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jordanian_reads_'s review against another edition
5.0
I am still reeling from the conclusion to Sonora Jha’s most recent novel. The Laughter is a campus novel, narrated by Dr. Oliver Harding, an aging white male college professor who becomes fixated with his Pakistani colleague, Ruhaba Khan, and her nephew. The story is set against the backdrop of campus protests, placing the two main characters at cross-purposes; Khan supports students’ demands for change and Dr. Harding represents the old guard of academia at which these demands take aim.
The Laughter was a challenging read for me, since Harding is the most repugnant narrator I’ve experienced in some time. I also felt reluctant to return to the 2016 election, the period in which the book is set. Even so, I’m glad I trusted the reviews and picked up this book – it’s angry, nuanced and absolutely fascinating. Jha’s novel reads like a thriller, and once I hit the halfway mark, I couldn’t put The Laughter down.
I can’t wait for this book to be published, so I can discuss it with friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC.
The Laughter was a challenging read for me, since Harding is the most repugnant narrator I’ve experienced in some time. I also felt reluctant to return to the 2016 election, the period in which the book is set. Even so, I’m glad I trusted the reviews and picked up this book – it’s angry, nuanced and absolutely fascinating. Jha’s novel reads like a thriller, and once I hit the halfway mark, I couldn’t put The Laughter down.
I can’t wait for this book to be published, so I can discuss it with friends. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC.
givemehotdogs's review against another edition
4.5
I honestly couldn't have predicted where this book would lead, and in fact it managed to stun me. Wow.
fmurray97's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rimamandwee's review against another edition
5.0
If you ever have me in a situation where you need someone to rant excessively, keep it interesting, and get controversial (is this a need anyone ever has? maybe in an airport lounge waiting for a flight with some free wine), ask me about Lolita. I’ll stand up. I’ll pull out my notes. I’ll find a microphone. There is no book that has ever fucked me up the way Lolita did, and I think, perhaps, MAYBE it should be required reading (big asterisks around this because maybe it could have some horrible implications, but I also reject the notion that the existence of a book like Lolita could “enable” p*d*ph*l**).
THE POINT IS, The Laughter takes the structure and premise of Lolita, the part that makes it brilliantly fucked up and twisted and thrilling and mind-bending, and flips it into a modern situation in the era of the 2016 election. Dr. Oliver Harding, an aging, white, divorced man and academic, has completely fetishized and become obsessed with his colleague Ruhaba, a Pakistani Muslim hijabi professor of law. It is not a story about the power dynamics around age - it is a story of power dynamics with men who feel entirely and completely entitled to not only sexualize women but call themselves a victim to a woman’s divine femininity. Similar to Lolita, the story in the form of a letter written from Dr. Oliver to law enforcement trying to plead his case (we don’t learn what the case is until the final pages of the book), a perspective we as a reader are responsible for remembering (just like in Lolita, the writing makes it extraordinarily difficult to remember the context). The additional benefit is the author’s searing criticism of academia, which was the perfect context and environment to make this novel so real and touching that I would have believed her, easily, if she said it’s a true story.
An explosive examination of toxic masculinity, misogyny, white rage, racism, and xenophobia, this book is as infuriating and evil as it is brilliant and accurate. I cannot in good faith recommend it if you are a person who prefers to only read happy books. But I also cannot in good faith pretend to understand that kind of lifestyle choice.
THE POINT IS, The Laughter takes the structure and premise of Lolita, the part that makes it brilliantly fucked up and twisted and thrilling and mind-bending, and flips it into a modern situation in the era of the 2016 election. Dr. Oliver Harding, an aging, white, divorced man and academic, has completely fetishized and become obsessed with his colleague Ruhaba, a Pakistani Muslim hijabi professor of law. It is not a story about the power dynamics around age - it is a story of power dynamics with men who feel entirely and completely entitled to not only sexualize women but call themselves a victim to a woman’s divine femininity. Similar to Lolita, the story in the form of a letter written from Dr. Oliver to law enforcement trying to plead his case (we don’t learn what the case is until the final pages of the book), a perspective we as a reader are responsible for remembering (just like in Lolita, the writing makes it extraordinarily difficult to remember the context). The additional benefit is the author’s searing criticism of academia, which was the perfect context and environment to make this novel so real and touching that I would have believed her, easily, if she said it’s a true story.
