Images from Chapters.Indigo.ca
The Namesake isn't a new book and the movie version came out a couple of years ago, but I've been meaning to read it for awhile and saw it at the library last week. The novel follows a young Bengali woman's move from Calcutta to Boston, Massachusetts as she starts her arranged marriage to a fellow Bengali who is working toward his Ph.D in engineering. The story continues as they begin to create a family in a country that is not their home. The book really acutely captures the experience of many second-generation children born in North America, those who have parents who strongly carry the traditions of their respective countries and how delicate the balance between becoming American and staying true to your roots can be.
Was it worth the read?
Yes. Jhumpa Lahiri has a way of writing and observing things that make the minutiae of everyday life seem beautiful and special in their own right. The book had a simple flow to it that I found really relaxing and I loved learning about Bengali culture.
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