The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - 4.5 stars

[Joy D]

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid - 4* - My Review

Changez, a young Pakistani, graduates at the top of his class at Princeton. He is hired by a prestigious corporate valuation firm based in New York City. From there he travels to his engagements, which could be anywhere in the world. Most of these assignments will result in the sale of the client’s company and downsizing of its employees. Changez feels compassion for the people who will lose their jobs due to his valuations, but he is encouraged by Jim, his mentor at the firm, to just “focus on the fundamentals,” the data, and the analysis, basically ignoring the human consequences of his work.

I enjoyed the various definitions implied in the word “fundamentalist” – it is used by Jim as a focus for is job, and of course, we are familiar with fundamentalist religious beliefs. I thought it might be about a person becoming a religious fundamentalist, but it is more about a man experiencing inner turmoil by compromising his values in the pursuit of monetary compensation. Changez does not want to lose his sense of compassion, hence he is “reluctant.” This moral quandary will eventually lead to a life-altering decision. In the meantime, he gets involved in a relationship with a woman whose fiancé has died, leaving her bereft and emotionally unstable.

The story is told by Changez to an unnamed American over the course of a meal in Lahore, a few years after 9/11. Changez’s reactions to the terrorist attacks and changes in the way he is treated in the aftermath are part of the thematic content. It is cleverly written. By supplying only one side of the conversation, the reader can easily take the role of the unnamed dinner companion. It tackles some uncomfortable topics, and I found it riveting. It would make a great choice for a book club. I am sure there would be multiple interpretations of the ending.

4.5