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What Members Thought
Hmmm, I wrote a scathing review of the 10 pages I read of this, but now it's gone. I couldn't get through this one--in just 10 pages I felt like the characters were disjointed and more like caricatures (sassy, large, bitter, bossy mother; spacy professor type; self-absorbed, sensitive teenager) than anything that felt real, but I have the impression that Smith thought they might be mysterious and charming rather than irritating, as I found them.
She didn't begin to explain their extreme attitude ...more
She didn't begin to explain their extreme attitude ...more
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(4.0) Wanted to like it even more
Did enjoy the read. I had some trouble with the style at times, including
* lots of telling not showing, some examples:
- we learn from narrative that Kiki's children often end their sentences with "You know?", but that was only right before/after one of them did so. I don't think they ever did anywhere else in the novel
- instead of inferring that Carl is superfine and Levi has infinite charisma, we're told these things and are expected to just take this on faith ...more
Did enjoy the read. I had some trouble with the style at times, including
* lots of telling not showing, some examples:
- we learn from narrative that Kiki's children often end their sentences with "You know?", but that was only right before/after one of them did so. I don't think they ever did anywhere else in the novel
- instead of inferring that Carl is superfine and Levi has infinite charisma, we're told these things and are expected to just take this on faith ...more
Big hearted and biting, funny and poignant, a big, big novel. Interesting to compare to Howard's End and to see how much the inspiration led to this expansion.
...more
Spot on observations of race. I really cared about the characters in this book, so much so that I found myself wondering what else would've happened to them had the book continued.
...more
Unlike White Teeth, I was able to get into this book much more easily. Though at times I felt some of the characters to be tiresome I also enjoyed the mixed race perspective, especially the youngest Belsey, Levi. And overall the identity issues that everyone faced. Very well written and a good read.
I would actually give it something between 3 and 4 stars, but it is not possible.
Mar 07, 2008
katie
marked it as to-read
Jul 26, 2008
Nicole
marked it as to-read
Aug 02, 2009
Erin
marked it as to-read
Apr 20, 2010
Emily Brown
marked it as to-read
Mar 28, 2012
Janie
marked it as to-read
Nov 28, 2013
Alien
marked it as to-read
May 31, 2018
Adjrun
marked it as to-read
