A review by artemisg
Either/Or by Elif Batuman
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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
4.5
This book is, unfortunately, about me (derogatory).
“I hooked up with Matt,” she said, indicating some red marks on her chest and shoulders. Was that hives? Who was Matt? Would I ever understand reality again?
Much like The Idiot, this is a character-driven, vibes-based book where we follow Selin through another year of her tertiary education. This year, she is recovering and reeling from the previous year, trying to put together the reasons she was so affected by Ivan, Hungary, and her aesthetic life. She gets worse, she gets better, and the cycle continues. She someone becomes less likeable and more likeable, less sympathetic and more sympathetic, which I think is the most true thing about teenage girls in the world. She’s complex and confusing and infuriating and so so interesting. I really appreciate and commend Batuman for writing such an interesting and complex character and being able to write in her voice in a way that is entirely consistent with the inconsistencies of teenagedom.
But now she was looking at me with affection. “I missed this Selin,” she said. It hadn’t occurred to me that she had missed me, too.
Again, this book is surprisingly hilarious; Selin remains a comedian. The cast of supporting characters was stellar, and I enjoyed the introduction of new present-day characters and new characters from Selin’s past - sometimes you do forget someone from your past for the length of a year (and a novel) and then are reminded of the in a particular situation. It felt true to life, not like Batuman needed to create a more vast and complex past for Selin. I love Svetlana and her brightness and bluntness. I loved the insight and emphasis on Selin’s mum, who is a wonderful character. Almost everyone was a great character, and even the ones I hated had their place. Sometimes, Selin was the one I hated, but I always got over it. She’s incredibly naive but thinks she’s worldly, which is the 19-year-old experience.
But I was more fortunate. I was going to remember, or discover, where everything had come from. I was going to do the subtle, monstrous thing where you figured out what you were doing, and why.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the themes of nationality and ethnicity and the examination of commodity fetishism. Selin somehow exhibits proletariat class consciousness while being a classist bourgeoisie. This book was beautiful and incredible but did not capture quite the same magic as The Idiot, which is an incredibly high bar, so I didn’t expect it to.
“I hooked up with Matt,” she said, indicating some red marks on her chest and shoulders. Was that hives? Who was Matt? Would I ever understand reality again?
Much like The Idiot, this is a character-driven, vibes-based book where we follow Selin through another year of her tertiary education. This year, she is recovering and reeling from the previous year, trying to put together the reasons she was so affected by Ivan, Hungary, and her aesthetic life. She gets worse, she gets better, and the cycle continues. She someone becomes less likeable and more likeable, less sympathetic and more sympathetic, which I think is the most true thing about teenage girls in the world. She’s complex and confusing and infuriating and so so interesting. I really appreciate and commend Batuman for writing such an interesting and complex character and being able to write in her voice in a way that is entirely consistent with the inconsistencies of teenagedom.
But now she was looking at me with affection. “I missed this Selin,” she said. It hadn’t occurred to me that she had missed me, too.
Again, this book is surprisingly hilarious; Selin remains a comedian. The cast of supporting characters was stellar, and I enjoyed the introduction of new present-day characters and new characters from Selin’s past - sometimes you do forget someone from your past for the length of a year (and a novel) and then are reminded of the in a particular situation. It felt true to life, not like Batuman needed to create a more vast and complex past for Selin. I love Svetlana and her brightness and bluntness. I loved the insight and emphasis on Selin’s mum, who is a wonderful character. Almost everyone was a great character, and even the ones I hated had their place. Sometimes, Selin was the one I hated, but I always got over it. She’s incredibly naive but thinks she’s worldly, which is the 19-year-old experience.
But I was more fortunate. I was going to remember, or discover, where everything had come from. I was going to do the subtle, monstrous thing where you figured out what you were doing, and why.
I also thoroughly enjoyed the themes of nationality and ethnicity and the examination of commodity fetishism. Selin somehow exhibits proletariat class consciousness while being a classist bourgeoisie. This book was beautiful and incredible but did not capture quite the same magic as The Idiot, which is an incredibly high bar, so I didn’t expect it to.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment and Sexual content