1.68k reviews for:

NW

Zadie Smith

3.52 AVERAGE

jisc's review against another edition

4.25

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Whew what a tome. Loved the formal experimentation, loved the prose, loved the weighty realism of the characters.

samruby3's review

3.0

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Reading this was a literary challenge but it got me by the end. Or I got it.

michaelsbirthday's review against another edition

4.25

challenging 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

rach_hallock's review

3.0

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3 Stars

NW takes four characters in a small British city and gives us a snapshot of their seemingly mundane lifestyle. Her novel comments on race, sex, and relationships through unique narration and style. I particularly liked how nothing appeared to be exactly what it seemed. However, this book at times was confusing and hard to get through. Because it focused so heavily on mundane life, it felt boring at points and I felt myself skimming. But overall, NW is a brilliantly interwoven story of four Black individuals just trying to survive.

kscearcelevie's review

2.0

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Such a disappointment! The book is so rooted in the local physical and linguistic peculiarities of NW London, that I found it nearly unreadable as an American. I gave it another try after a trip to London, and while I was finally able to parse the book, I never found it satisfying. More character than story, more structure than meaning, more cerebral than heartfelt. The structural games put a barrier between reader and characters, without adding anything to the novel. I loved White Teeth, and liked Autograph Man and On Beauty, but this one just didn't work for me.

danielacruz's review

3.0

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ellie_spinelli's review against another edition

3.75

emotional 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

imogen_lottie's review

3.5

reflective 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

leg_drop_soup's review against another edition

5.0

challenging emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-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

ridiqlous's review against another edition

3.0

dark emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Very important themes and vivid situations but the narrtive style just was not for me.