K's Reviews > NW

I agree wholeheartedly! Your review was more enjoyable than the book!

Thanks, Felicia! I can sort of appreciate some of the book's attributes but felt so incredibly alienated by the style.

Ah good ... my sentiments exactly but thought perhaps it was just me...

Now I really feel validated! I was sure you would point out all these great aspects of the book that I was too philistine/anal to appreciate.

Ha! Thought that in reverse.

I've never got Zadie Smith and it's not through lack of trying. So your review has saved me from another trying trial.

I actually loved White Teeth but couldn't get into any of her others. I was hoping this would be different since it's been a while since she published some fiction. Well, it was different. But sadly, not in a good way.

Hahahaha! Loved your review! I haven't read this book but I now surely won't. Also, is it plagiarism to steal your folder name? There are so many books that I can put in that folder!

Thanks, Jane! That's great to hear. Please feel free to steal any shelf name of mine. Although my review is an exception to this, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

I read her in Greece, when there were maybe four books available in English...Haven't read her since!

I'm guessing this isn't the one you read. I really did enjoy her first book, and I had high hopes for this one.

This is the best review ever! :) I think she did a much better job with her more traditional novels. It seems to be the trend in the last 10 years or so (postmodernism??) to make the novel/book as out there and unlike a traditional story as possible, whether in regards to narrator, chapter structures, stream of consciousness, random poems, etc. Books like this, There But For The, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Cloud Atlas, House of Falling Leaves, A Visit From the Goon Squad, lots of David Foster Wallace... the list could go on and on. I certainly understand the merit of it and I think sometimes form and structure of the typical novel needs to be changed and writers need to challenge themselves. I think it is often very exciting and I enjoy many of those novels I listed and others like them. However...I don't like it as a trend or a way of proving yourself as an artist. I feel like in other books the effort was more successful.
Also, sometimes I'm just not in the mood for all this! Whether it works or not! I want to say, "YOU CAN WRITE WELL! Freaking give us a decent story with an interesting theme and ideas that I don't need to a flow chart to understand!" I doubt that was her intent to alienate us all but that's what happened. I gave up completely in Kesha/Natalie's "chapters". I don't mind challenging books, we need to think when we read but I would like the balance in a novel to be about half enjoyment/half a challenge/teaching me something. Maybe that ratio will be a little off at times…but this was lacking on both sides. I don’t know. I kept thinking, “I wish I was back in my grad English class where we could really STUDY this and why she made these choices.” Unfortunately don’t want my reading time to be like that now…Sorry to ramble. You struck a nerve! :) Such a funny review.

Khaya wrote: "I actually loved White Teeth but couldn't get into any of her others. I was hoping this would be different since it's been a while since she published some fiction. Well, it was different. But s..."

Glad to hear that because I'm about to read White Teeth for my real world book club.

Hi, Megan,thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful comment! I'm so happy you enjoyed the review. And I completely agree with you. Maybe I'm a little anal in this way, but I keep scratching my head and wondering whatever happened to the traditional story with a beginning, middle, and end. And while I certainly don't like it when authors spell out every thought and motivation propelling their characters, I felt that this was the opposite extreme -- I found the characters completely inscrutable, and it's very hard for me to enjoy a book when I feel so disconnected from the characters and their inner lives. Sometimes a good plot can sometimes offset that to a degree, but that was clearly not going to be the case here.

I also like books to be challenging, but not in the way this one was. I like books that are challenging in the sense that there are multiple layers to the characters and plot. In order for that to happen, though, there have to be characters and a plot, not some amorphous haze.

Lisa, I would love to hear what you think of White Teeth. I read it a long time ago and thought it was great, but I don't know what I would think today.

Khaya wrote: "Lisa, I would love to hear what you think of White Teeth. I read it a long time ago and thought it was great, but I don't know what I would think today."

Well, I will read it and write a review sometime before our early December meeting. I'll be reading our October book late, but I've never done that in the nearly 7 years we've been meeting, so I don't think that will happen again. In fact, I'll probably read White Teeth before our October book to make sure I read it in time.

Okay. I'll be on the lookout for your updates.

Khaya, that was just very funny and on point. Raising all my hats to you, ma'am.

Thanks so much, Camille! You put a smile on my face after a trying day.

yep! I wanted to buy this but.....I just couldn't..

I can't honestly recommend buying it. If you're curious, I'd suggest borrowing it instead.

I wasn't talking about her -- I actually loved White Teeth. My disappointment in this book was fueled in part by my sense that she's capable of writing a much better book. "Lord help her she's just not that bright" referred to me, the reader who simply couldn't grasp the point of the story, not to the author.

Oh I see! Thanks for the update.

Thanks so much, Gitika! I completely agree. I hope she’ll return to writing more conventionally. I loved White Teeth. She’s clearly very talented but this book’s artsy style was way above my head.

White Teeth is on a whole other level!

I completely agree!

Hahahaha best review ever! And I didn't even read the book.

Thanks, Nikki!