White Teeth by Zadie Smith

The complexly woven stories of these assorted Londoners portray a crisp reality that brings both pain and laughter. Archie, Clara, Samad, Irie, Magid, Millat, Joshua, Marcus… I am not even sure where to stop when listing the major players and each of them is both a protagonist and antagonist when the time comes. When you begin with the wandering Archie Jones you cannot fathom the places you will go both forwards and backwards in time. The arc is there but it is hidden within layers of that thing called life painted in the rich colors of Smith’s language. There is most definitely a climax but Smith takes a moment to remind you that this is just a fraction of a few lives.