Reviews

The Fraud by Zadie Smith

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embreads98's review against another edition

challenging funny informative reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

I found this book to be a bit dry. The story was interesting but the way it was told was hard to follow, both because there were so many long British names to remember and because it was told in a very dry tone so I found myself spacing out and having to skip back. Not the most engaging listen.

bethmara's review

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2.0

I really wanted to like this book. I heard the New York Times Book Review podcast and an interview with Zadie Smith. The author seems truly enlightened and delightful.
I had been ashamed by several other book lovers for never being able to get my head around White Teeth, an earlier book that she also wrote.
So I was trying *so* hard to be dialed in on this one. I had the book and I had the audiobook. The audiobook has gotten widespread praise for the authors voicing a dozen different characters, all with unique backgrounds.
After listening to 6 hours of the audiobook, I have up. I just picked joy. I could no longer listen to 19th century literary culture gossip from England. I couldn't care. I'm glad they were all gay. I'm glad they all had overcome their grief and loss. I'm particularly glad that Zadie Smith pulled in some revelatory knowledge about white privilege. But the nothingness that happens coupled the main characters commitment to being snotty and miserable is simply unbearable.
This is just not the book for me. DNF.

mollag's review against another edition

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4.0

I wasn’t sure I liked this book but from the first page loved it. Zadie Smith’s knowledge of the Victorian period and her research is really impressive. The overall style of the book is a real tour de force.

There was so much to enjoy - the wonderful characters (especially Eliza Touchet), the Tichbourne Claiment case and then the echoes/parallels with a certain (dubious) US presidential candidate.

It’s a book I’d enjoy reading again.

helsbelles's review

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

jess_rawr's review against another edition

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Couldn’t get into it or follow along

3littlewordz's review

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emotional funny informative sad

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The Fraud by Zadie Smith was a surprisingly enjoyable read. I picked this up because it mentioned chattel slavery in Jamaica, and I am working to learn more about my ancestry. The book was based on historical events, centering around the trial of Arthur Orton, who attempted to claim the estate of Sir Roger Tichborne. Andrew Bogle, a formally enslaved man from Jamaica, testified on Arthur Orton's behalf. Smith used many historical references to develop and flesh out this fictionalized account and explored various themes - can you be considered a fraud when you genuinely believe in what you're saying? If you have to essentially become 'a fraud' to survive as Andrew Bogle did? Pertaining to Eliza, are you being fraudulent to yourself when you don't fully live in your truth, particularly when you would have to fight against so many norms to do so?

The story also addressed mob mentality in such a fantastic way. One statement summed it up so succinctly: "But such dry and inconvenient facts were of no consequence here, in the ocean of feeling."

The mention of Hope Plantation and Sam Sharpe led me to research further some prominent figures in Jamaica's history of slavery rebellions, which I appreciated. I understand that the plot structure may not have worked for many readers. At times it was offputting how often the story seemed to boomerang between past and present. But overall, I enjoyed the story, once I got through the first several chapters. I did NOT like most of the characters BUT the way the story was developed kept me engaged.