A review by alexandras_reads
The Idiot by Elif Batuman

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

5.0

 
The Idiot - Elif Batuman 
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I have so much to say about this book. While reading, I was constantly thinking about my inner voice. The Idiot is told through the perspective of Selin, a first-year student at Harvard who is the daughter of Turkish immigrants. Because I’m also a daughter of immigrants, I convinced myself that this book would be the most relatable book ever… but I was wrong! 
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Selin’s inner voice is so particular. She and her best friend think about life and small, arguably mundane events as if they are groundbreaking. Selin seems to analyze each event, each day, and each interaction as unrelated, even though she believes that she views life as one big event. I also felt a bit like an idiot when reading this book. The topics discussed by Selin, Svetlana, Ivan, and other characters were so cerebral and philosophical that I genuinely had difficulty keeping up. 
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This is not to say that I did not enjoy the book, though. While I felt very different than Selin, I think Batuman did an amazing job characterizing a young, 20 something-year-old woman who is trying to make sense of her life. The way she experiences her life in almost a passive manner yet tries to make sense of everything, felt pretty relatable. I also really enjoyed her dynamic with Svetlana. They were both complete opposites and exactly the same, which balanced their friendship out perfectly. 
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Reading The Idiot made me think about things I normally ignore. I questioned the value of the conversations I have in my own head, and why I pick and choose what to question in my everyday life. Also, I felt so seen when reading about Selin’s relationship with being Turkish-American. She mentions something about never being enough American or enough Turkish to identify with one over the other, which I think is often a unique experience to first-generation immigrants. 
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I really enjoyed reading this book. If you like books that are coming-of-age but wouldn't be taught in AP Lit, pick this one up asap.