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Original poster

I know I am way out of date here but MIL lent me White Teeth and...

30 replies

Ready · 22/03/2007 19:22

I'm about 3/4 of the way through and finding it really hard going. For the first time in my entire life I am contemplating not finishing a book - Someone tell me why I should perservere? What am I missing??

OP posts:
VoluptuaGoodshag · 22/03/2007 19:23

Snort - I didn't realise this was the book thread and thought she'd leant you her teeth!!

berolina · 22/03/2007 19:23

I loved most of it. It was actually the ending I found a letdown. Or not a letdown - just somehow out of keeping, not believable enough, overdone.
Sorry - that probably doesn't really help.

mummytosteven · 22/03/2007 19:27

I thought the last 100 pages was rubbish. But persevere just so you find out what happens to the characters. You could always skim read a bit...

Waswondering · 22/03/2007 19:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SenoraPostrophe · 22/03/2007 19:30

I can't remeber which bits, but I found bits of it quite a chore too. I enjoyed other bits though. Kept getting annoyed by
out of time-isms as I recall (isn't there a word for those? Indian soldiers in WWII talking about how it isn't over "until the fat lady sings" and that kind of thing).

Anyaway, it certainly doesn't get better at the end - if it hasn't grabbed you by now I don't think it will.

dingdongjustforyoufg · 22/03/2007 19:30

I found it heavy going too, didn't finish which is not like me

SenoraPostrophe · 22/03/2007 19:31

they all go on big brother don't they?

Original poster
Ready · 23/03/2007 11:34

Voluptua - I had a good chuckle at you thinking my MIL had lent me her teeth! Probably wouldn't perservere with those!

Thanks for the responses everyone, I will battle through it, but now I don't feel such a failure for contemplating taking it to the charity shop.

OP posts:
saintmaybe · 23/03/2007 11:58

I thought it was rubbish, especially the end. Baffled as to why the reviews were so amazing. I did finish it, but only because I was on holiday and didn't have anything else. Actually not reading much modern stuff I'm very impressed with; quite liked Cold Mountain but I'm feeling an imminent return to the classics coming on...

any modern recommendations?

Original poster
Ready · 23/03/2007 12:05

I am going to re-read some Classics I think too.

Modern recommendations... I loved Man & Boy by Tony Parsons. It's not brand new though, sorry if you were looking for something bang up to date. I am always a bit behind the times with reading, hence White Teeth

OP posts:
ArcticRoll · 23/03/2007 13:06

Agree that it's hard going.
I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about.
Read it some time ago but I think it started off well and just trailed off.
Read On Beauty and again couldn't understand why the critics rated it.

dingolimpet · 23/03/2007 13:09

Remind me, i know I've read white teeth can't remember what its about

Mercy · 23/03/2007 13:09

It was disappointing imo.

Cappuccino · 23/03/2007 13:10

oh god this is such an overhyped Zeitgeist book

starts okayish but really it gets worse

put it down and read something else

bakedpotato · 23/03/2007 13:10

I gave up with White Teeth about 20 pages in. Really enjoyed On Beauty tho'.

Botbot · 23/03/2007 13:24

I'm a book editor and when I read White Teeth I could tell that the author was rushing to meet a deadline ? it started off really well and then just got more and more rubbish. And you're right ? it was full of irritating anachronisms. Can't remember any exact ones but there were a few to do with pop music, which particularly annoyed me because they'd be so easy to check - just get out the Guinness Book of Hit Singles, woman! I remember when they did White Teeth on Book Club on Radio 4, Zadie Smith herself sounded a bit embarrassed about the whole thing, implying that her later books were much better and White Teeth was just some old thing she'd done as a teenager. Dunno whether she's right ? haven't bothered with them myself.

MamaG · 23/03/2007 13:50

twas v dull
i stopped reading it

ScottishThistle · 23/03/2007 13:51

I think I read about 50 pages & gave up!

donnie · 23/03/2007 13:52

I found it soooo guardianista and precious. Quite liked it but the end is silly.

charliegal · 23/03/2007 13:52

Baffled by her success too. Thought 'On Beauty' was dreadful. Kept reading it and hating myself for doing so.

beansprout · 23/03/2007 13:52

I like it but boy, did it need editing!

chirpygirl · 23/03/2007 13:56

I read On Beauty for a book club, after giving up on White Teeth about 2 chapters in, which is what you should do!

Out of 5 of us, 2 couldn't finish it, 1 loved it and 2 hated it

Beachcomber · 23/03/2007 13:59

It is one of the few books that I haven't finished. Couldn't get into it, found it dull, thought I must be a thicko as it was so raved about by others.

KathyMCMLXXII · 23/03/2007 15:52

The writing is way too clever-clever look-at-me, and the weighty themes aren't handled well.
I think I gave it 3 stars on Amazon but the other reviews seemed to be polarised between 5s and 1s.
Just finished Small Island by Andrea Levy (if you want to read something else on immigration) - now that is a seriously good book - off to find the thread about it to post.

DimpledThighs · 23/03/2007 15:57

our book group did it and either loved it or hated it - I loved it - if you hate it give up - life is too short - reading time is too precious!