SWING TIME
by Zadie Smith
This was my first Zadie Smith experience, and I plan to read as much of her as I can as soon as possible! Her books are split almost evenly between fiction and essays which is unusual, and makes me even more eager to get inside her mind.
Swing Time tells the story of two young mixed-race women, growing up in London. Both love to dance and take lessons at the local church. Tracey is very talented, but her home-life is a constant challenge and the women of the neighborhood don’t think much of her chances for a bright future. Our unnamed narrator has flat feet and lacks rhythm, but loves old musicals and is devoted to following her friend in everything she does. As the girls grow, they drift apart, and we follow our narrator as she struggles to find her place as an adult. She works for many years as a personal assistant to a superstar singer, a job which ends up taking her to Africa, where she is forced to deal with the grown woman she has suddenly become.
The novel jumps around in time, and skillfully finds the echoes and thru-lines from young girlhood to not-so-young adulthood. The narrator is sympathetic and familiar to me, and yet often makes choices that are baffling and not in anyone’s best interest. The characters in this story are complex and full of surprises, as is the plot.
Smith is a vivid and entrancing writer, and I highly recommend this book to all. For me, I’m going to pick up the rest of her books! (Lily)
A SECONG HELPING
Lily first reviewed Swing Time in April 2018 and then chose it as one of her five favorite books of the year. I decided I needed to read it. I agree that this is a great book! Smith has created such a rich and textured story. There is the unforgettable, lifelong friendship between the narrator and Tracey and all the pains of growing up that go with that. But, there is also a fascinating thread about what it’s like growing up bi-racial in England. Smith also paints an indelible picture of her protagonist's trip to Africa to “find her roots.” Most engaging for me, however, was to feel the main character’s struggle to stand up and find her own voice in a job that revolves around a musical icon who thinks she can do no wrong. I heartily endorse Lily’s recommendation. (Liz)
