A review by davidamarion
The Laughter by Sonora Jha

challenging dark funny tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Dr Oliver Harding, a self-absorbed white, creep of a professor, considers himself an open-minded man, a center-leaning liberal. Jha's narrative has him juxtaposing his internalized sexism and racism (which centers around his fixation on his colleague Dr Ruhaba Khan, a Pakistani woman who wears a hijab) with this self-perception. The novel is funny and dark -- Harding wears his self-perception as armor even as he reveals the vilest bitterness and excuses for his own behavior. 
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