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A review by dahabow
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
3.0
Rating: 3.5
People write what they know. For the most part, I've found that to be true, especially when reading the acknowledgments. Readers read what they want. This is true in my case but the reason I picked this book up was because I'd seen a video that mentioned it and saw that people called it strange and I don't learn my lesson. Because it was dubbed strange, I just had to get it and see what it was about.
The first 1/3 of this book was a sludge. The opening was alright but spending so much time in the repetitive setting of university was slowly making me lose my patience. I just wanted summer to begin because I knew that at the very least, Selin would interact with other people, outside of some of the pretentious figures at Harvard. And she did! And for once, I was actually laughing while reading this book and enjoying myself. There is repetition throughout the book but it became more tolerable due to the pretentious characters giving us a break from their headache inducing examination of language, the world and how "they're not like other people". This vanity struck me odd because as a former graduate, I've seen people who view themselves as intellects in the traditional sense and I just...really hate that. The narcissism is palpable and to escape it in a Hungarian village was a much needed respite.
I did appreciate some discussions regarding language, especially the topic of loan words- as a bilingual individual, who is learning other languages, I've often come across loan words in my ethnic language. Loan words are adopted into a language in different ways. Usually, it is via colonialism that loan words prop up in a language that doesn't share the same linguistic group as the colonisers. In the case of The Idiot, it appeared that loan words existed because of colonialism so I felt validated in that instance. I'm not a linguist myself but I appreciated it. I just didn't appreciate Ivan.
I do agree this is a strange book. It's definitely not for everyone. It follows Selin's first year at university and the experiences that shape her.
SPOILERS!!!
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I found it funny how the book ends with Selin saying she's learnt nothing at all. From what we saw in her brain, during her interactions both in and out of college, it's clear she's not the same girl but it's bizarre to think that she can't see that herself. I guess when there's an Ivan, it can feel like the world is duller...though I hate him. I just find him to be a bit of a sadist, with how he manipulates Selin.
People write what they know. For the most part, I've found that to be true, especially when reading the acknowledgments. Readers read what they want. This is true in my case but the reason I picked this book up was because I'd seen a video that mentioned it and saw that people called it strange and I don't learn my lesson. Because it was dubbed strange, I just had to get it and see what it was about.
The first 1/3 of this book was a sludge. The opening was alright but spending so much time in the repetitive setting of university was slowly making me lose my patience. I just wanted summer to begin because I knew that at the very least, Selin would interact with other people, outside of some of the pretentious figures at Harvard. And she did! And for once, I was actually laughing while reading this book and enjoying myself. There is repetition throughout the book but it became more tolerable due to the pretentious characters giving us a break from their headache inducing examination of language, the world and how "they're not like other people". This vanity struck me odd because as a former graduate, I've seen people who view themselves as intellects in the traditional sense and I just...really hate that. The narcissism is palpable and to escape it in a Hungarian village was a much needed respite.
I did appreciate some discussions regarding language, especially the topic of loan words- as a bilingual individual, who is learning other languages, I've often come across loan words in my ethnic language. Loan words are adopted into a language in different ways. Usually, it is via colonialism that loan words prop up in a language that doesn't share the same linguistic group as the colonisers. In the case of The Idiot, it appeared that loan words existed because of colonialism so I felt validated in that instance. I'm not a linguist myself but I appreciated it. I just didn't appreciate Ivan.
I do agree this is a strange book. It's definitely not for everyone. It follows Selin's first year at university and the experiences that shape her.
SPOILERS!!!
-
-
-
I found it funny how the book ends with Selin saying she's learnt nothing at all. From what we saw in her brain, during her interactions both in and out of college, it's clear she's not the same girl but it's bizarre to think that she can't see that herself. I guess when there's an Ivan, it can feel like the world is duller...though I hate him. I just find him to be a bit of a sadist, with how he manipulates Selin.