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tsharris's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written, surprisingly moving in ways that I didn't expect, and a lyrical presentation of the societies that billions of people are living in today.
marta0r's review against another edition
4.0
I've never before read a book written in second person, so that definitely intrigued me to begin with when I heard about it. I think it worked really well, and I liked getting to step into the shoes of someone with an identity and life so different from my own. I really enjoyed the writing, which made me feel like I was actually there as the story was happening, and loved getting to see the main character's whole life - I found his childhood and elderly times especially interesting!
noodal's review against another edition
4.0
A nice, quick read and an intriguing concept. It is simultaneously evidently not set in a Western, advanced economy setting, but vague enough to be relatable across multiple country contexts across Asia. Though many human experiences are shared, there are still those that are so specific that it feels like our own - and even that sentiment is one that all people can empathize with.
dbg108's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant second-person narration. Such a lovely, haunting, and hopeful book.
camilleisreading24's review against another edition
4.0
This book was cool. Told in 2nd POV and styled as a self-help/how-to book, it traces the rise from poverty to riches of a nameless young man ('you') in an unspecified country in Asia (my guess is India). Over the years (and this brief novel traces his entire life) the boy encounters 'the pretty girl,' who also rises from the slums, first as a model, then a movie star, then an interior designer. The boy peddles in bottled water and eventually builds his business empire on commodifying thirst. The writing style is unique and intriguing, and because there are no references to current events, it feels as though the tale takes place in a perpetual present.
sbhatnag's review against another edition
4.0
Mohsin Hamid is f**king brilliant. While not of the blow-your-mind variety, How To Get Filthy Rich.., was a page turner and does what all great books should do: it lingers..
misha_ali's review against another edition
2.0
One night after finishing this I have trouble recalling most of the characters and events. Utterly unmemorable, especially since the protagonist is always "you" and his lady love is always "the pretty girl". I gave it an extra star because in the final three chapters it actually seemed like we were getting to know more about the characters. It still only gets two stars because too little, too late.
thewakeless's review against another edition
5.0
Although I think this is his weakest novel (that I have read) it is still excellent, fast paced, through-provoking and entirely new. Could not praise this writer enough.
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
The narrative style of this book drew me in immediately and didn't let me go until it was over. I loved the second person narration (surprisingly for me) and the snarky, irreverent tone of the self-help sections. The way Hamid gives the reader such a full picture of people, relationships or situations with so few words is amazing. I liked reading about the protagonist, but loved everything we got to know about the pretty girl. There are no names or places in this story, but everything is so specific and clearly drawn that after the first moment of noticing that nobody was given a name, I didn't really notice anymore. The ending is lovely, and especially the reflections on how books are a collaboration between their authors and readers, different every time.
karenreads1000s's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure why I struggled to quickly read this short book. The writer's voice as the narrator was entertaining. The book's whole plot actually was very creative. It included the man's whole life. His financial rise and fall. His enduring love for the pretty girl.