Gliff
| Author | Ali Smith |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
| Publication date | 31 October 2024 |
| Pages | 274 |
| ISBN | 978-0-241-66557-2 |
| Followed by | Glyph |
Gliff is a 2024 dystopian novel by Scottish author Ali Smith. It was shortlisted for the 2024 Highland Book Prize. The follow-up, Glyph, was published in 2026.
Publication
The novel began as a short story written in August 2023; an anthology commission to write something "tangentially Kafkaesque".[1]Gliff was published by Hamish Hamilton on 31 October 2024 in the UK,[2] and on 4 February 2025 by Pantheon in the US.
Glyph, a standalone novel which "tell[s] a story hidden in [Gliff]"[2] was published in 2026.[3]
Critical reception
Gliff was largely received positively by critics.[4][5][6][7] In her review for The Guardian, Paraic O’Donnell praised Smith's "sportive wordplay",[6] and Hamilton Cain of The Washington Post called the book a "tricksy masterwork".[7] Writing for The New York Times, A.O. Scott commended Smith's prose, although noted that Gliff wasn't as "ablaze with formal daring" as her previous works.[4] In his review for The Times, John Self criticised the novel's binary view of morality and lack of complex antagonists.[8] Francesca Peacock of The Spectator, whilst applauding Smith's "characteristic linguistic experimentation", felt the novel had some serious issues, including the unexplained time skips and unrealised emotional pull.[9]
The novel was shortlisted for the 2024 Highland Book Prize,[10] the 2025 Gordon Bowker Volcano Prize[11] and won the 2026 Dublin Literary Award.[12]
References
- ^ Begley, Adam (2025-02-04). "A Novelist Who Looks Into the Dark". The Atlantic. ISSN 2151-9463. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ a b Williams, Holly (2024-10-19). "Gliff by Ali Smith is a clever novel - but not a moving one". The i Paper. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ Goddard, Keiran (27 January 2026). "Glyph by Ali Smith review – bearing witness to the war in Gaza". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
- ^ a b Scott, A. O. (2025-02-04). "Children on the Run From a Dystopian Nightmare". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ Gilmartin, Sarah. "Gliff by Ali Smith: Part allegory, part dystopian fiction, altogether thrilling". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ a b O’Donnell, Paraic (2024-11-02). "Gliff by Ali Smith review – reading the signs of crisis". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ a b Cain, Hamilton (2025-03-02). "Ali Smith delivers another masterwork". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ^ Self, John (2024-11-02). "Gliff by Ali Smith review — are you an 'immortal' or an 'unverifiable'?". The Times. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ Peacock, Francesca (2024-10-29). "Waifs and strays: Gliff, by Ali Smith, reviewed". The Spectator. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ "2024 Shortlist". The Highland Book Prize | Duais Leabhair na Gàidhealtachd. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- ^ "Gordon Bowker Volcano Prize". The Society of Authors. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
- ^ [1]. Dublin Literary Award, June 5, 2026.