IdleRich
IdleRich
Just finished On Beauty by Zadie Smith. It's been described as a homage to Howard's End and the first few chapters are a scene for scene re-creation set in a modern university. After that though it diverges from the template and apart from a few sneaky hints (a cameo from a family called the Wilcoxes, a copy of Room With a View left lying around) and the odd scene that jerks you back (finding the will for example) it does develop in a totally different direction.
Very concerned with race and class and very easy to read, I did find it a bit simplistic and almost patronising at times. Also, how many times have you read about a once-brilliant but fading academic? And how many times that you read about that was he consumed with jealousy for a more brilliant rival? A lot of themes from her other books seem to recur here as well (the one rebellious but confused "street" child for example) and all of this combined to make it seem very familiar. As with her other books she seemed to have a problem with the ending, it didn't so much finish as just stop.
Reading that back it sounds overly negative. Her style is clear and a pleasure to read and I looked forward to picking it up every time I went back to it - it definitely provided a welcome break from chewing my way through V. I'm gonna go out and buy something else at lunchtime, any suggestions?
Very concerned with race and class and very easy to read, I did find it a bit simplistic and almost patronising at times. Also, how many times have you read about a once-brilliant but fading academic? And how many times that you read about that was he consumed with jealousy for a more brilliant rival? A lot of themes from her other books seem to recur here as well (the one rebellious but confused "street" child for example) and all of this combined to make it seem very familiar. As with her other books she seemed to have a problem with the ending, it didn't so much finish as just stop.
Reading that back it sounds overly negative. Her style is clear and a pleasure to read and I looked forward to picking it up every time I went back to it - it definitely provided a welcome break from chewing my way through V. I'm gonna go out and buy something else at lunchtime, any suggestions?