Swing Time

Swing Time is a novel by British writer Zadie Smith, published in November 2016. The story takes place in London, New York and West Africa, focusing on the relationship between an unnamed narrator and her best friend, Tracey. The narrative opens in 1982, when the narrator meets Tracey in a dance class in North London. The two form a close friendship and are both mixed-race girls growing up in similar circumstances, though they are contrasted in temperament and ability. An early point of difference is Tracey's innate talent at dance, compared to the narrator's emotional, academic, and aesthetic interests. The novel follows both women from childhood into adulthood, moving between past and present to explore themes of freedom, determinism, and class mobility. Swing Time was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2017. It was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 2016 and appeared on the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2016 list.