Scan barcode
A review by celestesbookshelf
The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid
reflective
medium-paced
The Reluctant Fundamentalist -
Mohsin Hamid
đź”– 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list
🗺️ The StoryGraph Reads the World Challenge
🇵🇰 Pakistan pick
đź’ ramblings:
I had had this on my TBR for years and the StoryGraph challenge finally prompted me to pick it up.
The whole story takes place in one sitting as MC tells his experience in America to a tourist.
Our main character, Changez, is in NYC on a work visa from Pakistan. He quickly falls in love with a woman named Am(Erica). He becomes disillusioned since his feelings are unable to be accepted by Erica because of mental health she’s battling after demise of her ex boyfriend.
Changez loses sight of his goal in America because he’s completely engrossed in Erica. This leads to him losing his job and thus his work visa. He returns to Pakistan to be a burden to his financially struggling family. At the beginning of the novel he fantasized that he’d be his family’s hero by attaining financial success in America.
A metaphor for immigrants losing their identity or maybe struggling to find it? in America. It’s the American Dream personified, unattainable because of its preconceived notions.
The ending leads the reader wanting, I don’t know if Changez ever found his identity. I don’t know if he ever settles into a career to help his family. And we don’t know if the American tourist was there to harm Changez. The ending, much like an individuals notion of the American Dream, is left to the readers imagination.
Mohsin Hamid
đź”– 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list
🗺️ The StoryGraph Reads the World Challenge
🇵🇰 Pakistan pick
đź’ ramblings:
I had had this on my TBR for years and the StoryGraph challenge finally prompted me to pick it up.
The whole story takes place in one sitting as MC tells his experience in America to a tourist.
Our main character, Changez, is in NYC on a work visa from Pakistan. He quickly falls in love with a woman named Am(Erica). He becomes disillusioned since his feelings are unable to be accepted by Erica because of mental health she’s battling after demise of her ex boyfriend.
Changez loses sight of his goal in America because he’s completely engrossed in Erica. This leads to him losing his job and thus his work visa. He returns to Pakistan to be a burden to his financially struggling family. At the beginning of the novel he fantasized that he’d be his family’s hero by attaining financial success in America.
A metaphor for immigrants losing their identity or maybe struggling to find it? in America. It’s the American Dream personified, unattainable because of its preconceived notions.
The ending leads the reader wanting, I don’t know if Changez ever found his identity. I don’t know if he ever settles into a career to help his family. And we don’t know if the American tourist was there to harm Changez. The ending, much like an individuals notion of the American Dream, is left to the readers imagination.