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amgarrido's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.25
However, when this book started to focus so much on the narrator’s work for Aimee and centred largely around the glamorous and uninteresting life of this self-absorbed, narcissistic Australian I lost interest and had to force myself to finish it. I see what Smith was trying to do in terms of exploring the intersections between race and class through this employee/employer relationship, where the power dynamics were confused and the boundaries blurry at best. It was interesting how this relationship almost seemed like a (toxic) friendship at times, but could quickly turn back to cold and professional when it suited Aimee.
I will say I enjoyed most of the time the narrator spent in the unnamed West African country, but again, found Aimee’s white saviourism incredibly jarring (now that I express it, this was probably Smith’s intention).
This was my first Zadie Smith novel and despite not having been what I expected, I will definitely be picking up another, as her writing is delectable.
Graphic: Cancer, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
kers_tin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug use, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, and Alcohol
rbacon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Moderate: Sexual content, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
jojo_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Graphic: Cancer, Racism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Slavery, Antisemitism, Medical content, and Colonisation
nofacelif's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia