Monica Ali, Brick Lane Reviews

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Good Points: Good representation of a misunderstood Asian community in a neglected area of London. Insightful and interesting if using book as a basis for academic work. I wrote an essay on this book and found that Ali addressed many of the issues brought up in the 1991 census for the area of Tower Hamlets (where it is set). She seems accurate in her description of life, etc. It also created a passionate response from the local community, albeit a negative one.

Bad Points: Not a compelling storyline, realistic but not interesting. I wouldn't recommend purchasing this book, but might be worth borrowing it or buying it second hand if you're interested in the treatment and discrimination of Asian communities in the London area.

General comments: Not worth buying if you're looking for a compelling read at bed times. Accurate in its representations but not an interesting storyline.

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Monica Ali's, Brick Lane was recommended by a friend. This placed a great deal of pressure on me to enjoy it. I am not sure if the reason I did not enjoy it was the fact I was taking painkillers for a sore back. I just did not enjoy the book. There seemed no point to the story and it flicked from Letters to what the main character was thinking to what was actually happening.
I was disappointed.

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I was expecting of this Brick Lane; "richly complex characters, a gripping story " Observer 15th June 2003
This book was not what I was expecting.

I found this book frustrating. I really wanted to enjoy it and it has such potential but; the letters from Nazneens sister are annoying (no wonder the previous reviewer had problems translating!) They are written in broken English and go on for far too long, implying information but not quite clearly enough to understand fully.

The cha ...

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I am a translator and I have translated Monica Ali's Brick Lane into Turkish. It will be published two or three months later. I am happy to finish translating, because I did not really enjoy it. In my opinion, the characters lack any depth. They did not move me. Also the letters from Hasina are annoying. On the other hand translating the letters were difficult sometimes, as I do not completely understand them. But I like the ending. I can not consider it either tragedy or comedy. I find Chanu a ...