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3.47 AVERAGE
3.47 AVERAGE
Zadie Smith is a literary powerhouse. I loved her first novel, White Teeth, but haven’t felt that same spark for her other stories. This one was a struggle to finish — it is built around three somewhat related plot points and switches between timelines seemingly at random. It was very hard for me to pull the different threads together, and having to constantly orient myself to different timelines and settings made it harder for me to remain invested in the plot
The only book I’ve ever returned to the bookstore.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I’m not going to give this book a star rating because I wasn’t always following what was happening. I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with non linear narratives, especially when I can’t read them in one sitting. I’d like to revisit this book in the future. It captured the essence of the time period while still maintaining a complex intersectional lens on the politics of the time.
Might be the narrator, but more likely the plot (or lack thereof). I have no idea what is going on or what the point is.
challenging
mysterious
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
challenging
slow-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
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:
Complicated
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes