Zadie Smith, On Beauty

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, I just finished this and ... meh.

I liked it, really I did, but then it just ... ended.

I think I had the same problem with White Teeth. Well, only this book was better.

What is the classical novel it's meant to be a variation on?

I thought it was Howard's End by EM Forster.
I'm just about to start reading it so will let you know what i think when I've finished.

very frustrating ending, i agree. baby is screaming so i'll be back later....

There were so many loose ends. I'm glad to hear you were annoyed by it, too, hc. (You got the Booker pack, didn't you? Which one are you on now?)

Well, White Teeth ended really badly, too, only she tried to pull it all together and failed miserably.

i'm finding this an irritating read.

just into the middle section

should i quit whilst i am ahead?

Hmm, dunno, I liked it mostly. The characters are varied and interesting. You don't get the impression that any character is "ideal" or "normal" and the rest are "broken", iyswim. I liked that. Well, the Belsey mum seems like a good person, I guess. And the women are generally better than the men ... but still ...

What's annoying you about it, mazzystar? I think I enjoyed it quite a bit, went through it pretty fast, but then was annoyed by the ending.