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jamchow 's review for:
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
by Mohsin Hamid
Initially I had 3 stars because for some reason this book didn't have an emotional impact on me which is odd because it firstly right up my ally, half Pakistani, identity crisis, mental health issues you know it's seemingly relatable, but I think it has more of an intellectual one instead which is why I bumped it to 4 stars.
To start, this is the first book I think I've ever read in second person which is a very bold narrative choice. I respect trying something new (I read Exit West by Mohsin Hamid and it was also very "playful" for a lack of a better word) and I think Hamid does a good job with that, however, it wasn't my favorite. I think it could be cheesy and distracting. Secondly, the romance didn't totally work for me, I don't know there was a disconnect with that plot line for me. What worked for me was the general arc of Changez life (even though some of it was very stressful to me). I think also that he was a complex, well-fleshed out character even though it's a short read. I really appreciated the themes and "message" of the book.I often don't encounter pieces of literature that question America's motives and attitudes towards the rest of the world which is both surprising and unsurprising. I mean outside of America, America is one of if not the most hated country in the world, but I obviously consume mostly American works (I would even suggest that I make a conscious effort to seek out diverse storytellers, but even then, through media and my upbringing, it's almost indoctrination). The ending was a bit iffy for me, I don't like it being ambiguous, but it will make me think about it for days to come.
To start, this is the first book I think I've ever read in second person which is a very bold narrative choice. I respect trying something new (I read Exit West by Mohsin Hamid and it was also very "playful" for a lack of a better word) and I think Hamid does a good job with that, however, it wasn't my favorite. I think it could be cheesy and distracting. Secondly, the romance didn't totally work for me, I don't know there was a disconnect with that plot line for me. What worked for me was the general arc of Changez life (even though some of it was very stressful to me). I think also that he was a complex, well-fleshed out character even though it's a short read. I really appreciated the themes and "message" of the book.I often don't encounter pieces of literature that question America's motives and attitudes towards the rest of the world which is both surprising and unsurprising. I mean outside of America, America is one of if not the most hated country in the world, but I obviously consume mostly American works (I would even suggest that I make a conscious effort to seek out diverse storytellers, but even then, through media and my upbringing, it's almost indoctrination). The ending was a bit iffy for me, I don't like it being ambiguous, but it will make me think about it for days to come.