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shelby24's review against another edition
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
3.5
lucyyliu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
emleemay's review against another edition
2.0
This is my second Zadie Smith book and I find myself disappointed once again. I saw a comment somewhere that summarized my feelings on Smith's novels: she should write less, say more.
Smith is, in some ways, a fantastic writer. Her social commentary is witty and insightful, her detailed and complex characters drive her work, her little observations about human nature ring true. But oh my, does she waffle on about everything. She brings themes of race, gender, colonialism, capitalism, celebrity culture, and dance theory and mixes them all together, touching on each in turn but leaving all of them a little flat. [b:Swing Time|28390369|Swing Time|Zadie Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456491713s/28390369.jpg|48487231] skims the surface of these topics but, for me, it doesn't do anything truly memorable with any of them.
This is the second "literary" work I've read recently that felt like a series of disconnected but beautifully-written pieces, all floating around without direction or focus. The other one being [b:The Nix|28251002|The Nix|Nathan Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474083394s/28251002.jpg|48287604], which I actually enjoyed more. Both authors throw in some perfect characterization and wonderfully-written scenes, but the two lengthy books each left me feeling like "is that it?"
[b:Swing Time|28390369|Swing Time|Zadie Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456491713s/28390369.jpg|48487231] constantly jumps between different times and places, making it honestly quite difficult to stay invested in any of the wandering roads it takes. Tracey is by far the more interesting character, which makes the Aimee chapters noticeably boring and hard to get through. The story promised by the blurb - of two young brown girls who want to be dancers - makes up the first part of the book and is interesting, but the story quickly moves away from there and gets lost. There's a real lack of focus throughout the book and I spent a lot of it feeling like I was drifting around aimlessly.
The unnamed narrator seemed like an interesting technique at first, but it made for a very distant, impersonal narrative. Maybe it was because we were never encouraged to warm to her that the novel felt so aloof and intellectual - delivering its interesting concepts without any pull or life to them.
On the more positive side, I liked how the author explored the ways rich people throw money at causes with little thought to if and how it helps. I also liked how she shows divisions within races - issues of race are never as simple as black or white, there are many different aspects such as location, wealth, class, education and whether the individual is entirely black or mixed race. Not all individuals from the same race share the same experiences.
BUT the negatives outweighed the positives for me. Parts of the book were interesting, but my overall lack of connection, paired with the unfocused exploration of so many different themes, made it a boring experience. Maybe this author just isn't for me.
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Smith is, in some ways, a fantastic writer. Her social commentary is witty and insightful, her detailed and complex characters drive her work, her little observations about human nature ring true. But oh my, does she waffle on about everything. She brings themes of race, gender, colonialism, capitalism, celebrity culture, and dance theory and mixes them all together, touching on each in turn but leaving all of them a little flat. [b:Swing Time|28390369|Swing Time|Zadie Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456491713s/28390369.jpg|48487231] skims the surface of these topics but, for me, it doesn't do anything truly memorable with any of them.
This is the second "literary" work I've read recently that felt like a series of disconnected but beautifully-written pieces, all floating around without direction or focus. The other one being [b:The Nix|28251002|The Nix|Nathan Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474083394s/28251002.jpg|48287604], which I actually enjoyed more. Both authors throw in some perfect characterization and wonderfully-written scenes, but the two lengthy books each left me feeling like "is that it?"
[b:Swing Time|28390369|Swing Time|Zadie Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456491713s/28390369.jpg|48487231] constantly jumps between different times and places, making it honestly quite difficult to stay invested in any of the wandering roads it takes. Tracey is by far the more interesting character, which makes the Aimee chapters noticeably boring and hard to get through. The story promised by the blurb - of two young brown girls who want to be dancers - makes up the first part of the book and is interesting, but the story quickly moves away from there and gets lost. There's a real lack of focus throughout the book and I spent a lot of it feeling like I was drifting around aimlessly.
