The Namesake

read it in one go, over 24 hours, still have the tender feelings for Gogol and his relationships three days later

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I LOVE Lahiri's short stories, so I'm wondering if her talents are just less suited to the novel.

I enjoyed learning about the Indian-American experience, and contrasting that “American dream” story with the more conventional variety. And I also thought it so interesting to think about the importance of naming and names: how meaningful names are, both culturally and individually, and how names shape our identities.

However, the characters felt distant and ill-developed. We are allowed to peer into the consciousness of most of the main characters, but there was little variation and richness to each, lending a flat feeling to the book. There is some beautiful writing, but little that truly made me pause. And then in the end, it was pretty depressing...

One sentence synopsis... ‘The Namesake' is a beautifully written, introspective portrait of one immigrant family's experience - specifically spanning three formative decades in the life of the eldest son, Gogol Ganguli.

Read it if you like... ‘Americanah' or ‘Exit West' for books that highlight the immigrant experience. The tv show ‘Love Life' for the series of women Gogol dates from his teens to late 30's who shape his life.

Dream casting... Disclaimer: Age-wise this doesn't work but since we follow the characters as they grow up they wouldn't necessarily play opposite each other. That being said, Megan Suri as Moushumi and Dev Patel as Gogol. And for the beginning of the book, which focuses on Gogol's parents when they were young - Rahul Kohli as his dad and Richa Moorjani as his mom.

Beautiful plot, superbly flawless writing and relatable as an immigrant.

This is one of those quietly superb books that you come across every now and then, and I was wholly unprepared for it. Absolutely wonderful book.

Well-written and at times very moving, just a little dry for my tastes. It felt too much like a play-by-play of everything the central family went through rather than a naturally flowing story.

In place of exploring identity and belonging, or the transformation of tradition, or class privilege, or a human voice, The Namesake is bogged with unremitting descriptions of everything in a room. Across generations the characterisation is flat and, like in Amy Tan's novels, the American generation is the dullest, and here, aspirationally white-adjacent.

I would have preferred reading a novel entirely about Moushumi, including her later ditching the teenager-grooming Dimitri.

A very good read; pretty quick, easy read, yet the style of writing was nice and relaxed, kind of like swimming in syrup...I watched the movie a few times first and of course there were some changes....think I like the book better.

Read and reviewed: May 7, 2022

Wow, just finished chapter 1. As soon as I started reading it, I could not put it down. Her writing is so pleasant, and the scenes and characters so tangible. I knew of her famous book, Interpreter of Maladies, but I'm happy I started with The Namesake instead.

Finished chapter 2. I have a feeling this is only the beginning of bad news...

I am halfway through it and I recommend it! I just cannot wait to have time this evening to make more progress! It is well written, I completely root for the characters and I want to know what happens later in their lives

So, my final thoughts: Lahiri published the Interpreter of Maladies (collection of short stories) before The Namesake, but The Namesake is still technically her first novel, and I am quite impressed by its quality! It is so immersive and I couldn't wait to have time in my day to go back to it. The ending was not as good, a little bit too stretched out, and at that point I just wanted the story to end and start a new book. It could have been just a few pages shorter on the last chapter. I like that her mom decides to sell the house, and to live half of the year in India, and half of the year in the US. It makes sense. Same with the relationship between Gogol and Moushumi, which was simply not a good match. I was so sad when Gogol and Max broke up! They were a good fit and they were so happy together. But it's true that he was quite dependent on her family, that it was not balanced. And I understand how she felt rejected when he refused for her to join him during his dad's funeral in Calcutta, even for moral support. But at the same time, he was not good that she pushed Gogol to ““move on”” and go skiing to feel better, instead of asking him what he needed at that time. It was complicated... In the end, I enjoyed following their lives, and the book came to a natural end, which was satisfying. No happy ending was fine with me. I will add more Lahiri books on my TBR, she is a good writer! 3.5

The prose was exquisite but not too heavy on the other hand it wasn't too simple or too common, and the flow of the language and the description were perfect. The vivid imagery of Kolkata and the immigrant experiences were so to the point, that it felt like unfolding like a picture book to me. Now onto the plot - it started very pleasant with strong promise but after chapter 10 it seemed to lose its potential and weakly developed, the ending was half baked but I do think she painted some of the mundane things very interestingly here. I would've loved to see more solid plot progression. The readability is top-notch though, I completed the whole thing in one sitting.
3. 5 stars from me.

I enjoyed reading this novel, but I wasn't as invested in the story and the characters in the end as I was in the beginning.

I cried and sobbed and threw up this book changed my perspective on so many things and it was so nice to see something that I feel as a trans person shown in just a completely normal way. It felt like representation even tho it wasn't?? And I love that. Shout out to Mrs. Miska for making me read this I love you queen

I liked this a lot more than I liked The Interpreter of Maladies.

It starts off strong then falls flat after getting to America. Like another reviewer said way too much description of everything. So many unnecessary passages.

It gets tiring after a while.I don't hate descriptions though.

Murakami and foods are something magical and you can just see the place in your head. Here though it's Idk boring after a while.

It was really predictable for me too after the 60% mark. I could see the ending scene form a mile.

Overall a just a good time read. It also has a movie adaptation. Have seen some scenes from it. Planning to watch it fully soon.

It was life changing for me. I just love Jumpha Lahiri and this story is perfectly lovely.

I was given this book by my best friend before she traveled back to India. Interesting insight on Indian Culture, how it changes and is adapted after immigration, as well as the importance of a name and what it represents. Beautifully written and would recommend to anyone that enjoys family sagas and wants to understand different cultures.

It's deceptively simple and straightforward. There's little embellishment but it manages to shine a piercing light on the immigrant experience: not only from those leaving the homes of their childhood but the second generation, railing against the conventions of their parents. It's the little details that kill me. The overexposed photo of the newborn Gogol with his parents, the walk to the lighthouse:

“Try to remember it always,” he said once Gogol had reached him, leading him slowly back across the breakwater, to where his mother and Sonia stood waiting. “Remember that you and I made this journey together to a place where there was nowhere left to go.”

I wasn't sure I'd like this at first but after the first tape (I listed to it on 6 cassette tapes) I started caring about the family. It gave me insight into what it must be like to move here and leave behind all your family, customs, life you've always known, weather you've grown up with, etc., and adjust to life in a foreign country especially where, as in this case, you aren't able to speak with or visit your family or home country very often. And what it must be like for you as a parent to do that and then have children who are/act/feel american when you still don't, really. It's like you're living your life in some in-between place and you don't completely fit in anywhere. I was torn between 3 & 4 starts and would give it a 3+ but am trying to save my 4 ratings for books that are truly outstanding.

An unabashedly honest look into the life of a ‘regular immigrant family' that will feel deeply and intricately familiar to many.

A great book. Gogol goes through all the typical adolescent trauma plus the added concern of having a different background from his peers. I enjoyed this book a lot.