Ayad Akhtar

3.5 stars. My response to this book was mixed--the writing is smart and skilled and the personal relationships between father and son and male friendships held my interest, but the lengthy discourses on politics and why his Black friend votes Republican. religion, economics, market timing, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Robert Bork, the 45th president, Islamaphobia post September 11th, all dragged in verbosity. One of his more prescient observations: "Trump had just felt the national mood, and his particular genius was a need for attention so craven, so unrelenting, he was willing to don any and every shade of our moment's ugliness, consequences be damned." I've seen and appreciated Akhtar's short, one-act punchy action-filled plays including the Pulitzer-winner, Disgraced. I wanted more of that in the novel, but the author wanted to expound.

Many questions answered in this review: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/09/21/an-american-writer-for-an-age-of-d...… (mere)

The narrative of this self-proclaimed "novel" (which reads like a memoir) explores the fictionalized lives of various members of the narrator's Pakistani family and friends.

It offers a perspective from the American "other" - Muslim immigrants before and after 9/11 and their experience of "America".
However, unlike in many stereotypical immigrant "underdog" stories, the narrator is (like the author) a Pulitzer winner coming from a well-educated, economically stable family.

It is easy to see why Ayad Akhtar would call this a novel while keeping the deceiving format of autobiographical essays. In an interview, he explained it was his answer to our "illusion of reality" powered by social media and our own fictionalized realities we present to others.

My overall impression, however, was that this wasn't an organic attempt, as it seemed he was really trying hard to be innovative, echoing Rushdie (who he mentions quite a bit in the book) and Roth to varying degrees of success.

The narrator in this novel is often condescending and detached from his surroundings, hence not very likeable. While this was planned by Akhtar in order to depict how success affected the narrator, I did find myself enjoying the novel less because of it.

Where this novel shines is the emotion of love towards his family which really comes through on the pages. Also, knowing the real story about Akhtar's father, the last chapter in the novel is especially heartbreaking.

I want to root for Akhtar and believe he truly is the great American writer of the moment. But, I can't get over the feeling that he is the one who on purpose creates a disconnect with his audience, perpetuating the "age of division".… (mere)