Zadie Smith NW.

9 replies

sammisatt · 09/07/2013 19:40

Has anyone read this? I'd love to know your thoughts. I wasn't expecting to like it as I'm not a big fan but it was actually a really good read in the end.

OP posts:

scottishmummy · 09/07/2013 19:41

I have just started will revisit in few weeks
Like her other books

kikidee · 09/07/2013 22:51

I'm about half way through and really enjoying it so far. Liking it much more than On Beauty. Will report back.

scottishmummy · 09/07/2013 22:53

Thanks,starting will report back too

hackmum · 10/07/2013 17:17

I am a fan, and I quite liked it. Didn't enjoy it as much as her others. The bittiness of it made it less satisfying.

Original poster

sammisatt · 10/07/2013 20:12

Hack mum. I agree to a certain extent. At the beginning there were bits that seemed about pretentious and Virginia Wolf like. Then she'd move from that to just observing. Thats when I thought she was brilliant. The scene on the tube was spot on. She is brilliant a creating a sense of place and the characters that are its product.

OP posts:

Galaxymum · 11/07/2013 12:26

I just picked it up at the library today - I will report back when I've read it. I've never read Zadie Smith's books so this will be a new experience and no idea what to expect to be honest but I liked the book's concept when I read it.

teatimesthree · 11/07/2013 17:10

I really liked it, and thought it was better than On Beauty. It was refreshing to see a woman in her thirties writing something 'serious'. I thought the bits about NW London were very good - I don't live in London but a lot of it rang true about the city where I live. Sammisatt is spot on about her sense of place.

blueskymum · 12/07/2013 15:10

Hi, really liked it and scenes have 'stayed with me' if you know what I mean. She captured each place accurately and the dialogue was so realistic and rang true. Truly talented.

'On beauty' is still my favourite though. I read an interview where someone asked why she hasn't written anything for ages. I'd rather have the long gaps between her books with each one being this good, than a pot boiler every year that's lightweight!

kikidee · 18/07/2013 06:29

Just finished it and thought it was very good. She writes dialogue very well and I really enjoyed her observations on class. I've read White Teeth and On Beauty and it's the one I've enjoyed most so far. I don't know if that's because I'm around the same age as Leah and Natalie in the book and a lot of it rang true. I read Capital earlier in the year which is similar but a lot less personal and so I preferred NW.

Quite surprised by how much I liked it actually and I think I'll go back and reread White Teeth.

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