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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
Only upon finishing this and preparing to write this review, do I discover it’s fiction. I’m fighting the urge to downgrade it, as I feel tricked! Anyway: halfway in, the detailed sex scenes and spitting-mad (albeit justified) accounts of various struggles were tedious for me. But I came around in the second half, as he walked us through many aspects of his father’s work and the malpractice suit that resulted in his father returning to Pakistan to grow mangoes.
End-to-end, the storytelling is a little bumpy but I appreciate the insights. I am grateful for this view on America’s problems - it fills some gaps in “Hillbilly Elegy.”
The very tidy sequential “homeland” references should have tipped me off to this not being fully autobiographical. So … I am giving it another star. This was pretty good and I’m glad I read it- even more so that it was his voice reading it in Audible. I’m curious about Akhtar’s other writing.
End-to-end, the storytelling is a little bumpy but I appreciate the insights. I am grateful for this view on America’s problems - it fills some gaps in “Hillbilly Elegy.”
The very tidy sequential “homeland” references should have tipped me off to this not being fully autobiographical. So … I am giving it another star. This was pretty good and I’m glad I read it- even more so that it was his voice reading it in Audible. I’m curious about Akhtar’s other writing.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Prefacing this review by saying that I had to read this for an English class
Homeland Elegies
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (3.5/5)
Is this a book I would have read for fun? No. Did I enjoy it? Debatable. Was this still a fascinating read? Yes.
Homeland Elegies is my first foray into the genre of autofiction. While some parts of the book seem to hint at a real-life connection, others are clearly fabricated. This does not make it an easy read, but boy is it an interesting one. Akhtar adeptly weaves together a story that is both entirely plausible and immensely incomprehensible. From an English student perspective, it is fascinating. From the perspective of the average reader, it is baffling.
Overall, this book provides something of a dichotomy for me. On the one hand, there were parts I really enjoyed and thought were thoroughly engaging. I put like 50 tabs in my book and found a lot of cool quotes, especially related to the act of writing. However, some parts felt like a slog to read through and I had to skim a couple areas because I was not vibing.
At first the line between fiction and non-fiction felt like something I needed to define. Ok, this seems real, but that seems fake. Overtime I felt that instinct slide away and I just tried to take the book as something else entirely. That experience in itself is incredibly interesting, but it is not really enough to keep someone engaged in the act of reading this. Ultimately, this is not a book you should go into thinking it will be a fun and simple read. Expect that your mind will be tested and you'll begin to question what, if anything, in this book is the truth.
Homeland Elegies
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (3.5/5)
Is this a book I would have read for fun? No. Did I enjoy it? Debatable. Was this still a fascinating read? Yes.
Homeland Elegies is my first foray into the genre of autofiction. While some parts of the book seem to hint at a real-life connection, others are clearly fabricated. This does not make it an easy read, but boy is it an interesting one. Akhtar adeptly weaves together a story that is both entirely plausible and immensely incomprehensible. From an English student perspective, it is fascinating. From the perspective of the average reader, it is baffling.
Overall, this book provides something of a dichotomy for me. On the one hand, there were parts I really enjoyed and thought were thoroughly engaging. I put like 50 tabs in my book and found a lot of cool quotes, especially related to the act of writing. However, some parts felt like a slog to read through and I had to skim a couple areas because I was not vibing.
At first the line between fiction and non-fiction felt like something I needed to define. Ok, this seems real, but that seems fake. Overtime I felt that instinct slide away and I just tried to take the book as something else entirely. That experience in itself is incredibly interesting, but it is not really enough to keep someone engaged in the act of reading this. Ultimately, this is not a book you should go into thinking it will be a fun and simple read. Expect that your mind will be tested and you'll begin to question what, if anything, in this book is the truth.
A vivid description of what it is like to be born in and live in a place where you do not feel like you are accepted or welcome. While the US is not unique in making those who are not of the majority tribe feel welcome or like they belong, many probably still believe that we are welcoming and accepting.
While the author invites the reader into his experiences and portrays this theme well, he seemed a little too impressed and spent more time than necessary describing his sexhal exploits. I don't know how exactly that fit into the theme of the narrative. Still overall quite enjoyable.
While the author invites the reader into his experiences and portrays this theme well, he seemed a little too impressed and spent more time than necessary describing his sexhal exploits. I don't know how exactly that fit into the theme of the narrative. Still overall quite enjoyable.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Incredible.
I am obsessed with his play Disgraced and felt like I had prior knowledge that helped me enjoy this book a little more.
I’m having a hard time trying to describe what this book is about except that it perfectly describes the america we are currently living in. Personal, global, and so smart.
You’ll want to spend some time with this one.
I am obsessed with his play Disgraced and felt like I had prior knowledge that helped me enjoy this book a little more.
I’m having a hard time trying to describe what this book is about except that it perfectly describes the america we are currently living in. Personal, global, and so smart.
You’ll want to spend some time with this one.
因为个人没有宗教信仰，所以书中的一些观点也让我重新意识到基督教对于美国的影响。但文中提及但归属感的缺失是我十分能共情的。
除此之外，另一个串联文章的线索就是和父亲的关系，联想我的经历，还是十分庆幸不用担忧、顾虑家人的行为。
会推荐，有机会也会重读中文版。
除此之外，另一个串联文章的线索就是和父亲的关系，联想我的经历，还是十分庆幸不用担忧、顾虑家人的行为。
会推荐，有机会也会重读中文版。
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
reflective
medium-paced