Reed Oberting’s Reviews > The Reluctant Fundamentalist > Status Update
Reed Oberting
is on page 14 of 228
I was impressed by the seamlessness with which the author controls what the reader thinks. For instance, the author directs the perception of the American. This control is constructed by a detailed analysis of how he acts and the strange actions that subtly hint at him being a foreign agent. Whether it be the Americans' apparent unease or his namelessness, the author constantly controls the reader's assumptions.
— Jan 12, 2026 05:44PM
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Reed’s Previous Updates
Reed Oberting
is on page 62 of 228
I am concerned by how deep Erica’s scars are. Changez describes her as having an emotional crack(52), and while it is initially described as tiny, I believe it’s dangerous. Erica constantly brings up her dead boyfriend, Chris, and seems to surround herself with people to fill his void. But with others, she seems absent, and only comes to life when looking at Changez, whom she is actively trying to mold into Chris.
— Jan 15, 2026 06:42PM
Reed Oberting
is on page 29 of 228
I am intrigued about what will happen to Changez and Erica’s relationship. Even though they seem to have a unique intimacy, shown when Erica is described as the only person to understand Changez’s sense of humor(29), she and America are described as being left behind. I wonder what happened to this blossoming relationship, and I predict that the events of 9/11 and a lack of physical intimacy played a part in its end.
— Jan 14, 2026 06:03PM
