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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I found this a very engaging book, but also slightly unsettling. It's written as a monologue addressed by the protagonist to an unknown American operative in a cafe in Lahore and I finished it in pretty much one sitting. The transition from young, keen, graduate excited at the opportunities provided in the US, to corporate shark, to disillusionment and some sort of rebirth is quite deftly handled, although it perhaps (inevitably) feels a little rushed in what is quite a short novel.
The narrative voice is articulate, humane, unfailingly polite, perhaps a little too polite? I would have shared the listener's disquiet if I had been on the receiving end of such hospitality and the book leaves some questions dangling as to the purpose and context of the conversation.
The book subtly provokes us to examine our own views of what it means to be a fundamentalist; from the corporate focus on "fundamentals" (at the expense of the humane) to the attack on the twin towers, to the responses evoked in the West, to the protests on the streets of Lahore. The love story twining through the narrative is also one of misunderstanding, loss, miscommunication and unresolved endings.
An impressive, and enjoyable, work.
The narrative voice is articulate, humane, unfailingly polite, perhaps a little too polite? I would have shared the listener's disquiet if I had been on the receiving end of such hospitality and the book leaves some questions dangling as to the purpose and context of the conversation.
The book subtly provokes us to examine our own views of what it means to be a fundamentalist; from the corporate focus on "fundamentals" (at the expense of the humane) to the attack on the twin towers, to the responses evoked in the West, to the protests on the streets of Lahore. The love story twining through the narrative is also one of misunderstanding, loss, miscommunication and unresolved endings.
An impressive, and enjoyable, work.
raised in pakistan but educated at princeton, changez was working for a valuation firm during the world trade center attacks. he struggles with feelings of anger while at the same time enjoying a version of the stereotypical american dream. this cleverly written novel holds the reader’s attention while offering a refreshing perspective which differs from that of the mainstream media.
Devoured this in a plane ride, completely absorbed by the voice, the fast pace and the structure that facilitates it so well, and the sense of impending doom. Highly recommended.
Effectively constructed so you can read it in roughly the same amount of time it takes for the events of the book to take place. Intriguing perspective that kept me engaged. I first heard about this book on the BBC World Book Club.
First review: 4 stars. The main theme of cultural assimilation, together with geopolitics, love and betrayal, makes this book stand out from the rest (within the same category). It could even have been slightly longer, albeit the open ending made up for the “lack” of pages.
Updated review (2nd read): 3.5 stars. Interesting, I now find this book slightly boring, and not as good as previously described above. Maybe it’s due to the loss of “surprise” when already knowing the ending. But this time round I didn’t enjoy the characters. Perhaps I was so engrossed in wanting to find out the identity of the tourist/Changez’ intentions the first time that the characters didn’t really affect me. Who knows. Having said that, it’s still a good book, and definitely worth a read.
Updated review (2nd read): 3.5 stars. Interesting, I now find this book slightly boring, and not as good as previously described above. Maybe it’s due to the loss of “surprise” when already knowing the ending. But this time round I didn’t enjoy the characters. Perhaps I was so engrossed in wanting to find out the identity of the tourist/Changez’ intentions the first time that the characters didn’t really affect me. Who knows. Having said that, it’s still a good book, and definitely worth a read.
I loved the way this novel was written, as if we were being told Changez’s story directly by him. His story really sucked me in and I was hanging on his every word. While I loved the style and the substance of the novel I’m still a bit ambiguous regarding the ending. I’m not sure whether to be frustrated or intrigued by the cliffhanger of an ending that really leaves you guessing. For the most part, I prefer my novels to have a definite ending but I think in this case I’ll make an exception.
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
snoozefest + reaffirms the racist stereotype of even integrated migrants being a ticking bomb
A story of the failed suppression of the political self by elite Western institutions (Princeton and New York finance companies specifically). I really enjoyed the style of writing, and the narrator's observations about human relationships were very relatable. Sprinkled throughout the book were bits of wisdom and some nice imagery, such as "the effect of this was to pull and tug at my moods, waves of mourning washed over me, sadness and regret prompted at times by an external stimulus, and at times by an internal one that was almost tidal, for want of a better word."
I've just re-read this book (for a book club) twelve months after I was first given a copy. I was surprised how little of the story I could remember - in fact practically nothing. But my first reading had left a lasting impression, and that was the style of story telling. Unlike most novels, you just read the words of the narrator as he tells an American of how his time in the US led him to his current life back in his home city of Lahore. It's a simple but effective and engaging style and, along with the short length of the book, meant I easily read it in an enjoyable couple of hours.
The story itself is a pretty straight forward account of how a young and very smart Pakistani youth attends university in the States and embarks on what looks like a very successful career as a business analyst. But the events of 9/11, his loyalty to his homeland and a sense of injustice at America's "war on terror" lead him to abandon it all and return home. There his support for anti-American protests mark him out for attention, hence the conversation with what appears to be a rather incompetent undercover agent.
Intertwined with this story is an account of his doomed love affair with an young American woman. Despite their attraction, she remains in love with her childhood sweetheart, who had died of cancer. Her subsequent breakdown eventually leaves the narrator also pining for a love that will never be. I'm not sure if this is meant as some sort of metaphor for the rest of the story - if it was it was too subtle for me.
Notable is the total absence of religion from the book. Despite it's title, the narrator is in no way a fundamentalist, just someone motivated by a sense of injustice and loyalty to his native land. Perhaps the title is meant to show how a man who could well be portrayed as a fundamentalist by the West, is in reality driven by feelings we can all understand.
The story itself is a pretty straight forward account of how a young and very smart Pakistani youth attends university in the States and embarks on what looks like a very successful career as a business analyst. But the events of 9/11, his loyalty to his homeland and a sense of injustice at America's "war on terror" lead him to abandon it all and return home. There his support for anti-American protests mark him out for attention, hence the conversation with what appears to be a rather incompetent undercover agent.
Intertwined with this story is an account of his doomed love affair with an young American woman. Despite their attraction, she remains in love with her childhood sweetheart, who had died of cancer. Her subsequent breakdown eventually leaves the narrator also pining for a love that will never be. I'm not sure if this is meant as some sort of metaphor for the rest of the story - if it was it was too subtle for me.
Notable is the total absence of religion from the book. Despite it's title, the narrator is in no way a fundamentalist, just someone motivated by a sense of injustice and loyalty to his native land. Perhaps the title is meant to show how a man who could well be portrayed as a fundamentalist by the West, is in reality driven by feelings we can all understand.
A thought-provoking book about a Pakistani man who finds his world crumbling around him in the aftermath of Sept. 11. i read this book because I read about it in "The End of Your Life Book Club." I am still thinking about it days after I finished. Worth checking out.