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A review by luluwoohoo
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
☀️☀️🌤️
This character study dives into many important topics with gusto, but there's simply too much of it to appreciate the gems amongst the dirt.
Smith is a wonderful writer, that much is clear. Her prose is lovely and the way she weaves social commentary on racial divide, classism, and celebrity culture amongst the ongoing theme of dance is beautiful. Where it falls apart is the length - this book is arguably too long for what it actually achieves on those topics - and the passivity of the narrator. Our unnamed MC lacks any significant drive, so the book is essentially a long meander through life, observing flaws in others but rarely in herself in a meaningful way.
Structurally the varying timelines didn't confuse me by any means, but I often struggled to link them together when they were put side by side. Maybe I'm not intelligent enough to draw the correct parallels. I was much more engaged with the first act in which we meet Tracey and grow up with her, and I did also enjoy the Africa subplot, but from that point there was so much other stuff going on I struggled to dive in and connect with those aspects like I wanted to.
I think perhaps this was not the best Zadie Smith book to attempt as an introduction to her work. I'm glad I attempted it, and there are certainly standout portions of this, but I'm unlikely to ever venture back in and find them considering the lack of connection I felt throughout and no wow moment at the end to tie it all together.
☀️☀️🌤️
This character study dives into many important topics with gusto, but there's simply too much of it to appreciate the gems amongst the dirt.
Smith is a wonderful writer, that much is clear. Her prose is lovely and the way she weaves social commentary on racial divide, classism, and celebrity culture amongst the ongoing theme of dance is beautiful. Where it falls apart is the length - this book is arguably too long for what it actually achieves on those topics - and the passivity of the narrator. Our unnamed MC lacks any significant drive, so the book is essentially a long meander through life, observing flaws in others but rarely in herself in a meaningful way.
Structurally the varying timelines didn't confuse me by any means, but I often struggled to link them together when they were put side by side. Maybe I'm not intelligent enough to draw the correct parallels. I was much more engaged with the first act in which we meet Tracey and grow up with her, and I did also enjoy the Africa subplot, but from that point there was so much other stuff going on I struggled to dive in and connect with those aspects like I wanted to.
I think perhaps this was not the best Zadie Smith book to attempt as an introduction to her work. I'm glad I attempted it, and there are certainly standout portions of this, but I'm unlikely to ever venture back in and find them considering the lack of connection I felt throughout and no wow moment at the end to tie it all together.
"Other girls had rhythm in their limbs, some had it in their hips or their little backsides but she had rhythm in individual ligaments, probably in individual cells. Every movement was as sharp and precise as any child could hope to make it, her body could align itself with any time signature, no matter how intricate [...] She knew the right time to do everything."