Have you ever expected to love something in pop culture — simply because everyone that you know and trust has loved it before you — and then been totally crushed when you just don’t?
Recently, we rented the movie The Big Sick. I had been waiting for weeks to see it and just knew I would love it. I think Kumail Nanjiani is hilarious and was obsessed with the story about how he fell in love with his wife.
So I thought I would love it. And I didn’t. I really, really didn’t. Something about it just rubbed me the wrong way and I was really annoyed — both by the film and by my reaction to it. And I don’t really know why.
And that’s how I felt about this book.
I expected to love it, based upon all of the positive reviews I’d read here and on goodreads. It seemed like it was totally in my wheelhouse and I practically skipped home from the library with excitement when I picked it up from the reserve desk.
But I didn’t love it. I don’t think I even liked it. And I once again find myself annoyed by my own opinions. I should have loved this book. And I’m sorry I didn’t.
Here’s the blurb from Amazon:
Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.
But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.
Still, it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.
This book should have been like catnip to me. But I simply didn’t find any of it endearing. I thought Monty was kind of an asshole and didn’t find him charming at all. I mean, I get that his whole life has been a lie and that his father is pretty much the worst person in the world, but his behavior annoyed me. And it totally bugged me that none of the characters were able to communicate with one another without copious amounts of alcohol.
But there were a few things I did like.
I liked Felicity and wanted her to succeed with whatever she finally decides to do. I’m glad she didn’t turn out to be anything like she was expected to be. I hope she kicks ass as an amazing doctor out at sea with the pirates.
I appreciated the historical aspects of the story. That homosexuality was in no way tolerated, that a man couldn’t be considered a gentleman if he wasn’t 100% white, that even the smartest woman had no chance to receive an education, and that a simple affliction like epilepsy would more or less be a death sentence.
I really did enjoy the descriptions of Venice, Versailles, and rural France and Spain…What it was like to travel by coach…How smelly people got without a full staff to launder their travel trunk filled with very heavy clothing every day…and how generally clueless wealthy men were about everything that occurs in their lives on a daily basis (the fact that Monty was not even capable of making tea killed me).
But in general, this book wasn’t for me. I hope everyone else out there enjoys it more than I did (and it certainly seems like they are!).
Last note: I could not deal with the cover of this book. I kept seeing Hayden Christiansen as the model for Monty. NO thanks.
Oh nooooo, not Hayden Christensen sidebraid!
I thought Monty was a precious trash basket full of vinegar and I wanted to smoosh him, but I can see being a bit turned off by his whole deal. I’m sorry you didn’t like this!
Is this a safe space for a small The Big Sick vent? I had the same reaction – didn’t hate it but was meh, OK. Trying to figure out why I didn’t love it. I adored Ray Romano and Holly Hunter. I want to be best friends with them. I want to get drunk and heckle frat bros at comedy clubs with Holly Hunter. #lifegoals
But Kumail? He’s not super great. He’s not being honest with his parents. He’s not honest with Emily. His apartment is gross, he’s not a great comedian, he’s basically a schlub. Emily? She’s great! She’s smart and funny and adorable. And her boyfriend is hiding the fact that he’s never going to marry her and in fact, is constantly meeting other smart, funny, adorable women to possibly marry WHILE THEY ARE DATING.
(Also the women his parents are trying to set him up with are also great. Kumail is basically drowning in a sea of incredible women.)
When does he earn her? He doesn’t really. Emily is awesome. Emily forgives him. Emily flies to NYC. Meh. Emily can do better.
The one thing about the movie that I think would have made me like it more would be: have someone else play Kumail.
He’s fine on a Silicon Valley and little bits on The XFiles and stuff. But this was way too much for him and his performance suffered when compared to a powerhouse like Holly Hunter. She and Ray were SO GOOD. And he was just Kumail. It was distracting.
Also, agree with everything you said about him never earning Emily’s love.
I would have much preferred a movie about the amazing Pakistani girl (played by the equally amazing Vella Lovell) that he dumped outside of her apartment building.
*slides into safe space*
Anything in the movie that had to do with Kumail’s comedy career distracted me from the good parts of the movie. Basically, I wanted to get back to Holly Hunter and Ray Romano as fast as humanly possible.
I also think that when real Emily and Kumail wrote this, they forgot to write in the details of how they fell in love. I’ve heard them talk about it, but this feels very glossed over at all the important character beats for that relationship.
#VellaLovellForAllTheThings
I have this as an audiobook, and while I can normally get through an audiobook pretty quickly, I keep putting off listening to this, because Henry is so annoying and spoiled and completely obnoxious. I like Percy and Felicity, but Henry being the main narrator and making everything about poor little him all that time is not endearing me to him. I’m probably only about a third of the way into the book because I keep putting off audiobooks entirely (I won’t let myself listen to other things until I finish this book). So I’m hoping the book picks up, but so far, I’m feeling much as you do about this.
I thought The Big Sick was sweet, though, even though I also agree with everyone here that Kumail was by far the weakest link acting wise, that his lying to everyone in his life was despicable and that Emily (and all those other amazing Pakistani women) could do better than him. Maybe it was just because it was a romantic comedy that didn’t suck hard?