--- product_id: 51970840 title: "The Idiot Hardcover – 1 Jun. 2017" brand: "elif batuman" price: "820.75 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 12 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/51970840-the-idiot-hardcover-1-jun-2017 store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Idiot Hardcover – 1 Jun. 2017 **Brand:** elif batuman **Price:** 820.75 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Idiot Hardcover – 1 Jun. 2017 by elif batuman - **How much does it cost?** 820.75 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/51970840-the-idiot-hardcover-1-jun-2017) ## Best For - elif batuman enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted elif batuman brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The Idiot Hardcover – 1 Jun. 2017 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91J0mcZJQ+L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars Many of the negative reviews are missing something about this book *by M***. on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 November 2022* Lots of the other reviews of this book are missing something; specifically, the reviews that say it's boring, it's tedious, nothing happens, etc. They are all missing something really important about this book.It's really, really funny.In fairness, if you don't share the author's sense of humour, then I imagine this book *is* really boring. If you don't link thicket upon thicket of densely layered wry observations about people and everyday life, then this book won't do much for you. Batuman, and her protagonist Selin, have a rich sense of irony. There were countless times when I laughed out loud. The book is also steeped in literary allusions and cultural references, though I don't think to the extent that makes it inaccessible; there are no DFW-style footnotes. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars good book *by E***H on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2024* good book but a slow start ### ⭐⭐⭐ 3.0 out of 5 stars A coming of age story *by P***A on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 May 2018* The Idiot - Elif BatumanSelin is a freshman student of languages at Harvard. She aspires to be a writer and for her “language itself is a self sufficient system.” At Harvard, she befriends Svetlana, who is an extremely smart and opinionated girl and becomes Selin’s confidante over the first year of her college life. Selin takes up a Russian language class and ends up meeting Ivan there. She develops a crush on him, which she thinks is serious love. They begin an innocent email correspondance, talking about nothing in particular. She follows him to Hungary over summers, where she teaches English to children in a village. Selin and Ivan are the quintessential “will they, won’t they” couple and their relationship, or rather the lack of it; forms the central arc of the story.I liked Selin’s character. She is an extremely intelligent girl with a very “no non-sense” attitude. Her infatuation with Ivan is also understandable, because it is very usual for an eighteen year old to have such feelings. And equally impressive is Svetlana, who is her own twisted way is often the voice of reason for Selin. I understand that this book was supposed be kind of a “coming of age story”. The first half was dedicated to describing Selin’s first year at Harvard, which personally for me triggered a lot of nostalgia about Boston and Cambridge. However, I felt the story sort of fell off rails in the second half which was dedicated to describing Selin’s summer in Hungary, interspersed with her meetings with Ivan. It stretched so long that by the end I had lost interest in knowing if they would be together or not.I guess this is one of those books which would generate a very polarised opinions, readers would absolutely love it or not like it at all. I feel this is one one the weaker books in the short list of women’s prize. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/51970840-the-idiot-hardcover-1-jun-2017](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/51970840-the-idiot-hardcover-1-jun-2017) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-04-24*