lmrajt's review
I quit this one pretty early. Incredibly written, but I just couldn't concentrate on it. I'm sure it's amazing but it wasn't for me right now.
wayneg's review
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
To find the Titchbourne case as a metaphor for Trumpism/populism is the imagination of a great novelist. And there are some great parts to this novel as she tries her hand at historical fiction. She is adept at evoking the sense of what we now see as important historical events - the passing of the Reform Act, Peterloo, the Cato St conspiracy, Chartism not to mention the tentacles of slavery - might have been experienced by those peripheral yet sympathetic to those events. Similarly, her sketching of the literary lions of early 19th century England, their transformation into successes and failures and the impact of age and experience is brilliant. And this is a novel about slavery, which isn’t about slavery, while at the same time being entirely about slavery. However, I found that the central characters disappointed. Mrs Touchet, I couldn’t quite get a handle on. Smith wants to her to bear so much I just couldn’t get this restrained Scottish Roman Catholic as also a lesbian, adulteress, political radical, novelist etc, it’s asking too much of her. And Andrew Bogle is too light, he didn’t for me carry enough emotional punch.
sophronisba's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I love the ambition of this book but Smith's intellectual approach works against its success as a novel. I also wish there had been more of a balance between Eliza's viewpoint and Bogle's. I thought Eliza was a more successfully drawn character, but Bogle was intriguing and if Smith had given herself more space to depict Bogle I think his chapters would have worked better.
jurgen's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jess_vineberg's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
eabbott02's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
deviationoftheendless's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
larobertson's review
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
aberomero's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
felici_reads's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was not a book for me. I read it for book club so I know I wouldnt have read it on my own. It is obvious Zadie Smith is a talented writer, so I hesitate with my 3 stars. But the flip flopping timeline didnt have enough narrative to hold my understanding or interest. It was confusing and lost momentum. The book felt too long and boring for me. Too bad!