remarkableinchworm's review against another edition
3.0
The illegitimate child of Catch 22 and A Confederacy of Dunces.
sjmaxa's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like this book after reading The Russian Debutante's Handbook but found it hard to get through. There was not much to like about the main character, Misha who is arrogant and immature. Other reviewers thought this book was funny -- I didn't laugh once.
mokey4's review against another edition
4.0
Most of the time I was reading this book I found myself wondering what was the point. It was not really a pleasant read, and I could have easily quit at any time except that I really do enjoy Shteyngart's prose and his little jokes here and there. Some of them seem like inside jokes- I think you have to be a Russian Jew from New York to appreciate all of them, but two out of three is good enough for me.
Somewhere in the last 100 pages of this book I was glad to have stayed with it- there were some very funny scenes and something of a plot twist in the end. I'm still not sure I get the point of the book, but maybe if I were Russian or understood more of the history/politics/culture I would.
Super Sad True Love Story is still my favorite Shteyngart, but if you like his writing style Absurdistan is worth a read.
Somewhere in the last 100 pages of this book I was glad to have stayed with it- there were some very funny scenes and something of a plot twist in the end. I'm still not sure I get the point of the book, but maybe if I were Russian or understood more of the history/politics/culture I would.
Super Sad True Love Story is still my favorite Shteyngart, but if you like his writing style Absurdistan is worth a read.
thefrdw's review against another edition
2.0
Teases so many interesting stances and themes while harping on the narrator’s cartoonish narcissism and vulgarity. A lens so clouded that the intent is indiscernible.
mlklein1's review against another edition
1.0
This book should have been called "Inconsistantstan." Laugh out loud funny in some places, boring in more. It started promisingly, but then the main character's flaws overwhelmed and the plot became meandering - symbolic of what Snack Daddy was going through? Perhaps. But I'd rather understand the characters are confused, drifting about listlessly, than experience in myself.
I slogged on and was eventually rewarded by the book picking up again about 2/3 through. Some very funny "absurd" situations had me chuckling...but alas...like Snack Daddy's attention...it wouldn't last.
Perhaps the difficulty is that, in my opinion, the ultimate morbidly-obese, self-important, foppish buffoon has already been written. And all others are but a (very) pale imitation of Ignatius J. Reilly.
I slogged on and was eventually rewarded by the book picking up again about 2/3 through. Some very funny "absurd" situations had me chuckling...but alas...like Snack Daddy's attention...it wouldn't last.
Perhaps the difficulty is that, in my opinion, the ultimate morbidly-obese, self-important, foppish buffoon has already been written. And all others are but a (very) pale imitation of Ignatius J. Reilly.
maggiemoore's review against another edition
4.0
Truly bizarre book, enjoyed purely for the most insane plot I've every encountered.
nucleareaction's review against another edition
2.0
Reads like the crappy spy novel the cover suggests. Again, he does characters well. It's a shame I don't care about any of them in this book.
anniew415's review against another edition
1.0
Didn't really enjoy this - a bit gross and obnoxious for me, but somewhat entertaining. I also found it funny in places. If you enjoy satire you will probably dig this...
jdsatori's review against another edition
5.0
Misha Vainberg is one of those characters I won't soon forget. He's deeply insecure, but not to the point that he doesn't plow through life as if he owned everyone and everything he encounters. His dreams are irrational, but it never dawns on him that he won't attain them. He's clueless, and I couldn't wait to see what horrible mess he got into (and out of) through the whole book.