Short story review: ‘The Waiter's Wife’ (1999) by Zadie Smith.

Spring has sprung and I am here with my first review of the month. I decided I would read Zadie Smith's ‘The Waiter's Wife’. It was only until I starting reading it did I realise that the characters in this short story are in her debut novel White Teeth  (2000). Then I realised that most of the short story ends up in the novel anyway. It is not completely the same though. Because of that and as I had read it I chose to review it anyway.

I liked this short fiction: seizing the button labelled "my funny bone" and firmly pressing down. I loved reading about Alsana clashing with her niece as per, I loved Samad and Archie reconnecting after years apart, I loved the vivid description Zadie Smith adds in just to build up her fictional North-West London world. This short fiction seems real, it well-thought out and convincing. When Samad Iqbal decides to move from Whitechapel to Willesden, his wife Alsana finds she has reservations once they are there. Money is tight, she is pregnant and Samad's cousin that he works for will not give her a pay rise. Alsana also feels a bit isolated as though she has no one around. This is an example of how I see ‘The Waiter's Wife’ as convincing and real. For Alsana and her qualms, I get it. I myself have not been in her situation but it comes across as understandable. For this it makes me empathise with her. If an author can convince you to empathise with a character when it fits to, then the author has done well. Can I say that I agree with Alsana on everything? No. But I do think the character might be a little unconvincing if I did. People in real life are naturally different so it makes sense to read a piece of fiction and for there to be differences.

All in all, I like what Zadie Smith has written here. It is a nice piece that I found funny and enjoyable to read. I am giving it an 8.5/10.


Until next time,


Thomas.

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