Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

10 reviews

noahsingh's review against another edition

2.0

reaaally don't get why people love this book, it's super Islamophobic and also why does Zadie Smith hate fat people so much.... Get a grip

Also frustrating ending with no real closure re: the marriages, the twins, etc 

soooo many things I disliked about this but saving a Nazi twice as a plot point really killed me what is this book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Sexism, Slavery, Islamophobia, Fatphobia, and Racism

Moderate: Police brutality, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, War, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Homophobia, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Racism, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Lesbophobia, Self harm, Cancer, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Cultural appropriation

nova123's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

it was kind of good but I also felt ĺike I was not intelligent enough for this book

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Drug abuse, War, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Gun violence

frankieclc's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Racism

Moderate: Sexism, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia

Minor: Gun violence and Sexual content

caylacolclasure's review against another edition

tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, War, Infidelity, and Islamophobia

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

The way that Zadie Smith writes people is uniquely complex and compelling. I was surprised at the depth of my hatred for these characters and then by the equal depth of my sympathy and appreciation for the same characters. (Neena was the only character who escaped without hatred from me. And niece of shame is a kickass nickname.) Their convoluted natures and equally, if not more, convicted relationships with each other were the thread that tied the whole novel together and made the ending of it feel like something more than it was—though I would’ve liked to know even more. Some of the scenes of prejudice in this book wrenched a visceral reaction from me, especially in the casualness of their presentation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Racism, Drug use, Infidelity, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Hate crime, Lesbophobia, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Islamophobia

linesiunderline's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This book is SO MUCH. It has so much life, so many themes, characters, layers… it’s a book you need to devote yourself to, not a casual kind of reading experience. I’m glad to have finally picked it up, but I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t effortful at times.

A few words to describe Smith’s debut:

Crowded

Meandering 

Rich

Funny

Chaotic 

Epic
Intimate

Because of the sometimes chaotic feel, I didn’t feel consistently connected to the narrative and there were moments when I had to knuckle down and push on to get to the next section. Still, I was ultimately rewarded by it all.

I’ve been mixed reviews on the ending, but I thought it was outstanding.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Racism, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and War

oraclebykittie's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

SHOWSTOPPING INCREDIBLE NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. but seriously i think zadie smith writes in a way that brings so much life and interiority to ever single character introduced in this book, it is mesmerizing. the prose is a rlly engaging mix of meaningful and funny, and neither half conflicts the other. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Blood, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

Minor: Misogyny and Pregnancy

fionac326's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia

debookgeek's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Drug use, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, and Cursing

katewilson's review against another edition

challenging dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Gun violence, Violence, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Homophobia, Ableism, Antisemitism, and Police brutality