Title: On Beauty
Author: Zadie Smith
First published June 4, 2005
445 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780143037743 (ISBN10: 0143037749)
Rating: 3.76
Overview
On Beauty by Zadie Smith is a novel that explores the intricacies of modern family life. Howard Belsey is a Rembrandt scholar who surprisingly doesn’t like Rembrandt.
He’s an Englishman living in New England, teaching at a liberal arts college. Kiki, his wife of thirty years, is no longer the sexy activist she once was.
Their children each have their own passions, but they clash with their parents’ beliefs. When Jerome, Howard’s son, falls for Victoria, the daughter of a right-wing icon, the two families are forced to confront their differences.
An affair, a death, and a legacy will make them reassess their lives and beliefs. This novel is full of humor and poignant moments that will make you question your own choices about family, love, and what is truly beautiful.
About the Author
Zadie Smith is a renowned author with an impressive body of work, including novels like White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW, and Swing Time, along with two collections of essays titled Changing My Mind and Feel Free. Her literary talent has been recognized by many, including her election as a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002, and being listed among Granta’s 20 Best Young British Novelists in 2003 and 2013.
White Teeth, one of her most celebrated works, has won several literary awards, such as the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the Whitbread First Novel Award, and the Guardian First Book Award. It was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Orange Prize for Fiction, while being a finalist for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Currently, Zadie Smith is a tenured professor of fiction at New York University and a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. For further information, please visit her website.
Editoral Review
On Beauty by Zadie Smith – Book Review
Zadie Smith’s On Beauty is a beautifully written novel that examines themes of family, beauty, race, and class in contemporary American society. The book is a modern take on E.M Forster’s classic novel Howards End, set in the fictional town of Wellington, Massachusetts.
The novel follows the Belsey family; a multicultural family consisting of an English father and an African-American mother, and their three children. Howard Belsey, the patriarch of the family, is a white, liberal art professor who is obsessed with the works of Rembrandt and struggles to come to terms with his wife’s Christian faith.
Meanwhile, Kiki, his wife, is a devout Christian who deals with her husband’s infidelities while trying to hold her family together. The plot thickens when the Belsey’s oldest son, Jerome, falls in love with Victoria, the daughter of their conservative, conservative Caribbean neighbors, the Kipps.
The clash of cultures that results raises difficult questions about race, class, and identity in contemporary America. Through a cast of complex characters and a masterful use of language, Smith offers a nuanced exploration of the complexities of modern-day society.
On Beauty paints a vivid picture of a world where people are often divided by class, race, and ideology. The novel is beautifully written, with richly drawn characters and a plot that is both engaging and thought-provoking.
Smith’s prose is lyrical and elegant, and she captures the complexities of the human experience with effortless ease. One of the strengths of the book is its exploration of the intersecting threads of identity, revealing how societal categories such as race and class can be used to define individuals in limiting ways.
At the same time, it is also a heart-warming story about families and relationships, with each character struggling to find their place in the world. On Beauty is not without its flaws, however.
At times, the plot becomes overly complicated, and some of the characters are given more attention than others, which can result in a few uneven moments. Nonetheless, these issues do not detract too much from the overall quality of the book.
Overall, On Beauty is an excellent novel that is both poignant and engaging. It is a literary masterpiece that offers readers a profound insight into the complexities of modern-day society.
Smith’s incredible writing talent makes this book a must-read, and a worthy addition to any book club or reading list. Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For: Readers who enjoy literary fiction, those interested in explorations of race, class, and identity in society, and fans of E.M Forster’s classic novel Howards End.
