The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri

[Anastasia]

This is to fill the AtYB 2017 prompt 42: Best Book of the 21st Century so far.

Goodreads synopsis:
The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of their arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle together in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An engineer by training, Ashoke adapts far less warily than his wife, who resists all things American and pines for her family. When their son is born, the task of naming him betrays the vexed results of bringing old ways to the new world. Named for a Russian writer by his Indian parents in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name.

There is very little speaking in the book. There is quite a bit of telling, which is not a style I usually enjoy. I am at about the 1/3 mark and really do not like Gogol as a person. His parents and their background are interesting. The story of the mishaps that his parents have had because of cultural differences make me feel for them.

I hope this part of the story picks up as it continues transitions more to Gogol than his parents.

[Bana AZ]

I read this for 2018's week 50: A book with a warm atmosphere - centered on family.

My summary:
We follow the Gangulis, from Ashoke and Ashima to their son Gogol, in their journey as immigrants from India to the USA.

What I thought:
The writing is so beautiful. I've heard of Jhumpa Lahiri before but this is the first time I've read anything by her. The narrative really sucked me in. I could feel all the different and clashing points of views by the parents and the son, and it was just really great. The ending though wasn't what I expected, so that's why I gave it only 4 stars instead of 5. There was just something missing about the ending, at least for me. But it's still worth a read.