Elif Batuman navigates the muddy waters of university life in her 2017 debut novel “The Idiot” and its 2022 sequel “Either/Or.” Both follow college student Selin Karadağ through a journey of self-discovery during her first two years at Harvard College.
Recently, Batuman announced her plans to expand the universe with two upcoming novels centered around the protagonist’s life after college, adding that she’s currently working on the third title of a projected four-book series.
First published as “Constructed Worlds,” a short story for The New Yorker, “The Idiot” takes its title from the novel of the same name by Fyodor Dostoevsky — simply switch a Russian prince for an 18-year-old college girl.
The first installment is centered around Selin’s rocky freshman year, capturing the growth of interpersonal relationships and intellectual awakening. As she learns to live alone and deal with college roommates, Selin develops an unrequited crush on Ivan, an older Hungarian student.
The book reminds the readers that it’s set in the mid-to-late 1990s from its first line: “I didn’t know what email was until I got to college.” Much of Selin’s relationship with Ivan develops through this technology, which adds to the remoteness of it all.
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What makes “The Idiot” and “Either/Or” special is the unique perspective of its protagonist. Selin examines her identity in the face of her new academic life, a starkly earnest coming-of-age story that can resonate with most readers.
For Selin, college is a chance to explore entirely new things. She starts as a linguistics student and delves into the world of Russian literature. The author captures the excitement and intrigue of freshman year, along with its ups and downs.
Selin is a clear example of what’s known online as a “thought daughter.” Batuman’s protagonist, loosely based on the author, is an introspective and intelligent young woman whose internal monologue is richly layered.
Batuman’s writing features a deadpan wit that’s as disorienting as disarmingly familiar. Fans of acclaimed author Sally Rooney can find comfort in these books, with its inward-looking atmosphere and careful prose. Perhaps referencing its stunningly fitting title, “The Idiot” concludes with a memorable line: “I had learned nothing at all.”
“The Idiot” garnered positive reactions from the literary community, being selected as a finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, which was eventually awarded to “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer.
The anticipated 2022 sequel, “Either/Or,” picks up immediately where “The Idiot” left off, with Selin back for her sophomore year at Harvard after a summer abroad, still asking the bigger questions about leading her life.
“Either/Or,” like its predecessor, takes its name from another book — philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s novel by the same name. Inspired by this title, Selin’s conflict is centered around living an ethical or aesthetic life, as discussed by Kierkegaard.
The sequel brings back previous characters, like Selin’s quirky friend Svetlana, who decides to pursue the “ethical life” while Selin embraces the “aesthetic.”
The search for an “aesthetic life” takes Selin on a winding road of self-discovery, pushing her to question her values, choices and the kind of life she truly wants to lead.
In this second installment, Batuman explores Selin’s relationship with her sexuality and cultural identity. The latter part of the book finds Selin in Turkey — her family’s country of origin — drawing inspiration from the author’s Turkish American upbringing.
Together, “The Idiot” and “Either/Or” create a beautiful portrait of a young woman coming into her own — flawed, curious and deeply relatable. Batuman’s commitment to Selin’s story feels like an ongoing conversation, leaving readers yearning for more.
