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A review by m4heeen
Moth Smoke by Mohsin Hamid
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I don't really know where to begin but all I know is that I have mixed feelings.
Obviously the characters were intentionally insufferable and bad people but I still didn't find it engaging or entertaining. I think the writing was a little scrappy and the Hamad's extended metaphors were more often than not iffy and unaffective. I don't think it was inherently bad but I can't find anything good to say about it either.
What I did like was the way he explored class. Daru was such a blatant hypocrite, he complained about those who were richer than him and how unaware and out of touch they were, he complained about not being able to afford air conditioning and how the rich viewed him differently. But when Manucci asked for his pay or anything that bothered him, he turned into the people he hated. I really like that Hamad added this to the novel as it is so common in upper middle class Pakistani society.
Obviously the characters were intentionally insufferable and bad people but I still didn't find it engaging or entertaining. I think the writing was a little scrappy and the Hamad's extended metaphors were more often than not iffy and unaffective. I don't think it was inherently bad but I can't find anything good to say about it either.
What I did like was the way he explored class. Daru was such a blatant hypocrite, he complained about those who were richer than him and how unaware and out of touch they were, he complained about not being able to afford air conditioning and how the rich viewed him differently. But when Manucci asked for his pay or anything that bothered him, he turned into the people he hated. I really like that Hamad added this to the novel as it is so common in upper middle class Pakistani society.