The Idiot

by Elif Batuman
The Idiot cover
Good Books rating 3.92
Contemporary Fiction
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Technical
  • ID: 10537
  • Added: 2026-01-25
  • Updated: 2026-01-27
  • ISBN: 9781448181582
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2017-06-01
  • Formats: 3
  • Reviews: 3

Selin, a tall and highly strung Turkish-American from New Jersey, arrives at Harvard with no clear expectations. She finds herself deeply engrossed in the intricacies of language and its limitations, forming a close bond with an opinionated Serb named Svetlana. Her academic pursuits are often overshadowed by her obsession with Ivan, a Hungarian mathematician, as she grapples with the overwhelming challenges and possibilities of adulthood. The Idiot is a moving, continent-hopping coming-of-age story that explores the baffling nature of love and the process of self-discovery. Praised for its humor and unique observations, the novel delights readers with its zingy one-liners and sly wit.

Reviews
Books Are My Favourite and Best · 2021-05-16
curious 3.50

The book offers a mesmerizing yet sometimes superfluous reading experience, with detailed observations that can be both captivating and overwhelming.

The reviewer found the book to be a curious reading experience, with details that were mesmerizing in parts but superfluous in others. They appreciated the book's detailed observations and the way it captures the nuances of life. However, they also noted that the book can be overwhelming at times, with a lack of clear plot or narrative arc. Overall, they found the book to be a unique and thought-provoking read, but one that may not appeal to everyone.

Quick quotes

    It makes for a curious reading experience – the detail was mesmerising in parts, superfluous in others.

    Toward halfway, I questioned whether ...

    The Idiot is an exploration of craft, a subtle, gorgeous, meandering meditation on the very purpose of a novel, of an absolute narrative.

The Guardian · 2017-06-16
enjoyable 4.00

The book is enjoyable and humorous, with a colloquial voice that makes it a generously capacious reading experience. It offers a unique perspective on life and literature.

The reviewer found the book to be a delightful and humorous read, with a voice that is both colloquial and engaging. They appreciated the book's unique perspective on life and literature, making it a generously capacious reading experience. The reviewer also noted that the book's exploration of themes such as love, travel, and the pleasures of reading makes it a standout work. Overall, they found the book to be a enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

Quick quotes

    The voice throughout is colloquial and humorous.

    It is enjoyable: a generously capacious book that creates an ...

    A witty and melancholy tour de force about reading and love.

The New York Times · 2017-02-28
witty 4.25

The book is a witty and melancholy tour de force about reading and love, with a voice that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

The reviewer found the book to be a witty and melancholy tour de force, with a voice that is both engaging and thought-provoking. They appreciated the book's exploration of themes such as reading, love, and the pleasures of travel. The reviewer also noted that the book's unique perspective on life and literature makes it a standout work. Overall, they found the book to be a enjoyable and thought-provoking read, with a voice that is both humorous and insightful.

Quick quotes

    That book was a witty and melancholy tour de force about reading and love and the pleasures of travel as against tourism.

    That same voice is ...

    The Idiot is a long wander, a vague rummage, as simultaneously absorbing and off-putting as someone else's incredibly long dream.

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