Reviews

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

melc's review against another edition

funny reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

hannahdane's review against another edition

reflective tense medium-paced

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

3.5

groovygirl's review against another edition

2.0

I wanted to like this book but unfortunately it did not hit the mark for me.

Zadie Smith writes beautifully and the book has some really great insights. However, I didn’t love how we saw everything from everyone’s perspective, even outside the Beasley family. I know that perspective is the point of the book but there were just too many characters, I would prefer a narrowing in, because the overflow of characters seemed to limit the plot.

PS: I hate Howard and his chapters, what a snooze fest

khaliah's review against another edition

2.0

I really like Zadie Smith. I especially loved White Teeth. But this book disappointed me. I was never able to get a hold on the characters and therefore I was never able to feel any sympathy for them.

marie5952's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

staircase_wit's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

fern17's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense 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

3.75

museofmages's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

readingfourme's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny inspiring sad tense 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

4.5

I was raring to give this book five stars, but the end kind of let me down. Kind of a whimper. Maybe I just need to think about it. This book had me riveted and rolling—and it’s not a riveting topic. But the writing. And the. Tension. Holy God. I’m going to come back to this review when I can put together something more cogent. 

jp_riemersma's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense 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

4.75