The novel is praised for its intricate construction and exploration of uncertainty, with reviewers highlighting its unique narrative style and emotional depth. Some appreciate its departure from traditional immigrant stories, while others find it challenging but rewarding.
Reviewers have lauded Dinaw Mengestu's Someone Like Us for its meticulous construction and the way it delves into themes of uncertainty and emotional complexity. The novel's narrative style, which avoids straightforward reveals and instead presents truths obliquely, has been particularly noted. Some readers find this approach challenging but ultimately rewarding, appreciating the book's ability to reflect the instabilities of reality. Others admire Mengestu's ingenuity in telling an immigrant story from a fresh perspective, even if they sometimes feel frustrated by the narrative's structure. Overall, the book is seen as a significant work that cements Mengestu's reputation as a major literary force.
Quick quotes
As a driver of plot, personal and emotional slipperiness is a trickier endeavor than old-fashioned secrecy; we can’t rely on the well-timed reveal, the moment when all is made clear, the narrative trick of this entire novel, in fact; you’re going to catch the real only out of the corner of your eye.
Strikingly ruminative ... Be patient, and you’ll eventually settle into this book’s strange motion.
I love the way Mengestu writes ... I also sometimes feel frustrated with how Mengestu writes: specifically, with how this novel keeps reminding readers of the near-impossibility of breaking out of the same old mold when it comes to telling immigrant stories.