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| Value for Money | 7/10  |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | 8/10 |
Full review by
cwaight
on 23rd Oct 2007
User Rating : 7
Respect :
0
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Mohsin Hamid's story of an American-educated Pakistani is a simple but powerful one. The main reason for this is that the main character, Changez, is immediately likable. As soon as the story begins, we only want good things for him. Of course, this is not to be. What with the threat of imminent war in his homeland, suffering abuse from ignorant strangers and constantly being rejected by the woman he loves, poor old Changez is going to have a rough time of it.
I suppose one would describe the book as a political melodrama, a genre that I haven't really encountered before, which might explain why I felt I was reading a bit of an oddity. In fact, this is essentially Changez's problem. He is at odds with both himself and the world around him; he feels most at home in a country that despises him, he loves a woman who cannot love him back, he feels a sense of duty toward a place he left behind. It is quite a brilliant study of inner turmoil; a feeling that Hamid mimics to great effect in the narrative. Written in the first person, it constantly switches between a tale that takes place mostly in America and a conversation with a stranger in Lahore, Pakistan.
When I said it is a simple story I wasn't kidding and sometimes you may think that it isn't progressing quite as quickly as it should. Although, in the case of the love story, that might be a blessing in disguise. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of reading books concerning lightning affairs. At least the relationship here takes time to blossom, as is more in keeping with real life. And I think the ending is a little anti-climactic. The book does contain a good ending but almost two chapters before it comes to a close, leaving it to peter out. That notwithstanding, I still think The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a compelling human interest story full of likable, knowable characters and delicious descriptive pieces.
cwaight's review and ratings | 343 words
Review by
Harriet Klausner
on 7th Apr 2007
User Rating : 9
Respect :
0
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Mohsin Hamid
Harcourt, Apr 2007, $22.00
ISBN: 0151013047
In a caf in Lahore, Pakistan, local resident Changez notices the man seemingly seeking something or someone and realizes by his bearing that he is an American. He offers his assistance stating he spent four and a half years in the States. Changez explains he went to Princeton on a scholarship and that led to his position at Manhattan's prestigious Underwood Samson as a process improvement business cons ...
Harriet Klausner's full review | 326 words
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