Absurdistan Overview

Absurdistan is a very unique read even for someone who has read quite a bit. For some this uniqueness might be make the book a good read but for me it seemed to over complicate the reading to the point where it was hard to discern the important from the meaningless. Gary Shteyngart was so wrapped up in creating a sardonic tone and a caustic narration that he failed to make the plot convincing. Although Misha did have all the gluttonous charateristics we could relate to, and even some of the charitable ones, he remained to caustic for the reader to get close to. This was coupled with the fact that all the environments misha seems to get put in only seem to support the bizzarity of the book. At some points I would feel pity for Misha afterall his situation is a bad one, and in these moments I would feel some brief connection with his character, but it would not be long till Misha made a comment that seemed to ruin that connection. It is this inability to keep a certain feeling going or to flow smoothly into the next that makes this book a very difficult read. Perhaps if I read it again I would feel more enticed, but this first reading was not at all as entertaining as I would have hoped when I was picking out my novel. The book was a relatively funny satire of modernday Russia and its socially and economically elite class but as far as entertainment value goes Absurdistan is not up for any awards in my book.

Final Thoughts

During the past several weeks, I have been reading several different books. Some for fun, others because I had to. But I consistently found myself choosing to read Absurdistan. It was a perfect mixture of vulgarity, satire, social cometary and adventure. On several occasions on my plane ride to Arizona, I laughed out loud as I read and the other passengers would stare at me. It has been a very long time since I have laughed out loud at a book. I totally agree with Lars when he says Shteyngart was funny, and the humor was just part of the story. There weren't sections that were written to be 'funnier' then the rest. Absurdistan also acts as a mirror to the absurdity of Western culture. I'm not entirely certain what I'm supposed to think of Absurdistan's description Russia. The description of the 'grand old U.S.S.R' is completely over-the-top and overly nostalgic and proved to be one of my favorite parts of the book. The reader is forced to look at the oddities of American culture through a different perspective. Although I didn't have a problem with the vulgarity, I'm sure others did and with good reason. Every time Mr.s Jarret says we need to write a proposal our book for summer reading I laugh because there is no way Absurdistan could ever be a summer reading book. On multiple occasions, there is extremely graphic description of sex, which in some cases, should just be left to the readers imagination. The book also required a high level of knowledge of world affairs, especially regarding the United States and the Middle East. The best person to read Absurdistan would be an avid viewer of The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. In conclusion, I loved every minute of Absurdistan. From Misha crying under his bed in his hotel in Absurdistan, eating four buckets of buffalo wings and watching porn, to his descriptions of the 'bastard Professor Shteynfarb'. I look foreword reading others books by Gary Shteyngart.

Absurdistan reflection

In my opinion this book is great. It's humor and satire keeps the book interesting, funny, and fun to read. Although the book was gross and hard to read at times, like Misha's encounter with lybia, it was still a good read and the satire helps the reader stay on topic throughout the book. My favorite part of the book is not one specific part. It is the witty and satirical humor that can be found throughout the book and not just in one part. This meant that when reading a witty joke comes up here and there it is not just in one spot then it never surfaces again. The title of the book is very fitting not just because there is a country named Absurdistan in the book but because the book as a whole is absurd. All the things that happen are strange and even the main character himself is strange. Though the story line is strange and gross at times the humor shows through and really makes this book a great read. Overall Absurdstan is a great book because of its witty humor and should be recommended to all people that like satire.

And in the end....

Above all this novel caught me off balance. So many things within it were original and overcame expectations. The single element that stands out most to me is the humor. When a book read in school is described with such words as "witty" or "funny" , even " hilarious" I am hesitant. Usually those books are not funny, just someone trying to be that. But the thing about this book was it was actually funny, and didnt look like it was trying to hard. Misha was Misha and he does funny things, but he is believable. Stemming of the funniness of this novel is the satire. It was very well done, high brow yet accessible to 10th graders. One could analyze for satire as we do another book for deeper meaning. And once again, it didnt feel forced. It wasn't like the reader could be like "oh here is the satire section" it was constant and through out, with varying levels of subtly. This feat goes entirely to author who not only kept a constant voice for his characters , but also a constant satire. Its been said its harder to do comedy then drama, and for that reason we must fully acknowledge the brilliance of the author. He has created a book that , in the highest sense, earns the praise of "witty", "funny" , "hilarious", and brilliant.

This is the end...... my only friend the end.....

Overall I enjoyed absurdistan, despite it's disgusting sense of humor I genuinely laughed at some of the characters and jokes. The book provides an interesting view on the western world that was refreshing. The book unlike many of the books I have read throughout my life is original. Unlike many of the books I've read for school things happen that you didn't expect. I feel like some of the details in the book were unwelcome and unnecessary. We don't need Misha's penis personified in ten different way, and I think that the number of orgasms caused by food in a book should be limited to one or two tops. I don't have many criticism of the book other than it's too mature theme for you average person. I liked that it dealt with soviet Russia because marxism and the soviet union are funny to me. I enjoyed the characters in the book and thought they were refreshing compared to characters such as Mate. Misha is always up to some shenanigans and constantly trying to do the right thing but often fails to identify what the right thing to do is. I would give this book a 8/10 meaning that I would read the book outside of school if I knew about it.

TEH ENDZORS

Misha, Timofey, Rouenna, Soooooooooviet Russia, the Absurdvani, and Beloved Papa. This novel by Shteyngart turned out to be quite a tale, although one I could do without. The novel seemed to be an attempt at weirding out half the populace of the western world. The vivid sexual scenes without actual intercourse confused me and alarmed me, and I don’t think they really added to the story any beyond pitching Misha as a gradually more sorry and pitiful character. Speaking of Misha, I thought I would be fond of the character throughout the book when I had started reading it, but as I got further into the Enigma that is Shteyngart's imagination, I realized that he is someone I would very certainly hate in real life. One instance of the unnecessary use of sex in the book, I bring the reader’s attention to the ‘play’ with a KGB officer and a prostitute talk vividly about sex… and it really doesn’t further the plot much at all in my opinion. While talking about the plot, I must mention the giant analogy that is Absurdistan. It screams “I AM AFGHANISTAN!” The satire Shteyngart uses to show the reader the ‘absurdity’ of the middle eastern situation today is so very well done. I think Shteygart’s descriptive and satiric abilities are extraordinary yet… oh, misguided and misused, shall we say?

Did anyone notice...

...That the reason Absurdvani started this civil war was for attention, and that in the modern world this is the only way to gain international fame?

...The massive numbers of references to 9/11? according to the book, Misha left the Mountain Jews on the night of september tenth, 2001, with the intent of arriving in New York by any means necessary. He could have been on the flight, or (really stretching it here) maybe he CAUSED 9/11 to distract authorities.

...That Timofey is over 60 and he still suffers so much at the hands of his employer?

...That absurdistan is a model for the failure of capitalism, which relies on at least one skill per country? (Australia has wool, We have technology, Arabia has oil, etc).

...The inside joke that no american could locate Absurdistan on a map?