Comments on: Review: Swing Time, Zadie Smith

By: Christy

Christy — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 02:41:00 +0000

I really liked the writing of White Teeth, so I’d read Zadie Smith again, but maybe not this one. Spot on regarding weariness with wild girl / not-so-wild girl tropes in fiction. And congrats on the identification of Gambia based on your accumulating Africa knowledge!

By: Katie @ Doing Dewey

Katie @ Doing Dewey — Sat, 04 Feb 2017 21:14:00 +0000

What a fun review to read! You’re do entertaining and informative so well. White Teeth is the only Zadie Smith book and like Ann Patchett’s books, I loved the writing, but the plot felt a little bit lacking to me. Her writing was wonderful enough that I’d definitely be willing to give her a second chance. I’m glad to hear that there were at least parts that worked for you, even if it wasn’t as much about dance school as you’d hoped 🙂

By: Alice

Alice — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 19:52:00 +0000

Interesting review, once this is in PB I think I might have a similar experience. I’ve only read White Teeth, but I felt similarly regarding friendship in that book. It was almost like no character really liked the other.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 14:20:00 +0000

In reply to MumsyNK. I second the Rumer Godden recommendation, especially Listen for the Nightingale

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 16:31:00 +0000

This pretty much sums up the book for me too. I was just not impressed. As my first experience with Ms. Smith’s writing, I was wondering if it was just me. I didn’t like the narrator’s relationship with Tracy; I never bought into it and cannot understand why we kept coming back to Tracy. I did like the parts in Africa, expect towards the end when she self-sabotages her career. I think I totally missed the point of this entire novel, which makes me feel horrible and as if I am just another white woman of privilege that can’t relate to anything outside my own experiences.

By: Nishita

Nishita — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 14:07:00 +0000

I find Zadie Smith is not for me either. I want to like her, she’s obviously a good, award-winning writer, but I find her characters too meh for me to care much what happens to them.

By: MumsyNK

MumsyNK — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 01:17:00 +0000

In reply to Jeanne. You haven't read Rumer Godden's dance school books? I loved Thursday's Children.

By: Alley

Alley — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 23:54:00 +0000

I may still want to read this but thank you for the content warning cos i have a feeling I would have been disappointed in the lack of dance school ness otherwise.

By: Jeane Nevarez

Jeane Nevarez — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 21:09:00 +0000

In reply to Jenny @ Reading the End. Of course! I should have known you knew (and loved) it. Admit I haven't read many other dance school books, but all will be held to the standard of Thursday's Children ever after, because I read and loved that one first.

By: Stefanie@SoManyBooks

Stefanie@SoManyBooks — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 16:59:00 +0000

Ya know, I like Smith’s nonfiction but I have yet to manage to read any of her fiction. Reviews of this book seem to be mixed. Good work on figuring out Gambia! I am really impressed by that.