Review: Mohsin Hamid’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist tells the story of Changez, a Princeton-educated, Pakistani immigrant working for a distinguished financial firm in New York as he navigates life and love in the months leading up to and following the attacks of 9/11. After the tragedy, he must re-examine his relationship with America as depicted through his narration which takes place over lunch with an American stranger in Lahore and come to terms with his own identity in a changing world.
Opening Line: “Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance?”
Favorite Line: “Living in New York was suddenly like living in a film about the Second World War; a foreigner, found myself staring out at a set that ought to be viewed not in Technicolor but in grainy black and white” (Hamid 115).
Why I Like It: It is a relatively quick and engaging read that has nuanced, flawed characters who remain likable and relatable.
Read If You Like: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, immigrant stories, political or romantic dramas