Brick Lane

This is a novel of genuine insight, with the kind of characterisation that reminds the reader at every turn just what the novel form is capable of. Every character (Nazneen, her disappointed husband and her resourceful friend Razia) is drawn with the complexity that can really only be found in the novel these days. In some ways, the reader is given the same all-encompassing experience as in a Dickens novel: humour and tragedy rub shoulders in a narrative that inexorably grips the reader. Whether or not Monica Ali can follow up this achievement is a question for the future; it's enough to say right now that Brick Lane is an essential read for anyone interested in current British fiction. --Barry Forshaw

Reader Reviews:

Some moving parts (0/0 people found this helpful)

I was so looking forward to reading this book but overall I was slightly disappointed.

The first half of the story which describes Nazneen's arrival in Britain as a young bride, her difficult life in London and the tragedy of losing her first child, was gripping. However I found the account of her affair with Karim and the repetitive descriptions of her daughters' struggles with their father went on for much longer than was necessary. I was pleasantly surprised though when the final section of the novel, where Nazneen and her husband reach an understanding about whether to return to Bangladesh or not, actually moved me to tears.

In summary, this is a good book with some moving parts, but not a great work of literature.

Should I keep reading? (0/0 people found this helpful)

Perhaps it is not a good idea to write a review only 200 (out of 500) pages into a book but here goes! I bought this book as I enjoy reading about different cultures, I enjoyed reading the Kite Runner and felt it gave me a real feel and understanding of the culture, it was a real page turner. However as other people have mentioned in their reviews Brick Lane is too long and wordy. It takes a long time to get anywhere and I'm wondering if I should just give up! I will persevere but it is not a book that I find difficult to put down. One of the problems for me is that few of the characters are particularly likeable. Nazeen should be likeable as she is not in the best situation (in an arranged marriage to a man she is not in love with, does not find attractive, finds irritating, and is controlling) but I feel that I want to shake her and tell her to speak up and try to improve her situation even in small ways. I'm disappointed by this book and I only hope it improves and lives up to all the quotes which praise it on the cover!

Over-rated (0/0 people found this helpful)

I tried reading this book about 3 months ago. But, about 60 pages into it, my attention and interest wavered. I found it to be a strenous physical effort to stay attuned to the narritive. But, then 2 weeks ago, I decided to give it another chance...and I have admittedly got much further this time. But, its still so boring. There is no evident hook in this story. Nazneen is a likeable and inoffensive character, but her relationship with Chanu is tedious. Okay, so they are not a well matched couple, but so what?! I have read the work of other authors who shed a gripping light unto other cultures (namely Zadie Smith and Khalid Housseini) and compared to them Monica Ali falls very short of the bar. I am so shocked by the critical acclaim received by the novel...were the critics reading the same book as I am reading? I am halfway through...and I REALLY do not see the narritive and storyline picking up. I am forcing myself through this novel, giving Monica the benefit of the doubt, by vainly hoping that the story will pick up...but NOTHING. And the correspondence (letters) from her sister, Hasina, are bloomin' pointless. They fail to add any wanted depth to the story. I cannot bring myself to read them, despite my best intentions.
I hate to be so overly critical. I am sure that 'Brick Lane' was a product of deep labour of love. But, I honestly, am finding it TEDIOUS. It is really lacking something...completely devoid of a good hook, storyline...Its just words, which loosely combine to tell a Bangladeshi ladies story.

...so it's not just me... (1/2 people found this helpful)

I read on my way to and from work. I find that, with the help of a good book, the one hour trip usually flies by. When reading Brick Lane however, I constantly caught myself staring out the window and usually had to force myself to continue. There were a multitude of threads to this story that I grew to dread because I knew that I was in for a few pages of painfully dull reading. Still, I persisted in the diminishing hope that eventually I would be rewarded by the introduction of a character imbued with a third dimension. Sadly I wasn't. Instead I was treated to a series of events which were so drawn out and dull that I gave up the ghost about 80 pages from the end of the book. Ordinarily, this would horrify me, but on this occasion I felt it was for the greater good.

Brick Lane gets more than a single star because Ali is a technically adept author. The descriptions of Bangladesh are particularly vibrant. The characters and pace bitterly disappoint.

It isn't good. It isn't bad. It's just boring. (1/1 people found this helpful)

Given this as part of a book club and this is the only reason I struggled my way through it. I can't say its a bad book, its not poorly written or with a horrendous storyline but it's definitely not a good book. It's just boring and tedious. You don't feel any connection with any of the characters, they have no redeeming points and the main character just comes across as so pathetic that it begins to get annoying.
The most grating thing about this book is the absolutely pointless letters written by her sister, all are in terrible broken English, add nothing to the story and just succeed in making you want to rip the spine out of the book. The huge leaps in time confused me, I couldn't picture the characters at all and the frequent jumps back to her childhood seemed pointless. She does develop well as a character and that is the only good thing I can really say about this book, but because you find yourself not caring about the characters it doesn't redeem the book even slightly.

Monica Ali

Editorial Review: