janson reviewed Either/or by Elif Batuman
Review of 'Either/or' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
Loved, in a heady sort of way, although it was more Helen DeWitt this time around than Rachel Cusk.
Hardcover, 360 pages
English language
Published June 15, 2022 by Penguin Publishing Group.
Selin returns to Harvard for her sophomore year, spends lots of time thinking about Ivan, then moves on.
Loved, in a heady sort of way, although it was more Helen DeWitt this time around than Rachel Cusk.
I love a coming of age story set on a college campus – or so I thought. I wonder if I couldn't get into this one because it was too similar to my own college experience so I found myself cringing and bored instead of appreciative? Maybe. Ir struck me as the book I might have written when I was 23 and still overly-fascinated by myself... there's a lot of self-important navel-gazing, sexual exploration, bad romance, and Big Questions. Now that I'm twice that age, it's a yawn. I will say, however, that there are some LOL and poignant moments that suggest this author will be one to watch.