The unnamed narrator seemed like an interesting technique at first, but it made for a very distant, impersonal narrative. Maybe it was because we were never encouraged to warm to her that the novel felt so aloof and intellectual - delivering its interesting concepts without any pull or life to them.
On the more positive side, I liked how the author explored the ways rich people throw money at causes with little thought to if and how it helps. I also liked how she shows divisions within races - issues of race are never as simple as black or white, there are many different aspects such as location, wealth, class, education and whether the individual is entirely black or mixed race. Not all individuals from the same race share the same experiences.
BUT the negatives outweighed the positives for me. Parts of the book were interesting, but my overall lack of connection, paired with the unfocused exploration of so many different themes, made it a boring experience. Maybe this author just isn't for me.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube | Store
jslive's review against another edition
4.0
Tells how friendships grow and fade. Also about race and fame and morality.
andlovetoowillruinus's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
i like zadie smith’s essays but a book with an unnamed protagonist that is not in chronological order but jumps around disjointed vignettes of her vapid boss and talented but spiteful friend was just a little too gimmicky for me to enjoy
luluwoohoo's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
☀️☀️🌤️
This character study dives into many important topics with gusto, but there's simply too much of it to appreciate the gems amongst the dirt.
Smith is a wonderful writer, that much is clear. Her prose is lovely and the way she weaves social commentary on racial divide, classism, and celebrity culture amongst the ongoing theme of dance is beautiful. Where it falls apart is the length - this book is arguably too long for what it actually achieves on those topics - and the passivity of the narrator. Our unnamed MC lacks any significant drive, so the book is essentially a long meander through life, observing flaws in others but rarely in herself in a meaningful way.
Structurally the varying timelines didn't confuse me by any means, but I often struggled to link them together when they were put side by side. Maybe I'm not intelligent enough to draw the correct parallels. I was much more engaged with the first act in which we meet Tracey and grow up with her, and I did also enjoy the Africa subplot, but from that point there was so much other stuff going on I struggled to dive in and connect with those aspects like I wanted to.
I think perhaps this was not the best Zadie Smith book to attempt as an introduction to her work. I'm glad I attempted it, and there are certainly standout portions of this, but I'm unlikely to ever venture back in and find them considering the lack of connection I felt throughout and no wow moment at the end to tie it all together.
☀️☀️🌤️
This character study dives into many important topics with gusto, but there's simply too much of it to appreciate the gems amongst the dirt.
Smith is a wonderful writer, that much is clear. Her prose is lovely and the way she weaves social commentary on racial divide, classism, and celebrity culture amongst the ongoing theme of dance is beautiful. Where it falls apart is the length - this book is arguably too long for what it actually achieves on those topics - and the passivity of the narrator. Our unnamed MC lacks any significant drive, so the book is essentially a long meander through life, observing flaws in others but rarely in herself in a meaningful way.
Structurally the varying timelines didn't confuse me by any means, but I often struggled to link them together when they were put side by side. Maybe I'm not intelligent enough to draw the correct parallels. I was much more engaged with the first act in which we meet Tracey and grow up with her, and I did also enjoy the Africa subplot, but from that point there was so much other stuff going on I struggled to dive in and connect with those aspects like I wanted to.
I think perhaps this was not the best Zadie Smith book to attempt as an introduction to her work. I'm glad I attempted it, and there are certainly standout portions of this, but I'm unlikely to ever venture back in and find them considering the lack of connection I felt throughout and no wow moment at the end to tie it all together.
"Other girls had rhythm in their limbs, some had it in their hips or their little backsides but she had rhythm in individual ligaments, probably in individual cells. Every movement was as sharp and precise as any child could hope to make it, her body could align itself with any time signature, no matter how intricate [...] She knew the right time to do everything."
steobr508's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jordi_lambert's review against another edition
4.0
Was put of reading Zadie smith because I really didn’t enjoy white teeth but glad I tried again because I liked this.
asiata's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
rhiannon_hall_reads's review against another edition
5.0
A fabulous read. There's so much in this novel, a whole life time and some.