, etc. I wasn’t quite sure how well the two merged together cohesively. The plot flitting between scenes or characters never definitively set the scene for the stakes, and it’s that non-narrative structure, especially with a lot of hype for the sapphic romance, that I struggled with. Bianca’s involvement in Sand’s life felt more removed, even though she’s our gateway into Sand and those around her. If you were to peer into the lives of George Sand from the outside at the time that they were alive, I imagine that Bianca would be a suitable voice in explaining or exploring what their lives were like...but on some level, I kept waiting for something more with the non-narrative arc or lack of stakes to push Stevens's narrative bounds.

The premise of Briefly, a Delicious Life is promising: Blanca, the Ghost of an adolescent woman who died in a Spanish monastery during the 15th Century, tells us the story of Georges Sand, her lover Frederick Chopin, and her two children, who have traveled to the now long-abandoned monastery looking for warmth and comfort that will ease Chopin's tuberculosis, anticipating neither the challenging winter weather nor the impression their menage will make on the local villagers.

The story fascinates, moving back and forth between 15th and 19th Century, observing the limitations placed on women's lives in both eras. Blanca has had centuries to learn to rebel against those limitations; Sand assails them on a daily basis.

The reason this turned out to be a three-star read for me is that, as interesting as this set-up is, I simply didn't come to care for any of the characters well enough to feel invested in their experiences. It spoke to my mind, but not to my heart. If you enjoy novels that push readers to think, you may enjoy this one. If you prefer novels that let you join with the characters within them, you're apt to be disappointed.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

Delicious is the perfect word for this beautiful slow burn of a novel. Blanca, a 14-year-old/hundreds of years old ghost, narrates the parallel stories of her own life on the island of Mallorca and the winter George Sand and Frederic Chopin spend in the charterhouse where she died. It's an intimate look at creativity and human connection with some beautiful lesbian longing thrown in, and was just a joy to read overall.

Ohhhh me! I enjoyed reading Briefly, A Delicious Life so much. It is such a beautifully written story. The story is so hauntingly sweet. The characters were weird and wonderful all in their own way. Blanca was a wonderful ghost to follow around. I couldn't recommend this book more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Stunning. I was *anxiously* awaiting this novel, as I've loved Stevens' other two books. With 'Briefly', she's taken her craft to an entirely new level - I both raced through it and dreaded turning the last page, because I didn't want it to end. I can't wait to get my hands on a hardcover copy, so I can savor it properly.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this novel!

I think the biggest thing for me that made this novel a wonderful read, and perhaps one of my top for the year, was the prose. It was so easy to fall right in to the poetic nature of the writing. I felt like I wasn’t just reading a story, but that I was witnessing the events as they happened with Blanca. I felt enthralled by what she was going through and experiencing. Literally captivated by the word choice. I felt like I was reading so fast because I couldn’t digest the next paragraph quick enough.

That said, I would have loved a bit more focus on George and experiencing life from her point of view. I know the overall point of the novel was to progress with Blanca, but I couldn’t help but find myself wishing I was advancing with George too, I wanted so badly to know what was happening in her head as well.

I was provided with this ARC from Netgalley so big thank you to them for the opportunity! Funny enough, I had never heard of this book until I was browsing Netgalley and I decided to take a shot at it as the synopsis and cover intrigued me. I could not have expected that this would turn into one of my favorite books of the year and of all time. This novel is based on real people and real events but the characters internal dialogue and external interactions are all fictionalized by the author. I just think this is the kind of literary fiction that really works for me. A very eclectic group of characters, the raw setting of Majorca, Spain, the switching of the past and present consistently between George and Blanca, the infamous Chopin playing a part in the story, and the sapphic ghost vibes. It was so completely unique; I don't think I've ever read a book like this before, nor will I ever again. It's such a bizarre set up but I couldn't help but fall in love with Blanca and George. I recognized myself in Blanca, found myself wanting to be like George. They were so completely opposite as people but so intertwined in ways I can't even explain. Such a compliment to the author for her skill on that part. While a lot happens in the plot, the reading of it feels like floating down a lazy river, slow, steady, dripping like honey. It's relaxing and stressful all at the same time. Ugh, I could go on and on. I just really loved this book. It's not for everyone, but it was most definitely for me.

