1001 Books Challenge: White Teeth

Zadie Smith's 2000 novel, White Teeth, proved to be a gripping read. Spanning generations, continents and cultures, Smith explores how family history impacts the individual and the consequent ripple throughout society. White Teeth primarily follows two men, Archie and Samad, who met while fighting for England in WWII, and the families they sire. Both Archie and Samad grip to the past in their own ways that cloud their abilities to live in the present with their families, which then effects they people their children grow up to be and their subsequent impact on society. Because Archie is a native Englishman and Samad comes to England via Bengal and Archie marries a native Jamaican, Smith's novel is rife with the struggles and conflicts of race and religion for people who are just trying to get by. While Samad and Archie may think of themselves as war heroes, to their families, they are average men doing they best they can, which may not always be enough. Smith uses the ordinary to explore greater issues - cloning, genetics, religion - without alienating her audience. White Teeth is compelling because the characters are flawed like so many of us are. While the story ends after 448 pages, it is clear that there is always more to tell. Samad's sons will make choices that damage their children's lives and those children will rebel and never become the exact vision their parents had. Smith makes a point of presenting characters that never get it all right, because no one ever does. Additionally, some of her exploration of twins and their interconnectedness reminded me on a very surface level of Salman Rushdie's twins in The Ground Beneath Her Feet - possibly because both sets of twins come from Middle Eastern/Indian backgrounds and religions plays a large part in their paths to adulthood. I truly enjoyed White Teeth and I am pleased about having it kick of my 1001 Books Challenge!

- KER