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Original poster

White Teeth : Zadie Smith

38 replies

spacedonkey · 16/12/2004 15:40

I'm only about halfway through this wonderful book - did anyone else love it?

I think she has the most incredible ear for dialogue. Very funny.

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MrsSpoon · 21/11/2006 23:24

texasrose, I didn't think she was 'getting at' the JWs either but her information on basic teachings was very wrong. Just think if you are going to feature a group of people in a novel you should do your homework first.

hannahsaunt · 21/11/2006 19:02

Dull, dull, dull. Completely over-rated. (IMHO)

texasrose · 21/11/2006 18:23

I loved White Teeth. A friend of mine criticised it on the grounds that Smith mocks all of her characters and treats them all with contempt but IMO that doesn't stop her observations about human nature being accurate and interesting.

MrsSpoon I think she chose JWs as they are generally quite uncontroversial politically and not strongly related to any one nation (and that was important as so much of the novel is to do with how race affects our individual lives). I don't think she was getting at JWs in any personal way. It could just have easily been Seventh-Day Adventists or Mormons (in the sense that those faiths are in lots of countries too and are not 'major world religions'.)

Majorca · 16/11/2006 23:19

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MrsSpoon · 16/11/2006 22:53

I read this and enjoyed it felt it was really well written, although I felt it became weak towards the end but where did she get her info re Jehovah's Witnesses? Never read so much bunkum in all my life and if she had carried on much more with it in the first couple of chapters I would have given up completely.

Original poster
spacedonkey · 24/12/2004 12:52

ah well I finished it a few days ago and I thought the ending was excellent!

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RudolftheredPOSEYreindeer · 16/12/2004 21:29

Read it very slowly. Thought it was a bit long winded and didn't call me to bed to read it (nor ever make it down the stairs for "any spare moment reading").
But I found it interesting because I lived in Brick Lane during the troubles she described. Pretty scarey on a couple of occasions, but overall a great place to live (for 3 years before children)

Original poster
spacedonkey · 16/12/2004 21:14

well here's why i like it:

  • the characters are rounded
  • the dialogue is fabulously written
  • the historical context is interesting
  • it's funny (i particularly like alsana)
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merrykittymas · 16/12/2004 21:13

didn't like White Teeth at all

couldn't get what all the fuss was about

Original poster
spacedonkey · 16/12/2004 20:54

I'm halfway through, but am intrigued about the pants ending now!

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feastofstevenmom · 16/12/2004 20:54

where do think pants ranks in the KS repertoire of literary criticism

feastofstevenmom · 16/12/2004 20:53

i really liked it apart from last 100 pages or so, which I thought were pants.

tassis · 16/12/2004 19:50

Really didn't like it. Can't remember why...

popsycal · 16/12/2004 19:42

no its not you hoxton......someone was in the same college at the same time....

hoxtonturkey · 16/12/2004 19:41

i really liked it too. though agree that the ending isn't all it could have been. she was at cambridge at the same time as me (different college) - but i don't think i'm the person popsy is referring to. hmmmm, now i'm intrigued...

popsycal · 16/12/2004 19:23

I loved it too,.,,
there is a Mner who i believe used to go to uni with the author....

expatkat · 16/12/2004 18:58

Ditto caribbeanqueen: I loved it, except for the ending.

Caribbeanqueen · 16/12/2004 18:41

I really enjoyed White Teeth, but was a bit disappointed by the ending.

Original poster
spacedonkey · 16/12/2004 18:34

Interesting to hear everyone's opinions about it, I'm surprised so many people disliked it!

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donnie · 16/12/2004 18:32

I quite enjoyed White Teeth but felt it was very self consciously Guardianista, if you know what I mean...a bit precious. Funny though, and better than anything I could do so hats off to Zadie smith. Still haven't read Lovely Bones, cannot decide if it will be too awful and shocking for me!Anyone want to persuade me?

Kaysleighbells · 16/12/2004 16:27

Hated White Teeth - gave up a quarter of the way in. Thought Lovely Bones was a great read.

Original poster
spacedonkey · 16/12/2004 15:45

I bloody wish I could write like that. She's so young as well

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winnie1 · 16/12/2004 15:45

Posts crossed. I would recommend Lovely Bones a bizarrely 'enjoyable' read.

winnie1 · 16/12/2004 15:44

nailpolish to answer your question it is Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.

Spacedonkey, I loved White Teeth too.

nailpolish · 16/12/2004 15:44

thanks! ill leave you to it now and add lovely bones to my long long list of books to read when i get a minute

in about ten years

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