Book review: NW (2012) by Zadie Smith.

London. North-west. Caldwell council estate. Four people. This is Zadie Smith's fourth novel, NW (2012)...

Set in a north-west postcode of London, NW follows the busy lives of four people - Leah, Natalie, Felix and Nathan as they try to make something of themselves outside of the estate from their youth - the Caldwell council estate. Here the novel the explores how in one part of a bustling city can have quite varied people from one another. You have those do well, those who do not, people who have a lot while others have very little, hosts and guests. Then there is also everyone else in between in the novel.

For some characters, it has been about change. Natalie for example, was not always called Natalie as she grew up with the name Keisha. Various things happened for her to change her name, originally stemming from her mother's wish to seperate her daughter from her best friend Leah. That does not work because as they grow up across the novel, they do not grow apart fully. Leah on the other hand has a different up bringing to Natalie's. However, they both find themselves in situations that are somewhat steady with their homes and their partners. Even if problems do occur!

I like how for these character, there is this façade that they put up, illustrating their lives to be perfectly happy. Of course we discover, this is not the case actually. Zadie Smith gives us these multiple dimensions where it looks as though one thing will happen for the characters but it could be something else and then ends up where yet another direction is taken for the characters.

I additionally enjoyed how Zadie Smith switched around the order of her narrative at times in the novel. Before we are even introduced to one of the main characters, Felix, we already know what happens to him in the end. Though when we do his character seems minor compared to some of the others with the current position of their narratives. This only fuelled my excitement to read on as I wanted to see how Felix's own narrative would play out. It was also because of Felix and how his narrative does play out that I became reminded how vastly different and unique London. You never know what you will get in London.

For me NW captures the modern, urban city lifestyle well. With people trying to make what the adult world is bringing them and the mingling of different perspectives and social backgrounds, it brings London alive to me. At times I wondered where we would be heading next as the novel progressed but that kept me wanting to read more. I am giving NW an 8.5/10.


Until next time,


Thomas.

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