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A review by mirrortower
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
3.75
I read this back in December. At the time, the first half of the book resonated so heavily with me that I expected the second half too as well, and when it didn't, I was disappointed. Coming back to it, I wanted to give it more of a chance than I did the first time.
I still enjoy Either/Or better than The Idiot. The first half of this book is still better to me than the second. But Selin no longer seems like a total pushover to me like how she did the first time I read it. I'm more sympathetic to her now -- something I probably should have been in the first place, considering how similar to her I feel. I still don't find the novel funny as a defining characteristic, but there are funny pieces. Batuman has the ability to write passages that are both factual and feel like they should be metaphorically applicable to any number of situations, in the world and in my case, in my personal life. Bumped up a little on the rating.
I still enjoy Either/Or better than The Idiot. The first half of this book is still better to me than the second. But Selin no longer seems like a total pushover to me like how she did the first time I read it. I'm more sympathetic to her now -- something I probably should have been in the first place, considering how similar to her I feel. I still don't find the novel funny as a defining characteristic, but there are funny pieces. Batuman has the ability to write passages that are both factual and feel like they should be metaphorically applicable to any number of situations, in the world and in my case, in my personal life. Bumped up a little on the rating.