Allston Chen’s Reviews > The Reluctant Fundamentalist > Status Update
Allston Chen
is on page 40 of 228
Mohsin Hamid starts to show another side of the reluctant fundamentalist. He shows the tender side of him and how his perspective of the world from pakistan affects who he is. I liked this chapter less but it did go more into the intricacies of character instead of keen observations and words that have other meanings. I still enjoyed this chapter, however, because it shows that people are more than summa cum laude.
— Jan 15, 2026 06:32PM
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Allston’s Previous Updates
Allston Chen
is on page 101 of 228
Mohsin Hamid does a great job in emphasizing the effects of 9/11 in this section. You can feel the gravity of the impact upon the people as they continue their relentless raids and revolutions in the Levant. He also shows a lot of the delicate sides of Erica and gets to an understanding of the relationship that they have truly developed. However, you can clearly see that it is not meant to be because of Chris.
— 20 hours, 26 min ago
Allston Chen
is on page 81 of 228
I think that the author does a very good job showing change throughout the book as the events of 9/11 unfold, he feels increasingly alienated. I also thought that the author does a good job showing perspectives and the differences in opportunities between the rich and the poor in smaller details. Mohsin Hamid makes it easy to understand the story and what life is like for someone in this circumstance.
— Jan 20, 2026 06:20PM
Allston Chen
is on page 61 of 228
These pages were written with a weird warm familiarity. The idea of home is emphasized in this section and I enjoy how the author develops Erica and Changez's relationship. I also like how Mohsin Hamid represents how he is as a worker in the end. I observed that the book becomes less about subtle details here and while there are small references and new york meanings, there is less about intention.
— Jan 19, 2026 06:11PM
Allston Chen
is on page 40 of 228
These pages were written with a weird warm familiarity. The idea of home is emphasized in this section and I enjoy how the author develops Erica and Changez's relationship. I also like how Mohsin Hamid represents how he is as a worker in the end. I observed that the book becomes less about subtle details here and while there are small references and new york meanings, there is less about intention.
— Jan 17, 2026 07:17PM
Allston Chen
is on page 20 of 228
The Reluctant fundamentalist, quite an odd name for a book. From what I have read I would have called him Observant. I weirdly feel a lot of empathy for him, the american dream of clawing your way from the bottom to the top. An immigrant. The interviewers interpretation made me think the most though. He gives so much to pay attention to and really makes you think about the small details in life and the ultimate goal.
— Jan 14, 2026 06:37PM
