Reviews tagging 'Xenophobia'

De naamgenoot by Jhumpa Lahiri

5 reviews

writersrelief's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional sad slow-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

5.0

 
An epic family saga, an intimate personal journey, a thought-provoking exploration of identity and its many intersections: All of these phrases accurately describe Jhumpa Lahiri’s modern classic THE NAMESAKE. 
 
The namesake of the title, Gogol, is the son of Indian immigrants who have made a new life in the Boston suburbs. His father, an MIT professor and a devoted fan of the Russian author Nikolai Gogol, is a survivor of a devastating train crash. Since he was reading the short stories of Gogol at the time of the accident, he chooses to give his son this name. Gogol, for his part, struggles with this name and what it ultimately means for him. This journey of coming to terms with his identity as an Indian-American—and how it impacts his life as he grows up, attends college, and gets a job as an architect—is the beating heart of THE NAMESAKE. 
 
In addition to Gogol, Lahiri also dedicates chunks of the novel to the supporting characters (particularly Gogol’s parents), providing a lovely contrast in their experiences as immigrants. The amount of detail and psychology Lahiri invests in her characters makes them feel real and palatable. Lahiri’s prose is straightforward, sharp, clean, and precise; assuredly guiding the reader through years and decades in the lives of this family. 
 
At approximately 290 pages, THE NAMESAKE is a relatively brief book, but Lahiri’s writing and characters make it feel much more expansive and epic. Some readers may find the pacing too slow, but those who love character-driven stories will be thrilled by this book. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

tashtasher's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

theemeraldgirl23's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow! This book was amazing! I have never felt more truly represented by a novel in my entire life. The story of Gogol Ganguli and his immigrant family living in America just spoke to me. As an Indian myself, this book was the first I've read that I could actually relate to. I should've expected what would happen by the end, but it was just so exciting to read. The novel is basically a walkthrough of Gogol's life as it happens, his struggles with accepting his Bengali background, changing his name, his ultimately failed relationships, and just everything with his life. It ends up being full circle as he learns to appreciate the name he was given at the end when he read the collection of short stories by Nikolai Gogol given to him by his father at 14. I loved how he ended up coming to terms with his identity and his name as he has struggled with that his entire life. I highly recommend this story as a tale about family, relationships, and the Indian experience. It was beautiful! 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

emersonseyeball's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

debookgeek's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad 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

3.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings
More...