The simply titled NW is anything but; discordant, haunting and profoundly moving, Smith’s highly anticipated new novel delivers an intimate portrayal of life in the English area of Willesden. Smith’s exploration of Willesden, manifested through the experiences of four main characters, (Leah, Felix, Keisha (eventually known as Natalie) and Nathan) manages to encompass an unexpectedly global perspective on that which makes us human. NW is brimming with—and in certain instances, overwhelmed by, complex characterization, stylistic versatility, and a veritable treasure-trove of various literary techniques. I, unquestioningly, am not nearly intellectual enough to have fully grasped the contents of this book. Truthfully, the only person capable
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Avoiding this commitment, however, would result in a lost opportunity. NW is, regardless of how you interpret it after completion, (the novel is nothing if not polarizing amongst casual readers and her literary elites alike) worth reading. Deeply compelling much of the time, and thought provoking in even its most disengaging moments, NW is a novel unlike most in circulation to day, reflective of the tumult which accompanies the complete upheaval of both Willesden and its …show more content…
Rather than conforming to the overwrought stereotype of “unhappy, post-college mother with issues,” Smith brings to life a complex woman with a strong sense of self and with a resolute desire to remain happier than the world around her. Leah is a shining accomplishment on the part of Smith; a character beautifully developed, whose relationships with Michel (her husband) and Natalie (her “best” friend) are rich and uncompromising. Leah’s principles and beliefs, atypical but still deeply believable, are revealed in unassuming moments: lying in bed with her husband, trapped at a contentious dinner party, naively giving money to a Shar, a former classmate turned drug-addict. However, as soon as we begin to understand Leah, Smith relocates her reader to another area of Willesden, into the bedroom of a young man named Felix and his latest infatuation. Felix, a black filmmaker-turned addict-turned hardworking mechanic, feels less complicated than leading ladies of Smith’s novel. His relevance to the centrality of the book doesn’t reveal itself until near the conclusion, (which is as mystifying as the rest of the book) and his interactions with bizarre characters like the aging Russian dancer
Avoiding this commitment, however, would result in a lost opportunity. NW is, regardless of how you interpret it after completion, (the novel is nothing if not polarizing amongst casual readers and her literary elites alike) worth reading. Deeply compelling much of the time, and thought provoking in even its most disengaging moments, NW is a novel unlike most in circulation to day, reflective of the tumult which accompanies the complete upheaval of both Willesden and its …show more content…
Rather than conforming to the overwrought stereotype of “unhappy, post-college mother with issues,” Smith brings to life a complex woman with a strong sense of self and with a resolute desire to remain happier than the world around her. Leah is a shining accomplishment on the part of Smith; a character beautifully developed, whose relationships with Michel (her husband) and Natalie (her “best” friend) are rich and uncompromising. Leah’s principles and beliefs, atypical but still deeply believable, are revealed in unassuming moments: lying in bed with her husband, trapped at a contentious dinner party, naively giving money to a Shar, a former classmate turned drug-addict. However, as soon as we begin to understand Leah, Smith relocates her reader to another area of Willesden, into the bedroom of a young man named Felix and his latest infatuation. Felix, a black filmmaker-turned addict-turned hardworking mechanic, feels less complicated than leading ladies of Smith’s novel. His relevance to the centrality of the book doesn’t reveal itself until near the conclusion, (which is as mystifying as the rest of the book) and his interactions with bizarre characters like the aging Russian dancer