Cheap The Namesake (Book) (Jhumpa Lahiri) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Namesake

Missed Opportunities
Despite the conventional wisdom on this novel from the Pulitzer-prize-winning Lahiri, (it has been called "quietly dazzling" by at least one reviewer), I'm afraid I was disappointed. The story of an expatriate Indian couple, and, more specifically, of their son Gogol, is languidly expository for page after page, offering little insight, surprise, or sensation despite so many rich opportunities to do so. At times, the story reads like a diary: "This is what it's like for an Indian couple who has relocated to the U.S. in the 1970s." This is what the house looks like; This is what the husband's career is like; This is what the Indian community does on Saturday afternoons. Larger and more interesting issues such as the social conflicts facing the children, responses to the politics and social mores of the adopted country, and the deep emotional struggles between members of the family, are only scratched at. Time passes quickly, and we get virtually all of the story through the ever-imposing, almost maternal voice of the author, rather than through the thoughts, feelings, actions, and sensations of the characters. As such, for me, the book is lacking in narrative momentum and pretty unsatisfying.

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A powerful story of the consequences of one's actions
The most wonderful thing about this book is the writing style. The book moved along at a strident pace but it did not lack any detail. It was a great story of assimilating into a different country and culture with the yoke of a name (shared by no one) constantly harnessed about himself. The story was lovely and the writing grand. The characters were so well-defined that I felt like I knew them, like I could easily picture them in my mind. I loved the book and look forward to reading her first book.