A review by milkfed
The Idiot by Elif Batuman

4.0

4.5 stars to be clear.

“I found myself remembering the day in kindergarten when the teachers showed us Dumbo, and I realized for the first time that all the kids in the class, even the bullies, rooted for Dumbo, against Dumbo's tormentors. Invariably they laughed and cheered, both when Dumbo succeeded and when bad things happened to his enemies. But they're you, I thought to myself. How did they not know? They didn't know. It was astounding, an astounding truth. Everyone thought they were Dumbo.”

Selin is an 18 yr old freshman at Harvard who faces imposter syndrome, disorientation, and the whirlwind of emotions that come at the genesis of one’s college journey. Selin is lost (as most of us are), and makes decisions at random in hopes of possibly discovering herself. There are Russian ties throughout the book that evoke Dostoyevsky’s novel. There’s a Russian class she takes where she meets her friend Ivan. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that Batuman keeps you guessing, hoping, and yearning for their outcome and what becomes of it.

Selin’s dry, witty humor has a target audience and I’m here for it every step of the way. Her story resonates with so many of us. The Idiot is a coming of age story, but not like the ones you’re used to. The entire book is quotable and relatable. I will definitely reread this once my already out of control TBR pile settles down.