"The janissaries were always taken in childhood. It would have been far more difficult to devote themselves to their adopted empire, you see, if they had memories they could not forget."
Author: Mohsin Hamid
Publisher: Penguin/Viking
Pages: 184
Price: INR 295
No matter how much I rake my brain for stuff to write about The Reluctant Fundamentalist, I fail in my process. For the book is pretty thin and is a recount of experiences of a Pakistani national (I presume they are partly his own) in the US post 9/11 era.
Told in a simple narrative, the book opens up in a restaurant in Lahore with Changez (the narrator) holding a conversation with an American tourist on his experiences in the US. Sarcastic in places and critical about America’s stand in various issues the book travels in a fast pace providing a glimpse of Changez’s private life also.
The only few moments I felt drawn towards the book was when the narrative traveled through the emotions of Changez after he was devastated with the political developments happening back home in Pakistan – and America’s double stand in not supporting Pakistan when a war prone situation arises following the terror attack at the Indian Parliament. Being an Indian, I obviously felt annoyed on negative remarks about India.
However, not to mention, Hamid’s style is scathing, witty, lucid and bold.
Bottom Line: A definite read (only) if you want to read all the Booker nominees
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