Recent Reads 240828: Ahmed Saadawi, Philippe Djian, Elif Batuman

[@bilbobryan]

Hi Freddie!! 👋👋👋 This might sound irrelevant, I thought I could hear frogs' mating calls in the background 😅 Might be my speaker issues 🤣🤣🤣 Love your outro where you talk about the books you're reading. Also, loving your book reviews esp The Idiot 😍😍😍

[@SluggishReader]

I think it's likely it was frogs' mating calls. It rained when I was recording this and there are always noisy critters outside where I'm now anyway lol. Looking forward to hear your thoughts on The Idiot!

[@Gagging4Lit]

I loved The Idiot so much. It had such good takes on everything and nothing was overblown. And I didn't know Either/Or was meant to be a continuation of the story.... I will have to get that ASAP. Frankenstein in Baghdad also sounds good.

[@SluggishReader]

Either/Or appears to be about Selin's second year... And apparently there's a possibility that there will be something for her third year??

[@Gagging4Lit]

@@SluggishReader This info has made my day haha.

[@SluggishReader]

@@Gagging4Lit I just did a bit of googling and apparently the third book isn't going to be about her third year, but Selin in Stanford. 🤣 www.aarome.org/people/rome-prize-fellows/elif-batuman

[@Gagging4Lit]

@@SluggishReader Okay thanks. Well graduate school is close enough, I guess.

[@ThatsSoPoe]

Glad you enjoyed Frankenstein in Baghdad! I thought that was a pretty intriguing book when I read it a few years ago. And I totally get what you mean about a book resonating with you.

[@SluggishReader]

A friend enthusiastically recommended that to me, and I could certainly see why!

[@davidnovakreadspoetry]

You’ve made me curious to at least glance at this book _(The Idiot)_ but I’m not sure how much someone so distant from his “Harvard days” as I* wants to read about an “exploration of love” which you characterized as “the plot”. 😂 ____ *I didn’t go to Harvard either.

[@davidnovakreadspoetry]

I’m glad that you really liked this book - and gave it such a positive review.

[@SluggishReader]

In an alternate universe, there's a BookTube channel called David Novak Reads Romance. 🤭🤭🤭😍🥰🤭🤭🤭

[@myreadinglife8816]

Great reviews! I did not like The Idiot, ended up DNFing at about 150 pages. I am definitely in the minority with that one!

[@SluggishReader]

Thanks Heidi! I noticed that The Idiot is a fairly polarizing book in terms of reviews, but I can see why some might not enjoy it, haha.. Curious - what was your reason?

[@myreadinglife8816]

@@SluggishReader I think I could not connect with the main character. I was frustrated with her. Probably because I am old enough to be her mother! 🤣