Swing Time is a beautiful novel that transcends borders. It is set in London, where the main character was born, New York and a village in West Africa. Neither the main character nor the village are named, which seems unusual only afterwards when I rake through the pages wondering whether I missed or forgot that part.
Geographical borders aren’t the only kind this story straddles. The main character and her troubled childhood friend, Tracey, are mixed race. The story delves into race in fascinating and multi-faceted ways. A lot of its humour derives from the faux pas, the Hollywood blackface castings in musicals, and casual misunderstandings, the latter rarely meant to be offensive yet still cringe-worthy in ways a white person, like myself, can uncomfortably relate to.
Class is another topic covered. Often in the way wealth appears to bulldoze hurdles to realise desires. But also looking at all levels and degrees of privilege, from the two childhood friends – one of whom never leaves the poor housing estate while the other travels the world in private jets and whose mother enters Parliament.
It sounds like a serious book when you see the themes, but it’s light-hearted, funny and relateable. The dialogue and narrative feel intensely real. The scenarios often seem far-fetched, but only in the way Aimee uses her wealth to live out her fantasies. Aimee is a tragi-comic character who looms over the story like a benevolent yet ridiculous god at times.
The end is abrupt yet filled with hope. Tracey, while perhaps not redeemed, is shown as a loving and vibrant mother in a scene that echoes their shared childhood.
Zadie Smith is one of my favourite authors. Her working class, racially diverse characters are always beautifully drawn with a tenderness that allows her, and us, to laugh with and at them at times. I love this book, as I loved White Teeth, On Beauty and NW. Her writing is elegant and transformative. I cannot recommend this book enough.
5/5 stars.
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