The Namesake

This is Jhumpa Lahiri’s first novel, and it’s not bad. It’s the story of Gogol who was named after the Russian writer whose writings, his father believes, saved his life. Gogol is a second-generation Bengali immigrant to the US, and this story is as much about the different aspects of American culture as it is about Indian (Hindu) Bengali culture. Gogol hates his name, and gets it legally changed, and it takes half his life to accept both his name and his heritage.

This story is mostly narrative, with few chunks of dialogue, which gives it a very calm but also a cautious feel – there’s no strong emotions. It’s well-written, and entertaining, even though only a few of the characters – Gogol and his parents – are really fleshed out. His wife, Moushoumi, remained a bit of a mystery to me, partly because their break-up is revealed second-hand. The other women in his life also fade away without fanfare, although they’re described well, and their differing lifestyles are really interesting. All in all, it’s a good read, especially for a first novel.