Mar 6, 2008

On Beauty by Zadie Smith












Other opinions:
A Girl Walks Into a Bookstore
Save Ophelia
Rhinoa's Ramblings
What Kate's Reading
Lost in a Good Story


  1. It was the characters I loved most about this book as well, they had me hooked from the first page. You definitely need to read White Teeth if you liked this. I am definitely looking forward to reading Middlesex even more now if you think it is like On Beauty.

  2. oh wow, I need to move this one on the priority pile! I also have white teeth,which I planned to read before that, cause she wrote it first,but now I don't know:p

  3. Wonderful review! I haven't allowed myself to buy a copy since I already have her first 2 books although I finally did read 'White Teeth' last year. But I still have 'The Autograph Man' here to read so I've been trying to be good. Your review is making me very tempted though! :)

  4. I've never read anything by this author but I read lots of great reviews about this book! Looks like I've to add this to my wishlist. ;)

  5. Rhinoa: It reminded me of Middlesex in the sense that both are family stories, both have a large cast of secondary character with fascinating backgrounds, and both deal with wider social issues while telling a very personal story at the same time. Also, both are very well written - Middlesex even more so. I really do hope you enjoy it. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on White Teeth.

    Valentina: I've heard great things about White Teeth too. Whichever you decide to pick up first, I look forward to your thoughts on it.

    Tanabata: Sorry for tempting you :P I think The Autograph Man is the less acclaimed of her books, but that of course doesn't mean it's not good too. I want to pick up White Teeth next and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

    Melody: You have to indeed!

  6. as you can imagine, there was a lot of noise about this novel when it came out, but none of it actually managed to capture what the novel was about like you have.

    i can't remember what all the talk was, but all of it put me off. so much of it (i see now) was shallow, and talking about smith herself, or a small part of the context within which it was written... or just lots of things that actually, in all honesty, missed the point.

    when books come out people would do well to read reviews like yours rather than just babbling on n tv while sitting on sofas or vomiting out their nonsense in newspapers.

    whereas before i was probably never going to read this book, now i am very interested. thanks for the brilliant review!

  7. "...struggle of conservative and liberal ideas in the academic world..." That alone is enough to sell me on this one.

  8. This is such a great review!

    I've been meaning to get this book for quite sometime now. Actually I almost bought it last Tuesday on sale except that I was too slow to pick it up and instead wandered over another aisle to search trade paperbacks and by the time I decided to shell out the money for this, someone else did! Apparently it was the last copy :(

    But I understand your sentiments on picking an excerpt or two. Ms. Smith does write lovingly. I have read and fell in love with both her previous two books.

  9. I've only read her novel White Teeth. I liked it, but I can't say I loved it. Maybe I'll give this one a try, according to your good review.

  10. JP: lol, I can definitely picture people sitting on leather sofas and talking a load of nonsense about this book. I was vaguely aware that there had been a lot of hype surrounding it, but I did my best to avoid it. Of course, sometimes the nonsense proves impossible to avoid. Anyway, I'm glad to have changed your mind. I really think this one's worth picking up.
    (PS: For some reason I have been unable to comment on your blog lately :( I post the comment and it seems to be accepted, but then it doesn't turn up on your blog, and if I try to post it again it says that "wordpress detected a duplicate comment". Does wordpress hate me? I hope it's just a temporary bug!)

    Debi: I know that considering the size of your TBR mountain it will probably take you a while to get to it, but I hope you enjoy it when you do!

    Lightheaded: Thank you :) I've had that happen to me before, and it's just so frustrating! I hope you find another copy soon.

    Bellezza: I hope you enjoy this one! I can't say how similar or different it is to White Teeth, but I couldn't resist mooching a copy of that one, so hopefully I'll find out soon.

  11. Thanks for a wonderful review, Nymeth. Every time I read a positive review of this book, I decide I must get myself a copy, but then when I'm in the store, reading the back cover, I hesitate. Your comment about the book being better than it sounds it home for me, and I think the next time, I will pick it up regardless.

  12. Literary Feline: I understand just how you feel. It's pretty much impossible to summarize the plot of this book in a way that does it justice. What makes it so charming are the details, the little unique ways in which this seemingly ordinary story is told. I really hope you enjoy it when you get to it!

  13. Hi Nymeth, I read this some time ago. I didn't write a review because I didn't know where to start. It's a great book and you wrote a great review. Thanks!

  14. Does anyone know how Zora percevies beauty in the book and also, what are some examples in her quotes throughout the book?

    very appreciative

