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Debut novel from the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of short stories, Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri. The Namesake, in a similar vein, is the story of a Bengali exiled in Boston, from 'a dazzling storyteller, the kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person you see and say "Read this!"' (AMY TAN)
Reviews (2110)
The final 2-3 chapters of this book is perhaps the best writing i've ever read.
Such a good book. It's better than the movie, which is saying a lot. I loved the insight it gave me into Indian culture and relationships, as well as how the author depicted the struggle of being a first generation American. Even though it wasn't first person narration, I felt very connected with the characters. Instead of frustrating me, I felt Gogol's frustration. And instead of tiring me, I felt Ashima's loneliness and isolation from her children. The details of the relationships are so intimate; I felt almost like I was spying on the development of Gogol's relationships. And even though I knew what happened, each ending impacted me as though I had no idea it was coming. I would recommend this book to anyone who is open-minded enough to consider what it's like to be a foreigner living in America, trying to keep your roots without ever returning home.
I liked this book as well, although throughout the whole book the tense was somewhat...passive? I guess that would be the way to describe it. The book was in the third person, but it felt like it was being narrated by someone who didn't honestly care about the characters. However, through this, the reader does come to care very much about the characters. It was an interesting book to read, and I liked all of the references to Bengali culture and how the Gangulis and other families tried to make their culture survive in America. It's definitely worth reading and very enjoyable, but I didn't love it.
I actually liked the movie better than the book! Although, the book was good ...
Ok, stop and think! How many of us - at one point or another - hated our names or were embarassed by our parents or our family traditions? This is a great book that passing down heritage. We are who we are!
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