A review by karabeavis
Either/Or by Elif Batuman

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

4.0

I struggled with this one. On the one hand, the writing is incredible, and sure. Phrases like “the tap coughed” are brilliant and stuck in my mind. It’s set in Harvard and the ins and outs of a peer group of talented, precocious students from all over the world: this should be an interesting premise.  

I found the book excruciating at times. For me, the main character is hard to identify with and have empathy for. Despite having a cool mum who is a no—nonsense doctor, in regular contact, the protagonist is hapless, and
Spoiler the sex she finally has is absolutely awful. There doesn’t seem to be a single pleasurable encounter. Pleasure doesn’t come into it. The character is totally neurotic, an American thing I observe in American sitcoms etc. It’s hard to like her.
. It’s set in the 1990s — my adolescent period too. This character is empowered in some ways but also naive! She wants to live a little, which is the point of the last third of the book.

Back to the writing which is layer upon layer of cultural literature references: the book is thoroughly researched and clever. I loved the description of Selin’s time spent at her grandmother’s house in Turkey. 

Overall highly esoteric and inwardly gazing. I like the sophisticated world the character moves in, but at the same time, I loathe it. I wanted to love this. there’s a buzz around it and many adore it!
Expand filter menu Content Warnings