Reviews

Zadie Smith has such a specific voice and style and is often drawn to the same themes that it’s so comforting and familiar reading each novel of hers, yet I never get tired of it. Few authors have that singularity and command nowadays, it reminds me of Toni Morrison.

leahjane13's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

jankatar's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny reflective slow-paced

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

3.75

I was intimidated to pick this book up, since I'd mentally branded it as Smart People Literature™ and I am not a Smart Person™, especially not when it comes to literature. It was surprisingly readable and engaging though! The writing style is experimental and weird and changes with each pov character, but I quite enjoyed that. I like weird books.

The content is harder to review. Two of the pov characters, Leah and Natalie lead quite uninteresting lives (which is kind of the point) so nothing of note ever really happens, but these chapters are a beautiful reflection of how it can be when you're in your mid-thirties and feel like life's passing you by. Quite relatable but I wanted to throw Natalie out of a window at times. The other pov character, Felix, is a lot more interesting and the things that happen to him are in some ways central to the book, but his connection to the others is nothing more than 'a familiar face from the same neighbourhood and they all hear of what happened to him'. This makes the whole book feel very disconnected. Then there's another allegedly central character who only really shows up at the end. The ending is weird in general and didn't really vibe with me.

In general: weird but enjoyable read.

starrybooker's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

There’s something about the way Zadie Smith writes that makes the setting as much of a character as everyone else. The way the atmosphere clings to the pages and makes it so you feel like you’re walking along the streets with them.

NW is one of those ‘plotless literary books’ that I just love - it’s a book about feeling lost in life, about realising you’ve hit adulthood and either made everything or nothing you expected for yourself, and feeling dissatisfied with both. It’s about how no matter how much you try, or how much you might live in it, you can’t go back to where you once were.

While I liked the Felix section, and loved the Leah section, it was the Keisha/Natalie section that really stood out for me. A character filled with such personal propulsion to succeed, to be better than those around her, move into a ‘better life’, and yet has no idea how to be a person outside of other’s expectations. I particularly loved the structure of those section, the short sections that jumped in time gave it a propulsive feeling that just made the book difficult to put down.

brannonkrkhuang's review against another edition

Go to review page

I’m glad she gave taxi money to Shar. Fuck the haters. I don’t need to read anymore.

rkpig's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious reflective sad medium-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

More...