Either/Or

This is the book I wish I could write.

3.5

This and Batuman's previous The Idiot are both fabulous campus novels which I'd recommend to any former humanities student.

I really didn't think [b:The Idiot 30962053 The Idiot Elif Batuman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474782288l/30962053.SY75.jpg 51577226] needed a sequel. Of course I am going to read a sequel should there be one. But wow I do regret this now. While other recent unnecessary sequels (André Aciman's [b:Find Me 44581535 Find Me (Call Me By Your Name, #2) André Aciman https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1557077508l/44581535.SY75.jpg 66927396] after Call Me By Your Name, or Sebastian Barry's [b:A Thousand Moons 52255586 A Thousand Moons (Days Without End #2) Sebastian Barry https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1566404592l/52255586.SX50_SY75.jpg 71765449] after Days Without End) manage to stay detached from their successors, Either/Or feels like a weaker copy of the original that not only wasn't very enjoyable but also made me question my attachment to the original. If I would reread The Idiot right now, would I find Selin and her meandering thoughts and her tendency to self-insert herself into every fictional story she encounters equally annoying? Did Selin change or did I change? Should there be another part about Selin's adventures in Russia, I think I might skip it. This is a super harsh and possibly too-harsh review I realize.