I read Smith’s first novel, White Teeth, earlier this year and while it was enjoyable, I found the multiple POV narration trying at times; some characters were given way too much weight while others had so few pages of their own voice, it left me frustrated. This wasn’t an issue with Swing Time, with its single POV narrator. This wasn’t the only reason I loved this book! The protagonist was often unlikeable but so believable and compelling. I can’t say no to a fully realized female character! Plus, as a lover of vernacular dance forms, like swing and tap, I found myself caught up in the two little girls’ passions, as if I were present in their classes or while they watched classic Fred Astaire movies on VHS. Setting plays as big of a role in Smith’s books as any of her characters; both Gambia and London came alive in her prose. I can’t recommend this one highly enough!