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A review by misspalah
Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
Yes, the Pakistani homeland he'd hated for the entirety of his American life—or so he'd led us all to believe-was now his homeland again. And it didn't seem to bother him one bit. He'd been in Pakistan just about a year when I finally confessed I was almost finished with a book in which I wrote it out-what had happened to him and her and to me in our American jour-neys. I was surprised how lackadaisically he took the news. There was no entreaty to deal with him justly, no admonition to strike a fair balance about my American homeland. Instead, he had this to add about his own experience and suggested I might not want to leave it out: That when he thought of the place now, America, he found it hard to believe he'd spent so much of his life there. As much as he'd always wanted to think of himself as American, the truth was he'd only ever aspired to the condition. Looking back, he said, he realized he'd been playing a role so much of that time, a role he'd taken for real. There was no harm in it; he'd just gotten tired of playing the part. "I had a good life there, so many good years. I'm grateful to America. It gave me you! But I'm glad to be back in Pakistan, beta. I'm glad to be home.
- Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
.
This book can be a hit or miss, depending on who’s reading it. For me, I really liked it—at least until I found out that parts of it were made up, which felt strange since it’s supposed to be a memoir. I enjoyed reading about Ayad Akhtar’s father more than Ayad himself. Even though I didn’t agree with everything his father did, I understood why he wanted so badly to feel like he belonged in America. His deep desire to fit in, even with all the struggles and compromises, was both sad and relatable. It really shows what it’s like to be an immigrant in America. I think the book’s title connects both to his father’s story and to Ayad’s own feelings about the USA, the country where he was born. I read this book when I was feeling pretty open-minded, so while it’s easy to see Ayad as someone who just wanted to fit into rich and powerful circles, I saw it as part of his growth. His story is a lot like what many of us go through: starting off with big dreams (he really admired America because of his father), then getting disappointed (he faced racism and unfair treatment because he’s not white), and finally seeing things in a more balanced way (realizing the USA isn’t perfect but can improve). I can see why some Muslims might not like this book. Ayad is open about how he doesn’t practice Islam much anymore—he drinks alcohol and has casual relationships—which might make his talks about Islam feel off to some people. But he often uses his own experiences to explore what it’s like to be both Muslim and American, looking at stereotypes and misunderstandings. Even if you don’t agree with him, I think it’s important to respect that his experience is his own. Overall, I found this book refreshing and thought-provoking. It’s controversial and might make you mad at times, but it does a great job of showing how complicated it is to be an immigrant in America, especially as a person of color.
- Homeland Elegies by Ayad Akhtar
.
This book can be a hit or miss, depending on who’s reading it. For me, I really liked it—at least until I found out that parts of it were made up, which felt strange since it’s supposed to be a memoir. I enjoyed reading about Ayad Akhtar’s father more than Ayad himself. Even though I didn’t agree with everything his father did, I understood why he wanted so badly to feel like he belonged in America. His deep desire to fit in, even with all the struggles and compromises, was both sad and relatable. It really shows what it’s like to be an immigrant in America. I think the book’s title connects both to his father’s story and to Ayad’s own feelings about the USA, the country where he was born. I read this book when I was feeling pretty open-minded, so while it’s easy to see Ayad as someone who just wanted to fit into rich and powerful circles, I saw it as part of his growth. His story is a lot like what many of us go through: starting off with big dreams (he really admired America because of his father), then getting disappointed (he faced racism and unfair treatment because he’s not white), and finally seeing things in a more balanced way (realizing the USA isn’t perfect but can improve). I can see why some Muslims might not like this book. Ayad is open about how he doesn’t practice Islam much anymore—he drinks alcohol and has casual relationships—which might make his talks about Islam feel off to some people. But he often uses his own experiences to explore what it’s like to be both Muslim and American, looking at stereotypes and misunderstandings. Even if you don’t agree with him, I think it’s important to respect that his experience is his own. Overall, I found this book refreshing and thought-provoking. It’s controversial and might make you mad at times, but it does a great job of showing how complicated it is to be an immigrant in America, especially as a person of color.