by Zadie Smith
First published 2000
Archie and Samad, two unlikely pals since World War II, find their lives intertwined as their families navigate love, war, and the tricky terrain of cultural identity. From a Jamaican wife to militant Muslim sons, these two North London clans confront their pasts and forge new paths, in this riotous, poignant saga of friendship, family, and the power of the past to shape the future.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, contemporary, cultural, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: England, Great Britain, Jamaica, London, London (England), India
Period: 1945-, 1990-
448 pages · Hardcover · Random House