“The Namesake” Book Review By: Sujal Mirchandani

 

“The Namesake” Book Review

By: Sujal Mirchandani

“The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri is about a boy named Gogol Ganguli who grows up in America to immigrant parents from India. The book focuses on Gogol's struggles to fit in because of his unusual name and Indian heritage. Gogol often tries to ignore his family and traditions to adapt more to the western customs. But, after Gogol’s father passes away, he finally understands the importance of his family and how meaningful his name is. 

I thought the book had a good message about family and identity. It shows that it's okay to be different and that your background is an important part of who you are. Gogol changes a lot throughout the story, and I liked seeing how he matured over time. Also, I liked how the book covered the whole life of Gogol from his birth to when he got married. This big timeframe allows readers to connect more with the character and understand how the character is changing throughout the story. 

The book was kind of slow, especially in the beginning. There weren't many exciting moments, and some chapters felt longer than they needed to be. Even though it wasn't the most interesting book I've read, it had a meaningful ending.

Overall, I would give The Namesake a 3.5 out of 5 stars. It isn't a book I would read again, but it has a good lesson and is worth reading once.