An explosive examination of toxic masculinity, misogyny, white rage, racism, and xenophobia, this book is as infuriating and evil as it is brilliant and accurate. I cannot in good faith recommend it if you are a person who prefers to only read happy books. But I also cannot in good faith pretend to understand that kind of lifestyle choice.
desireeslibrary's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars rounded up
On the surface, The Laughter takes place at the University of Seattle a few months prior to the 2016 Presidential Election, and centers around Oliver Harding, a middle-aged Cisgender white male English professor, as he narrates his account of a series of events that include his obsession with his colleague, Rhumba Khan, a Pakistani hijab-wearing Muslim Law professor.
Boy do I love a book that gets under your skin and make you uncomfortable. Oliver's narration pissed me off and made me cringe and yet I couldn't put it down. Reading the pov of a middle-aged, misogynistic, islamaphobic, Trump-sympathizing, racist, narcissistic white man in academia was really difficult at times. It felt like being unable to look away from a car crash. A huge part of the reason that the story is so compelling is because of the abhorrence you feel towards Oliver.It's definitely a slow-burn and more of a character-driven novel. But, oh my god the things you find out????
Jha delivered a beautiful deconstruction of politics, race, identity, religion, diversity, terrorism, gender, etc. This was by no means an easy read, but such a compelling and important one. I loved this so much and it is definitely one of my favorites of the year.
"Even her laughter was tinged with her rage."
On the surface, The Laughter takes place at the University of Seattle a few months prior to the 2016 Presidential Election, and centers around Oliver Harding, a middle-aged Cisgender white male English professor, as he narrates his account of a series of events that include his obsession with his colleague, Rhumba Khan, a Pakistani hijab-wearing Muslim Law professor.
Boy do I love a book that gets under your skin and make you uncomfortable. Oliver's narration pissed me off and made me cringe and yet I couldn't put it down. Reading the pov of a middle-aged, misogynistic, islamaphobic, Trump-sympathizing, racist, narcissistic white man in academia was really difficult at times. It felt like being unable to look away from a car crash. A huge part of the reason that the story is so compelling is because of the abhorrence you feel towards Oliver.It's definitely a slow-burn and more of a character-driven novel. But, oh my god the things you find out????
Jha delivered a beautiful deconstruction of politics, race, identity, religion, diversity, terrorism, gender, etc. This was by no means an easy read, but such a compelling and important one. I loved this so much and it is definitely one of my favorites of the year.
"Few things can simply happen. Few moments can simply emerge, grow, and reach a resolution within the walls of a home and within the words of people gathered, present. Those far way, in their homes, on their computers, are present here, and they know it. There's no fear of missing out on a live event that you hadn't planned to document anyway. If it ends up being significant, it will find its way into pictures and videos. The only place to fear not being present is on your device. That's where you are either in or out of sight, in or out of mind."
divinedk's review against another edition
1.0
insufferable piece of work. appreciate the inclusiveness of the book but it wasnt enough to save the disgusting feeling i got from reading the book. the mc being a weirdo and just a creep, there isnt anything that was keeping me to continue reading. nothing impressive, even the plot twist it didnt cause me to have a reaction. yeah sure whatever wouldnt be thinking about this book anymore
valmai's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Being inside Oliver’s head was brutal. He justifies all of his misogyny and Islamophobia repeatedly while never critically examining his horrific actions. The driest satire with some of the most horrific and also intriguing characters. Jha is incredible.