White Teeth

Name: White Teeth
Author: Zadie Smith

Zadie Smith · 2000

Smith wrote it at 24, which is almost offensive. Three families in North London (Bangladeshi, Jamaican, English) collide across generations in this 2000 debut. The novel captures multicultural Britain with more energy and wit than any sociological study could manage. It announced a major talent.

The case against

on the final quarter
“aside from a rather wobbly final quarter”
Anthony Quinn · The New York Times, 2000
on the final third
“in the final third of the book Smith loses track of her characters”
a book blog
on the narrator
“far too pleased with herself”
two stars · a book blog
on the characters
“flawed, unlikeable characters with no one particular character to redeem the narrative”
a book blog