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A review by jennicakes
Harvard Square by André Aciman
3.0
The first thing this book made me think of was this list: http://www.buzzfeed.com/doree/books-you-need-to-read-in-your-20s, which includes some genuinely great stuff, but also a shit ton of bougie whining.
Two things about the book are pleasantly unique: 1.) The main character is from Egypt, and the book is largely populated by non-white characters. But, again, his problems are largely... well, he's at HARVARD. He has Harvard problems. Poor baby. 2.) It details the course of a difficult friendship in a realistic and insightful way.
The prose is beautiful. The setting was a bonus for me, but won't get you excited about Cambridge unless you're predisposed to get excited about urban Massachusetts in specific, and academic stories in general.
On its own merits, pretty good, but compared to similar books, probably skippable.
Two things about the book are pleasantly unique: 1.) The main character is from Egypt, and the book is largely populated by non-white characters. But, again, his problems are largely... well, he's at HARVARD. He has Harvard problems. Poor baby. 2.) It details the course of a difficult friendship in a realistic and insightful way.
The prose is beautiful. The setting was a bonus for me, but won't get you excited about Cambridge unless you're predisposed to get excited about urban Massachusetts in specific, and academic stories in general.
On its own merits, pretty good, but compared to similar books, probably skippable.