Zadie Smith's White Teeth is widely praised for its inventive and humorous storytelling, rich character development, and exploration of multi-generational and multicultural themes. However, some critique it for being overly ambitious, with a complex narrative that occasionally feels unwieldy. Overall, it is celebrated for its wit and literary merit.

A reader who enjoys White Teeth by Zadie Smith likely appreciates multicultural narratives, intricate family sagas, and sharp social commentary. Fans of Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children or Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things will find similar themes of identity, history, and cultural conflict.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith follows the intertwined lives of two families in London, the Joneses and the Iqbals, exploring friendship, cultural identity, generational conflicts, and the legacies of colonialism. Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal, linked by their shared experiences during World War II, navigate the complexities of their lives and families from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Zadie Smith

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Before You Read

Explore White Teeth reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

Before You Read White Teeth | SuperSummary

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Overview

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White Teeth Summary and Study Guide

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Archie 1974, 1945”

Part 1, Chapters 1-3

White Teeth Part 1, Chapters 1-3 Summary & Analysis

Part 1, Chapters 4-5

White Teeth Part 1, Chapters 4-5 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Samad 1984, 1857”

Part 2, Chapters 6-8

White Teeth Part 2, Chapters 6-8 Summary & Analysis

Part 2, Chapters 9-10 

White Teeth Part 2, Chapters 9-10  Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Irie 1990, 1907”

Part 3, Chapters 11-13

White Teeth Part 3, Chapters 11-13 Summary & Analysis

Part 3, Chapters 14-15

White Teeth Part 3, Chapters 14-15 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Magid, Millat, and Marcus, 1992, 1999”

Part 4, Chapters 16-18

White Teeth Part 4, Chapters 16-18 Summary & Analysis

Part 4, Chapters 19-20

White Teeth Part 4, Chapters 19-20 Summary & Analysis

character

Character Analysis

White Teeth Character Analysis

theme

Themes

White Teeth Themes

Symbols & Motifs

White Teeth Symbols & Motifs

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Important Quotes

White Teeth Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

White Teeth Essay Topics

White Teeth

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read White Teeth?

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Book Details