White Teeth

This debut novel by Zadie Smith was also one of those chosen for PBS's Great American Read, and was my 2nd choice for this month's (January 2019) book group. Once again, I failed to complete the book I chose (see A Confederacy of Dunces) and seemed not to grasp what the critics found so gratifying in this novel; after 300 pages, I still did not care about any of the characters. Briefly stated, Kirkus says it's "An impressively witty satirical first novel, London-set, chronicling the experiences of two eccentric multiracial families during the last half of the 20th century." Publishers Weekly calls the book "A remarkable examination of the immigrant's experience in a postcolonial world, Smith's novel recalls the hyper-contemporary yet history-infused work of Rushdie, sharp-edged, fluorescent and many-faceted." While the New York Times asserts that "Zadie Smith's debut novel is, like the London it portrays, a restless hybrid of voices, tones and textures. Hopscotching through several continents and 150 years of history, White Teeth encompasses a teeming family saga, a sly inquiry into race and identity and a tender-hearted satire on religious antagonism and cultural bemusement."
A summary of numerous reviews is offered in The Guardian.