Reviews

The Idiot, by Elif Batuman

betweenbookends's review against another edition

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4.0

Detailed Review: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxZy42FHVuY/

4.5/5
I can see how this book can drive people up a wall, but I found it so engaging and Selin, so relatable. It felt incredibly reminiscent of being in university: naive & indecisive, on the cusp of adulthood with a feeling of self-importance that no one else takes seriously and trying to find your footing in a world that doesn't wait.

gunidur's review against another edition

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reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

mcip's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

wonderwhitman's review against another edition

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challenging dark tense slow-paced

1.5

josephinefarine's review against another edition

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funny reflective relaxing sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I saw a lot of myself in this book. I’ll need to reread it sometime and annotate it for myself. 

shanarixe's review against another edition

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1.0

I tired. I really tried. I made it over 70% of the way through before admitting to myself that I hated it and my feelings weren’t going to change for the better.

leeaf's review against another edition

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3.0

agency & choice, elitism & windows . have i learned anything?

simulationswarm's review against another edition

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adventurous funny reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

rworrall78's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I loved the European based half of this book more than the American based one. It was very charming and clever and funny. It very much took me back to the 90s and early 2000s, email as a means of flirting in a pseudo intellectual sort of way.

kmgard's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0