White Teeth

This epic novel about two families centres around two unlikely friends: Archibold Jones and Samad Miah Iqbal. The two men meet at the tail end of World War II. Archie is a laid-back English bloke who flips a coin to make most of his decisions. Samad is a intellectual, Muslim immigrant trying to establish himself and build a life for his family in the west.

The 542-page novel opens on New Year's Day 1974, Archie has just separated from his first wife and has decided to end his life by gassing himself in a parked car outside of a halal butcher shop. The butcher comes out and interrupts him stating that he does not have the necessary insurance to cover suicides on the premise. Archie takes this as a sign that he is not meant to die. And thus begins a pattern of comedic and very clever dialogue.

Later that day Archie meets Clara, a 19-year-old Jamaican immigrant desperate to escape a mother and ex-boyfriend who are both fanatic Jehovah Witnesses. A month and a half later (on Valentine's Day) the two get married and a year later, Clara gives birth to Irie. Around the same time, Samad's wife, Alsana, gives birth to identical twin boys - Magid (older by  two minutes) and Millat.

Over the next 18 years, we watch as the two families grow closer as they face minor and major crises.

The story is told via a third-person omnipresent narrative in four major blocks that are then divided into smaller chapters. Each block focuses on one or more main characters, with the other characters assuming background roles.

In the first section titled "Archie 1974, 1945", we learn about the task that Samad gave Archie at the end of the war, on which their long friendship has been built upon. We're left unsure of whether Archie has actually completed the task.

In the second section titled "Samad 1984, 1857", Samad begins an extra-marital affair with his sons' music teacher, Poppy. Repelled by his own immoral behaviour, Samad becomes concerned about his sons' morality and decides to send them back to Bengal to be raised as proper Muslims. The only problem is he can only afford to send one. We also learn about Samad great-grandfather, Mangal Pande, who Samad views as a hero for starting the process of liberating India.

The decision Samad makes about which son to send back to Bengal has repercussions for his family and the Jones, as Irie eventually falls in love with one of the twins.

Zadie Smith is a master of writing dialogue. She uses a lot of colloquial terms so the reader really gets a sense of the multiculturalism of the U.K. over the span of 20 years. Well placed and spot on vernacular adds colour and humour.

Ms. Smith must have spent a great deal of time conducting research because she handles a very diverse range of topics in order to make the various 'experts' that appear throughout the novel believable.

This is my second time reading White Teeth. I got so much from the second reading that I will no doubt read it again in the future. Jammed packed with fanatics, it doesn't just entertain - it also gives the reader a lot to think about.

I'm not sure why it's called White Teeth. Many of the chapters are named after teeth or some kind of dental procedure but they could just as easily have been named after something else.

5/5