The Namesake - Likewise Book Reviews

"This book spans across a great deal of time - not quite a lifetime, but in a way, kind of. Beginning briefly with the parents, the story soon shifts it's focus on the son, Gogol, his upbringing and his adult life. Having read a story by Jhumpa Lahiri before, I knew I loved her writing style. Now having read this, I've realized that I enjoy books less when they move across time so much. It's harder for me to stay invested. I still enjoyed this one, but it's not one I will remember or make note of. 7.5/10🚞📘"

"the storytelling in this book really is incredible, especially with all the different metaphors and modes of getting plot points across. just a bittt stereotypical though. "

"I really loved this book. I thought it was well written"

"This books gives you an intimate look inside an Indian Family. It discloses there tradition’s and lives. Losses and Loves."

"I loved reading this book; it had everything you could ask for, drama, comedy, romance. It was a smorgasbord of fun and excitement. My favorite character is, of course Gogol! In my opinion, he resembles many people who are embarrassed of their culture and just want to be American. At some times he would annoy me, ignoring his parents, keeping secrets from them. I just kept saying to myself, “if I were him, I wouldn’t be embarrassed of my parents.” And I like Ashima and Ashoke a lot. They are great parents and love each other. It goes to show, if you have an arranged marriage, and then court, you learn to love each other. It worked for them. They were married for 20-something years. It was the perfect marriage. Unlike Gogol and Moushumi’s marriage where they lasted about a year or two before Moushumi started cheating on him with another man. I thought that was sick too. I was thinking, Moushumi is not being very faithful. It’s as if she wanted to meet this Dimitri guy, as if they were meant to be. I liked Ashoke’s reason for naming Gogol. The account of the train ride ten years before Gogol was born where he met Ghosh was scary. It made me surprised that he survived because reaching for that page of “The Overcoat” was what saved his life. It also amazes me how he lived for so much longer and made his life in America. This book overall was a pretty amazing journey and I loved every minute of it! Jhumpa Lahiri is an amazing writer and I hope to read more of her work in the future."

"9.25/10 - devastatingly intimate and accurate, will sit with me for a long time"

"I liked this book. I also liked the movie. The strange thing is that I liked the beginning of the book which focused on the parents moving from India to America much more than Gogol's story later in the book. I can say the exact opposite for the movie. Gogol's story in the movie was much more interesting, but he was also made more likeable than he was in the book."

"I read this book for HS summer reading and it was so bad that I burned it in my backyard when I was done. What’s worse (to me) is that we didn’t even talk about the book at all in the fall. Everyone forgot about it and I wasted my time."

"I really loved the imagery and caring detail of this book. The end was terrible. I felt like I was built up with a 38 year story and it just fell flat on the floor. It was a hilarious joke with no punchline. A story with the last few pages torn out. I actually felt let down."

"Important read "

"Great book! Inspired us to visit India. We have visited twice and returning again in 2020"