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kelsea's review
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Racism
Moderate: Sexual violence, Misogyny, and Violence
nialiversuch's review
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Death, Forced institutionalization, Racial slurs, Body horror, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Grief, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Racism, Child death, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Slavery
Minor: Trafficking and Sexual content
emilybartonspinks's review
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Slavery
Moderate: Sexual content and Racism
bessjoyce's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Interesting but dfficult to connect with characters and be compelled to pick it up. Lots of casual fatphobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Racism, Fatphobia, and Racial slurs
bessadams's review
challenging
funny
informative
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Sexism, Slavery, and Racism
Moderate: Child death, Violence, and Death of parent
mrscorytee's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Misogyny
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
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
4.0
There are two key characters at the centre of The Fraud, a novel set in 19th century London. Eliza Touchet was abandoned by her husband who took their son and left her penniless. She was taken in by her brother-in-law, English novelist William Ainsworth, and employed as a housekeeper. The other key character is Andrew Bogle, a formerly enslaved man. Eliza accompanies Ainsworth’s wife to watch the case of the Tichborne claimant. Sir Roger Tichborne was thought to have drowned in a shipwreck, but a man claiming to be him appears and lays claim to the family fortune. Andrew Bogel had worked for the Tichborne family for many years and testifies in favour of the claimant. Eliza is taken with Andrew Bogel, recognising some of herself in him. The plot has got a lot more going on than this brief summary indicates, including Eliza having relationships with both Ainsworth and his first wife. Several aspects of this novel appealed to me. The first was its social critique especially with regards to race, gender and class. There’s lots of depth and intersectionality in the way these issues are explored, but the messaging is not heavy handed. There’s also some interesting exploration of slavery, the sugar trade, and the complicated and not always accurate ways many English people viewed Jamaica. A second aspect was the humour especially when it came to literature, both Eliza’s assessment of Ainsworth’s novels and his jealousy as his literary stocks fell while those of Charles Dickens rose. Some delicious fun is poked at Dickens along the way. I also liked that this story drew my attention to real people and events such as the Tichborne case that had previously flown under my radar.
This is Zadie Smith’s first foray into historical fiction and I found it more accessible than her previous novels I’ve read. I have read reviews where readers who have loved her previous works lament the loss of originality and zaniness in this book. As always tastes differ. It is not a short book but the short chapters made it read quickly as did Smith’s trademark snappy dialogue.
Many thanks to @penguinbooksnz for the complimentary review copy.
This is Zadie Smith’s first foray into historical fiction and I found it more accessible than her previous novels I’ve read. I have read reviews where readers who have loved her previous works lament the loss of originality and zaniness in this book. As always tastes differ. It is not a short book but the short chapters made it read quickly as did Smith’s trademark snappy dialogue.
Many thanks to @penguinbooksnz for the complimentary review copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery and Racism
Moderate: Classism and Sexism
maecaitlin's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Very Dickensian style of writing that made it difficult for me to get into, but I can appreciate how others would be drawn to this style. Smith utilises this style in quite a clever way for her narrative with her take being much more inclusive and critical of wider systemic oppression.
As someone with no prior knowledge of the Tichborne Trial, I was fully immersed in the complexities and scandal. Having read some of Smith’s Grand Union stories, I enjoyed her switch to historical fiction.
This was a freebie, but I would recommend to anyone with an interest in Victorian literature.
As someone with no prior knowledge of the Tichborne Trial, I was fully immersed in the complexities and scandal. Having read some of Smith’s Grand Union stories, I enjoyed her switch to historical fiction.
This was a freebie, but I would recommend to anyone with an interest in Victorian literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
dafni's review against another edition
Short and confusing chapters, difficult to follow. The stories are not very coherent and the characters have no depth so far, so it’s really hard to connect with the book at any level. Maybe it’s not a good period to read this book, or maybe it’s a poor example of Zadie Smith’s work. I certainly did not want to compulsively finish it without being as interested as I would hope to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Fatphobia
kirstym25's review against another edition
challenging
informative
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Rape
Moderate: Violence, Racial slurs, and Classism