Briefly, A Delicious Life was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. From the cover to the premise, I expected this to be a favourite read. Instead I found myself having a hard time connecting with the storyline and feeling like I needed to check my progress every so often.

I will start by saying that the writing was beautiful. I was immersed in Nell Stevens’s writing from the opening line and I believe I will carry snippets of her writing with me for years to come. The amount of detail and feeling that she puts in her words made me push through when I felt like the plot itself wasn’t necessarily enough to keep me going.

While I loved George, I don’t feel like I got to know her enough. In such a character-driven novel, I hoped I would get more of George’s feelings and wants and desires (that is: beyond the George Remembers chapters). Simultaneously, I hoped George would have has some sort of reckoning about Blanca but understand the author’s commitment to the longing and unrequited love aspect.

The amount of research and detail that went into Valldemossa made the setting feel beautifully realistic. I hope I was able to picture the little village, the Charterhouse, and all of the described settings as the author themselves saw it.

Overall Briefly, A Delicious Life was a little too slow for me. It was enjoyable for its prose and Blanca’s devotion to George, and hopefully a relationship dynamic that I will revisit in the future as a reread.

Thank you NetGalley, Scribner, and Nell Stevens for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This debut is so well written, the word choices read as deliberate and so well chosen. I found myself rereading sentences, paragraphs and sometimes whole sections just to savor the delicacy of the prose.

briefly, a delicious life is a tragic view on unattainable love- one i have never come across before. the language utilized to portray such a yearning is very pleasant for someone who is more drawn to the writing than the storyline itself. personally, i felt discouraged halfway through. i was sure the pace would increase and my interest would expand, but i struggled through the last chunk of the book. there wasn’t much happening throughout to cradle my mind and leave me craving the comfort of a leisurely read.

i was, however, very fascinated by the overall premise. we were originally provided with baseline, which was blanca’s thoughts and emotions as she navigates her unique extension of life. the reader is able to unravel other bits and piece of characters through blanca’s ability to settle into the minds of others. this allows the details to be quite expansive and diverse.

despite the original premise grabbing my attention, the story itself didn’t end up being one i would gravitate towards. i appreciate the book in the way you would a classic— it opened my mind in relation to new vocabulary and various concepts. i will not set down the premise any time soon as it will replay and rebuild itself in my mind until it continues to form into new, unusual ideas. isn’t that what good writing does? pushes us to think? to consider? to imagine?

I can’t say i remember much of the plot but i liked the writing style quite a bit. it was an interesting read, but it was a bit slow at times. the beginning of the novel, when i was first getting into it was a pain, since it was quite slow. i felt like i was in a bit of a daze while reading it, seeing as i remember nothing about it, except that i enjoyed the setting and that it was an interesting premise.

4/5

I found this to be a beautifully written book. but it was a very slow start for me. This novel did not have that much that stood out to me outside of the writing style. If you are thinking about reading this book- do it. Do it for the sole purpose of the writing style. I loved how everything was so carefully described.

It was not my favorite, but it was a notable read. I would recommend picking it up.

(I received an eARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

"Briefly, A Delicious Life" by Nell Stevens was just plain enjoyable! Stevens writes beautifully, words not just spilling but flowing across the page to wash over you; it's, as a whole, well-crafted and lovely. Stevens's descriptions in particular were stunning, and I loved the way I could taste certain moments of the story. While bits and pieces are a bit jagged, the overall effect of Stevens's prose is delightful and engaging. I would put the book down to cook or run an errand, but my mind continually strayed back to the world unfolding through our narrator, the deceased Blanca, to chew over a particularly poignant part or to wonder what would happen next.

