by Elif Batuman
First published 2022
Selin begins her sophomore year at Harvard in 1996 with a mission. She needs to understand what happened during her bizarre summer in the Hungarian countryside. Why did Ivan, the elusive boy she likes, arrange that job for her? What was the deal with all those strange people she met there? And why is Ivan's ex-girlfriend suddenly reaching out to her? Selin realizes her life feels like the plot of an exciting novel, but she worries about becoming one of those crazy abandoned women who populate so many stories. Armed with her literature coursework and advice from more experienced classmates, she decides that parties, alcohol, and sex hold the keys to a meaningful existence. She plans to put these theories into practice, whatever it takes. International travel also makes her list of essential experiences. As Selin navigates the intensity of youth and the pressure to make her privileged position count, she grapples with how to live a life interesting enough to become a novel without losing herself in the process.
Genres: literary-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Harvard, Hungary
Period: 1996
368 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press