On Beauty

As someone who has long claimed Howards End to be her favourite book I was keen to read this and I was not disappointed. Zadie Smith has brought Forster's story of relationships and doomed affairs between social classes right up to date and given us a rollicking story with believable characters and situations which at times made me laugh out loud. The references to Howards End are cleverly and sensitively done and I shall be recommending this to all my friends.

On Boredom (0/0 people found this helpful)

Like many of the other reviewers on this site, I aproached On Beauty practically salivating with anticipation (White Teeth being one of the most spontaneous, original and inspiring books I have read). Sadly I found it to be nothing more than a confused mess of ideas self consciously put together. The novel's themes -race, gender, age, sex, identity - are all so entangled in one another that the reader becomes unclear about what the actual point of the novel is. What Smith does well - characterisation and dialogue - is sadly drowned out by poor plot and, by the end, a rather irritating style of writing too. Very disappointing!

The Most Exciting of Young Novelists (1/2 people found this helpful)

Zadie Smith seems to be suffering from the kind of animosity that is so often subjected to Martin Amis: namely, a meaningless, prejudiced over-critical attitude towards a writer of supreme power, wit and intelligence.

Both Amis and Smith were lauded on their arrival. Yet now they appear to be just as swiftly kicked on the backside on their way out. And why, I have to ask?

White Teeth was a wonderful novel: Dickensian in the truest sense, and full of joie de vivre. But (as Smith has admitted herself), it was essentially a stylistic exercise - "the literary equivalent of a hyperactive, tap-dancing red-headed girl (I paraphrase here, I know)" to be sure. But still, it was exciting, and compulsive.

Her second effort, The Autograph Man, was a triumph, yet subject to SUCH critical mauling! For a writer still in their twenties to produce a novel of such quality is incredible.

And so with 'On Beauty.' The writing is adventurous, bold (see the passage detailing and describing the wonders of Hampstead Heath!); the characterisation just as edgy and daring (her attempts, however unsuccessful you deem them, to create dialogue and cadence that is individual and expressive - the sum of a human being's individual experience - class, race, culture, childhood - being particularly inspiring)...I could go on...

The "homage" aspect may feel disingenuous. But if you think this way, I advise you to read "On Beauty and Being Good"; the volume of essays Smith pays tribute to in the novel. The essays talk of the search for beauty in the world, and then (when we find it), how human-beings are bound to emulate it; repeat and copy it. This is the nature of Zadie Smith's homage - her first love was E M Forster, and she wishes to repay the debt.

Please don't dismiss this novel. But more than that, don't dismiss this writer. Zadie Smith is one of the few "real" novelists working these days. Someone who thinks as a writer, feels as a writer, and trying to create a work of art beyond the ordinary.

An insult to E.M.Forster! (1/1 people found this helpful)

Why, oh why, did Zadie Smith choose to use E.M.Forster's 'Howards End' as a template for her own pretentious, yawn-worthy novel? It's an entirely unnecessary device and adds nothing---in fact, it's infuriating and silly. For example, when Leonard Bast left his umbrella behind at the concert, the incident had a number of resonances connected with his aspirations and social position---this is not matched in any way by one of Miss Smith's characters losing his Walkman, when all you think is, so what? All that is proved is that Miss Smith has read E.M.Forster---and needs to lean on him to give her own book credibility. And it doesn't work.
I did enjoy 'White Teeth' (although the ending was weak), but this book, although technically competent is a huge disappoinment. And there are glaring factual errors---Iris Murdoch is NOT buried at Kensal Green (even if an internet site mistakenly says so), Mr Spock in Star Trek is NOT a Klingon, he's a Vulcan. (Or half-Vulcan , to be pedantic.) Little slips like these are forgiveable in a great book---but, sadly, this is not a great book.

Worthwhile and interesting (1/1 people found this helpful)

I enjoyed this book and found myself being completely drawn into its world. I loved the writing, the author's voice and observation, and the imagery. However I didn't warm to any of the characters - except perhaps Carl before he succumbs to academia - and I positively loathed Howard Belsey. This made the central relationship of the novel, that of Howard and his wife Kiki, rather unconvincing.

A number of previous reviewers have commented on the paucity of plot. This didn't bother me too much, as almost every interaction contained a mini-plot of its own, which can be more realistic. I sense that the novel is more about exploring how individuals are touched by wide ranging themes such as liberalism, intellectualism, perception, beauty and innocence than presenting a well defined plot. As such it definitely contains much to discuss in reading groups!

This was my first foray into Smith's writing, and I shall definitely return.

Zadie Smith

Reader Reviews:

A fitting homage (0/0 people found this helpful)

On Boredom (0/0 people found this helpful)

The Most Exciting of Young Novelists (1/2 people found this helpful)

An insult to E.M.Forster! (1/1 people found this helpful)

Worthwhile and interesting (1/1 people found this helpful)

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