White Teeth
Zadie Smith
This first novel was a jolly good read. It's a two-family saga,
one Bengali and one white man married to a Jamaican girl,
starting just after the second world war.
The book deals with growing up in this country being black,
Asian or mixed race. It's a story about being an outsider, and
also about social life in London.
The book is extremely funny and very well done, and Doreen
really enjoyed it. A thorough recommendation.
Doreen 27/8/00
This book had just won a Guardian prize, but Jean did not think
it prizeworthy. It is the story of two families, one Asian and
one West Indian from 50s/60s to date. Jean felt it is good on the
cultures, lives and languages of London where it is set, but some
of the characters are a bit over the top, including a slightly
mad African Witch who walks up and down Kilburn High Road. It is
a big book, and though Jean was convinced by the end, she had got
rather fed up in the middle, not being drawn in enough.
Doreen thought it had a good understanding of older
characters.
Jean 10/12/00
Andrew liked this 'rattling good yarn' which provides an epic
sweep through the character's lives. There are two central
characters, an Englishman and a Bangladeshi man. The book
describes their friendship and the bonds that grow between their
extended families. There is a lot of plot, and probably some
holes in the plot but the story moves so fast there is no time to
notice these. Well-written, good dialogue, very cosmopolitan and
very engaging characters. Recommended.
Andrew 19/5/02
I really enjoyed this. It''s funny and has fantastic characters.
I particularly liked the Jehovah's Witness. It deals with animal
experimentation and genetic engineering. Its all brought neatly
together at the end.
Gill 28/7/02
Very, very good. It was wonderful to the end where it petered
out.
Jane 4/5/03
Conspicuously very well written. A great opening scene, with a
Halal butcher averting central character Archie's attempted
suicide. Seán did think that the story was taking a bit
too long to tell, maybe not meriting the length of the book. And
the ending's a bit of an anti-climax.
Seán 23/11/03
By the same author
The frames have
gone all funny - click to make it good.