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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
CAWPILE score: 7.71
An interesting little story with a fun narrative structure. I was captivated to keep reading.
An interesting little story with a fun narrative structure. I was captivated to keep reading.
I really enjoyed reading this but was a bit disappointed by the lackluster ending that the book seemed to be building towards all the way through.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A great, quick read. Story of a Muslim immigrant to the US and how his life changed after 9/11. Story shows the depth and complications that such a character might feel. The way the story is told by the narrator sitting with a stranger at a cafe is very refreshing. Great discussion to be had and consider the meaning of the ending!`
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I like Hamid's writing, however I was not a fan of how this story was presented. I know why he chose to use the monologue style, but it's not my thing. I will definitely read the rest of his novels though.
This one *is*, for once, as advertised, "beautifully written." I love the second person voice, the ominous foreshadowing in the sparse hints we get of the person that the narrator is speaking to as they share a meal in a Lahore restaurant. I love the way the narrator's voice demonstrates how at home he is here, and how different that character is from the unfinished young man he describes himself as being previously while at university in the USA.
The one plot-thread that continually rang false for me was the love interest, Erica. I could not get my head around this beautiful, talented, high-spirited, filthy rich Ivy League graduate who was at the same time so deeply spiritually wounded (with real wounds) that she couldn't function. I didn't believe in her wounding, ever. I didn't believe in her dead boyfriend. I didn't believe in their perfect childhood friendship. I didn't believe he died of cancer at 17 or whatever it was. I didn't believe in Erica's sort-of breakdown-remission or hiatus or whatever it was that made her fully functional for some undefined period between Chris's death and her own (staged?) disappearance (suicide?).
I didn't believe in her to the extent that I thought maybe the NARRATOR was making her up, not the author; the NARRATOR.
But here's a curious thing. I found her to be quite a Lolita figure, a Daisy Buchanan figure, representative of grace and youth and perfection and --above all--of AMERICA--seductive, beautiful, wholesome, wealthy, fatally flawed. And then, as I was typing her name for this review, I remembered having a conversation with a friend about Erica's name--before I read the book. I suggested at the time (not having read the book) that it had nothing to do with a pun on "America" and that I have a cousin named Erica and it's a common enough name. But now that I've read the book I'm not so sure about this any more. If this character had ever said, which I don't remember her saying, "I am Erica," it could also be construed as "I America."
So I suppose I understand why she's there, as a sort of extended metaphor and catalyst, but I still didn't like the way her very dominant and unconvincing presence worked in what would otherwise be an arguably flawless narrative.
Maybe my book group will enlighten me further!
The one plot-thread that continually rang false for me was the love interest, Erica. I could not get my head around this beautiful, talented, high-spirited, filthy rich Ivy League graduate who was at the same time so deeply spiritually wounded (with real wounds) that she couldn't function. I didn't believe in her wounding, ever. I didn't believe in her dead boyfriend. I didn't believe in their perfect childhood friendship. I didn't believe he died of cancer at 17 or whatever it was. I didn't believe in Erica's sort-of breakdown-remission or hiatus or whatever it was that made her fully functional for some undefined period between Chris's death and her own (staged?) disappearance (suicide?).
I didn't believe in her to the extent that I thought maybe the NARRATOR was making her up, not the author; the NARRATOR.
But here's a curious thing. I found her to be quite a Lolita figure, a Daisy Buchanan figure, representative of grace and youth and perfection and --above all--of AMERICA--seductive, beautiful, wholesome, wealthy, fatally flawed. And then, as I was typing her name for this review, I remembered having a conversation with a friend about Erica's name--before I read the book. I suggested at the time (not having read the book) that it had nothing to do with a pun on "America" and that I have a cousin named Erica and it's a common enough name. But now that I've read the book I'm not so sure about this any more. If this character had ever said, which I don't remember her saying, "I am Erica," it could also be construed as "I America."
So I suppose I understand why she's there, as a sort of extended metaphor and catalyst, but I still didn't like the way her very dominant and unconvincing presence worked in what would otherwise be an arguably flawless narrative.
Maybe my book group will enlighten me further!
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Definitely his best work. I think Hamid is an experimental writer to the core, some times more successfully than others. The narrative style, though distracting on occasion, seemed well-suited for the story of someone who just wants his perspective/frustrations heard and understood. It made sense.
This book is so good. Mohsin Hamid is quickly becoming one of my new favs. Such a narrative gift.