The Reluctant Fundamentalist – Book Review

Hey Everyone!

Blogging is clearly become few and far in between for me, it’s sad but honestly i have too much else going on in my life currently for me to focus as much as i have in the past to blogging.

However, iA in next few months once everything falls into place and the big life changes occur, i’ll get back to regular programming. Until then, bare with me!

So it’s also been a minute since i’ve done a book-review or book post on here! I actually got this from Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago, and it was a quick read! How many of you have read or heard of The Reluctant Fundamentalist?

I have seen this book around for awhile, but for some reason never got around to reading it myself. I love reading Muslim authors for fiction – The Kite Runner and such have been some of my favorite books – so i knew i had to pick this up!

My Thoughts:

• So i know none of us are to judge, or hate, or anything; but the fact that the main character is a Pakistani-Muslim living in America (like myself), should mean something. He openly drinks alcohol in this story. I am not judging, i know the author’s intention was not to have a religious book, but it irks me a bit because the perception is that immigrants come to this country and then become different and adapt ways of the place they live, rather than keeping true to their identity.
• The story is told in a unique way, its almost a flashback the whole time of the main character telling his story to someone, but we don’t clearly know this the whole time.
• Overall, the story is the life before and after 9/11 attacks in the USA of this Pakistani-American. How he’s the smartest in school, goes to Princeton, graduates and gets a job at a top firm where he is the best performer. His life is ‘perfect’ and he’s living that ‘perfect’ American dream – until 9/11 happens, where he begins to feel a shift in the environment he lives in….
• Also, this book is adapted into a movie that stars Riz Ahmed, and i had no idea of that until i googled it! I need to watch that asap, because Riz….come on now, enough said 😉

Overall, i feel like this book is a  6.5/10 for me. Something about it is so boring the way it’s written, it lacks a bit of emotion i like normally from my reads.

This author has another newer book out called Exit West which i may look into reading next!

Share your thoughts on the book if you’ve read it, down below! I’d love to hear any book recommendations you have!

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Until next time, XOX