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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2025 = the year of the self-induced reading slump.
On Beauty has writing that feels like slicing through butter and characters that are incredibly well-realised, but the story just never grows legs and goes anywhere. There just wasn’t enough of a solid running thread—no major developments or character arcs—to keep me engaged. While I definitely want to read from more of Smith’s catalogue (since all the ingredients for a brilliant read were here), this was one I really slogged my way through.
Please let the next book I pick up involve some FUN.
On Beauty has writing that feels like slicing through butter and characters that are incredibly well-realised, but the story just never grows legs and goes anywhere. There just wasn’t enough of a solid running thread—no major developments or character arcs—to keep me engaged. While I definitely want to read from more of Smith’s catalogue (since all the ingredients for a brilliant read were here), this was one I really slogged my way through.
Please let the next book I pick up involve some FUN.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've wanted to read this novel for a long time, but I had no idea what sort of book this was going to be.
I really enjoyed the way Smith switches perspectives, without needing a chapter ending to hear the other characters thoughts. I loved the way the characters had such different and dynamic experiences, weaving through complicated structures of race, gender, and higher education. The characters that Smith has created will stick with me for a long time.
I really enjoyed the way Smith switches perspectives, without needing a chapter ending to hear the other characters thoughts. I loved the way the characters had such different and dynamic experiences, weaving through complicated structures of race, gender, and higher education. The characters that Smith has created will stick with me for a long time.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Holiday Read #3: Disappointing after "White Teeth", which I loved.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
rich and engaging read with a memorable cast, though its description as "following two families" is misleading imo. really, it's a story about the belseys, with the kippses existing mostly as a distortion in the fabric of their lives. we spend the most time with victoria kipps out of all of them, and as she points out herself, we don't really know her, either.
we do get to know howard and his predictable decisions pretty intimately. personally, i was much more interested in his children, particularly levi and his exploration of constructed identity. smith's clever prose is fundamentally what kept me coming back to the many selfish and disingenuous characters, all of whom are ultimately forced to reckon with their myopia. the drama was juicy but tread well-worn paths, for which reason i was especially grateful for the forays outside of wellington.
on a different note, it's amusing that the sense of the novel--the humor and narration--are so very english, but frustrating that this carries over into the characters' speech as well. howard and monty aside, no main characters are brits, but smith just cannot seem to adapt to using a convincing american vocabulary. her attempts to utilize american slang are stiff and uncanny (see: levi, carl) or she forgets entirely and falls back on glaring briticisms. where was her editor!!!
anyway i still thought this was fun
we do get to know howard and his predictable decisions pretty intimately. personally, i was much more interested in his children, particularly levi and his exploration of constructed identity. smith's clever prose is fundamentally what kept me coming back to the many selfish and disingenuous characters, all of whom are ultimately forced to reckon with their myopia. the drama was juicy but tread well-worn paths, for which reason i was especially grateful for the forays outside of wellington.
on a different note, it's amusing that the sense of the novel--the humor and narration--are so very english, but frustrating that this carries over into the characters' speech as well. howard and monty aside, no main characters are brits, but smith just cannot seem to adapt to using a convincing american vocabulary. her attempts to utilize american slang are stiff and uncanny (see: levi, carl) or she forgets entirely and falls back on glaring briticisms. where was her editor!!!
anyway i still thought this was fun
i need a minute to get my thoughts in order, but i will say this: masterpiece.
EDIT:
Although I read this back in February, I am only now able to fully express my thoughts for this book. This is one of those books that just settles into you. By the time you get 10% through, you are hooked. The way Zadie wrote this was absolutely beautiful. She got into my skin, got into the nooks and crannies, the underlying tissues, my heart. She wrote with such a precision and intense feeling, that when I would put my book away, I found myself releasing a breath I didn’t realize I was holding the entire time. I felt transfixed and arrested. I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I threw my book across the room. I felt every single emotion in this book—not just because of the plot or even the characters themselves, but also because of Smith’s beautiful writing. It made me appreciate literature in every way. I am grateful that I got to read this book at this time.
On the onset, the book comes across as a plot-driven book. You’re constantly jumping around from character-to-character. There’s a lot of dialogue. But, despite those two pieces of evidence, this book is character-driven. Through these characters’ words to one another and their actions, their inward desires and goals are being revealed. Each character has their own insecurity. What’s interesting to me is how their insecurities not only reflect in their dialogues, but how they affect those around them. Howard is insecure about his work as a professor and his general unhappiness with life, and that has an affect on Kiki. Kiki feels uncomfortable with her weight gain, but she doesn’t let that take away her dignity. Their three children struggle with their racial identity and their place in the family. None of them want to be in their family, and seek ways to differentiate themselves. For Jerome, this means literally going across the Atlantic Ocean to integrate himself in another family. For Zora, this means burying herself in academics. For Michael, this means wearing different clothes and integrating himself in a completely different culture.
I love how Zadie touches on race, class, motherhood, fatherhood, children, academia, elitism, etc without being condescending or redundant. She is merely painting the full picture and it is our task as the reader to just watch everything unfold and come to our OWN conclusion.
The writing is fantastic, but it’s the characters and their hang-ups that I love. All the characters were alive. Even now, it’s hard for me to come to terms with the fact that none of them are real. But they feel real. I know people like them. I’ve seen families interact like they do.
Essentially, this book is about life and all its glory and messiness. It’s about family and culture and class and beauty, and how all these things work together to produce a unique experience. What a special gem.
EDIT:
Although I read this back in February, I am only now able to fully express my thoughts for this book. This is one of those books that just settles into you. By the time you get 10% through, you are hooked. The way Zadie wrote this was absolutely beautiful. She got into my skin, got into the nooks and crannies, the underlying tissues, my heart. She wrote with such a precision and intense feeling, that when I would put my book away, I found myself releasing a breath I didn’t realize I was holding the entire time. I felt transfixed and arrested. I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I threw my book across the room. I felt every single emotion in this book—not just because of the plot or even the characters themselves, but also because of Smith’s beautiful writing. It made me appreciate literature in every way. I am grateful that I got to read this book at this time.
On the onset, the book comes across as a plot-driven book. You’re constantly jumping around from character-to-character. There’s a lot of dialogue. But, despite those two pieces of evidence, this book is character-driven. Through these characters’ words to one another and their actions, their inward desires and goals are being revealed. Each character has their own insecurity. What’s interesting to me is how their insecurities not only reflect in their dialogues, but how they affect those around them. Howard is insecure about his work as a professor and his general unhappiness with life, and that has an affect on Kiki. Kiki feels uncomfortable with her weight gain, but she doesn’t let that take away her dignity. Their three children struggle with their racial identity and their place in the family. None of them want to be in their family, and seek ways to differentiate themselves. For Jerome, this means literally going across the Atlantic Ocean to integrate himself in another family. For Zora, this means burying herself in academics. For Michael, this means wearing different clothes and integrating himself in a completely different culture.
I love how Zadie touches on race, class, motherhood, fatherhood, children, academia, elitism, etc without being condescending or redundant. She is merely painting the full picture and it is our task as the reader to just watch everything unfold and come to our OWN conclusion.
The writing is fantastic, but it’s the characters and their hang-ups that I love. All the characters were alive. Even now, it’s hard for me to come to terms with the fact that none of them are real. But they feel real. I know people like them. I’ve seen families interact like they do.
Essentially, this book is about life and all its glory and messiness. It’s about family and culture and class and beauty, and how all these things work together to produce a unique experience. What a special gem.