The Namesake: A Novel

This book was a DNF for me. After reading Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth which was a collection of short stories, my experience with her first novel, The Namesake fell flat. I tried not giving up midway but it was excruciatingly detailed without leaving much for imagination.

I loved this book. This debut novel, written over 15 years ago by Jhumpa Lahiri, weaves elements from her own life to paint a picture of an Indian immigrant living in America.

Ashoke & Ashima Ganguli, recently wed in an arranged marriage, have immigrated to Massachusetts from Calcutta so Ashoke can pursue a PhD in engineering. They are a world away from their family and friends and Ashima is immediately homesick for India and never fully assimilates into American society. The couple's 1st child, Gogol is born within their first year in America. Several years later, his sister, Sonia is born. Both children grow up fully immersed in American life. Gogol hates his name and resists all the Bengali traditions forced upon them. He does not choose a traditional 'Indian' career. While his parents still practice the Indian traditions, Gogol turns away from all things Indian. The story follows the family in America for thirty five years. While each character has a different experience, the story really centers around Gogol. The story is beautifully written with rich characters, subplots (the story behind Gogol's name) and issues of the day. Gogol remembers one day when his family drove to the Cape to look at the water. He and his father walked until the reached the water's edge. Ashoke loved to take photographs but forgot the camera on this day. He said to Gogol "Remember that you and I made this journey, that we went to a place where there was nowhere left to go."

My mom gave this to me and told me that she never wanted it to end so it took her a week to finish the ending! I'm excited to read it.

A deep, richly developed story of a family’s transition, pivoting around the quietly critical detail of one single name. The way Lahiri unfolds the story worked beautifully, I thought, and I felt connected to each of her characters throughout. The pace was quite deliberate, and I could see how it might not be for everyone, but for me it worked beautifully.

So many plot twists through the story of Gogol Ganguli and his family. Enjoyed this more than I thought I would.