The narrator of this book is a Pakistani man who goes to Princeton and then gets a job at a prestigious financial firm in New York City. He has a strange unrequited relationship with a young woman who can't let go of her love for her tragically deceased boyfriend. He thrives in the US, works very hard at his job, and loves his decadent Western life. Then the 9/11 attacks happen, and he sees the backlash against Muslims, and he becomes disillusioned about the US.

I think this book might have lost some of its impact in the 20+ years since 9/11. I didn't find anything particularly shocking or revelatory. To me it is not surprising that a Muslim immigrant would have anti-American feelings, especially after how viciously the US reacted to 9/11.

"Reluctant Fundamentalist" seems like a very strange title. The narrator does not become a religious fundamentalist. He might be labeled a terrorist sympathizer, but actual religious doctrine is not mentioned at all in this book.

The pacing of the story is strange. The book has a very long build-up to 9/11, and then seems to end pretty quickly. The whole storyline with the girlfriend doesn't seem to add anything to the story. ( )

The love arc was a blatant rip off of Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Spoiled the entire book for me. ( )

This book is interesting on several levels. First, the voice grabs you. Second, it is written as though the narrator is speaking to a person over a meal, but we never meet the other person except through the eyes of the narrator. It sounds weird, but it works. Finally, the author convincingly parallels the story of a failed love relationship to the relationship of the United States to the Muslims in its midst. This is done in a subtle way so maybe I'm misinterpreting it, but that's why I'd recommend this book -- especially for a book club -- it definitely leaves you with some thinking to do on our post 9/11 lives. ( )

Changez, a young Pakistani who has studied in America and worked with a leading US valuation company, meets an anonymous American in Lahore and invites him to a local eatery. Over the course of an evening, we eavesdrop on their conversation, although we only hear Changez in what effectively becomes an extended monologue about his American experience.

Hamid's novella follows a format which is becoming quite typical of the more marketable types of literary writers. A story which would have been unremarkable in lesser hands is recounted by a quirky narrator and/or presented in an unusual structure and/or given a plot twist at the end. This gives the book a formulaic feel at times. That said, Hamid is good at what he does - the result is a work which is taut, gripping and topical. ( )

Really love this guy’s writing! Great story, and great way to tell a story. I’m a little puzzled about the end but I can be pretty obtuse about things... ( )