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Title: Same old, same old
Review: While "White Teeth" is at times a funny and interesting novel, it is symptomatic of many such books and films about British ethnic minorities, for example "Bend it like Beckham". While the hardships of serving up curry or running a corner shop might raise a few laughs first time round, to turn the observation of cliches regarding South Asians and Jamaicans in Britain into a fictional genre is a step too far. And this is what "White Teeth" is - not more than a catalogue of cliches regarding Bangladeshis and Jamaicans. The characters are likeable but rather one-dimensional - why buy "White Teeth" when you could chat to a Jamaican or a Bangladeshi about their historical experiences ?
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