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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
well written - but in the end I realised I did not care what happened; so not a book for me I guess.
What a wonderful novel. Full of rich characters and settings, with a great story arc. One of my favourite endings, too.
A great novel, and a wonderful window into a culture and experience not my own, as the book depicts a Bangladeshi Muslim woman who moves to London for an arranged marriage, and the ways she adapts and changes over the years. The main character is a fascinating, smart woman, and Monica Ali also does a wonderful job developing the other characters.
I picked up this book in a used book store on Koh Tao in Thailand that alphabetized its collection by author's first name. I just had to add that little detail. I decided to read it because so much of the criticism I was reading about British Caribbean authors kept referring to her book as groundbreaking.
The author that she reminds me of most is Dickens because of the characters she creates and the setting of council housing. She captures the meagerness, unease, and almost impossibility of achieving even basic dreams like a Dickens novel. An example of what I am talking about is the money lender, Mrs. Islam's treatment of the family. The limited scope of Nazneen's life in London seems accurate based on poverty and culture. I love when she refers to a picture she has of the England she has never seen.
It is significant that most of Ali's comments on political and religious activities and conflicts are through Nazneen's very reasonable point of view.
I thought her vehicle of letters from Hasina was an interesting and effective technique, but didn't quite come together in the end.
One thing I really admired was how Ali portrayed the pain involved in Nazneen's decision to stay in London with her children and the way she showed Nazneen's love for Chanu. The way her mother hangs around her life like a spectre was well done also.
Most of all, I loved her portrayal of Chanu. He was full of contradictions and so ineffectual in almost everything he did - buffoon-like, but loveable at the same time. While his lack of success might have had a lot to do with his personality, it is also true that it's difficult to make your way in a new place, and she showed that very subtlely. He was obviously very intelligent, but this was only recognized by Dr. Azad, and didn't help him succeed.
The author that she reminds me of most is Dickens because of the characters she creates and the setting of council housing. She captures the meagerness, unease, and almost impossibility of achieving even basic dreams like a Dickens novel. An example of what I am talking about is the money lender, Mrs. Islam's treatment of the family. The limited scope of Nazneen's life in London seems accurate based on poverty and culture. I love when she refers to a picture she has of the England she has never seen.
It is significant that most of Ali's comments on political and religious activities and conflicts are through Nazneen's very reasonable point of view.
I thought her vehicle of letters from Hasina was an interesting and effective technique, but didn't quite come together in the end.
One thing I really admired was how Ali portrayed the pain involved in Nazneen's decision to stay in London with her children and the way she showed Nazneen's love for Chanu. The way her mother hangs around her life like a spectre was well done also.
Most of all, I loved her portrayal of Chanu. He was full of contradictions and so ineffectual in almost everything he did - buffoon-like, but loveable at the same time. While his lack of success might have had a lot to do with his personality, it is also true that it's difficult to make your way in a new place, and she showed that very subtlely. He was obviously very intelligent, but this was only recognized by Dr. Azad, and didn't help him succeed.
A close study of a woman living quite a constrained life, but it kept me involved through good writing.
A interesting and honest take on the cultural diversity and exclusion that comes with moving to England.
I decided to re-read Brick Lane after listening to Monica Ali talking on Woman’s Hour recently. (A UK radio programme.) I’m so glad I did! There are lots of reviewers who found this too slow or too wordy and perhaps it could have been edited a bit more thoroughly, but the story explores so many interesting themes around immigration, assimilation, the role of women, love, loyalty and marriage amongst others. These issues are just as relevant now as they were when this book was written in 2003.
The protagonist, Nazneen, grows up in Bangladesh but at 16, is married off to a much older man who she’s never met and who lives in Brick Lane, London. It is a huge culture shock for her. She has no English and is initially terribly isolated but gradually she begins to grow in confidence and make a few friends.
Nazneen has been brought up to accept her fate, to be passive and to accept the greater wisdom of men but by the end of the story, she is ready and able to take charge of her own destiny.
I love this book. Monica Ali writes so beautifully and there are some wonderfully unforgettable characters!
The protagonist, Nazneen, grows up in Bangladesh but at 16, is married off to a much older man who she’s never met and who lives in Brick Lane, London. It is a huge culture shock for her. She has no English and is initially terribly isolated but gradually she begins to grow in confidence and make a few friends.
Nazneen has been brought up to accept her fate, to be passive and to accept the greater wisdom of men but by the end of the story, she is ready and able to take charge of her own destiny.
I love this book. Monica Ali writes so beautifully and there are some wonderfully unforgettable characters!
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
At least the end was worth all the other pages. It was just a long way getting there. I didn't mind the format, or the added letters (which some in my book club objected too). It just wasn't...enough. Something seems missing but I can't explain what it lacks. Again, after finishing I was glad I did so at least it concludes well.
*edited*
I decided to up it a star after reading the other reviews. As a book about a woman who has been brought up to give her life to fate and then slowly becomes a woman who realizes she has the power to change her fate it's good. But I kind of lost sight of that theme while reading. I suppose that says something about the book as well...
*edited*
I decided to up it a star after reading the other reviews. As a book about a woman who has been brought up to give her life to fate and then slowly becomes a woman who realizes she has the power to change her fate it's good. But I kind of lost sight of that theme while reading. I suppose that says something about the book as well...