On the other hand, the book itself doesn't quite meet up with the promise of the blurb or the concept. There are some aspects that feel jerky or unsure, maybe even rough, and it jolted me out of the story. The characters at times, maybe save for Blanca for whom I developed a deep affection born from sympathy early on, were unlikable. That of course also mirrors reality-- I know I'm not likeable 100 percent of the time!-- but it made reading a bit slower, more difficult. Additionally, there were some scenes that felt extra or like they didn't quite fit as seamlessly as others.

I did return to it and finish it, though, and I don't regret it for a moment. While there were some issues that I as a reader grappled with and it won't be on my Must Re-Read List, it was a good read! Stevens's wielding of language, at times unsteady (in a distracting way) and wild (in the best way), is something I am still thinking about.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Gorgeous prose which reminded me of Maggie O'Farrell unique and captivating style. As a lover of Chopin and ghost stories this was a match made in heaven! Thank you so much for the advanced copy of this book! I can't wait t post my review when the publication date nears.

Nothing should be as daring, bold, and bone-chilling beautiful as this book makes itself. I want lines from this book tattooed onto the marrow of my bones, it's just that damn good. I fell in love with George, hated and loved Chopin in equal measure. The writing was consistently intriguing in ways one could never predict. Hell, the very concept of this book is enough to have me clinging on to Steven's coattails. I am eagerly awaiting the next incredible piece of work from them.

A captivating, fiercely original ghost story: in BRIEFLY, A DELICIOUS LIFE Nell Stevens makes superb use of her knowledge of Sand and Chopin and delivers a read which is...forgive me...haunting in every sense of the word. Many thanks to Scribners and to Netgalley for the pleasure of this rich and creative read.

Such a great read! A delicious ghost story that isn't scary or sad. I loved this novel. I had no details about Chopins life so the historical aspect of this book was really interesting and informative.

Briefly, A Delicious Life by Nell Stevens was a wonderfully crafted story.
It was beyond captivating. Which had me reading this in one full day.
Stevens did a phenomenal job with this debut novel. The entire story flowed so well.
I loved Blanca and her story. Hopefully you will also.
The characters, plot, and setting was just incredible. Absolutely enjoyed and loved every second reading this brilliant story.

Scribner,
Thank you for this eARC.
I will post to my platforms, B&N & Waterstone close to pub date.

This book is the definition of a five-star read to the point where I debated not writing a review beyond that because nothing I say would be as good. But I have Thoughts.

Briefly, a delicious life is told through the eyes of Blanca- a girl who died in Mallorca at a young age and now stays in that town as a ghost. For four hundred years she has been living in this confusing existence between life and death with the same families but different people. That is until, foreigners come to live in her hometown. Foreigners who dress up as men and live together with children out of marriage, that is. Blanca falls in love immediately with George, a mysterious woman who wears trousers and smokes cigars. Blanca also builds a connection with George’s lover Chopin and her two children, Maurice and Solange.

This book was captivating to put it simply, there was something so grounded and relatable unlike anything I’ve read before even though it is a story centered around a ghost. It was also the smartest use of alternating point of views I have read. It’s perceived by most as a romance book, which it is, but that doesn’t encapsulate enough that this story is about love- love and loss and grief and yearning and all that makes us human. Everyone is so amazingly complex and nuanced because no one, especially not Blanca, is a reliable narrator. You get to beautifully learn and fall in love with these characters while Blanca does as well. You get their history as well as hers, you yearn with Blanca while she yearns, and you learn to understand these deeply flawed human beings through Blanca’s eyes but also their own and each other’s.

I sadly cannot spoil anything so I must contain myself from writing more but, once again, I cannot stress enough how beautiful and compelling this story is. I cannot wait to read more from Stevens and I’m overjoyed I was able to read this as an advanced reader copy.