A Wonderful Conversation with Zadie Smith. From The New York Public Library
N W is third novel by Zadie Smith which I have read. First I read her Swing Time then On Beauty. I have also posted on four of her delightful shorts stories. I also have listened to and greatly enjoyed some of her various literary conversations (on Youtube). I plan to read as much of her work as I can, including her essay collections.
The title of the novel comes from the setting, The NW of London. This section of London is home to a diverse working class population. with lots of immigrants and people of color. Some stay there forever, others work hard to get out. The two lead female characters have been friends since childhood. One is now a sucessful barrister living in an expensive part of London. She still keeps in touch with her friend but they have difficulties really relating as they once did.
Smith takes us deeply into the minds and hearts of her characters. She shifts from first to third party, employs at times stream of consciousness, and other very creative techniques. Smith lets us see, smell, hear even taste The NW. The conversations are wonderful.
The Review in The Telegraph (linked to above) goes into detail about the greatness of this novel, so I am keeping my post short.
Please share your experience with Zadie Smith with us.
Mel u
I think I've read all but Autograph Man and her essays (only some of those) and I really enjoy her work and her thinking. In the Telegraph article I was struck by this observation (and also struck by the realisation that I haven't yet read anything by Philip Hensher, but I think I have meant to read something chunky of his that I heard good things about):
ReplyDelete"It is intensely funny in its disillusioned way, both laughing with its characters, and, sometimes in angry judgment, at them."
I don't remember feeling either that the storyteller was angry or judgey with her characters. Perhaps I am too distanced from reading it, now, but I feel like she has always been compassionate with and towards her characters, demonstrating but not judging. Their actions do frequently cause harm or disappointment, but one always understands why they've made those choices, I think, even when we might wish they'd done something differently.