Rating: 
Summary: A remarkable yet flawed and overrated first effort
Review: Let me say first that I greatly admire this book's scope and ambition. Not many first-time authors dare to paint in brush strokes this broad (as a counterpoint, think of the Brat Pack novelists of the '80s and their skimpy, self-satisfied works). These strengths, however -- the sprawling, multi-generational plot lines and abundance of characters -- also form the core of the novel's greatest weakness. Simply, Zadie Smith just doesn't have the mojo to pull it all off. The rambling expository passages quickly grow tiresome (it took me several months to finish the book -- I read about a third at a time and took long breaks) and many of the eccentricities meant to liven up her characters occasionally land on the wrong side of annoying parody. That said, White Teeth should indeed be read by anyone with a serious interest in current fiction. There is some truly inspired writing on display, most notably in the scenes involving Samad, Archie and the War. It's a pretty safe bet that Zadie Smith will one day make good on the formidable promise she demonstrates here. She is, after all, only in her mid-20s (a fact which may explain why the book's critical praise has been so wildly out of proportion with its actual achievement as a work of art). Until then, there is White Teeth, an overreaching, overrated and uneven book, but one that most young writers would kill to have written.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful & Original
Review: Twenty four year old Zadie Smith has written a wonderfully self assured, hilarious first novel. Spanning a 45 years friendship between Samad Iqbal, a Muslin Bengali and Archie Jones, a Brit with suicidal tendencies she had created characters and situations both original and familiar. Archie marries a nineteen year old toothless Jamaican named Clara, while Samad begins his married life in a prearranged union with the short tempered Alsana. Their lives and subsequent children's lives beome the centerpiece of the book, with Smith smoothly handling ideas of race, religion, faith, destiny, and how history manages to repeat itself. Her writing style, and the ample amounts of humor she creates through her richly drawn characters is very reminiscent of two of my favorite authors; John Irving and Charles Dickens. More than once I was reminded of Irving's 'Son of the Circus' and if like me you're a fan of his, you'll probably enjoy this as well.
Rating:
Summary: challenging, stimulating, and totally absorbing
Review: I admit, I bought this because I was under the impression it was a "cool" read, something anyone up on literature had on his/her shelf (much like that Dave Eigers book -- which proved to be a very over rated "cool" book). Not only was it cool, but I believe it made me a better person; its insights made me rethink contemporary culture, our obsession with scientific advancement, our misguided race relations, and the complexities of religious faith. I was afraid the book might be a little too much like Rushdie (another author I find over rated)and a little too overwritten and ostentatious, but my fears were quickly put to rest; Smith's prose and ideas are brilliant, but she's no show off. All of this. And I couldn't put it down. (By the way, I am still convinced I looked cool reading it...)
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece! Modern Literature at it's Best!
Review: This book is brilliant! If you are a lover of literature (not novel) you will like this book, and Zadie Smith's writing style. The reader is constantly being reminded of the writer's intellectual ability (not pompously though) with the capacity to come down-to-earth. I had to pace myself, set the book aside for periods, (longest was about 2 weeks) so I can savor the enjoyment! The way Zadie Smith weaves a minor incident that happened years ago into the climatic end of the book is so masterful that one could compare the her to literary giant. If the book was longer than a thousand pages I would have kept on reading it. Highly recommended, your intellect would thank you.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic character driven novel!
Review: I just finished "White Teeth" this weekend and I absolutely loved it. The character development was amazing and the way the lives of these characters merged and intermingled was intriguing and comical and sad and just perfect. I can't say enough good things about Zadie Smith's first novel and I can't wait until her next novel. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: She Who Sees
Review: Zadie Smith is one of those women who 'Sees'. White Teeth is a novel that should win awards and fill empty places anyeverywhere. Don't hesitate to read this story.
Rating: 
Summary: Pulling Teeth
Review: I'm always hungry for something new - especially from new writers. And I too am more likely to finish every book I pick up. While Smith seems to have a wonderful prose style and sense of humor, reading the long speeches given by Samad Iqbal (aka "Ick ball") was more like pulling teeth. And Archie Jones, though believable, was absolutely unbearable!I usually read a book of this length in 2-4 evenings, but I've had this one for about a month - I just can't do it!
Rating:
Summary: Great dialog does not a novel make
Review: No question, Zadie Smith is an amazing talent. What an ear for dialog! What wit spews from her characters' mouths! But once I got through 30, 100, then 200 pages of that, I kept looking for a story. A reason to go on!! I had to summon monumental willpower to slog on to the end. The book sat with 10 pages to go for days and days, and I wouldn't have finished if a friend didn't insist I did. The book was entirely plotless. And Smith rarely described anything. I kept wondering...where are we here? What does the pub look like? What did people's houses and living rooms look like? Just dialog, dialog and more dialog. It was as if she carried around a tape recorder, then transcribed the results. She should be given credit for recording some pretty great riffs, but that just wasn't enough to engage me in her novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Tic
Review: Kudos to Zadie Smith, who wrote this book by the meager age of 24!! How accomplished she is! How worldly! Even a slacker like me can admire her level of ambition. What had I done by age 24? Besides corrupt the morals of a dozen boys, a fireman, a poet and two university professors? I had my wisdom teeth removed, and that has to count for something (right?). I tried to read this book. Really. I did. I read the last chapter, and I enjoyed it tremendously. Then, I read the first three chapters. Alas, I could go no further! The book was too busy; it jostled me most disagreeably. It was all over the place. It made me nervous. I developed a facial twitch. I did like what I read, but yet, the book drained me. It expected too much. "I know I'm the book and you are the reader," it said, "but I think you should entertain me," it demanded. "I'll try," I replied. But it turns out I was just too dull, with my herbal tea and my horoscope and my bath oil beads. I work for lobbyists. It is my only defense. The book snubs me now, if I try to pick it up. From now on, I think I will stick to reading supermarket circulars. "Come as you are," they beckon. "Bring your credit cards. It's two-for-one day. You like two-for-one," they declare.
Rating:
Summary: Good Effort
Review: Ms. Smith is a very talented author, and I'm sure we will see more of her work in the near future. While "White Teeth" was an original and insightful novel, it would have been even better if she had spend some additional time researching the less-pivotal topics she planned to write about. For example, in the beginning of the book, Archie's character is suppose to be suicidal, but, apart from him leading a mediocre life, she gives no plausible reason for him to want to kill himself. There wasn't even a hint of him suffering from a sever clinical depression. Furthermore, Archie's ex-wife's is described as having a mental illness, but it is written without any true understanding of such disorders. As metal illness and suicide are very serious topics, greater care should be taken when writing about them. Also, as I have many family members who are Jehovah's Witnesses (three genrations worth), the JW family depicted in the book is so far from realistic, it isn't funny. The teachings, the terminology, the manner of speach, the name of the organization's president, the number of members - all wrong. It seems painfully obvious that Ms. Smith obtained her information from people who were not, nor ever have been, Jehovah's Witnesses. I know that JW's beliefs are unconventional, but they should at least be expressed with SOME accuracy. My last criticism is that she seemed to begin to write details on certain scenes, and then does not follow through. Although they were always minor, it made it difficult to 'see' what was happening while reading the book. I don't mean for this review to be too critical, taking away from the author's inspirational work. Let it be said, that I wish I was half as talented (and young).
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